131 research outputs found
A direct path to dependable software
What would it take to make software more dependable? Until now, most approaches have been indirect: some practices â processes, tools or techniques â are used that are believed to yield dependable software, and the argument for dependability rests on the extent to which the developers have adhered to them. This article argues instead that developers should produce direct evidence that the software satisfies its dependability claims. The potential advantages of this approach are greater credibility (since the argument is not contingent on the effectiveness of the practices) and reduced cost (since development resources can be focused where they have the most impact)
An introduction to the SCOUT-AMMA stratospheric aircraft, balloons and sondes campaign in West Africa, August 2006: rationale and roadmap
Human Resource Flexibility as a Mediating Variable Between High Performance Work Systems and Performance
Much of the human resource management literature has demonstrated the impact of high performance
work systems (HPWS) on organizational performance. A new generation of studies is
emerging in this literature that recommends the inclusion of mediating variables between HPWS
and organizational performance. The increasing rate of dynamism in competitive environments
suggests that measures of employee adaptability should be included as a mechanism that may
explain the relevance of HPWS to firm competitiveness. On a sample of 226 Spanish firms, the
studyâs results confirm that HPWS influences performance through its impact on the firmâs
human resource (HR) flexibility
Risk profiles and one-year outcomes of patients with newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation in India: Insights from the GARFIELD-AF Registry.
BACKGROUND: The Global Anticoagulant Registry in the FIELD-Atrial Fibrillation (GARFIELD-AF) is an ongoing prospective noninterventional registry, which is providing important information on the baseline characteristics, treatment patterns, and 1-year outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). This report describes data from Indian patients recruited in this registry. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 52,014 patients with newly diagnosed AF were enrolled globally; of these, 1388 patients were recruited from 26 sites within India (2012-2016). In India, the mean age was 65.8 years at diagnosis of NVAF. Hypertension was the most prevalent risk factor for AF, present in 68.5% of patients from India and in 76.3% of patients globally (P < 0.001). Diabetes and coronary artery disease (CAD) were prevalent in 36.2% and 28.1% of patients as compared with global prevalence of 22.2% and 21.6%, respectively (P < 0.001 for both). Antiplatelet therapy was the most common antithrombotic treatment in India. With increasing stroke risk, however, patients were more likely to receive oral anticoagulant therapy [mainly vitamin K antagonist (VKA)], but average international normalized ratio (INR) was lower among Indian patients [median INR value 1.6 (interquartile range {IQR}: 1.3-2.3) versus 2.3 (IQR 1.8-2.8) (P < 0.001)]. Compared with other countries, patients from India had markedly higher rates of all-cause mortality [7.68 per 100 person-years (95% confidence interval 6.32-9.35) vs 4.34 (4.16-4.53), P < 0.0001], while rates of stroke/systemic embolism and major bleeding were lower after 1 year of follow-up. CONCLUSION: Compared to previously published registries from India, the GARFIELD-AF registry describes clinical profiles and outcomes in Indian patients with AF of a different etiology. The registry data show that compared to the rest of the world, Indian AF patients are younger in age and have more diabetes and CAD. Patients with a higher stroke risk are more likely to receive anticoagulation therapy with VKA but are underdosed compared with the global average in the GARFIELD-AF. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION-URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01090362
Concentration dependence of energy transfer upconversion in Nd:YAG
The concentration dependence of energy transfer upconversion in Nd:YAG is investigated via the z-scan technique. The ETU coefficient is determined to increase from 35Ă10-18 cm3/s to 90Ă10-18 cm3/s when the concentration increases from 0.3 at.% to 1.1 at.%
Concentration dependence of energy transfer upconversion in Nd:YAG
We present measurements of the concentration dependence of the energy transfer upconversion (ETU) macro-parameter in Nd:YAG obtained via the Z-scan technique. The ETU coefficient is found to increase from 27 Ă 10-18 cm3/s to 75 Ă 10-18 cm3/s when the concentration increases from 0.31 at.% to 1.07 at.%
Energy transfer upconversion measurements for popular neodymium-doped crystals
We report our investigations on measuring the energy transfer upconversion (ETU) parameter in various neodymium-doped laser crystals (YAG, YVO4, GdVO4, KGW, and YLF) via the z-scan technique. Starting with a simple two-level macro-parameter spatially dependent rate equation model we obtain a good correlation for Nd:YAG at different concentrations and crystal temperatures, however the other crystals illustrate significant deviation between simulation and measurement. Currently we attribute this difference to additional ion-ion interactions in the respective samples, for which a more detailed model is currently being considered. Of the tested materials Nd:YAG appears to have the lowest ETU macro parameter, at around 0.35 x 10-16 cm3/s for a 0.6 at.% doping concentration, compared with nominally thrice this for 0.5 at% Nd:YLF and almost an order of magnitude higher for the 0.5 at.% vanadates (YVO4 and GdVO4). These values are significant for determining additional heat load in the respective gain media, especially when trying to increase the output power/energy from lasers employing these crystals, typically achieved by increasing the pump and cavity mode size
A technique for assessing accessibility problems in rural areas
SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:3425.926(TRRL-CR--11) / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo
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