Assessments are often comprised of several subscales measuring separate but correlated skill sets. Various methods exist to mathematically merge the subscales to create total or factor scores. Two of the more popular methods include unit and regression weighted factor scores. Often these scales are not inspected for factor invariance across groups for which comparisons will be made. The extent to which a lack of measurement invariance influences these different scoring methods is not clear. This study investigated the impact of the absence of factor loading invariance on factor score variances. Results demonstrate that a lack of measurement invariance can have a dramatic impact on group variances for the composite scores, thus leading to a potential violation of an assumption of many parametric analyses.  Discussion of the results includes suggestions for researchers to consider measurement invariance when composite scores are employed to examine group differences.

The effective maintenance management of medical technology influences the quality of care delivered and the profitability of healthcare facilities. Medical device maintenance in Jordan lacks an objective prioritization system; consequently, the system is not sensitive to the impact of device's downtime on patient morbidity and mortality. Through this paper, the existing computerized maintenance management system in royal medical services was investigated, a list of its requirements was created, such a system was conceptually designed, and finally an object oriented model was built based on the conceptual design. A conceptual design was created showing how the system will function when implemented. This design employed logical view and deployment view depicting the specific entities of the system and how these entities interact with one another. The operator can always add these views and they will be fully instructed on the proper methods for achieving this. With the completed model the developer will be able to generate skeletal code, in a variety of programming languages, which will further assist in the implementation process.

This work focuses on the design and implementation of a New Modified Repetitive Control Strategy (NMRCS) for position control in real-time AC servo motor system. The dynamic second order transfer function model of the system is derived and the model parameters are identified using experimental data. Based on the model parameters, the conventional PD controller parameters are computed by optimization tool in MATLAB platform. The real-time runs are carried out with NMRCS based PD controller for a periodic reference tracking. The Repetitive Control Strategy (RCS) based PD controller and conventional PD controller are taken for comparative studies. The performance measures of the above said controllers are analyzed in terms of tracking error. A robustness of the proposed control strategy is also tested. The real-time results confirm the supremacy of NMRCS based PD controller.

In 1938, N. wiener introduced polynomial and homogeneous chaos in his study of stochastic mechanics. He defined polynomial chaos as sums of finitely many multiple integrals with respect to a Brownian motion. The polynomial chaoses of different order are not orthogonal. On the other hand, the homogeneous chaoses (which are defined in terms of polynomial chaos) of different orders are orthogonal. However, wiener did not directly define homogeneous chaos as integrals.

In 1951, K.itô introduced new multiple integrals that turn out to be exactly homogeneous chaos. The new integrals are nowadays referred to as multiple Wiener- itô integrals. They are related to the stochastic integral that K. itô introduced in 1944. We will follow the original idea of K- itô to define multiple Wiener- itô integrals. The aim of this paper is how we can define a multiple Wiener- itô integral for deterministic function f.

Water detection in hydrocarbon emulsions represents a serious challenge in petroleum production industry. In this paper, a systematic and an applicable method of water detection in hydrocarbon emulsion is achieved using thermoacoustic effect. The study focused on sensing the presence of water in kerosene using the established correlation between the content of hydrocarbon emulsion and the characteristics of the acoustic wave generated by inundation of a heated rod in the emulsion. This approach was tested experimentally and showed that the produced acoustic signal can be utilized as an informative parameter in quality control schemes of petrochemical oil products.

The goal of procurement is to ensure the most efficient, transparent and fair manner for the use of public funds and resources.

The main  goal  of  the  governments  as  purchaser  is  the  provision  of  goods  and  services  of appropriate   quality  and  at  a  competitive  price.  Procurement  procedures  should  create  fair opportunities for all providers and should be designed in such a way as to ensure a good value of money and minimize the risk of corruption and favoritism.

State Purchase of goods and services from the private sector represents a significant part of public expenditure in most countries.

Achieving better functioning market economy is one of the priorities of the EU. One way to achieve this goal and other elements essential to good governance associated with it is to create an efficient  procurement  system,  in  which  competition  is  encouraged  to  link  with  public  sector contracts.

In the context of EU accession, the reform of public procurement laws, and the structure and administrative procedures are a primary task for the  candidate  countries.  This reform is a precondition for EU membership and for the opportunity to benefit from pre-accession assistance for which the candidate countries have the right.

This paperwork aims to present a clearer picture of how procurement, under the initiatives taken by the European Union, enabling greater participation of governments, and remove administrative and trade barriers between member countries. Many  countries  have  established  a  central  procurement  agency,  to  oversee  the  procurement activities of contracting entities in line ministries and other  public bodies covered by public procurement-law.

State purchase of goods and services from the private sector, represents a significant part of public expenditure in  most countries.  Such activities are regulated by national  legislation  on  public procurement and guided by international standards of transparency open and fair competition¹.

Achieving better functioning of market economy is one of the priorities of the EU. One way to achieve this goal and other elements essential to good governance associated with it is to create an efficient procurement system, in which competition is encouraged to link the contracts with public sector. A sound policy and procurement practices  can reduce the cost of public expenditure, to provide  timely  results,  to  promote  private  sector  development,  to  reduce  lost  time,  delays, corruption and government inefficiency.

Measures for the improvement of the procurement procedures include: a comprehensive public procurement law,  establishing a central body for public procurement, which should have full responsibility  for  the  design  and  implementation  of  public  procurement  policy  and  national training programs; developing the capacity of spending units in efficient procurement procedures, and establishment of effective control and the review of complaints regarding the procedures².

This study was conducted to examine the concentrations of heavy metals in sludge from a brewery plant in order to asses the pollution extent of the sludge before be use as a cheap soil fertilizer. Sludge samples were collected from different points of the plant weekly for six weeks, and analyzed  for   Pb , Cu Cd Cr and Co. The highest concentration of Cu, Cr and Pb were observed in the sludges samples compared to Cd and Co respectively. The mean  concentration of heavy metals  ranged from  22.00±9.03-34.42± 1.87 μg/g  Pb, 79.83±27.49-100.75±28.06 μg/g Cu, 0.58± 1.86-1.30± 0.40 μg/g Cd ,29.33±12.62-47.92±22.13 μg/g Cr and 5.92± 0.97-9.10±4.18 μg/g Co. The pH analysis for each of the  sampling points were found to ranged between 7.12±0.47-7.17±0.35 indicating the suitability of the brewery sludge as a sources of fertilizer  since most crops grow best when the soil pH is between 6.5-7.0 and a high moisture content was obtained. The  mean concentration of the analyzed metal in the sludge do not  exceed the allowed permissible level in sludge sample set by European Union (EU) and United state environmental protection agency (USEPA) standards.