Number Of Influencing Factors Research Articles

Analysis and Evaluation of the Influence of Selected Factors on the Occurrence of Defects in Polish Housing Construction Using the Example of the Lower Silesia Region

In literature relevant to this topic, attention is mainly paid to the qualitative and quantitative identification of defects in housing construction, and the factors that cause these defects. There is a research gap regarding the quantitative relationships between factors and defects, and the identification of factors that have a decisive impact on the occurrence of defects. The authors’ contribution to research regarding quality management in construction investments involves the identification of defects in residential buildings, identification of factors that generate construction defects occurring at various stages of the investment process, and also the assessment of their discriminatory power. This analysis used the results of technical inspections of buildings carried out in Poland in 2017–2020 in the Lower Silesia region. The study of the factors that influence quality in housing construction was carried out using the diagnostic survey method and the survey technique. Discriminant analysis was used for the calculations, with a number of influence factors being found. The following factors have the greatest discriminatory power: C1—a lack of internal control of design documentation before the start of the construction of the facility; C15—a lack of stability of the team (high staff turnover) that conducts contract tenders; C30—a lack of executive potential for preparing the facility for technical acceptance. Identifying the relationships between factors and quality, measured by the number and type of defects, will constitute the basis for developing procedures for conducting and controlling construction works and taking appropriate preventive actions in the form of employee training.

Sporcu - Öğrencilerin Öz yeterlik Düzeylerinin Akademik Başarıya Etkisinin Lojistik Regresyon Analizi İle İncelenmesi

Athlete-students faced with both athletic and academic demands may identify more strongly with their academic or athletic roles, depending on a number of influential factors. The aim of this study is to examine the effects of self-efficacy, gender and age of athletes- students on their academic achievement. In the research, the self-efficacy scale adapted to Turkish by Öcal (2022) and the academic achievement averages of the athletes-students were used as data collection tools. The data were collected from a total of 290 university licensed athletes-students studying at the university's faculty of sports sciences. Logistic regression analysis method was used in the analysis of the data. The results showed that high self-efficacy levels of athlete students are an important predictor of their academic achievement. As the age of the athletes increases, their academic success rates also increase; It was found that female athlete students were more likely to fail than male students. Another result is that the more the athletes' perceptions of confidence in their abilities increase, the more likely they are to be academically successful. These results revealed that age, gender, and confidence in their abilities are the determinants of academic success, and athlete self-efficacy is an important factor in the academic success of students during their education. It can be said that the results of the research are an important factor in guiding future research and educational prevention and intervention efforts for athletes.

An Optimal Maintenance and Replacement Strategy for Deteriorating Water Mains

Municipal water mains are built with a target service age of several decades. In such a long life, breaks can occur, even multiple times. Water mains can be maintained before or right at breaks. The former is referred to as the preventive strategy, whereas the latter is the corrective strategy. Depending on the costs of repair, replacement, and failure consequence, different strategies should typically be implemented in order to achieve the optimal watermain management in terms of life cycle costs. This study aims to investigate the optimal scenarios for the two strategies based on a two-time-scale (TTS) point process used to model the deterioration of water mains. The corrective strategy is to determine the optimal number n, where upon the n-th break, implementing a replacement for water main is justified, compared to a minimal repair. The preventive strategy is to determine the optimal replacement time in terms of pipe survival probability Ps. Monte Carlo simulations are used to investigate the optimal n and Ps considering a number of influential factors, including model parameters of the intensity function and ratios of maintenance, replacement, and consequence costs. Then, the full distributions of the life cycle costs are characterized with the mean of total life cycle costs being the target for optimization. Last, a case study is illustrated to demonstrate the application of both strategies in real water systems. An important finding is that with a typical pipe diameter of 400 mm and length of 200 m, the optimal n is typically less than five, and the optimal Ps is below 50%.

Modeling the systematic behavior at the micro and nano length scales

The assessment of the systematic behavior based on frequentist statistics was analyzed in the context of micro/nano metrology. The proposed method is in agreement with the well-known GUM recommendations. The investigation assessed three different case studies with definition of model equations and establishment of the traceability. The systematic behavior was modeled in Sq roughness parameters and step height measurements obtained from different types of optical microscopes, and in comparison with a calibrated contact instrument. The sequence of case studies demonstrated the applicability of the method to micrographs when their elements are averaged. Moreover, a number of influence factors, which are typical causes of inaccuracy at the micro and nano length scales, were analyzed in relation to the correction of the systematic behavior, viz. the amount of repeated measurements, the time sequence of the acquired micrographs and the instrument-operator chain. The possibility of applying the method individually to the elements of the micrographs was instead proven not convenient and too onerous for the industry. Eventually, the method was also examined against the framework of the metrological characteristics defined in ISO 25 178-600 with hints on possible future developments.

An Overview of carbonate complex characteristics on dam sites along The Neretva River

1. Extended abstractAn extensive inventory of engineering rock properties presents an essential feature for characterization of the site which is of vital importance for engineering activities. Geotechnical modelling is a highly sophisticated procedure that considers number of influential factors on rock mass conditions and properties which are of particular interest in design of large, capital buildings. In specific geological environments, such as karst, it is practically impossible to obtain specific design parameters without multidisciplinary approach that involves experts in various fields (engineers, hydrologists, geologists, speleologist) coupled with the application of available technologies and methods to survey the site and foreseen possible risks for the project.Carbonate complexes are present in the maritime and central belt of the Dinaric Alps through which Neretva River flows. In river’s central basin, Salakovac and Grabovica hydroelectric gravity dams were constructed, the case study sites analysed in this paper. In this area, numerous field and laboratory tests of mechanical and dynamic properties had been carried out. The current work is a continuation of previous studies conducted by Selimoviæ (2004) and further deepened by Špago (2010) and related publications and aims to provide an overview of the practice and methods, highlight common issues and risks of designing and building in karst and to draw the lines among a spectra of rock characterization parameters used to describe carbonate complexes in Neretva River area.Validated regression models that examine the correlation between rock properties were used to create clusters of rock mass quality and the corresponding values for static and dynamic parameters to enable faster yet sufficiently accurate input data for geotechnical modelling process for initial project stages. With each construction project in the surrounding, given dataset should be supplemented with newly obtained data that would improve the accuracy of the model and open an opportunity for development of new model types to make geotechnical analysis more reliable while deepening the understanding on local conditions for designing and building in the karst areas of Neretva.

Dazzling Descriptions and Tantalizing Titles: How Simple Versus Complex Course Information Influences Course Selection

Research exploring a student’s “path to purchase” when considering course selection has revealed a number of influential factors including course content, reputation, and professor style. To date, little is known about the direct (or indirect) influence that course titles and course descriptions have on student interest and enrollment in courses, or how easy-sounding (simple) versus difficult-sounding (complex) information is inferred and interpreted as it relates to various enrollment markers. Using ideas from metacognition research, this research explores the impact of subjective assessment of simple versus complex course titles and course descriptions on general interest in a course and enrollment intentions. Findings indicate that not only does an easy versus complex course description affect enrollment intention, but it also affects subjective interpretations of course interest, expected workload, and learning outcomes, whereas course title has few meaningful effects. Application of these ideas for specific students and future research opportunities are discussed.

The analysis of influential parameters on calibration and feeding accuracy of belt feeders

Continual material feeding represents a process of great importance for process industries. Feeding with belt feeders represents one of the most common methods. Belt feeders are devices that require little space, they are not expensive and, most importantly, they do not interrupt material flow while feeding. Calibration of belt feeders, as well as other measuring devices, is a prerequisite for measuring and achieving a defined level of measurement accuracy. On the other hand, the defined level of measurement accuracy is often difficult to achieve in practice due to the multitude of factors that affect the operation of belt feeders. Existing mathematical models indicate a number of influential factors on measurement accuracy. The paper presents the measurement procedure performed on a belt feeder in laboratory conditions, with variable speeds and belt tensions and the known raised position of the measuring idler. Based on the obtained results, appropriate conclusions were made about the influences on calibration and measurement accuracy

Vectors of change in higher education curricula

ABSTRACT The aim of this paper is to examine key change vectors shaping the undergraduate curriculum in the third decade of the twenty-first century. The paper begins by outlining selected definitions, foundational theories and conceptual frameworks underpinning this analysis of the undergraduate curriculum and its influences. Three key external forces shaping the undergraduate curriculum are examined: universalization; national policy and legislative frameworks; and the influence of technology as disruptor and enabler. While some of these socio-political, economic and geopolitical forces are longstanding and familiar, a number of influential factors that have gained prominence in the last 10 years, including the disruptive influence of technology, new approaches to curriculum design in the form of micro-credentialing, and changing expectations of the undergraduate curriculum. The paper calls for a conceptually robust, long-term approach to examining the various factors shaping the undergraduate curriculum, with a particular focus on macro-level factors external to an institution. The paper concludes by considering policy and practical implications of these forces for the future shape and purpose of undergraduate curricula.

Data analytics approach for travel time reliability pattern analysis and prediction

Travel time reliability (TTR) is an important measure which has been widely used to represent the traffic conditions on freeways. The objective of this study is to develop a systematic approach to analyzing TTR on roadway segments along a corridor. A case study is conducted to illustrate the TTR patterns using vehicle probe data collected on a freeway corridor in Charlotte, North Carolina. A number of influential factors are considered when analyzing TTR, which include, but are not limited to, time of day, day of week, year, and segment location. A time series model is developed and used to predict the TTR. Numerical results clearly indicate the uniqueness of TTR patterns under each case and under different days of week and weather conditions. The research results can provide insightful and objective information on the traffic conditions along freeway segments, and the developed data-driven models can be used to objectively predict the future TTRs, and thus to help transportation planners make informed decisions.

Simulation of the analogue interface for remote measurements

This work is aimed at finding possibilities for increasing the accuracy of measurements and interfering analog interfaces for remote measurements using resistive strain gauges by introducing a new structural scheme, which is shown on the Fig. 1. It shows us the Schematic of the electrical functional analog interface for remote measurement using multiplexer and resistive strain gauges, which contains a measuring chain, a transmitter, the input of which is connected to a DC source through an analog demultiplexer, and the outputs of the measuring chain through the analog multiplexer are connected to the measuring amplifier, and a two-channel analog-digital converter with simultaneous sampling. The measuring chain is made in the form of three resistive current dividers, where one divider is formed by a resistive strain gauge and adjusting resistor, and two others – exemplary resistors.By introducing a new structural scheme, it will be possible to increase the accuracy of measurements and impedance of analog interfaces for remote measurements using resistive strain gauges. In this case, unlike the classical method of model measures, this method is distinguished by the «indistinguishability» of the measuring line, which makes it possible to compensate for a greater number of influential factors, in particular, the correlated noise of operational amplifiers and noise caused by the presence of the overall ground loop, the resistance of analogue switches and lines of communication.At the Fig. 2 we can see the electric model of the measuring channel in the software Elektronic Workbench.From the analysis of the simulation results it was found that the random additive component of the error would dominate. Since in the simulation of the only random component of the error there is a quantization error, the use of the differential method of measuring the output voltage will significantly improve the metrological characteristics.

Modeling and simulation of isothermal process of natural gas pipeline drying with dehydrated air

Ventilative drying is an essential drying method to protect natural gas pipeline from corrosion and prevent the formation of hydrate. A mathematical model describing the problem of pipelines drying with dehydrated air is developed based on the fundamental principle of mass, momentum, and species conservation in present work. To enhance the accuracy of the model, a new correlation of the evaporation rate of water in pipeline is introduced by taking interfacial resistance into account. Finite volume method (FVM) is employed to discretize the governing equations with first-order upwind scheme for mass and momentum equations and QUICK scheme for species equations. To reduce calculation load, a new solution strategy of semi-implicit method for Sm-linked equations is proposed to solve the nonlinear algebraic equations after the discretization of mathematical model. The results indicate that average absolute deviation between experimental data and the calculations are 8.8% and 8.2% for two cases, respectively. By analysis of dynamic process of the ventilative drying, it is found that the drying process takes place from the ends toward the center of the pipeline. In addition, the results also demonstrate that the nonuniform distribution of the liquid holdup may reduce the service efficiency of dehydrated air at the late period of drying process. Thus, we suggest that the drying process shifts to soak-test stage when the water vapor at the outlet reaches a minimum set value. Finally, a number of influential factors on the drying process are studied.

M/EEG-Based Bio-Markers to Predict the MCI and Alzheimer's Disease: A Review From the ML Perspective

This paper reviews the state-of-the-art neuromarkers development for the prognosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The first part of this paper is devoted to reviewing the recently emerged machine learning (ML) algorithms based on electroencephalography (EEG) and magnetoencephalography (MEG) modalities. In particular, the methods are categorized by different types of neuromarkers. The second part of the review is dedicated to a series of investigations that further highlight the differences between these two modalities. First, several source reconstruction methods are reviewed and their source-level performances explored, followed by an objective comparison between EEG and MEG from multiple perspectives. Finally, a number of the most recent reports on classification of MCI/AD during resting state using EEG/MEG are documented to show the up-to-date performance for this well-recognized data collecting scenario. It is noticed that the MEG modality may be particularly effective in distinguishing between subjects with MCI and healthy controls, a high classification accuracy of more than 98% was reported recently; whereas the EEG seems to be performing well in classifying AD and healthy subjects, which also reached around 98% of the accuracy. A number of influential factors have also been raised and suggested for careful considerations while evaluating the ML-based diagnosis systems in the real-world scenarios.

Is primary open-angle glaucoma an ocular manifestation of systemic disease?

Primary open-angle glaucoma is currently characterized by a pattern of progressive retinal ganglion cell loss that stems from a complex underlying pathophysiology that remains poorly elucidated. The roles of blood flow and intraocular pressure (IOP) in glaucoma pathogenesis have been extensively studied. Further, it has been established that lowering IOP can slow the progression of glaucoma. In addition, a number of influential factors have emerged and gained momentum over the years. Increasing evidence implicates the contributions of low cerebrospinal fluid pressure, autoimmunity, neurodegeneration, and impaired autoregulation towards glaucoma pathophysiology. We aggregate and explore these different camps of thought that have garnered attention over the last few decades, and, in doing so, aim to challenge the long-standing view of glaucoma as a primary disease of the eye. A shift in our perspective towards understanding glaucoma as an ocular manifestation of systemic dysregulation may lead ultimately to better clinical management of the disease.

The Relationships Between Dream Recall, Motivation to Remember Dreams, and Waking Memory Ability

Dream recall ability can vary between and within individuals, dependent on a number of influencing factors, including personality dimensions, number of nocturnal awakenings, and attitudes towards dreaming. Only a few studies, however, consider the possible connection of dream recall ability to general waking memory ability, or the influence of being motivated to actively remember dreams. The present survey-based study had two major aims: 1) To search for correlates and relationships between memory for dreams and memory for waking experience; 2) To address the effect of motivation on dream recall ability, split for both dream recall frequency (DRF) and dream recall detail (DRD). These questions were assessed in 57 participants who completed an online survey, consisting of questions from the Mannheim Dream Questionnaire (MADRE) and a memory exercise for an original short story. DRF and DRD were positively related, but showed different patterns of relation with the other measures. Of most interest, participants who reported high DRD also remembered the most details from the story, suggestive of an overlap between waking and dream recall ability. However, this relationship was non-linear, as the lowest memory score came from the intermediate DRD group, not the low DRD group, hence a non-significant correlation between DRD and score. DRF was unrelated to memory score, with no significant differences between high and low DRF groups, and no significant correlation between measures. This is likely due to the nature of the task being more compatible with memory for details. Correlations showed a consistent relationship between motivation and attitude measures, particularly the motivation to understand dreams. The most important points to be taken away from this study are: 1) there is apparent partial overlap between dream recall and waking memory for details; 2) being actively motivated to remember or understand dreams is an important variable to consider in future experiments; 3) and dream recall should be studied as its constituent parts of frequency and detail.

A joint scheduling method for multiple byproduct gases in steel industry

Reasonable scheduling of the byproduct gases produced during steel making procedure is of significance to steel industry because it is helpful to save energy resources, raise economic profit, alleviate the environment pollution and ensure the safety of the production process. In this study, a causal-interval-reasoning (CIR)-based joint scheduling method is proposed for scheduling the multiple categories of byproduct gases. A causal reasoning model is constructed here to predict the gas tank level, in which not only a number of influence factors (i.e., the gas users) on the gas tanks but also the mutual influence of the online tanks are considered. The upper and lower limits of the prediction intervals (PIs) of each gas tank level are constructed based on the granularity partition of the samples and a particle swarm optimization is designed to determine the parameters of granularity. In order for the balance of the whole byproduct gas system, a four-layer causal network is established, in which the operational statuses of boilers, the heat quantity, the steam demand and the gas mixture proportion are all well involved. To further optimize the scheduling solutions, an evaluation index is accordingly proposed. The practical data coming from a steel plant are employed for the validation data experiments, and the human experience based approaches considering only one single category of gas are also conducted as comparable studies so as to indicate the superior performance of the proposed method. For the practical application, a scheduling software system is consequently developed and implemented based on the proposed method, which has been applied in this steel plant for more than 1 year.

Problems of the Methodology for Studying the Religious Tradition in the Context of post-Soviet reIslamization

Abstract: the article examines the sociological aspects of Islam in post-Soviet Russia and one of its regions – Tatarstan. The author draws attention to a number of influential factors, without which it is impossible to adequately study the processes of post-Soviet reIslamization. The most significant are: regional differentiation of Muslim communities; the influence of Soviet modernization and state ideology of atheism on the state of Islamic theology and the transmission of religious norms and practice; the impact of globalization trends and glocalization on the identification and practices of Muslims. The combination in one sociocultural space of the local religious tradition and the patterns of Islamic globalization in close proximity to the secular community forms the situation of competition of identification projects, normative and ideological conflicts, both among spiritual leaders and inside the ummah itself. The new challenges of the post-secular world require a revision of the methodology for studying Muslim communities; rethinking the concept of “tradition” in the contexts of the local history of the Tatars in conditions of a multi-confessional Russian society and a global Islamic tradition. The research potential of constructivist approaches in sociology and identity theories in the study of Islam and Muslim communities is shown.

Gekoppelte CFD-DEM-Simulation des Trennprozesses in Mähdrescherreinigungsanlagen

Der vorliegende Artikel befasst sich mit der Anwendung der gekoppelten CFD-DEM-Methode (CFD – Computational Fluid Dynamics; DEM – Discrete Element Method) zur Simulation des Trennprozesses von Korn und NKB (Nichtkornbestandteile) in der Reinigungsanlage des Mahdreschers. Die Vielzahl der Einflussfaktoren, deren Wechselwirkungen, die breite Streuung von Eigenschaften, welche fur biogene Partikel typisch sind, und die daraus resultierende Komplexitat des Trennprozesses erfordern einen strategischen Ansatz zur Erstellung eines validen Simulationsmodells. Die in diesem Artikel vorgestellte Studie untersucht den Trennprozess daher auf zwei Ebenen, welche sich durch den Grad der Prozessabstraktion unterscheiden. Durch den Vergleich der numerischen Ergebnisse mit entsprechenden experimentell gewonnenen Ergebnissen wird die Anwendbarkeit des numerischen Verfahrens bestatigt. Es konnen jedoch auch Abweichungen identifiziert werden, die die Notwendigkeit weiterer Forschung zur Verbesserung der Parametrierung und Modellierung unterstreichen.

Transport habits of travelers using new energy type modes: A random parameters hazard-based approach of travel distance

With environmental concerns on the rise, identifying the factors that affect travel demand for energy efficient and environmentally friendly means of transportation becomes critical. It is, thus, beneficial to identify the characteristics of new energy type – low CO2 emissions – transport habits. Travel time is one such characteristic that has been extensively studied within the context of activity-based travel demand modeling. However, when travelers choose a new energy type with low CO2 emissions transport mode, it is likely that travel time may be playing a secondary role in their mode choice criteria as opposed to travel distance, especially in highly congested urban areas. Within this context, the origin-destination distance of a trip has the potential to reveal interesting traveler preferences and trip patterns. This paper presents an exploratory empirical analysis of origin-destination distance for such new energy type mode transport habits, in the Metropolitan area of Athens, Greece. Using hazard-based econometric modeling and random parameters to account for the longitudinal nature of trip distance and unobserved heterogeneity, respectively, trip distance is found to be affected by a number of influential factors, such as traveler socio-economic and demographic characteristics, trip purpose, trip time, trip frequency, and time of day for the trip.

Evaluating Resiliency of Supply Chain Network: A Data Envelopment Analysis Approach

Supply chains can be vulnerable to sudden disruptions, especially when it emphasizes efficient operation. In this regard, supply chain resilience (SCR) has received attention recently to cope with disruptions and improve competitiveness. This paper presents a novel methodology to measure resilience between different configurations of a supply chain network (SCN), based on a number of influential factors. For this reason, data envelopment analysis (DEA) is employed to identify the best-practice and less-performing SCN configurations among a group of alternatives. On this basis, the extent to which a current configuration can improve its resiliency is also measured. The methodology is applied to the case of E1, a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) company in Korea. Topological and operational measures were used as variables to assess resilience. The results suggest that the LPG supply chain in the case study requires an addition in the number and capacity of supply nodes in its network.

Tretiranje dvostrukog oporezivanja u Republici Srbiji

The goal of any business entity is to ensure the success of its activities, financial stability and durability and long-term business continuity. Achieving these objectives depends on a number of influential factors, both internal and external. In order to examine the level of achievement of these objectives certain indicators of success, stability and trends that point to the possibility of long-term business should be measured and expressed. Those indicators can be financial and non-financial in nature, or quantitatively and qualitatively expressed. The subject of this paper are financial indicators that help to measure and review business performance and are in the function of providing information needed for effective management of the company. These indicators primarily include indicators of cost-effectiveness, profitability and indicators of investment security. In addition to these literature recognizes also activities that indicate the success and stability of the business. The need for measuring and quantifying business performance resulted from analytical activities which are a product of financial indicators that indicate the business accomplishments of enterprise.