OBJECTIVE While living overseas in another culture, retirees need to adapt to a new environment but often this causes difficulties, particularly among those elderly who require healthcare services. This study examines factors affecting healthcare service utilisation among Japanese retirees in Malaysia. DESIGN We conducted 6 focus group discussions with Japanese retirees and interviewed 8 rele...

This work explores the potential of sharing different arithmetic hardware operators tightly coupled to the integer pipeline of the open-source LEON3 processor. The idea is to map these modules to the same silicon area saving power consumption and area utilisation. The same strategy can be used to extend the architecture of processors optimized for applications with specific energy constraints. ...

The LHCb grid software has been used for two Physics Data Challenges, the most recent of which will have produced 90 TB of data and required over 400 processor-years of computing power. This paper discusses the group’s experience with developing Grid Services, interfacing to the LCG, running LHCb experiment software on the grid, and the integration of a number of new technologies into the LHCb ...

The Maple computer algebra system is described . Brief sample sessions show the user syntax and the mathematical power of the system for performing arithmetic, factoring, simplification, differentiation, integration, summation, solving algebraic equations, solving differential equations, series expansions, and matrix manipulations . Time and space statistics for each sample session show that th...

Technology integration has increased to the point where the development of multi-core processor architectures is a market reality nowadays. In this scenario, the interconnection network has a critical function when the number of cores increases, since it is impossible to use bus-based solutions. Other interconnection solutions have been employed. However, they are area and power expensive. This...

An overview of the developments in optical wireless systems viewed from the traditional communications viewpoint of transmitter, channel and receiver is presented. The trends in modulation formats that match information to the optical wireless channel are considered. This is followed by the discussion of recent transmitter and receiver innovations, particularly the utilisation of diversity tran...

This paper concerns quality assurance of arsenic determination in urine using the graphite furnace AAS method after toluene extraction. Obtained analytical results are used for validation and quality assurance purposes. The investigated urine samples were acquired from the workers of a large coal-fired Slovak power plant. In the proposed analytical method the following metrological characterist...

1 Recent droughts and heatwaves showed the vulnerability of the electricity sector to surface water 2 constraints with reduced potentials for thermoelectric power and hydropower generation in different 3 regions. Here we use a global hydrological-electricity modelling framework to quantify the impacts of 4 recent drought and warm years on hydropower and thermoelectric power usable capacity worl...

Despite the inclusion of beach volleyball as an Olympic discipline with a fully professional world tour, little research has been published that has examined the physical qualities of internationally competitive athletes. Thirty international-standard beach volleyball athletes (14 male, 16 female) performed countermovement jumps (CMJ) and squat jumps (SJ) on a force platform. Ground reaction fo...

The wind power prediction plays an essential role in operation, planning, taking part in open access and real time balancing of power system. Various forecasting methodologies have been proposed in number of research papers since last few decades. Therefore, on the basis of available literature, this review analyses new and current developments in the area of wind power & prediction of its deri...