University of Cyprus

About: University of Cyprus is a education organization based out in Nicosia, Cyprus. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Large Hadron Collider & Standard Model. The organization has 3624 authors who have published 15157 publications receiving 412135 citations.

Computing Nash equilibria for scheduling on restricted parallel links

Abstract: We consider the problem of routing n users on m parallel links, under the restriction that each user may only be routed on a link from a certain set of allowed links for the user. Thus, the problem is equivalent to the correspondingly restricted problem of assigning n jobs to m parallel machines. In a pure Nash equilibrium, no user may improve its own individual cost (delay) by unilaterally switching to another link from its set of allowed links. As our main result, we introduce a polynomial time algorithm to compute from any given assignment a pure Nash equilibrium with non-increased makespan. The algorithm gradually changes a given assignment by pushing unsplittable user traffics through a network that is defined by the users and the links. Here, we use ideas from blocking flows. Furthermore, we use similar techniques as in the generic Preflow-Push algorithm to approximate a schedule with minimum makespan, gaining an improved approximation factor of 2 - 1/w1 for identical links, where w1 is the largest user traffic. We extend this result to related links, gaining an approximation factor of 2. Our approximation algorithms run in polynomial time. We close with tight upper bounds on the coordination ratio for pure Nash equilibria.

Performance and operation of the CMS electromagnetic calorimeter

Abstract: The operation and general performance of the CMS electromagnetic calorimeter using cosmic-ray muons are described. These muons were recorded after the closure of the CMS detector in late 2008. The calorimeter is made of lead tungstate crystals and the overall status of the 75 848 channels corresponding to the barrel and endcap detectors is reported. The stability of crucial operational parameters, such as high voltage, temperature and electronic noise, is summarised and the performance of the light monitoring system is presented.

The steam reforming of phenol reaction over supported-Rh catalysts

Abstract: The steam reforming of phenol reaction towards H 2 production was studied in the 575–730 °C range over Rh supported on CeO 2 , ZrO 2 and SiO 2 single metal oxides and various mixed metal oxides such as CeO 2 –SiO 2 , ZrO 2 –SiO 2 and CeO 2 –ZrO 2 . The effect of synthesis method (wet impregnation versus sol–gel) of the mixed metal oxide used as support of Rh on the activity and selectivity of reaction towards hydrogen formation has also been investigated. It was found that the 1.5 wt.% Rh/Ce–Zr–O catalyst, the support of which was prepared by the sol–gel method, exhibits better performance than a commercial Ni-based catalyst both solids examined under the same experimental conditions. The 1.5 wt.% Rh/Ce–Zr–O catalyst presented practically constant hydrogen product concentration (∼10 mol%) in the 575–730 °C range and after using a 0.5% C 6 H 5 OH/40% H 2 O/He feed gas mixture at a space velocity of 80.000 h −1 , to be compared to 8–9.5 mol% H 2 obtained over the commercial Ni-based catalyst. This particular supported-Rh catalyst showed also no more than 18% drop in activity after 24 h of continuous reaction. The effect of Rh loading (0.5 and 1.5 wt.%) on catalyst activity towards H 2 production was studied over Rh supported on CeO 2 and ZrO 2 . It was found that the steam reforming of phenol reaction is favored over catalysts with small Rh particles. The effect of the partial pressure of water and phenol in the reaction feed stream on catalyst activity towards hydrogen was found to strongly depend on catalyst support chemical composition and reaction temperature. Increasing the water concentration in the 20–40 mol% range resulted in a significant increase of H 2 product yield. A similar result was also obtained in the case of phenol in the 0.3–0.5 mol% range. The accumulation of carbonaceous deposits during reaction conditions was investigated by temperature-programmed oxidation (TPO) and transient isothermal reaction with steam experiments following reaction. More than one kind of carbonaceous species have been identified with varying composition and reactivity towards oxygen and steam.

The challenges of human resource management towards organizational effectiveness: A comparative study in Southern EU

Abstract: Purpose – The study aims to examine the human resource management challenges in Southern EU and their effect on organizational performance.Design/methodology/approach – First, key challenges were identified in the existing literature. Then, these challenges were matched with those reported most often in the CRANET questionnaire. These challenges were operationalized into current organizational practices, also reported in the questionnaire. Last, t‐tests were used to explore the relationships between organizational effectiveness and the selected human resource management practices representing the challenges.Findings – Key challenges involved training and development, efficiency and flexibility, and employee relations in all nations explored. Furthermore, practices of the training and development challenge, the employee relations challenge and the efficiency and flexibility challenge are significantly related to organizational productivity in most of Southern EU.Research limitations/implications – The stud...