Relative Effectiveness Index Research Articles

Effectiveness of Mechanisms for Enforcement of Ethical Standards in the Construction Industry

Gross unethical conducts are common issues among professionals in the construction sector due to the heterogeneous nature of the industry. However, limited efforts are made to ensure that ethical standards become enforced among professionals in the sector. Therefore, this study assessed effective mechanisms for the enforcement of ethical standards to improve public confidence in construction professionals. Data were collected through copies of questionnaire administered on professionals in consultancy, contracting and government organizations in Southwestern Nigeria. One hundred and seventy-two (172) copies of questionnaire were retrieved and found suitable for the analysis. Data collected was analyzed using both the descriptive and inferential statistics. The study revealed that all the ethical standards identified were moderately significant with relative effective index (REI) that ranged from 0.585 to 0.526. Some of these included personal reputation, promotion of civic right, good citizenry, among others. Four major effective mechanisms for the enforcement of ethical standards extracted through factor analysis are the roles to be played by the stakeholders (68.22%), individual (9.44%), industry (3.64%) and legal instruments (3.08%). It was concluded that these four mechanisms are effective in the enforcement of ethical standards in the construction industry. The study recommends that all construction stakeholders must ensure that all hands are on deck through collaborations to sanitise the image of the industry. The outcome of this research will improve the ethical orientation of each professional, which will have a positive effect on the general public's perception of the industry.

A Measure of Systems Engineering Effectiveness in Acquisition of Complex Information Systems: A Bayesian Belief Network Approach

In this paper, the authors present an innovative means of gauging systems engineering (SE) effectiveness. This paper describes the development of a SE relative effectiveness index model that can be used to identify and analyze SE patterns and subsequently predict possible areas of SE performance risk in the acquisition and deployment of complex information systems. The approach employs a Bayesian belief network to model causal relationships in SE activities that can be used to assess SE performance in projects and organizations.

Solubility and mobility of phosphorus recycled from dairy effluents and pig manures in incubated soils with different characteristics

Phosphorus (P) nutrition of plants in croplands is managed by fertilization. Commercial P fertilizers are manufactured from phosphate rocks, which are non-renewable and the only fossil resource of P. As an alternative, P in human and animal wastes can be recovered and concentrated in products that can be used as P fertilizers. Here, we studied four recycled P products derived from pig manures (hereafter referred as “RPPM”) and another one derived from dairy effluents (“RPDE”). The RPDE product is composed of Ca–P (partly as hydroxyapatite, HA), while RPPM products include recovered struvite (ST) and Ca–P in variable proportions. The objective was to assess the ability of RPPM and RPDE products to increase available P in a range of soils differing in their characteristics (seven soils used), and to compare these recycled P products with a standard fertilizer [commercial triple super phosphates (TSP)], reference HA and reference ST. To this end, products were mixed to the soils and the mixtures were incubated at 75 % water holding capacity and 28 °C. After incubation, the amounts of phosphate ions (iP) in solution (QW) and isotopically exchangeable iP (E) in soils were quantified using an isotopic labeling (32P) and dilution procedure. In each soil, QW and E were significantly affected by treatments (control and P-treated soils) and increased due to the application of the different products. However, reference HA and RPDE products were generally less effective than TSP, reference ST and RPPM products. The soil response (variation in QW or E) in TSP treatment was compared to those in other treatments. It enabled the calculation of a relative effectiveness index. Relative effectiveness of HA and RPDE varied among soils (from 5 to 124 %) and increased with decreasing soil pH. Results however showed that the RPDE product tends to be more effective than reference HA, probably due to different degrees of crystallization of Ca–P. Relative effectiveness of RPPM products (80–116 %) was high in all soils and was similar to that of reference ST (90–104 %). To conclude, the present study suggests that RPDE products are effective only in acidic or slightly acidic soils. In contrast, P recycling from pig manures through chemical precipitation can provide effective P fertilizers, independently on soil conditions.

Exploring systems engineering patterns in government acquisition of complex information systems

In this paper, the authors describe an innovative means of identifying patterns present in systems engineering activity when government organization acquire and build complex information systems. The research uses a Bayesian belief network to model causal relationships present in government acquisitions to create a systems engineering relative effectiveness index model that can be used to identify and analyze systems engineering patterns; and subsequently forecast possible areas of performance risks within projects and organizations.

O efektywności prawa karnego, ciemnej liczbie, wiktymizacji i rozmiarach narkomanii

O efektywności prawa karnego, ciemnej liczbie, wiktymizacji i rozmiarach narkomanii

Ultraviolet-initiated reactions of H_2 with germanosilicate fibers and H_2 concentration dependence of the Bragg wavelength of a fiber grating: errata

We present a model with which to calculate the index increase induced in standard single-mode fiber by hydrogen loading. Also, we propose that the dominant products of reaction in UV-written hydrogenated standard communication fibers are GeE′ and Si-OH. Based on the above models, we calculate the Bragg wavelength shifts that are due to hydrogen diffusion out of the fiber gratings. The relative effective index change that is due to hydrogen dissolved in fiber can be as much as 6×10-4 if standard telecom fiber is hydrogen loaded with a concentration of ∼1.44 mol.%. Theoretical results agree with experimental results.

Ultraviolet-initiated reactions of H_2 with germanosilicate fibers and H_2 concentration dependence of the Bragg wavelength of a fiber grating

We present a model with which to calculate the index increase induced in standard single-mode fiber by hydrogen loading. Also, we propose that the dominant products of reaction in UV-written hydrogenated standard communication fibers are GeE? and Si-OH. Based on the above models, we calculate the Bragg wavelength shifts that are due to hydrogen diffusion out of the fiber gratings. The relative effective index change that is due to hydrogen dissolved in fiber can be as much as 6 x 10(-4) if standard telecom fiber is hydrogen loaded with a concentration of ~1.44 mol.%. Theoretical results agree with experimental results.

Screening Rhizobium spp. strains associated with Gliricidia sepium along an altitudinal transect in Veracruz, Mexico

In order to characterize Rhizobium strains naturally associated with Gliricidia sepium (Jacq.) Walp. and to determine their effectiveness for seedling inoculation, morphologic traits of G. sepium nodules and Rhizobium strains isolated from them, collected along on altitudinal transect (10—970 m above sea level) in northern Veracruz were studied. The Rhizobium strains isolated (three from each of eight sampling sites) were evaluated in terms of dry matter production, total nitrogen and nodulation capability on six month-old G. sepium seedlings inoculated under greenhouse conditions. Even though all isolated strains belong to the Hup+ group, differences in both morphological and physiological traits of nodules and Rhizobium strains were observed, associated to site elevation. Nodules from low elevation sites ( 500 m) were branched, with strains sensitive to salt. Thirteen strains (two from sites below 100 m and 11 from sites above 100 m) significantly increased seedling biomass, and nine of them also increased nitrogen content without negatively affecting the physiological nitrogen use efficiency (PEI) as compared to control seedlings. The relative effectiveness index (REI) of these Rhizobium strains varied between 2.0 and 2.4. However, no significant trend (r = 0.25) was found between PEI values of strains and site elevation. Nodular mass (NM) varied from 1.1 up to 1.7 mg dry weight with significant differences among strains, even though no significant elevational trend was found in this trait.

The effect of different amines added to eluents as silanol masking agents on the chromatographic behavior of some diuretics in reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography using C18 packings.

A preliminary gradient separation in reversed-phase liquid chromatography of a mixture of 25 solutes (diuretics, probenecide, and atenolol) is carried out using several C18 columns and an aqueous phosphoric acid solution (pH 3.2)-acetonitrile mobile phase as a control. Using this separation, the chromatographic behavior of these solutes is studied using 11 water-soluble primary, secondary, and tertiary amine modifiers in the range of 0.7-7.5 mM and a Spherisorb C18 column. This study reveals the presence in the complex sample of two groups of solutes with positive (five typical solutes showed improvements in peak symmetry and retention) or negative responses using these amines as mobile phase modifiers. After experimentation in the presence of amines, these differences are related to solute structure. Hexylamine is found to be an effective masking agent of silanols because of its structure and small required concentration. On these bases, the silanophilic and hydrophobic character of typical solutes and several C18 packings are evaluated under isocratic elution and a relative effectiveness index for amines, and a method for their assessment is proposed. The role of the amine structure on solute retention and the importance of selecting amines of suitable hydrophobic character, molecular geometry, and concentration is discussed. A model of the formation and stabilization of the silanol-amine complex based on hydrophobic and ionic interactions is also proposed.

Determination of ray directions coupled out of waveguides through prisms and gratings

Prism or grating couplers are used to couple out guided modes propagating in optical waveguides. The directions of the beams propagating out of the guided medium are evaluated, in general, with the intent to assess the effect of the coupler on the propagation direction. In particular, the results are applied for the determination of m-line curvatures and beam deflectors. It is interesting to point out that deflections in a direction lateral to the coupling structure depend only on the relative effective index of refraction of the guided mode and that of the surrounding medium and are not affected by the coupler itself.