A Case Study on Artefact-based RE Improvement in Practice

Most requirements engineering (RE) process improvement approaches are solution-driven and activity-based. They focus on the assessment of the RE of a company against an external norm of best practices. A consequence is that practitioners often have to rely on an improvement approach that skips a profound problem analysis and that results in an RE approach that might be alien to the organisational needs. In recent years, we have developed an RE improvement approach (called \emph{ArtREPI}) that guides a holistic RE improvement against individual goals of a company putting primary attention to the quality of the artefacts. In this paper, we aim at exploring ArtREPI's benefits and limitations. We contribute an industrial evaluation of ArtREPI by relying on a case study research. Our results suggest that ArtREPI is well-suited for the establishment of an RE that reflects a specific organisational culture but to some extent at the cost of efficiency resulting from intensive discussions on a terminology that suits all involved stakeholders. Our results reveal first benefits and limitations, but we can also conclude the need of longitudinal and independent investigations for which we herewith lay the foundation

Earliest Pragian (Early Devonian) corals and stromatoporoids from reefal settings in the Cantabrian Zone (N Spain)

The oldest reefal episode in the Cantabrian Zone (earliest Pragian) consists of small biostromal patch reefs, mainly built by corals and stromatoporoids, and developed on a storm-dominated ramp. Four outcrops provide the stratigraphic framework in which these reef facies developed, and these permitted an interpretation of their depositional setting in terms of a relatively distal or protected shelf. We systematically describe three species of rugose corals, five species of tabulate corals, and six species of stromatoporoids. This fauna is allocated to three Pragian fossil associations. Association 1 is mainly composed of massive tabulate corals and stromatoporoids. Association 2 contains dominant branching rugose and tabulate corals. Finally, association 3 is represented by tiny massive tabulate corals. Each association occurs at a specific location within a framework of high-frequency deepening upward cycles, being related to a specific depositional setting. This mode of occurrence suggests that their development was tuned by relative base-level oscillations, forming during rises that took the sea-bottom to relatively deep or sheltered conditions, with rare reworking by storm-related currents. Finally, a comparison of this reefal fauna with examples of similar age from elsewhere is presented in order to explore their affinities

In Quest for Proper Mediums for Technology Transfer in Software Engineering

Successful transfer of the results of research projects into practice is of great interest to all project participants. It can be assumed that different transfer mediums fulfill technology transfer (TT) with different levels of success and that they are impaired by different kinds of barriers. The goal of this study is to gain a better understanding about the different mediums used for TT in software engineering, and to identify barriers weakening the success of the application of such mediums. We conducted an exploratory study implemented by a survey in the context of a German research project with a broad range of used mediums. The main reported barriers were low expectations of usefulness, no awareness of existence, lack of resources, or inadequateness in terms of outdated material or being in an immature state. We interpreted our results as symptoms of a lack of a dissemination plan in the project. Further work will be needed to explore the implications for the transfer of research results (knowledge and techniques) to practice.Comment: Proceedings of the International Conference on Empirical Software Engineering and Measurement, 201

Supersymmetric Quantum Mechanics, multiphoton algebras and coherent states

The multiphoton algebras for one-dimensional Hamiltonians with infinite discrete spectrum, and for their associated kth-order SUSY partners are studied. In both cases, such an algebra is generated by the multiphoton annihilation and creation operators, as well as by Hamiltonians which are functions of an appropriate number operator. The algebras obtained turn out to be polynomial deformations of the corresponding single-photon algebra previously studied. The Barut-Girardello coherent states, which are eigenstates of the annihilation operator, are obtained and their uncertainty relations are explored by means of the associated quadratures.Comment: Last version of the paper, 6 figure

The influence of heavy goods vehicle traffic on accidents on different types of Spanish interurban roads

This paper illustrates a methodology developed to analyze the influence of traffic conditions, i.e. volume and composition on accidents on different types of interurban roads in Spain, by applying negative binomial models. The annual average daily traffic was identified as the most important variable, followed by the percentage of heavy goods vehicles, and different covariate patterns were found for each road type. The analysis of hypothetical scenarios of the reduction of heavy goods vehicles in two of the most representative freight transportation corridors, combined with hypotheses of total daily traffic mean intensity variation, produced by the existence or absence of induced traffic gives rise to several scenarios. In all cases a reduction in the total number of accidents would occur as a result of the drop in the number of heavy goods transport vehicles, However the higher traffic intensity, resulting of the induction of other vehicular traffic, reduces the effects on the number of accidents on single carriageway road segments compared with high capacity roads, due to the increase in exposure. This type of analysis provides objective elements for evaluating policies that encourage modal shifts and road safety enhancements

Estudio de la anisotropía de una fuente de Am-Be de 111 GBq

Se ha estudiado la anisotropía de una fuente de Am-Be de 111 GBq (3Ci) mediante el uso de un pequeño motor que permite girar paso a paso la fuente situada en su posición de irradiación habitual. Las medidas se han realizado con un contador proporcional de 3He alojado en el interior de una esfera moderadora de 8” correspondiente a un sistema de espectrometría de esferas Bonner. Se reportan los resultados obtenidos y el factor de anisotropía determinado para esta fuente

Gobernabilidad en Santa Cruz de la Sierra: Pautas para mayor transparencia y democracia local

A partir de los años ochenta se inició una nueva etapa democrática en Bolivia, después de quince años de alternar entre gobiernos dictatoriales y constitucionales. La profundización de la democracia fue prolongada (1978-1982), costosa, lenta y complicada. El desarrollo de las democracias locales, como parte del proceso general, constituyó un paso importante en esta consolidación y estuvo marcada por la aprobación de leyes que promueven la descentralización y la participación popular, tendientes a fortalecer la institucionalidad pública y a mejorar la calidad de vida de los ciudadanos, con una distribución más equitativa de los recursos financieros administrados bajo el régimen de vigilancia y control social. El proceso estuvo matizado por problemas de legitimidad y gobernabilidad. Una vez superados los unos se presentaron otros, generando un debate permanente y cambiante sobre el tema

Methodology for the analysis and comparison of protocols for glycaemic control in intensive care.

RATIONALE, AIMS, AND OBJECTIVES: The practice of glycaemic control of critically ill patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) is guided by clinical management protocols, designed locally by the ICUs. These protocols differ significantly in their aims and methods. The aim of this study was to develop a standardized methodology for the systematic and objective analysis and comparison of protocols for glycaemic control implemented in any ICU. METHOD: The protocols for glycaemic control implemented in seven ICUs of a UK-based ICU network were analysed using techniques of inductive content analysis, through an open coding process and the framework method. This involved the identification and classification of protocol instructions for glycaemic control, as well as of the processes and decisions pertaining to each of these instructions. These were used to develop a framework for the structured and systematic description and comparison of the protocols' contents, and to develop a technique for the protocols' graphic visualization. RESULTS: The following elements were identified or developed: (1) 35 quantifiable variables and 11 non-quantifiable subjects that could be present in an ICU protocol for glycaemic control, to be used as a framework for the description and comparison of contents; (2) a technique for condensing a protocol into a single, comprehensive flowchart; (3) using these flowcharts, a method for assessing the complexity and comprehensiveness of the protocols. CONCLUSIONS: The methodology developed in this study will allow for any future work analysing the contents of glycaemic control protocols to be carried out in a structured and standardized way. This may be done either as a standalone study, or as the essential first step in any investigation on the impact of new protocols. In turn, the methodology will facilitate the performance of regional, national, and international comparisons, demonstrating the usefulness of this study at a global scale

Arsenic and chromium topsoil levels and cancer mortality in Spain

Spatio-temporal cancer mortality studies in Spain have revealed patterns for some tumours which display a distribution that is similar across the sexes and persists over time. Such characteristics would be common to tumours that shared risk factors, including the chemical soil composition. The objective of the present study is to assess the association between levels of chromium and arsenic in soil and the cancer mortality. This is an ecological cancer mortality study at municipal level, covering 861,440 cancer deaths in 7917 Spanish mainland towns from 1999 to 2008. Chromium and arsenic topsoil levels (partial extraction) were determined by ICP-MS at 13,317 sampling points. To estimate the effect of these concentrations on mortality, we fitted Besag, York and Mollié models, which included, as explanatory variables, each town’s chromium and arsenic soil levels, estimated by kriging. In addition, we also fitted geostatistical-spatial models including sample locations and town centroids (non-aligned data), using the integrated nested Laplace approximation (INLA) and stochastic partial differential equations (SPDE). All results were adjusted for socio-demographic variables and proximity to industrial emissions. The results showed a statistical association in men and women alike, between arsenic soil levels and mortality due to cancers of the stomach, pancreas, lung and brain and non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas (NHL). Among men, an association was observed with cancers of the prostate, buccal cavity and pharynx, oesophagus, colorectal and kidney. Chromium topsoil levels were associated with mortality among women alone, in cancers of the upper gastrointestinal tract, breast and NHL. Our results suggest that chronic exposure arising from low levels of arsenic and chromium in topsoil could be a potential risk factor for developing cancer. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11356-016-6806-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users