Quasilocal Center-of-Mass for Teleparallel Gravity

Asymptotically flat gravitating systems have 10 conserved quantities, which lack proper local densities. It has been hoped that the teleparallel equivalent of Einstein's GR (TEGR, aka GR${}_{||}$) could solve this gravitational energy-momentum localization problem. Meanwhile a new idea: quasilocal quantities, has come into favor. The earlier quasilocal investigations focused on energy-momentum. Recently we considered quasilocal angular momentum for the teleparallel theory and found that the popular expression (unlike our ``covariant-symplectic'' one) gives the correct result only in a certain frame. We now report that the center-of-mass moment, which has largely been neglected, gives an even stronger requirement. We found (independent of the frame gauge) that our ``covariant symplectic'' Hamiltonian-boundary-term quasilocal expression succeeds for all the quasilocal quantities, while the usual expression cannot give the desired center-of-mass moment. We also conclude, contrary to hopes, that the teleparallel formulation appears to have no advantage over GR with regard to localization.Comment: 12 pages, to appear in the proceedings of the 10th Marcel Grossman meeting (Rio de Janeiro, 2003

A Model Music Curriculum for Elementary-Level Students in Taiwan

The purpose of this project was to develop a model music curriculum for elementary-level students in Taiwan. With the current music curriculum utilized recently in Taiwan, this project will help the elementary-level students to develop their music potentials. In addition, teachers can educate students according to their level oflearning at different periods of time. To accomplish this purpose, a review ofrelated literature was conducted. Additionally, selected materials were obtained and adapted for use

Estrogen, Progesterone and Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian carcinoma (OCa) continues to be the leading cause of death due to gynecologic malignancies and the vast majority of OCa is derived from the ovarian surface epithelium (OSE) and its cystic derivatives. Epidemiological evidence strongly suggests that steroid hormones, primarily estrogens and progesterone, are implicated in ovarian carcinogenesis. However, it has proved difficult to fully understand their mechanisms of action on the tumorigenic process. New convincing data have indicated that estrogens favor neoplastic transformation of the OSE while progesterone offers protection against OCa development. Specifically, estrogens, particularly those present in ovulatory follicles, are both genotoxic and mitogenic to OSE cells. In contrast, pregnancy-equivalent levels progesterone are highly effective as apoptosis inducers for OSE and OCa cells. In this regard, high-dose progestin may exert an exfoliation effect and rid an aged OSE of pre-malignant cells. A limited number of clinical studies has demonstrated efficacies of antiestrogens, aromatase inhibitors, and progestins alone or in combination with chemotherapeutic drugs in the treatment of OCa. As a result of increased life expectancy in most countries, the number of women taking hormone replacement therapies (HRT) continues to grow. Thus, knowledge of the mechanism of action of steroid hormones on the OSE and OCa is of paramount significance to HRT risk assessment and to the development of novel therapies for the prevention and treatment of OCa

Environmental Epigenetics and Asthma: Current Concepts and Call for Studies

Recent studies suggest that epigenetic regulation (heritable changes in gene expression that occur in the absence of alterations in DNA sequences) may in part mediate the complex gene-by-environment interactions that can lead to asthma. The variable natural history of asthma (i.e., incidence and remission of symptoms) may be a result of epigenetic changes, such as DNA methylation, covalent histone modifications, microRNA changes, and chromatin alterations, after early or later environmental exposures. Findings from multiple epidemiologic and experimental studies indicate that asthma risk may be modified by epigenetic regulation. One study suggested that the transmission of asthma risk may occur across multiple generations. Experimental studies provide substantial in vitro data indicating that DNA methylation of genes critical to T-helper cell differentiation may induce polarization toward or away from an allergic phenotype. Despite this initial progress, fundamental questions remain that need to be addressed by well-designed research studies. Data generated from controlled experiments using in vivo models and/or clinical specimens collected after environmental exposure monitoring are limited. Importantly, cohort-driven epigenetic research has the potential to address key questions, such as those concerning the influence of timing of exposure, dose of exposure, diet, and ethnicity on susceptibility to asthma development. There is immense promise that the study of environmental epigenetics will help us understand a theoretically preventable environmental disease

A study of the role of structural configuration in visual recognition of Chinese characters using primed lexical decision task

The Lexicality Constituency Model (LCM) (Perfetti, Liu and Tan, 2006) postulated the role of structural configuration in Chinese character recognition, however, with no concluding evidence from past research. To investigate the role of configuration, a primed lexical decision task was used. The configuration and the radicals of the primes were manipulated. Behavioral data and electrophysiological data were collected from 34 Cantonese-speaking individuals. The behavioral results indicated an interdependent relationship of radicals and configuration, whereby the effect of radical similarity was only exhibited when the primes had the same configuration as the targets. Interestingly, the electrophysiological results suggested that the effect of radicals and configuration were independent of each other. A modified LCM was thus proposed to account for the present findings.published_or_final_versionSpeech and Hearing SciencesBachelorBachelor of Science in Speech and Hearing Science

Environmental impacts of construction and demolition waste management alternatives

Construction and demolition waste (C&DW) arises mainly as by-products of rapid urbanisation activities. C&DW materials have high potential for recycling and reusing. Despite its potential, landfilling is still the most common disposal method. In Malaysia, C&DW practices are principally guided by economic incentives such as low disposal cost or inexpensive virgin material outweighing recycling cost resulting in low recycling rate. The purpose of this study is to access the environmental impacts caused by landfilling and the alternatives especially in assessing the damages to human health, ecosystems, and to the resources in the future 10 y. It aims to identify the better alternatives in reducing the environmental impacts of landfilling C&DW. Life cycle assessment (LCA) used in this study assessed the environmental impacts associated with all stages, from waste production to end-of-life of waste material. LCA can help to avoid the short-sighted, quick-fix landfilling as the main solution for C&DW by systematically compiling an inventory of energy, fuel, material inputs, and environmental outputs. The environmental impact of landfilling C&DW is estimated to increase 20.2 % if the business as usual (BaU) landfilling continues to the year 2025. Recycling will reduce 46.0 % of total damages and with the shorter travel distance, the environmental damage is further reduced by 82.3 %. Applying industrial building system (IBS) to reduce waste generation at-site reduced 98.1 % impacts as compared to landfilling scenario. The negative impacts derived from landfilling activity is significantly reduced by 99.5 % (scenario 8) through shifting to IBS, recycling, and shorter the travel distance from construction sites to material recycling facilities (MRF). The what-if scenarios illustrated the alternatives future circumstances, the inclusion of the uncertainty concept, and define the future path of C&DW industry outlook. The outcome of this study is informative and useful to policymakers, particularly in defining the way forward of C&DW industry in Malaysia

Masculinity in a Colonial Culture – The Oedipus Complex in Taiwan

In my thesis, I aimed to show that masculinity in a colonized culture is distorted by the relationship between the colonizer and the colonized. I interpret it in terms of the Oedipus complex, which can be discerned in Taiwanese history and cultural products. I have chosen Taiwan as my object of study, partly because I know it subjectively, as a Taiwanese, as well as objectively, through my research; but also because it has had a long history of colonization and it also has a long tradition of stories in which the relationship between father and son takes a particular shape of paternal domination. This relationship can be understood in terms of a misrepresentation of the Oedi pus complex into a form that is compatible with paternal domination that characterizes Taiwanese culture, rather than the son’s overcoming the Oedipus complex, which would not be compatible with Taiwanese masculine relationships. The confusion arises from the succession of colonizers and the undermining of a clear ego -ideal, but also from the undermining of identification - the second part of Freud's Oedipus complex. I demonstrate the way my theory of the Oedipus complex in Taiwan, as a colonized culture, can be found in Taiwanese novels, literature, myths and films. The fact that ‘the father’ – both the Eastern father and the broader sense of ‘father’ as a national or cultural identity – is more authoritarian obstructs the identification that completes the Oedipus complex in the West. Freudian theory seems incompatible with Taiwanese culture, which ‘accepts’ it usually in a distorted form. However, we don’t know whether the theories are different or whether there are distortions that make them seem incompatible. Through my analysis of selected material in different historical periods, I conclude that there is enormous fear of castration complex but lack of stable identification between father and son. This phenomenon can be attributed to Taiwan’s multiple colonial history, implies the masculine ‘problem’ that the male – in Taiwan – has no equivalent experience. My main finding is that masculinity in Taiwan can be understood, not just in terms of colonization as a historian or sociologist might understand it, but in terms of the internal world in which the son remains dominated by the father through an incomplete working through of the Oedipus complex