Assessment of Dependent Performance Shaping Factors in SPAR-H Based on Pearson Correlation Coefficient

With the improvement of equipment reliability,human factors have become the most uncertain part in the system.The standardized Plant Analysis of Risk-Human Reliability Analysis(SPAR-H)method is a reliable method in the field of human reliability analysis(HRA)to evaluate human reliability and assess risk in large complex systems.However,the classical SPAR-H method does not consider the dependencies among performance shaping factors(PSFs),whichmay cause overestimation or underestimation of the risk of the actual situation.To address this issue,this paper proposes a new method to deal with the dependencies among PSFs in SPAR-H based on the Pearson correlation coefficient.First,the dependence between every two PSFs is measured by the Pearson correlation coefficient.Second,the weights of the PSFs are obtained by considering the total dependence degree.Finally,PSFs’multipliers are modified based on the weights of corresponding PSFs,and then used in the calculating of human error probability(HEP).A case study is used to illustrate the procedure and effectiveness of the proposed method.

Contractor-Related Factors and Performance of Bridge Construction Projects Implemented by Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) Kenya

The performance of bridge projects in Kenya is poor in terms of completion by schedule, cost, and quality (scope). Yet, there is less evidence of empirical research on what factors contribute to this outcome. This study aimed to bridge this gap by examining the effects of contractor-related factors on the performance of bridge construction projects in Kenya through a case study of the Bridge projects Implemented by the Kenya National Highway Agency (KeNHA). The theory of constraints (TOC) was adopted as its theoretical framework. Descriptive research was used, and the target population was 18 bridge construction projects, which were the units of analysis from 2012 to 2022. In each of these projects, 18 respondents, namely clients, consultants, contractors, engineers, environment and social guards, project managers, stakeholders, subcontractors, technical advisors, and inspectors, were included in a target population of 144 respondents. A census was conducted and a structured questionnaire was administered from which a response rate of 68% was achieved. The information was analyzed using descriptive, correlation, and multiple linear regression analysis. The contractor-related factors considered in the study were staff and management factors. The findings indicated that staff and management factors had a positive and significant outcome on performance of bridge construction projects. The study recommends continuous training and a safe learning environment for staff to improve their skills and performance in future projects. The study also recommends that a special category for bridge contractors be created in Kenya’s National Construction Authority rankings to ensure that only qualified contractors implement the Bridge projects.

Wave Attenuation Performance and the Influencing Factors of A Lower Arc-Plate Breakwater

Comprehensive experimental and numerical studies have been undertaken to investigate wave energy dissipation performance and main influencing factors of a lower arc-plate breakwater. The numerical model, which considers nonlinear interactions between waves and the arc-plate breakwater, has been constructed by using the velocity wave- generating method, the volume of fluid (VOF) method and the finite volume method. The results show that the relative width, relative height and relative submergence of the breakwater are three main influencing factors and have significant influence on wave energy dissipation of the lower arc-plate open breakwater. The transmission coefficient is found to decrease with the increasing relative width, and the minimum transmission coefficient is 0.15 when the relative width is 0.45. The reflection coefficient is found to vary slightly with the relative width, and the maximum reflection coefficient is 0.53 when the relative width is 0.45. The transmission and reflection coefficients are shown to increase with the relative wave height for approximately 85% of the experimental tests when the relative width is 0.19 0.45. The transmission coefficients at relative submergences of 0.04, 0.02 and 0 are clearly shown to be greater than those at relative submergences of 0.02 and 0.04, while the reflection coefficient exhibits the opposite relationship. After the wave interacts with the lower arc-plate breakwater, the wave energy is mainly converted into transmission, reflection and dissipation energies. The wave attenuation performance is clearly weakened for waves with greater heights and longer periods.

Influential Factors on Deicing Performance of Electrically Conductive Concrete Pavement

The deicing experiment of carbon fiber reinforced electrically conductive concrete （CFRC） slab was conducted in laboratory at first, then the deicing process of CFRC parement was analyzed by means of finite element method （FEM）. At last, based on the energy conservation law and the computing restdts of finite element method, the influential factors including the setting of electric heating layer, environmental temperature, the thickness of ice, material parameters, and deicing power on deicing performance and energy consumption were discussed.

Influencing Factors and Improvement Suggestions for Agricultural Green Development Performance:Empirical Insights from China

Agricultural green development is an essential direction for global sustainable agriculture.The academic literature,however,needs to place greater emphasis on studying the factors influencing agricultural green development performance and how such performance can be improved.A theoretical framework for agricultural green development performance was constructed in this paper using the Super-SBM model,which considers undesirable outputs,to measure the agricultural green development performance of 330 cities at or above the prefecture level in China(excluding Tibet Autonomous Region,Hong Kong,Macao and Taiwan of China)from 2007 to2018.Furthermore,the influencing mechanism of agricultural green development performance was then analyzed using a spatial econometric model.The results show that:1)from 2007 to 2018,China’s agricultural green development performance experienced three stages of evolution:‘rise,decline and rise’.2)The regions with high performance agricultural green development are mainly distributed in eastern China,northeastern China,and southern Qinghai Province.3)The agricultural economic level,industrialization process,and labor quality play significant roles in promoting local agricultural green development performance,while such performance is obviously inhibited by the openness level and the government’s environmental regulations.Local agricultural green development performance is significant inhibited by the agricultural economic level and accelerated industrialization process in neighboring cities,while significantly promoted by the agricultural industrial structure in neighboring cities.Some suggestions for improving agricultural green development performance are proposed based on these research results,which can provide scientific references for promoting sustainable agriculture.

Experimental and Numerical Investigation of the Performance of Turbulent Heat Transfer in Tubes with Different Cross-Sectioned Wire Coils

The thermal-hydraulic performance of plain tubes with and without wire coils in turbulent regimes is investigated experimentally and numerically.The effects of wire coil distribution(circular cross section)within the tube were explored experimentally,and water was employed as the working fluid.The numerical simulation was carried out using software programmer ANSYS Fluent 2019 R3 using the finite-volume approach.In the turbulent regime,six cross-sectionedwire coilswere analyzed,including:circular,rectangular,hexagonal,square,star shape,and triangle.The utilization of a tube with a wire coil has been shown to increase heat transfer rate and pump consumption.The results indicate a high level of concurrence,as the deviations are all below 8%.Compared with plain tube,the wire coils,according to the arrangement(TWD),gave the best PEC.The heat transfer enhancement ability of different cross sections follows the following order:StCS>RCS>HCS>SqCS>CCS>TCS.Also,the sequence of pump consumption for each cross section is as follows:RCS>StCS>SqCS>HCS>CCS>TCS.

Evaluation of environmental factors to fatigue performance of asphalt mixes

This paper studies the effect of different environmental factors, including the axle load weight, environmental temperature, vehicle speed, and the aging level of asphalt, on the fatigue performance of asphalt mixes based on four-point bending beam fatigue tests. A fractional factorial design method named ＂uniform design＂ was applied in experimental design. The relations of the environmental factors to initial stiffness, fatigue life, phase angle and cumulative dissipated energy were established with the general linear modeling method. It is found that there exists very good correlativity between the environmental factors and the fatigue performance indices of asphalt mixes. The coefficients of total correlation are mainly beyond 0. 95. The results indicate that the consideration of the effect of environmental factors is necessary in the fatigue performance evaluation on real asphalt pavement.

Mechanisms by which fibroblast growth factor 20 improves motor performance in a mouse model of Parkinson’s disease

Genome-wide studies have reported that Parkinson’s disease is associated with abnormal expression of various growth factors. In this study, male C57 BL/6 mice aged 10 weeks were used to establish Parkinson’s disease models using an intraperitoneal injection of 60 mg/kg 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine. 28 days later, 10 or 100 ng fibroblast growth factor 20 was injected intracerebroventricularly. The electrophysiological changes in the mouse hippocampus were recorded using a full-cell patch clamp. Expression of Kv4.2 in the substantia nigra was analyzed using a western blot assay. Serum malondialdehyde levels were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The motor coordination of mice was evaluated using the rotarod test. The results showed that fibroblast growth factor 20 decreased A-type potassium current in neurons of the substantia nigra, increased long-term potentiation amplitude in the hippocampus, and downregulated Kv4.2 expression. A high dose of fibroblast growth factor 20 reduced serum malondialdehyde levels and enhanced the motor coordination of mice. These findings confirm that fibroblast growth factor 20 has a therapeutic effect on the toxicity induced by 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine, and its mechanism of action is associated with the inhibition of A-type K+ currents and Kv4.2 expression. All animal procedures were approved by the Animal Care and Use Committee of Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, China in 2017(approval No. KYLL-2017-0012).

Typical Correlation Analysis between Forage Type Triticale Production Performance and Different Pilot Ecological Factors

Domestic and foreign researches on triticale mainly focus on hereditary traits and excellent characteristics,but there are few reports on triticale yield and quality in the severe cold pastoral areas of Gansu and Qinghai.In this study,Gannong 2 triticale cultivars have been bred and planted in typical ecological areas according to the characteristics of different ecological regions.By studying the relationship between quality traits and various ecological factors,the effects of different ecological factors on the quality of Triticale hay have been clarified,which provides a reasonable basis for future triticale breeding and large-scale and targeted planting layout.The production performance and nutritional qualities of Triticale Trial in Maqu County,Gansu Province and Gannong No.2 in Dulan County,Qinghai Province are obviously superior to other pilot sites.Through reasonable fertilization,the production performance and nutritional quality of triticale are the best.Triticale production performance is significantly related to climatic factors in different pilots.The most suitable planting area for Gannong 2 is Maqu County,Gansu Province.

Review of emulsified asphalt modification mechanisms and performance influencing factors

In recent years,with the improvement of the requirements of road performance,modified emulsified asphalts with better performance has gradually replaced the emulsified asphalt and become the primary material for road maintenance.This paper introduces the modified emulsified asphalt materials commonly used in pavement maintenance projects,definitions and modified mechanisms of polymerized styrene butadiene rubber(SBR)modified emulsified asphalt,styrene butadiene styrene block polymer(SBS)modified emulsified asphalt and waterborne epoxy resin(WER)modified emulsified asphalt are summarized.The analysis focused on comparing the effects of modifiers,preparation process,auxiliary additives,and other factors on the performance of modified emulsified asphalt.In this paper,it is considered that the greatest impact on the performance of emulsified asphalt is the modifier,emulsifier mainly affects the speed of breaking the emulsion,stabilizers on the basic performance of emulsified asphalt evaporative residue is small;and when the modifier is distributed in the asphalt in a network,the dosage at this time is the recommended optimum dosage.Finally,this study recommends that in the future,the polymer-asphalt compatibility can be improved through composite modification,chemical grafting and other methods to continue to develop broader applicability and better performance of modified emulsified asphalt.

Exploring the Internal and External Factors that Influence Chinese EFL Students' Speaking Performance: A Case Study

This case study on one Chinese EFL learner examined both the internal and external factors that affect Chinese EFL learner's speaking performance. Three interviews and three tests have been conducted in the whole process, and the findings revealed:(1) interference from first language is the most influential factor that hinders speaking performance;(2) learner attitude significantly affects speaking performance;(3) learning strategies and practicing help improving performance.

RELATIONS BETWEEN PERFORMANCE POTENTIALS AND INFINITESIMAL REALIZATION FACTORS IN CLOSED QUEUEING NETWORKS

In this paper,the concept of the infinitesimal realization factor is extended to the parameter dependent performance functions in closed queueing networks.Then the concepts of realization matrix (its elements are called realization factors) and performance potential are introduced,and the relations between infinitesimal realization factors and these two quantities are discussed.This provides a united framework for both IPA and non IPA approaches.Finally,another physical meaning of the service rate is given.

Analysis of Starting Performance of High PowerFactor Induction Motor with Floating Windingin Parallel Connection with Capacitors

In this paper, by using a matrix technique, a dynamic model of high power factor induction motor with floating winding in parallel connection with capacitors is established. Then, the starting performance of this motor is analyzed by computer simulation. By comparison of the tested and computed results, which are in good agreement, the dynamic model and simulative method are verified.

Spatial Differentiation and Influencing Factors of Poverty Alleviation Performance Under the Background of Sustainable Development:A Case Study of Contiguous Destitute Areas in Hunan Province,China

Poverty eradication is a realistic requirement for the addressing of the urban-rural development imbalance.It consolidates the achievements of the poverty alleviation,and accelerates the realization of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.In research that deals with poverty,qualitative analysis is often used to study the connection between a single influencing factor and poverty reduction,and to solve regional poverty through government measures.However,these studies usually ignore the multidimensional nature of poverty,and the fact that poverty alleviation also needs to be approached from multiple perspectives.By constructing a theoretical framework of poverty alleviation performance from the perspective of sustainable development,this study selects contiguous poverty-stricken areas in the Hunan Province,China as the empirical study area,constructs an evaluation index system from the three dimensions of economic development,infrastructure and people’s livelihood security,and selects influencing factors from three aspects of‘population’,‘land’and‘industry’.The spatial differentiation characteristics and influencing factors of poverty alleviation performance in poverty-stricken areas were studied by using the methods of entropy weight method and geodetector.The results show:firstly,in the concentrated and contiguous poverty-stricken areas of the Hunan Province,the performance of poverty alleviation in the economic development makes little difference,showing a‘high-medium-low’cross-distribution pattern.The poverty alleviation performance of the infrastructure presents a distribution pattern of‘low in the middle and high on both sides.The poverty alleviation performance of people’s livelihood security has significant spatial differentiation characteristics,which all present a reunion distribution.The overall poverty alleviation performance varies greatly,showing a funnel-shaped distribution in space.Secondly,the spatial differentiation of poverty alleviation performance in the concentrated and contiguous poverty-stricken areas of the Hunan Province is the result of the combined effects of multiple factors.‘Population’is the dominant factor affecting the performance of poverty alleviation,‘land’is the basic factor that causes the spatial differentiation of poverty alleviation performance,and‘industry’is the key factor for the improvement of the poverty alleviation ability.

Impact of Controllable Factors on Export Performance of SMEs in Jordan

Exporting is of great interest for SMEs in Jordan from both microeconomic and macroeconomic perspective.The objective of this study was to identify to what extent specific internal factors contribute to export success of SMEs in Jordan.This study hypothesized that export performance of SMEs is directly affected by three groups of internal factors.These include firm characteristics,managerial characteristics,and marketing strategy.A multiple case approach is used to conduct this research and a structured interview is developed to collect the data directly from the participants.A pattern matching approach was used to test the hypotheses.The results show that export performance is positively affected by firm characteristics,managerial characteristics,and marketing strategy.Additionally,the demographic characteristics of managers and adaptation of distribution channels are unlikely to have an influence on export performance.This was unexpected,because of the plenty of empirical evidences in the literature that support the impact of these variables on export success.

Effect of CRM＇s Critical Success Factors on Company Performance

In the last years, most of the leader companies have advantages of their CRM （customer relationship management） systems in order to improve their market share. These companies implement CRM systems to get loyal customer portfolio and maintain the sustainability of it. While they are building CRM strategies, they try to catch business excellence results like valuable marketing opportunities, improve customer value and customer satisfaction. CRM gained prominence as a marketing sub-discipline in the 1990s, fueled by publications like The One to One Future and The Loyalty Effect. Some studies were especially powerful in highlighting the gap between the cost of acquiring customers and retaining them. The quest for competitive advantage and profitability triggered a rush to implement CRM programs in enterprises both large and small in all comers of the globe. Different kinds of studies show that there are some key components which play a critical role in gaining success for companies which use CRM applications. At this situation, these key components are named as critical success factors. Purpose of this study is to find out that how these critical success factors affect results which show company performance. On this direction, critical success factors are defined as independent variable and company performance is defined as dependent variable. A supportive model is suggested. In order to verify proposed model, hypotheses are developed and a survey is applied in automotive sales agents in Turkey. The study is completed with survey results.

Influence of increased shares on the performance of liquor listed companies:A factor-based analysis

With the gradual deepening of the reform of the shareholding system,more and more shareholders of listed companies have taken measures to increase their shareholdings to absorb capital,while at the same time achieving the purpose of delivering good news to the market.This article uses the liquor industry as an analysis sample to build six categories of enterprise performance index evaluation systems for debt solvency,development capability,operating capability,per share capability,cash flow capability and profitability.Through factor analysis,it has been shown that the increase in shares of liquor listed companies can improve the performance of enterprises to a certain extent,but the effect of the increase in shares is also affected by other factors such as the size of the enterprise,the operation and management of the company,and the image of the product market.According to the empirical conclusion,it is proposed that on the one hand,the company should increase its shareholdings reasonably according to the company’s own situation.On the other hand,it needs to focus on the current problems of the enterprise and properly solve the current dilemma of the enterprise.Finally,according to the degree of impact of various indicators involved in the empirical test on corporate performance,it is believed that liquor listed companies need to focus on optimizing corporate asset structure and improving product sales,and on the basis of improving profitability and asset return,they should pay attention to corporate cash flow.

Impact of Environmental,Social,and Governance(ESG)Factors on Stock Prices and Investment Performance

This study examines the relationship between Environmental,Social,and Governance(ESG)factors and stock prices as well as investment performance.ESG factors have become increasingly relevant in investment decisions as investors prioritize companies with sustainable practices.Using a sample of publicly-traded companies,this research analyzes the impact of ESG factors on stock prices and investment returns.The findings suggest that companies with strong ESG performance tend to have higher stock prices and better investment performance than those with weak ESG performance.The study also highlights the significance of the individual components of ESG,such as environmental policies and corporate governance practices,on stock prices and investment returns.Overall,this research provides valuable insights for investors seeking to incorporate ESG factors into their investment decision-making processes.

Shear resistance performance of steel-concrete-steel composite shear wall

For a deeper understanding of the shear resistance performance of the steel-concrete-steel composite shear wall, the main influence factors such as the thicknesses of the steel plates and the concrete, the strength grades of the concrete and the span-depth ratios of the composite wall, which have impacts on the shear resistance performance of the composite shear wail, are analyzed by the numerical simulation method. Meanwhile, the simplified calculation formulae of the initial elastic lateral-resisting stiffness and the shear bearing capacity of the composite shear wall are also proposed. The research shows that with the increase in the thicknesses of the steel plates and the concrete and the increase in the strength grades of the concrete, the shear performance of the shear wall improves obviously; the span-depth ratios of the composite wall have a significant effect on the initial elastic lateral- resisting stiffness, but a small effect on the shear bearing capacity. Comparing the results of the simplified calculation formulae with those of the nonlinear finite element method, it is obvious that the presented formulae are reasonable and meet the real force state of the structure. These conclusions can serve as a preliminary design reference for the steel-concrete- steel composite shear wall.

Investigation of Excavator Performance Factors in an Open-Pit Mine Using Loading Cycle Time

This study presents the effect of excavator model, loading operation location, shift availability and truck-shovel combination on loading cycle time and productivity of an open-pit mine. The loading cycle time was used to assess the material loading system performance which is one of the key components of the total cycle time for material transportation in an open-pit mine. Loading is among the components of cycle time during which material is being handled. The data analyzed?was?collected from a computerized dispatch system at GGM from which 62,000 loading dispatches per month involving several shifts, 14 excavators and 49 trucks were loaded. About 4465 dispatches per excavator and 1276 dispatches per truck were assessed using loading cycle time data for each dispatch for a period of four months (between August and December). Under fixed tonnage loaded and waste type (33 t of non-acid forming waste rock),?it was observed that loading cycle time depends on excavator model, location and truck being loaded. Average cycle times, PDFS?and CDFS of loading cycle time series were used to identify differences in performance under different situations. It was concluded that shift availability for excavators, loading location, excavator model and truck-shovel combinations strongly affect the productivity during loading process in an open-pit mine.