Performance-based Evaluation Research Articles

Reliability and validity of the Londrina activities of daily living protocol in individuals with systemic sclerosis

PurposeTo investigate the validity and reliability of the Londrina ADL Protocol in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc).MethodsThe study included 39 individuals with SSc and 30 healthy participants aged 18-70 years. Performance-related ADL assessment was performed with the Londrina ADL Protocol which was performed twice by the same rater and energy expenditure during the test with the Dynaport Move Monitor device. Functional capacity (6 Minute Walk Test-6MWT), upper extremity muscle strength (hand-held dynamometer), hand and finger grip strength (hand dynamometer and pinch meter), upper extremity functionality (Q-Dash Questionnaire and 9 Hole Peg Test), self-reported ADL (Milliken ADL Scale (MAS)) and quality of life (SF-36 questionnaire) were evaluated.ResultsUpper extremity muscle strength, functional capacity, upper extremity functionality, and quality of life of individuals with SSc were found to be significantly lower and the time spent by individuals with SSc in the Londrina ADL Protocol was lower and the time spent by individuals with SSc in the Londrina ADL Protocol was significantly longer compared to the healthy group (p<0.05). Performance in the the Londrina ADL had high intraclass correlation coefficient ICC=0.813. A moderate negative correlation was found between the time to complete the Londrina Protocol and 6MWT (p<0.05), and a weak negative correlation was found between dominant side hand grip strength (p<0.05) and MAS (p<0.05) in individuals with SSc. A moderate positive correlation was found between the Londrina Protocol and the 9-Hole Peg Test for the dominant side (p<0.05).ConclusionThe Londrina Protocol is a valid and reliable method, hence, this makes it appropriate for an objective, performance-based evaluation of ADL in SSc population.Key Points• The results obtained by reapplication the Londrina ADL Protocol under the same conditions showed that the Londrina ADL Protocol is a highly reliable assessment method in scleroderma patients.• Considering the activities and protocol content of the Londrina ADL Protocol, it is thought to show functional performance better than the Glittre ADL test and 6MWT.• The Londrina ADL Protocol is appropriate for objective and performance-based assessment of ADL in the SSc population for both research and clinical practice.

Performance-based evaluation on egress safety of disabled welfare facilities

ABSTRACT With the increasing number of fire incidents, efforts are being made to quantitatively evaluate the egress safety of buildings. In particular, studies that reflect the behavioural characteristics of occupants when evaluating egress safety are being conducted. However, the research on the performance design and safety evaluation of facilities where individuals vulnerable to disasters (i.e. those who have difficulty evacuating in the event of a fire) reside remains insufficient. In this study, fire evacuating simulations were performed on welfare facilities for disabled individuals with mobility issues, and the egress safety was evaluated. The fire simulations were performed using the capacity of the smoke exhaust system as a variable. Meanwhile, the variations in temperature and toxic gases according to fire duration were analyzed to calculate the available safe egress time (ASET). The egress simulations were performed using the egress delay time and the number of egress guides as variables. Then, the required safe egress time (REST) was calculated. The results show that increasing smoke exhaust system delays the attainment of tenability limits, improving ASET. Egress simulations revealed an optimal number of egress guides. Based on these findings, general criteria have been developed to assess egress safety, considering the building floor area, smoke exhaust capacity, and occupant numbers. These criteria can be applied to ensure efficient and economical safety designs for typical welfare facilities for the disabled. HIGHLIGHTS Egress safety of disabled welfare facilities was evaluated by FDS. ASET was derived based on smoke exhaust capacity and fire duration. RSET was derived by considering evacuation delays and instructions. Findings support efficient, cost-effective safety design for disabled care facilities.

Climate-responsive urban planning through generative models: Sensitivity analysis of urban planning and design parameters for urban heat island in Singapore's residential settlements

The Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect exacerbates the sustainability and well-being challenges of extreme heat events. While city planning and design measures have been shown to mitigate UHI severity, the complex interaction among these measures has limited the ability of previous research to assess their impact holistically and across urban scales. To investigate the cross-scalar effectiveness of multiple UHI mitigation measures, this study applies sensitivity analysis (SA) to nine parameters in an urban generative model. Previously unstudied planning parameters, land parcel area and road network density, are included in the analysis. From the SA of 21,000 model solutions for a 100 ha case study site in Singapore, building density, podium density, and land parcel area are found to have greatest impacts on UHI. This finding supports a hypothesis that urban planning parameters have a high potential for UHI mitigation. Key findings include that a high green plot ratio (>50 %) combined with a low site coverage ratio (<50 %) permits even high-density model solutions (gross plot ratio >4) to maintain annual UHI below 0.89 °C. The conclusion discusses the implications of the findings for heat-resilient city planning and demonstrates that performance-based evaluation of generative urban models can improve upon prescriptive planning approaches.

Application-based big data development framework for health sciences libraries.

The study is a part of a student research project on performance-based evaluation of big data application in health sciences libraries. It presents a theoretical framework of the performance-based evaluation system for health institutes' libraries in the digital environment. The health sciences libraries' systematic approach was judged based on the five main components (data culture, organisational infrastructure, responsibilities, skills and technology competence) of big data analytics (BDA). A comprehensive literature review of the published studies was undertaken related to BDA, including the diffusion of innovation theory, and the theoretical background of the technology acceptance model to produce an application-based big data development framework for the health sciences libraries. The application-based evaluation model integrates BDA in health sciences libraries for improving library services and performance. The study proposed a need for skilled professionals with the knowledge and experience both professionally and technically. Finally, the study proposed a model that will help to measure the organisation's ability to analyse vast amounts of data to empirically validate the association concerning big data analysis and analytical practices in health libraries.

Efficient beam-based model for reinforced concrete walls considering shear-flexure interaction

This paper presents an efficient beam-based modelling scheme for the seismic analysis of reinforced concrete structural walls. The model combines a force-based beam element with a fibre section for flexural response and a zero-length element for shear response. The fibre-based element simulates the nonlinear flexural behaviour through uniaxial material laws that account for concrete cracking, concrete crushing, and yielding and rupture of reinforcing bars. The zero-length element represents the shear behaviour with a trilinear lateral force-displacement curve representing, in a phenomenological way, nonlinear deformations caused by diagonal cracking. The reduction of shear resistance caused by inelastic flexural deformations is accounted for in the model to reproduce failures due to shear-flexure interaction. The model has been validated using data from 52 tests on wall specimens exhibiting flexure, shear and mixed shear-flexure modes from experimental campaigns reported in the literature, showing good accuracy in predicting the effective stiffness, maximum strength and displacement capacities obtained in the tests. Model results for ultimate displacement capacity correlate better with experimental results than simplified code-oriented expressions in performance-based evaluation standards and recommendations. Considering its balanced accuracy and computational efficiency, it is concluded that the proposed modelling scheme can effectively be used for performance-based seismic design and assessment of RC wall buildings.

Innovation and Adaptation of Social Studies Learning in Curriculum Development

Social Sciences is a subject that studies aspects of the field of science related to humans, the environment and the interaction activities between them. There are several complaints about social studies education, such as getting bored easily, not being able to memorize, the lesson material is not related to daily life, and the learning process is monotonous, namely students spend more time listening and taking notes. Apart from that, the implementation of social studies learning tends to deliver material according to textbooks and the methods used are not varied, namely more lecture methods and not using various learning media. So the students' attitudes during the learning process are like joking around with their classmates, sleeping and doing other activities as a result of which the material presented is not understood. So it is very important to determine innovation and adaptation of social studies learning in the development of the current educational curriculum. The method used is library research or literature review. Library research includes general processes such as systematic identification of theories, literature exploration, and analysis of documents that contain information related to the research topic. Based on the results of the study, the forms of social studies learning innovation in curriculum development are; actualization of social studies learning, project-based learning, student-centered approach, use of technology, field trips, connection with the real world, performance-based evaluation, creativity and expression, collaboration between subjects, continuous process improvement. Meanwhile, the form of adaptation itself is by implementing differentiation learning which consists of; content differentiation, process and product differentiation.

A Hybrid MCDM Approach Using the BWM and the TOPSIS for a Financial Performance-Based Evaluation of Saudi Stocks

This study presents a hybrid multicriteria decision-making approach for evaluating stocks in the Saudi Stock Market. The objective is to provide investors and stakeholders with a robust evaluation methodology to inform their investment decisions. With a market value of USD 2.89 trillion dollars in September 2022, the Saudi Stock Market is of significant importance for the country’s economy. However, navigating the complexities of stock market performance poses investment challenges. This study employs the best–worst method and the technique for order preference by similarity to identify an ideal solution to address these challenges. Utilizing data from the Saudi Stock Market (Tadawul), this study evaluates stock performance based on financial criteria, including return on equity, return on assets, net profit margin, and asset turnover. The findings reveal valuable insights, particularly in the banking sector, which exhibited the highest net profit margin ratios among sectors. The hybrid multicriteria decision-making-based approach enhances investment decisions. This research provides a foundation for future investigations, facilitating a deeper exploration and analysis of additional aspects of the Saudi Stock Market’s performance. The developed methodology and findings have implications for investors and stakeholders, aiding their investment decisions and maximizing returns.

Performance and process-based evaluation of the BARPA-R Australasian regional climate model version 1

Abstract. Anthropogenic climate change is changing the Earth system processes that control the characteristics of natural hazards both globally and across Australia. Model projections of hazards under future climate change are necessary for effective adaptation. This paper presents BARPA-R (the Bureau of Meteorology Atmospheric Regional Projections for Australia), a regional climate model designed to downscale climate projections over the Australasian region with the purpose of investigating future hazards. BARPA-R, a limited-area model, has a 17 km horizontal grid spacing and makes use of the Met Office Unified Model (MetUM) atmospheric model and the Joint UK Land Environment Simulator (JULES) land surface model. To establish credibility and in compliance with the Coordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment (CORDEX) experiment design, the BARPA-R framework has been used to downscale ERA5 reanalysis. Here, an assessment of this evaluation experiment is provided. Performance-based evaluation results are benchmarked against ERA5, with comparable performance between the free-running BARPA-R simulations and observationally constrained reanalysis interpreted as a good result. First, an examination of BARPA-R's representation of Australia's surface air temperature, precipitation, and 10 m winds finds good performance overall, with biases including a 1 ∘C cold bias in daily maximum temperatures, reduced diurnal temperature range, and wet biases up to 25 mm per month in inland Australia. Recent trends in daily maximum temperatures are consistent with observational products, while trends in minimum temperatures show overestimated warming and trends in precipitation show underestimated wetting in northern Australia. Precipitation and temperature teleconnections are effectively represented in BARPA-R when present in the driving boundary conditions, while 10 m winds are improved over ERA5 in six out of eight of the Australian regions considered. Secondly, the paper considers the representation of large-scale atmospheric circulation features and weather systems. While generally well represented, convection-related features such as tropical cyclones, the South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ), the Northwest Cloudband, and the monsoon westerlies show more divergence from observations and internal interannual variability than mid-latitude phenomena such as the westerly jets and extratropical cyclones. Having simulated a realistic Australasian climate, the BARPA-R framework will be used to downscale two climate change scenarios from seven CMIP6 global climate models (GCMs).

Privatisation of Public Sector Banks in India: A Performance-based Evaluation using the CAMEL Model

Privatisation of Public Sector Banks in India: A Performance-based Evaluation using the CAMEL Model

Adaptation of a Sensory Reactivity Assessment for Use With Children in the Western Cape Province, South Africa.

Background: Sensory reactivity (SR) difficulties are characterised by problems regulating an individual's responses to sensory input such that it interferes with occupational performance in daily tasks. South African occupational therapists use assessments developed in the United States to identify SR difficulties in children. These have been found to be inappropriate for the South African context. This study reports on the methodology used to adapt an assessment for use in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. Method: The SPM-2 Child and Preschool caregiver self-report questionnaires and seven tests of the performance-based Evaluation in Ayres Sensory Integration (EASI) that assess SR were identified for adaptation. A qualitative methodology was used to identify challenges using the assessment in a sample of the Western Cape population. Cognitive interviews were conducted with six community members from diverse socioeconomic groupings. Inductive analysis was used to identify and group the emerging themes. The test adaptation was conducted by expert occupational therapists based on these findings. Findings: Challenges were grouped into two themes, namely, language challenges, of which there were three subcategories and inappropriate or threatening assessment tasks. Fifty-three changes were made to the assessment. Conclusion: A detailed methodology was developed to adapt a SR assessment for use in the Western Cape Province. Challenges in using the assessment were elicited primarily from community members rather than professionals.

Seismic performance assessment of a retrofitted pile-supported wharf considering soil-cement uncertainties using artificial neural network

Seismic fragility analysis is an effective method to evaluate the seismic performance of retrofitted wharf systems affected by the uncertainty of soil-cement strength. Nevertheless, fragility analysis usually consumes a large consumption of computational power. In this study, seismic fragility analysis using the artificial neural network (ANN) for the retrofitted wharf, considering the aleatory uncertainty of soil-cement strength and the epistemic uncertainty of the ANN, is carried out; On this basis, the fragility surface for two types of damage limit states considering the uncertainty of soil-cement strength is obtained. It was found that: (1) overall, the soil-cement strengthening strategy is effective for improving the seismic safety of wharf systems, however, the strengthening effect is limited, especially under strong earthquakes, will be further weakened; (2) ANN can effectively predict the maximum seismic response of retrofitted pile-supported wharves, so as to quickly carry out seismic fragility analysis. Examples show that the prediction method has good generalization; and (3) the fragility surface model considers the aleatory uncertainty of soil-cement strength and the epistemic uncertainty of the ANN, which makes the performance-based evaluation of retrofitted pile-supported wharves more comprehensive.

Transformative Strategies in Higher Education: SWOT Analysis for Project-Based Learning Models

This study aims to find out the right strategy for implementing the Project Based Learning (PjBL) model in Basic Science and Mathematics Subjects at the Higher Education level. This research is qualitative with case study method. The data obtained were then analyzed using SWOT analysis. SWOT analysis is used to find out the right strategy in implementing the PjBL model in Basic Science and Mathematics Courses. The results of the analysis are then described descriptively. As for the results of this study, based on the results of IFAS and EFAS calculations, IFAS = 5.037 and EFAS = 4.407. Based on this value, the IFAS and EFAS intersection points are in quadrant II, so the strategy that fits these conditions is the S-T strategy. This condition illustrates that despite facing various threats, the implementation of this PjBL still has internal strength. The strategy that must be implemented is to use strength to take advantage of long-term opportunities by way of a diversification strategy. Based on the SWOT analysis matrix above, strategies that can be implemented to maximize the implementation of the PjBL model in basic science and mathematics courses are Identify learning objectives, Select relevant and challenging projects, Form effective learning teams, Provide support and guidance, Integrate with the curriculum, Comprehensive performance-based evaluation, Collaboration with industry or the community.

Performance-based evaluation of reinforced concrete buildings at vertical geometric regularity limit

Performance-based evaluation of reinforced concrete buildings at vertical geometric regularity limit

Performance-Based Evaluation of CMIP5 and CMIP6 Global Climate Models and Their Multi-Model Ensembles to Simulate and Project Seasonal and Annual Climate Variables in the Chungcheong Region of South Korea

Extreme climate change events are major causes of devastating impacts on socioeconomic well-being and ecosystem damage. Therefore, understanding the performance of appropriate climate models representing local climate characteristics is critical for future projections. Thus, this study analyses the performance of 24 GCMs from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phases 5 and 6 (CMIP5 and 6) and their multi-model ensembles in simulating climate variables including average rainfall, maximum (Tmax), and minimum (Tmin) temperatures at annual and seasonal scales over the Chungcheong region of South Korea from 1975 to 2015. A trend analysis was conducted to estimate the future trends in climate variables in the 2060s (2021–2060) and 2080s (2061–2100). Inverse distance weighting and quantile delta mapping were applied to bias-correct the GCM data. Further, six major evaluating indices comprising temporal and spatial performance assessments were used, after which a comprehensive GCM ranking was applied. The results showed that CMIP6 models performed better in simulating rainfall, Tmax, and Tmin at both temporal and spatial scales. For CMIP5, the top three performing models were GISS, ACCESS1-3, and MRI-CGCM3 for rain; CanESM2, GISS, and MPI-ESM-L-R for Tmax; and GFDL, MRI-CGCM3, and CanESM2 for Tmin. However, the top three performing models in the CMIP6 were MRI-ESM2-0, BCC_CSM, and GFDL for rain; MIROC6, BCC_CSM, and MRI-ESM2-0 for Tmax, and GFDL, MPI_ESM_HR, and MRI-ESM2-0 for Tmin. The multi-model ensembles (an average of the top three GCMs) performed better in simulating rain and Tmin for both CMIP5 and CMIP6 compared with multi-model ensembles (an average of all the GCMs), which only performed slightly better in simulating Tmax. The trend analysis of future projection indicates an increase in rain, Tmax, and Tmin; however, with distinct changes under similar radiative forcing levels in both CMIP5 and CMIP6 models. The projections under RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 increase more than the SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5 scenarios for most climate conditions but are more pronounced, especially for rain, under RCP8.5 than SSP5-8.5 in the far future (2080s). This study provides insightful findings on selecting appropriate GCMs to generate reliable climate projections for local climate conditions in the Chungcheong region of South Korea.

Self-Regulation in Children Attending Preschool Institutions That Implement Different Educational Approaches

In recent years, there has been a rise in preschools adopting alternative educational approaches due to increased interest. Researchers have focused on how these approaches affect children's development. This study compares self-regulation in Montessori Preschool and preschools implementing the Ministry of National Education curriculum using a casual comparative research model. The sample includes 140 children aged 48-72 months from Montessori, private, and state preschools. Data was collected with a Personal Information Form and Preschool Self-Regulation Assessment measuring attention, emotion, and behaviour regulation. Montessori students exhibited higher self-regulation and positive emotion regulation. Six-year-olds scored higher in attention/impulse control. Young parents' children had higher self-regulation levels. Overall, self-regulation in the study group was high. The study discusses these findings in the context of existing literature and offers practical recommendations for future research.

Formulation of a generalized truss analogy for the analysis of shear behavior of short jacketed columns

Short columns in a story of a reinforced concrete building tend to fail in shear during an earthquake. They can be strengthened using concrete jacketing. A performance-based evaluation requires the modeling of nonlinear lateral load versus deformation behavior of such a column. While previous studies are available to analyze the behavior of a flexure-critical column, computationally simple method of analysis of the shear behavior of a short column is lacking in the literature.A generalized truss analogy is proposed to predict the shear behavior of short columns beyond diagonal cracking and till failure. Its formulation satisfies equilibrium of forces in the concrete strut and reinforcing bar ties, compatibility of strains in the concrete and ties of the web region of a column, and suitable constitutive relationships of the materials. First, the formulation and computation algorithm as applicable to an original column, are presented in this paper. Next, the method is extended to columns strengthened by concrete jacketing. Its application to a composite jacketed section is implemented using a sandwich model.The validation of the proposed method is presented, comparing the predictions with the lateral load versus deflection behavior curves obtained from the tests of five large-scale shear-critical column specimens (two original and three jacketed), tested as part of this research. The good correlation of the predicted and test results confirmed the application of the proposed method for the nonlinear analysis of shear for short columns.

Vertical accountability among ministries of state in an emerging economy: A case study of Ghana

Since 1992, Ghana has implemented several initiatives and reforms such as the National Anti-Corruption Plan (NACAP), Right to Information (RTI) Act, Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO), and the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) with the goal of improving accountability while reducing corruption. These policies provide researchers with a lot of opportunities to examine how effective these programs have been as well as their impact on accountability. Hence, the present study seeks to accomplish three main objectives: 1) to explore the factors that facilitate vertical accountability; 2) to explore the limitations to vertical accountability; and 3) to investigate the benefits of vertical accountability in Ghana. To accomplish these objectives, we interviewed twenty directors in seven ministries of state and ten experts across civil society and academia in Ghana. We found that the disclosure of financial income, assets, and interest, the Right to Information (RTI) Act; merit-based recruitment, proper record keeping, performance-based evaluation, training and development, the absence of corruption, and conflicts of interest are major drivers of vertical accountability in Ghana. Additionally, we found that the presence of corruption, nepotism/patron-clientelism, conflict of interest, a lack of political commitment and participation, inadequate resources, and weak complaint and accountability mechanisms limit vertical accountability. Finally, the benefits of vertical accountability include improvements in openness and fairness, effective and efficient utilization of scarce resources, integrity, and trust. These results were extensively discussed, while recommendations for future studies were proffered.

How Indonesian marine protected areas (MPAs) are doing: A management performance-based evaluation

According to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) post-2020 global biodiversity framework, marine conservation activities aiming solely at area coverage are insufficient; thus, a persistent effort is required to establish effective marine protected areas (MPAs). Despite the fact that the number of MPAs has expanded dramatically over time, their management effectiveness still needs to improve, particularly in developing nations. Hence, this study was conducted to quantitatively and qualitatively assess the current state of Indonesian MPAs in meeting the Aichi targets. The government's investigative reports served as the foundation for the quantitative research, while a government-led interview-based survey conducted across 61 Indonesian locations served as the basis for the qualitative study. The findings showed that although the present Indonesian MPAs were at the stage of meeting the national target of 10 % coverage, it was anticipated that they would fall short of the new 30 % worldwide target by 2030. Although 61 % and 39 % of the research sites were managed at a minimal and optimal level, respectively, the evaluation of the management effectiveness of the MPAs in Indonesia indicates that none of the sites were sustainably managed. Lack of funding due to a need for infrastructure, facilities, and human resources was the main problem impeding management effectiveness. Based on the study's findings, it is recommended that the nation's biodiversity targets be designed to focus more on the development and oversight of the current MPA management and provide a perceptive policy response concerning the post-2020 global biodiversity framework.

Test methods for performance-based evaluation of concrete containing iron sulfide-bearing aggregates: Development and application

Iron sulfide-bearing aggregates are susceptible to oxidation reactions that can lead to an internal sulfate attack in concrete, causing severe concrete distress. Appropriate performance-based evaluation methods are required to formulate guidelines to solve these issues. Unfortunately, the current standards and specifications do not comprehensively include such evaluation methods. The present study attempted to develop a set of test methods to evaluate the performance of concrete containing iron sulfide-bearing aggregates. These methods include acceleration of the oxidation process, evaluation of expansion and rusting, and assessment of the severity of pop-outs and map cracks. An accelerated mortar bar expansion test was used to measure the expansion. A storing temperature of 60 °C, 80 ± 5% RH, and wetting and drying cycles of 7 cycles per two weeks (6% NaOCl or H2O with oxygen added through the pump while submerged) were found to be particularly successful for accelerating the oxidation process in the laboratory. An image processing method based on the “Otsu technique” was used to quantify rusting. The severity of the pop-outs was assessed using the frequency and average area of the pop-outs. The average crack width and total length of cracks per unit area computed using an image processing technique were also used to appraise the severity of the map crackings. The developed test methods were applied to assess the effectiveness of surface treatments with distinct functional mechanisms in controlling the oxidation rate. Surface treatments with a crystalline waterproof system covered with the acrylic polymer coating exhibited outstanding performance.

Corruption, accountability, and discretion of procurement officials: An analysis of selection Preferences for Performance-based Evaluation Criteria (PBEC) in PPP procurement.

Performance-based evaluation criteria (PBEC) are vital for selecting high-quality suppliers and achieving a PPP procurement performance. Through theoretical and institutional analysis, we found that the selection of PBEC centered on operations depends on the discretion of the purchaser. However, in an emerging and transforming PPP market, many factors have affected the scientific exercise of the purchaser's discretion. This means that PPP projects must focus on construction and neglect operation in a certain period. Furthermore, to explore the influencing factors of the definition of PBEC, based on data of 9082 PPP projects between 2009 and 2021 in China, we adopted Ordinary Least Squares to empirically analyze two factors that influence the level of attention that is paid to the operation plan: corruption and accountability. The results indicate that the attention paid to the operation plan significantly increased with the reduction in corruption and the improvement in accountability. Robustness tests demonstrate the robustness of the results. A further heterogeneity analysis shows that the above factors have a more significant impact on non-state demonstration projects and projects with large investments. The contributions of this study are as follows: (1) Theoretically, this paper supplements the relevant research on evaluation criteria and provides new evidence on the impact of corruption and accountability on the defining PBEC. (2) Institutionally, it provides specific paths to limit the discretion of procurement officials when defining evaluation criteria. (3) In practice, it helps procurement officials to scientifically define PBEC and promote the realization of procurement performance.