Reliability of systems with dependent components based on lattice polynomial description

Reliability of a system is considered where the components' random lifetimes may be dependent. The structure of the system is described by an associated "lattice polynomial" function. Based on that descriptor, general framework formulas are developed and used to obtain direct results for the cases where a) the lifetimes are "Bayes-dependent", that is, their interdependence is due to external factors (in particular, where the factor is the "preliminary phase" duration) and b) where the lifetimes' dependence is implied by upper or lower bounds on lifetimes of components in some subsets of the system. (The bounds may be imposed externally based, say, on the connections environment.) Several special cases are investigated in detail

Simultaneous Determination of Signal and Background Asymmetries

This article discusses the determination of asymmetries. We consider a sample of events consisting of a peak of signal events on top of some background events. Both signal and background have an unknown asymmetry, e.g. a spin or forward-backward asymmetry. A method is proposed which determines signal and background asymmetries simultaneously using event weighting. For vanishing asymmetries the statistical error of the asymmetries reaches the minimal variance bound (MVB) given by the Cram\'er-Rao inequality and it is very close to it for large asymmetries. The method thus provides a significant gain in statistics compared to the classical method of side band subtraction of background asymmetries. It has the advantage with respect to the unbinned maximum likelihood approach, reaching the MVB as well, that it does not require loops over the event sample in the minimization procedure

Strategic role of internet-related technologies in supply chain networks

PhD ThesisOrganisations are operating in increasingly competitive market places. To enhance competitiveness, organisations are shifting their focus from individual supply chains to improving the responsiveness of the whole Supply Chain Network (SCN) that serves and impacts the level of final product or service provided to customers. Consequently, there has been a major upsurge of interest in the role of Internet-related technologies (IRT) in advancing SCNs. This area was examined by conducting case studies with large organisations from a range of industries that focused on the function of IRT in inter-organisational supply chain processes. A number of major themes emerged. Firstly, it is clear that IRT will be at the heart of future SCN communication surrounding enabling, operational and strategic supply chain processes. IRT provide a mechanism for integrating different supply chainrelated systems thus leading to improved information sharing and visibility. Furthermore, it widens the scope and flexibility of intra-organisational and interorganisational linkages and pathways that are available between different network members. In addition, IRT is being used to broaden and deepen relationships with key partners and within teams formed around supply chain processes. IRT can also be personalised to suit different organisations and people in the SCN and to provide appropriate access to web links, information and applications. However, it is important to understand that IRT cannot be equally applied throughout the supply chain. A number of factors will influence its suitability including the type and stage of supply chain processes, the nature of activities, the content of communication and the people communicating. The thesis will provide guidance to academics and practitioners on the strategic role of IRT. Finally, future research is recommended to investigate the additional impact that smart tags and mobile technologies will have and the long term effects of technological linkages on social relations between different network members.Division of Business Information Management and the Department of Computing, of Glasgow Caledonian University

Sub-Saharan countries are taking on more debt, and women will bear the brunt of repaying it

Sub-Saharan African countries are borrowing money to get through the pandemic. But servicing those debts means austerity later – and the ensuing cuts to healthcare will hurt women most, write Matthew Barlow, Jean Grugel and Jessica Omukuti (University of York)

On modular decompositions of system signatures

Considering a semicoherent system made up of $n$ components having i.i.d. continuous lifetimes, Samaniego defined its structural signature as the $n$-tuple whose $k$-th coordinate is the probability that the $k$-th component failure causes the system to fail. This $n$-tuple, which depends only on the structure of the system and not on the distribution of the component lifetimes, is a very useful tool in the theoretical analysis of coherent systems. It was shown in two independent recent papers how the structural signature of a system partitioned into two disjoint modules can be computed from the signatures of these modules. In this work we consider the general case of a system partitioned into an arbitrary number of disjoint modules organized in an arbitrary way and we provide a general formula for the signature of the system in terms of the signatures of the modules. The concept of signature was recently extended to the general case of semicoherent systems whose components may have dependent lifetimes. The same definition for the $n$-tuple gives rise to the probability signature, which may depend on both the structure of the system and the probability distribution of the component lifetimes. In this general setting, we show how under a natural condition on the distribution of the lifetimes, the probability signature of the system can be expressed in terms of the probability signatures of the modules. We finally discuss a few situations where this condition holds in the non-i.i.d. and nonexchangeable cases and provide some applications of the main results

The Grizzly, February 28, 1980

Craft Reports On College Concerns • Friedmann Reports On Ruby Progress • USGA Commission Pursues Energy Costs • Editor-in-Chief Applications Available • USGA Notes • Lindback Nominations Requested • Letters to the Editor • Sculpture Forum • Ursinus Grad\u27s Winning Positions • Gifford Takes Top MAC Honors • Interest Inventory • Baseball Season Preview • Gymnastics Concludes Season • Marathon Played For Special Olympicshttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1035/thumbnail.jp

The Local Time Distribution of a Particle Diffusing on a Graph

We study the local time distribution of a Brownian particle diffusing along the links on a graph. In particular, we derive an analytic expression of its Laplace transform in terms of the Green's function on the graph. We show that the asymptotic behavior of this distribution has non-Gaussian tails characterized by a nontrivial large deviation function.Comment: 8 pages, two figures (included

The Grizzly, October 26, 1979

J-Board Issues Warning • Graduate Aids NASA In Antimatter Finding • Campus Planning Group Looks At Student Life • Alumnus Honored for Middle East Peace Role • Letters to the Editor • Fashion Show In Wismer • Pianist to Perform at Ursinus Wins International Competition • College Bowl Update • Sports Profile: John Onopchenko • Rooters Lose, Rebound for Win • Videon Top Scorer On Third Team • Bear Pack Win Aided By Frosh • Hockey Aims For Berth • V-Ball Edges Swarthmorehttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1025/thumbnail.jp

BMC Neuroscience

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