Measuring Project Management Performance: Case of Construction Industry

This study develops construction-specific determinants and indicators of project management performance based on the 14 knowledge areas of the project management body of knowledge guide. Interrelations among the knowledge areas and influence of these factors on performance are investigated. Data collected from 121 construction projects are analyzed using structural equation modeling. Research findings suggest that project integration, communications, safety, risk, human resources, financial, and cost management have a direct impact, whereas scope and time management have an indirect effect on performance. The findings reported in this study are expected to help construction project managers devise and implement strategies and develop actions to improve project success. An engineering manager can use the framework developed in this research to define the underlying factors of efficient project management practices.     

Rheological properties of gluten-free bread formulations

In this study, the rheological properties of rice bread dough containing different gums with or without emulsifiers were determined. In addition, the quality of rice breads (volume, firmness and sensory analysis) was evaluated. Different gums (xanthan gum, guar gum, locust bean gum (LBG), hydroxyl propyl methyl cellulose (HPMC), pectin, xanthan–guar, and xanthan–LBG blend) and emulsifiers (Purawave^™ and DATEM) were used to find the best formulation for gluten-free breads. Rice dough and wheat dough containing no gum and emulsifier were used as control formulations. The rice dough containing different gums with or without emulsifiers at 25 °C showed shear-thinning behavior with a flow behavior index (n) ranging from 0.33–0.68 (except pectin containing samples) and consistency index (K) ranging from 2.75–61.7 Pa sⁿ. The highest elastic (G′) and loss (G″) module were obtained for rice dough samples containing xanthan gum, xanthan–guar and xanthan–LBG blend with DATEM. When Purawave^™ was used as an emulsifier, dough samples had relatively smaller consistency index and viscoelastic moduli values compared to DATEM. The viscoelastic parameters of rice dough were found to be related to bread firmness. Addition of DATEM improved bread quality in terms of specific volume and sensory values.     

Effect of Al2O3 Additions on the Thermal Expansion Behavior of a Li2O-ZnO-SiO2 Glass-Ceramic

The effect of Al₂O₃ substitution on the thermal expansion behavior of a Li₂O-ZnO-SiO₂ glass-ceramic was investigated using differential thermal analysis, X-ray diffractometry, and dilatometry. The coefficient of thermal expansion of the original Al₂O₃-free glass-ceramic measured between 20° and 900°C decreased from 12.4 × 10^-6°C^-1 to 6.3 × 10^-6°C^-1 with Al₂O₃ substitution for ZnO up to 11 wt%. The results were correlated to the changes in the phase assemblage with Al₂O₃ addition.     

Image Analysis of Gluten-free Breads Prepared with Chestnut and Rice Flour and Baked in Different Ovens

In this study, the effects of chestnut flour and xanthan–guar gum blend–emulsifier DATEM mixture addition on macro- and microstructure of rice breads baked in conventional and infrared–microwave combination ovens were investigated by using the images obtained by a scanner and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Pore area fraction, pore size distribution, and roundness values of pores were determined. The highest pore area fraction values were obtained in breads prepared by replacement of 46 % of rice flour with chestnut flour containing xanthan–guar gum blend–DATEM mixture and baked in an infrared–microwave combination oven. On the other hand, rice breads containing no additives or chestnut flour had the lowest pore area fraction values. Infrared–microwave combination baking increased both pore area fraction values and total number of pores. Infrared–microwave combination baking caused approximately 23–28 % increase in number of the small pores (0–5 mm²) in rice breads and 71 % increase in number of the large pores (>10 mm²) in chestnut–rice breads. The fiber content and larger starch granules of chestnut flour contributed towards the stabilization of gas bubbles resulting in better crumb structure. More homogenous pore distributions were observed when additives and an infrared–microwave combination oven were used. When microstructure of gluten-free breads was investigated, it was seen that starch granules in chestnut–rice breads baked in an infrared–microwave combination oven did not disintegrate completely.     

A quality assessment of public water fountains and relation to human health: a case study from Yozgat,Turkey

Public fountains are very common and everyday people appreciate the benefits a water fountain can bring. However, consumption of public fountain water in some country has decreased because of growing concerns that constituents in fountain water may have adverse effects on health. A few studies have examined the safety of public fountains, proposing only limited evidence of fountain‐related health issues in Turkey. Most of these public fountains are sourced from natural springs in Turkey. In this study, a 177 fountain water and 32 rock samples were analysed for source and quality of water. The geology of the region has the direct impact on the quality of the public fountain water. The results indicate that the level of some elements exceeded the limit values determined by WHO and US.EPA. The most striking high values were observed for iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), aluminum (Al), arsenic (As) and bromine (Br) concentrations.     

A Study on Staling Characteristics of Gluten-Free Breads Prepared with Chestnut and Rice Flours

The effects of chestnut flour and a xanthan–guar gum blend–DATEM mixture on staling of gluten-free rice breads baked in conventional and infrared–microwave combination ovens were studied. Staling properties of the bread were assessed using mechanical compression (TA), differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Hardness, moisture loss, and retrogradation enthalpy values for all bread samples increased significantly during storage. FT-IR spectra showed that the integrated area of peaks around 1,041 and 1,150 cm^?1 wave lengths, which are related to the structure of starch retrogradation, increased with storage time. The X-ray diffractograms of aged breads indicated a B-type structure with the appearance of peaks at around 17°, 19.5°, and 22°. An additional peak at 24° was observed in breads stored for longer periods. Higher values of hardness and lower moisture contents were obtained for breads baked in an infrared–microwave combination oven, but the use of infrared–microwave combination oven did not result in excessive hardness after storage. Retrogradation enthalpies and total crystallinity values of breads did not show significant differences with baking type.The replacement of rice flour with chestnut flour and addition of xanthan–guar gum blend–DATEM mixture in formulations significantly delayed staling of gluten-free breads by decreasing moisture loss, hardness, retrogradation enthalpy, and total mass crystallinity.     

Optimisation of formulations and infrared–microwave combination baking conditions of chestnut–rice breads

The main objective of this study was to design gluten‐free breads containing chestnut and rice flour and xanthan–guar gum blend to be baked in infrared–microwave combination oven. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimise gluten‐free bread formulations and processing conditions. Weight loss, firmness, specific volume and colour change of the breads were determined. Rice flour mixed with different proportions of chestnut flour and different emulsifier contents were used to prepare breads. The gluten‐free formulations were baked using different upper halogen lamp powers, microwave powers and baking time which were varied from 40% to 80%, 30% to 70% and 9 to 17 min, respectively. Gluten‐free breads and wheat breads baked in conventional oven were used for comparison. Breads containing 46.5% chestnut flour and 0.62% emulsifier and baked using 40% infrared and 30% microwave power for 9 min had statistically comparable quality with conventionally baked ones.     

Utilization of chestnut flour in gluten-free bread formulations

In this study, gluten-free bread formulations using chestnut and rice flours at different ratios (0/100, 10/90, 20/80, 30/70, 40/60, 50/50 and 100/0) were tested. In addition, the influence of hydrocolloid blend (xanthan-locustbean gum (LBG), xanthan-guar gum blend) and emulsifier DATEM on the rheological properties of dough formulations and quality parameters of breads were also investigated for the samples having chestnut/rice flour ratio of 10/90, 20/80, 30/70 and 40/60. Herschel-Bulkley model was found to explain the flow behavior of all dough formulations. The power-law index (n) of dough samples at 25 °C ranged from 0.52 to 0.87, the consistency index (K) of the samples ranged from 3.6 to 79 Pa sⁿ and the yield stress of the samples ranged from 4.8 to 85.9 Pa. The breads prepared with chestnut/rice flour ratio of 30/70 and containing xanthan-guar blend and emulsifier, had higher quality in terms of hardness, specific volume, color and sensory values. However, elevated levels of chestnut flour led to some deterioration in quality parameters (low volume, harder texture and darker color) regardless of gum blend and emulsifier addition.