Discrete Time Markov Chains (DTMCs) and Con- tinuous Time Markov Chains (CTMCs) are often used to model various types of phenomena, such as, for example, the behavior of software products. In that case, Markov chains are widely used to describe possible time-varying behavior of “self-adaptive” software systems, where the transition from one state to another represents alternative choices at the so

Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) has caused concern from many sectors of society due to its growing quantity and potential toxicity. The situation is particularly worrisome in some non-OECD countries, such as India and China, where acute health and environmental hazards have resulted from a combination of a lack of proper WEEE management systems and the domination of a large backya

Susan Petrilli discusses Victoria Welby (1837–1912) and the Signific movement in her book Signifying and Understanding. The disposition of the book is chronological and thematic, and Petrilli’s discussion connects Welby’s work with contemporary semiotics, as well as with the intellectual and scientific landscape of Welby’s own time. For instance, a selection of Welby’s vast correspondence with int

A search for physics beyond the Standard Model in neutral current deep inelastic scattering at high negative four-momentum transfer squared Q(2) is performed in e(+/-)p collisions at HERA. The differential cross section d sigma/dQ(2), measured using the full H1 data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 446 pb(-1), is compared to the Standard Model prediction. No significant deviatio

In the bridge sector, lateral bracings can be provided e.g. in the form of metal decks or horizontal truss bracings. Those bracings are more efficient at the regions of maximum lateral shear deformations generated from destabilizing forces of compression flanges e.g. near to the twisting supports. A model is presented in this paper, which relates the lateral buckling length of compression flange o

Premise of the study: Even though pollen deposition schedules may have profound effects on the evolutionary outcome of pollen competition, few studies have investigated such effects in relation to pistil traits such as delayed stigma receptivity that enhance pollen competition. In Collinsia heterophylla, a largely outcrossing species with delayed stigma receptivity, we performed a series of contro

Experimentally determined activation energies of propane dehydrogenation catalyzed by ZSM-5 zeolites have been used to test the SET theory. The basis of this theory is that the catalyst system transfers vibrational energy via a resonance process to a specific vibration mode of the reacting molecule. Being excited up to a certain number of vibrational quanta the molecule is brought to reaction. By

A fundamental precept of geochemistry is that arsenate coordinates at mineral surfaces in a predominately bridging-bidentate fashion. We show that this is incorrect for the model system, arsenate adsorbed at the surface of goethite (alpha-FeOOH), using a combination of XRD, EXAFS, and IR spectroscopic results. We report the crystal structure of pentaamminecobalt(III) arsenate, which consists of mo

X-ray phase-contrast imaging has recently led to a revolution in resolving power and tissue contrast in biomedical imaging, microscopy and materials science. The necessary high spatial coherence is currently provided by either large-scale synchrotron facilities with limited beamtime access or by microfocus X-ray tubes with rather limited flux. X-rays radiated by relativistic electrons driven by we

District heating (DH) systems may contribute to reducing the use of fossil fuels for heating purposes since they enable the use of waste heat and facilitate the use of renewable energy sources. This paper focuses on the transformation of the Swedish DH systems with regard to energy supply in 1960–2011. Swedish DH production was completely dependent on oil until the late 1970s, while today it is do

Vertebrates possess different types of retinal specializations that vary in number, size, shape, and position in the retina. This diversity in retinal configuration has been revealed through topographic maps, which show variations in neuron density across the retina. Although topographic maps of about 300 vertebrates are available, there is no method for characterizing retinal traits quantitativel

Since 2006, the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas has been a permanent resident on the west cost of Sweden. Because C. gigas is nonindigenous in Scandinavia, it may modify ecosystems and affect the resident biota. Individuals of C. gigas often settle in large aggregations, and the physical structure of the resulting reef provides attachment points and refuges for many secondary species. However, C.

To investigate the associations between cytokines and insulin sensitivity in Swedish residents born in Iraq and Swedish residents born in Sweden.

Education is usually seen as an instrument for making changes in knowledge, values and norms. Norms are action instructions or imperatives and thus direct actions and changes, which is the essence of norms. If one knows more about norms – guiding actions – one understands more about changes. It is well-known in sociology of law that there is an important, complex interplay between social norms and

Context-aware computing is a typical paradigm of ubiquitous computing and aims to provide context information anywhere and anytime. Context data management which handles gathering, processing, managing, evaluating and disseminating context information is the heart of context-aware system. Context provision and acquisition, thus, become crucial for context-aware computing. In order to decouple appl