Research on the Conversion Coefficient for Measuring Radon Concentration in Water Based on Bubbling Method

Radon is soluble in water, and the radon in drinking water is one of the sources of indoor radon. The China national standard for drinking water (GB5749-2006) indicates that the radon concentration in drinking water cannot be higher than 300pCi/L. The widely used method for measuring radon concentration in water is to use the RAD7 and the H2O accessory which provided by the Durridge Company for bubbling measurement. There are two kind sample bottles: 40ml and 250ml; the measurement steps: bubbling for 5 minutes, and measuring for 20 minutes. For the 40ml sample volume the conversion coefficient is around 25. For the 250ml sample volume the conversion coefficient is around 4. Since the price of the accessory is more than one thousand dollars, and the drying tube of the accessory is small, it needs to be replaced after each measurement which makes the operation is troublesome. We used a big drying tube to perform the radon concentration in water measurement. A new model for description the radon concentration in the gas circuit is proposed, and the conversion coefficient in any measurement condition is obtained. Any volume of sample bottle and drying tube can be used, selecting the suitable bubbling time and measuring time, the radon concentration in water can be obtained.

The effect of regulatory focus and performance measurement on corporate social responsibility investment decisions

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the relationship between regulatory focus, performance measurement and corporate social responsibility (CSR) investment decisions. Design/methodology/approach Using an experimental method with a 2 × 2 between-subjects factorial design involving 144 participants, the data were analyzed using t-test and contrast test. In the experiment, the authors assigned participants into prevention focus or promotion focus group and complementary performance measurement or substitute performance measurement condition. Findings The results show that CSR investment is more preferable for managers in prevention focus instead of those in promotion focus group. Additionally, CSR investment is more preferable for managers in complementary performance measurement condition compared to those in substitute performance measurement condition. This study also provides evidence that the greatest CSR investment is reached when managers are in both prevention focus group and complementary performance measurement conditions. Practical implications Companies need to activate the prevention focus for managers to motivate CSR investment. Additionally, companies need to use complementary performance measurements, which consist of CSR measurement and financial measurements. Originality/value CSR research is dominated by theories explaining the external models which trigger companies to perform CSR. Existing research related to the internal models is limited to psychological aspects that are not directly related to company performance. This study investigates the motivational attributes that have a direct and strong influence on managers behavior. This research shows that regulatory focus is better at predicting CSR investment and is more motivational for individuals to perform well at work.

Requirements for Accreditation (Appraisal) of NDT Laboratories in Nuclear Power Industry

In the nuclear power industry, there are various requirements for NDT laboratories depending on the type of work performed. The article reviews the following types of appraisal: 1) laboratory appraisal at the head materials science organization; 2) appraisal of NDT laboratories during the construction of nuclear power plants; 3) evaluation of the measurement condition in testing laboratories; accreditation of testing laboratories for product conformity assessment. The study concludes that presence of various requirements for NDT laboratories in the nuclear power industry introduces a certain ambiguity in obtaining the needed certificates

Improving parameter precision of estimation by no-knowledge feedback control

We investigate a scheme to improve the precision of parameter estimation using no-knowledge measurement-based feedback control. The scheme shows that combination of no-knowledge measurement-based feedback control and quantum weak measurement is the optimal way to suppress decoherence. Our results indicate that compared with knowledge quantum feedback control, under the same weak measurement condition, the precision of parameter estimation can be improved more effectively with no knowledge quantum feedback control. Further, based on numerical simulation, we find that the feedback operator is chosen as [Formula: see text] (or both [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], which can protect quantum Fisher information (QFI) for a long time.

An Audio Distortion Dynamic Range Index for Evaluating the Performance of Audio Systems

The dynamic range (DR) index lacking of an official definition leads to ambiguities in performance evaluation. The existing measurement methods of DR do not always match with the various actual application conditions, and some detailed distortion behavior of the device under test (DUT) is not extracted. In this paper, a new index for evaluating the DR performance of audio systems is proposed and validated, herein referred to as the audio distortion dynamic range (ADDR). It reduces the uncertainty of measurement conditions by an explicit definition and unifies the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and the signal-to-noise-and-distortion ratio (SINAD) indexes if under the same measurement condition. Moreover, to comprehensively reflect the impact of harmonic, spurious, and noise components on the DUT, the definitions of the traditional indexes based on classification of distorted components are replaced by the variable thresholds in the ADDR definition. Subsequently, the detailed steps of ADDR and the critical factors influencing its accuracy, are analyzed and then the optimized measurement conditions are given. Experiments based on simulated DUTs show the ADDR index can distinguish performance difference that the traditional indexes cannot distinguish, which proves it is an effective supplementary to the existing indexes in some real applications.

Measurement of Nasalance Scores Without Touching the Philtrum for Better Comfort During Speech Assessment and Therapy: A Preliminary Study

Objective: The Kay Pentax nasometer uses a separator plate that touches the philtrum of a patient to separate the nasal and oral sound energies for nasalance measurement. However, the separator plate can restrict the natural movement of the patient’s upper lip and generate unpleasant pressure on the patient’s philtrum. The present study was intended to measure nasalance scores without touching the philtrum for better comfort during speech assessment and therapy. Methods: Nasalance scores of 10 males and 10 females having no speech disorders were measured under 4 levels (0, 5, 10, and 15 mm) of the gap between the plate and the philtrum (denoted as plate-to-philtrum gap) using Nasometer II 6450 for nasal (Nasal Sentences) and oral (Zoo Passage) stimuli. Regression formulas were established to examine the relationships between nasalance score and plate-to-philtrum gap for the stimuli. To provide nasalance scores equivalent to those measured for the contact condition, compensation factors for the 5 mm plate-to-philtrum gap measurement condition were identified for the stimuli. Results: The nasalance scores were significantly different between the 4 different plate-to-philtrum gaps for the stimuli. Compensation factors for the Nasal Sentences and the Zoo Passage were identified as 1.17 and 0.71, respectively. Conclusions: The 5 mm plate-to-philtrum gap condition after multiplying the compensation factors can provide equivalent nasalance scores to the conventional contact measurement condition which may provide better comfort in speech assessment and therapy.

Measurement of nasalance scores without touching the philtrum for better comfort during speech assessment and therapy

Background: The Kay Pentax Nasometer uses a separator plate that touches the philtrum of a patient to separate the nasal and oral sound energies for nasalance measurement. However, the separator plate could restrict the natural movement of the patient’s upper lip and generate an unpleasant pressure to the patient’s philtrum. The present study was intended to measure nasalance scores without touching the philtrum for better comfort during speech assessment and therapy.Methods: Nasalance scores of 10 males and 10 females having no speech disorders were measured under four levels (0, 5, 10, and 15 mm) of the gap between the plate and the philtrum (denoted as plate-to-philtrum gap) using Nasometer II 6450 for nasal (Nasal Sentences) and oral (Zoo Passage) stimuli. Regression formulas were established to examine the relationships between nasalance score and plate-to-philtrum gap for the Nasal Sentences and the Zoo Passge, respectively. To provide equivalent nasalance scores measured under the 5-mm plate-to-philtrum gap to those measured under the conventional contact measurement condition (i.e., the 0-mm plate-to-philtrum gap in the present study), compensation factors were identified as the ratio of the mean nasalance measured under the 0-mm gap to that measured under the 5-mm gap for the Nasal Sentences and the Zoo Passge, respectively. The validation of the identified compensation factors was examined.Results: The nasalance scores were significantly different between the four different plate-to-philtrum gaps for the stimuli. Nonlinear and linear regression formulas were established for the relationships between nasalance score and plate-to-philtrum gap for the Nasal Sentences and the Zoo Passage, respectively. Compensation factors for the Nasal Sentences and the Zoo Passage were identified as 1.17 and 0.71, respectively. Validation results showed that the adjusted nasalance scores after mutiplying the identified compensation factors were similar to those measured under the conventional contact measurement condition for both the oral and nasal stimuli.Conclusions: The 5-mm plate-to-philtrum gap condition after multiplying the compensation factors can provide equivalent nasalance scores to the conventional contact measurement condition and better comfort in speech assessment and therapy.