Features of Group Cohesion in Cooperative Base Groups in an ESL Class

The first objective of this study was to investigate if there was cohesiveness in the relationships among base group members, and if there was, to identify descriptive-interpretive features of group cohesion. The identified features contribute significantly to theory building on group cohesion. The second objective was to formulate an organising scheme which classifies the descriptive-interpretive features of group cohesion into different categories and sub-categories. This is a helpful framework for future qualitative data analysis on group cohesion. This heuristic research was worked into a regular ESL class for one semester. The researcher was also the class teacher. Seventeen first semester UPM undergraduates enrolled in a level three English proficiency course were the subjects of the study. The students were divided into four heterogeneous base groups. The main instrument for data collection was the students' journals containing their written observations of their base groups. The journal entries were analysed inductively to identify descriptive-interpretive features of group cohesion, and to formulate an organising scheme. The organising scheme was validated and revised a couple of times before it arrived at its final form. The reliability of the formulated scheme and interpretation of the cohesive features was established by computing the degree of correspondence between the raters' categorisations with the researcher's; the reliability was found to be at .87 and .91 respectively. The questionnaire was used as a secondary instrument to verify the cohesive features identified from the journals

Continuous Monitoring of Distributed Data Streams over a Time-based Sliding Window

The past decade has witnessed many interesting algorithms for maintaining statistics over a data stream. This paper initiates a theoretical study of algorithms for monitoring distributed data streams over a time-based sliding window (which contains a variable number of items and possibly out-of-order items). The concern is how to minimize the communication between individual streams and the root, while allowing the root, at any time, to be able to report the global statistics of all streams within a given error bound. This paper presents communication-efficient algorithms for three classical statistics, namely, basic counting, frequent items and quantiles. The worst-case communication cost over a window is $O(\frac{k} {\epsilon} \log \frac{\epsilon N}{k})$ bits for basic counting and $O(\frac{k}{\epsilon} \log \frac{N}{k})$ words for the remainings, where $k$ is the number of distributed data streams, $N$ is the total number of items in the streams that arrive or expire in the window, and $\epsilon < 1$ is the desired error bound. Matching and nearly matching lower bounds are also obtained.Comment: 12 pages, to appear in the 27th International Symposium on Theoretical Aspects of Computer Science (STACS), 201

Musıc educatıon and musıcal experıences ın Hong Kong

 Abstract: In the last two decades, educational and curricular reforms in Hong Kong have been designed to prepare students for the challenges following the return of Hong Kong’s sovereignty from the United Kingdom to the People’s Republic of China in 1997. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government has repeatedly emphasized the importance of the development of national identity and patriotism in school education, and has at the same time introduced Chinese cultural values into the school curriculum. This article explores how the dynamics and complexity of the relationships between the state and cultural identity in Hong Kong are re-shaping music education and music experiences in response to contemporary sociopolitical changes. The first problem for the HKSAR is how to incorporate Chinese music into a Western-orientated music curriculum; and the second is how to cultivate national identity and social harmony through school music education. Questions of how to integrate such musical experiences in school music education will remain a challenge for the future.Keywords: Music education. Musical experiences. National identity. Chinese music. Western music. Hong KongEducação musical e experiências musicais em Hong KongResumo: Nas duas últimas décadas, reformas educacionais e curriculares em Hong Kong tem sido elaboradas para preparar os discentes para os desafios decorrentes da devolução de Hong Kong para a República Popular da China pelo Reino Unido em 1997.  O Governo da Administração Regional de Hong Kong tem repetidamente enfatizado a importância do desenvolvimento da identidade nacional e do patriotismo na educação escolar, e ao mesmo tempo introduzido valores culturais chineses no currículo escolar.  Este artigo explora como a dinâmica e complexidade da relação entre o estado e a identidade cultural estão reformulando a educação musical e experiências musicais em resposta às mudanças sócio-políticas contemporâneas.  O primeiro problema para o governo é como incorporar a música chinesa num currículo de música com orientação ocidental; e o segundo é como cultivar a identidade nacional e a harmonia social através da educação musical.  Questões de como integrar tais experiências musicais na educação musical nas escolas será um desafio para o futuro.Palavras-chave: Educação musical. Experiências musicais. Identidade nacional. Música chinesa. Música ocidental. Hong Kong   Educación musical y experiencias musicales en Hong KongResumen: En las últimas dos décadas, han sido elaboradas en Hong Kong reformas educacionales y curriculares para preparar a los estudiantes ante los retos derivados de la decolución de Hong Kong a China por el Reino Unido en 1997. El Gobierno de la Administración Regional de Hong Kong ha destacado reiteradamente la importancia del desarrollo de la identidad nacional y del patriotismo en la educación escolar, y al mismo tiempo introducido valores culturales chinos en el currículo escolar. Este artículo explora cómo la dinámica y la complejidad de la relación entre el estado y la identidad cultural están transformando la educación musical y las experiencias musicales en respuesta a los cambios socio-políticos contemporáneos. La primera problemática para el gobierno es cómo incorporar la música china en un plan de estudios de música con una tendencia occidental; y la segunda es cómo cultivar la identidad nacional y la armonía social a través de la educación musical. Cuestiones sobre cómo integrar estas experiencias musicales en la educación musical en las escuelas serán un desafío para el futuro.Palabras clave: Educación musical. Experiencias musicales. Identidad nacional. Música china. Música occidental. Hong Kon

Gender, Popular Music, and Music Learning in China’s Shanghai

This study focused on the collective music experiences and practices of students’ involvement with Western and non-Western popular music in Shanghai. Data were gathered through a survey questionnaire given to 1,739 Shanghai students (802 females and 937 males attending Grades 7 through 12), supplemented by semi-structured interview data from a subset (50 females and 10 males attending Grades 7 through 12) of these participants. Statistical and qualitative analyses indicated that gender and preferences for popular music can impact some aspects of individual experiences and attitudes toward learning popular music in school. The implicit premise of this study was what classroom pedagogy and cultural change might reveal from the participation of music education in the continued production and reproduction of gendered music practices in the contemporary music classroom. Though further research may be necessary, the immediate implications of the present study are important for understanding the impact of cultural and racial identity formation of gender and music practices in the contemporary world

Pelvo-ureteric junction obstruction in the lower pole moiety of a duplex kidney with an associated intraparenchymal abscess: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Pelvo-ureteric junction obstruction and duplex kidney are common radiological findings. However, pelvo-ureteric junction obstruction in a duplex kidney is a rare finding. We present the case of a patient who presented with septic complications secondary to this combination.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>An adult woman presented with urinary sepsis, and her initial investigation with ultrasound revealed hydronephrosis of the lower moiety of a duplex kidney. Further investigations with computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging showed an associated intrarenal abscess and a pelvo-ureteric junction obstruction of the lower moiety of a duplex kidney.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This patient had a rare and unreported complication of an unusual congenital urological abnormality. This case report highlights the role of multiple imaging modalities in correct diagnosis for clinical management.</p

Scanning Thermal Microscopy Methodology for Accurate and Reliable Thermal Measurement

Ph.DDOCTOR OF PHILOSOPH

Decoherence and dynamical decoupling control of nitrogen-vacancy center electron spins in nuclear spin baths

We theoretically study the decoherence and the dynamical decoupling control of nitrogen-vacancy center electron spins in high-purity diamond, where the hyperfine interaction with $^{13}$C nuclear spins is the dominating decoherence mechanism. The decoherence is formulated as the entanglement between the electron spin and the nuclear spins, which is induced by nuclear spin bath evolution conditioned on the electron spin state. The nuclear spin bath evolution is driven by elementary processes such as single spin precession and pairwise flip-flops. The importance of different elementary processes in the decoherence depends on the strength of the external magnetic field.Comment: 18 pages, 17 figure

Multiple Discriminant Analysis: the Use of Selected Physiological Variables in the Classification of Faculty Fitness Levels

Health, Physical Education and Recreatio

Report of work on ankylosing spondylitics in Hong Kong, 1982-1985

published_or_final_versionC Medico-social Problems in Ankylosing Spondylitics R. Leung, P. Leung, E. Ho Leung, P. Ho, E. 53ii O.P.L.L. and A.S. With Traumatic Tetraparesis E. Ho, J.C.Y. Leong Ho, E. Leong, J. C. Y.i Cauda Equina Syndrome E. Ho, M. Yuen, L. Ma, L.C.S. Hsu Ho, E. Yeun, M. Ma, L. Hsu, L. C. S.E Study On Pain in Ankylosing Spondylitics C. Hsu Hsu, C. 65D Clinical Psychological Problems in Ankylosing Spondylitics P. Leung, P. Lee, F. L. Mak, E. Ho Leung, P. Lee, P. Mak, F. L. Ho, E. 57B Physiotherapy in Ankylosing Spondylitics D. Wong, J.M. Bourne, E. Ho Wong, D. Bourne, J. M. Ho, E. 51A Occupational Therapy in Ankylosing Spondylitics K. Chan, E. Ho Chan, K. Ho, E. 47G Neurological Complications in Ankylosing Spondylitis 37F Family Screening in Ankylosing Spondylitis in Hong Kong Chinese E. Ho Ho, E. 35E Radiological Study of Spinal Pseudoarthrosis in Ankylosing Spondylitis F. L. Chan, E. Ho, L.C.S. Hsu, D. Fang, J.C.Y. Leong Chan, F. L. Ho, E. Hsu, L. C. S. Fang, D. Leong, J. C. Y. 23D Radiological Study of the Ossification Pattern in the Spine Affected By Ankylosing Spondylitis E. Ho, F. L. Chan, L.C.S. Hsu, J.C.Y. Leong, A.C.M.C. Yau Ho, E. Chan, F. L. Hsu, L. C. S. Leong, J. C. Y. Yau, A. C. M. C. 19C Total Hip Arthroplasty in Ankylosing Spondylitis - a Review of 40 Cases E. Ho, D. Fang, L.C.S. Hsu, J.C.Y. Leong Ho, E. Fang, D. Hsu, L. C. S. Leong, J. C. Y. 11B Hla B27 Testing in Hong Kong Chinese E. Ho, S.C.F. Yuen, L.C.S. Hsu, S.P. Chow, J.C.Y. Leong Ho, E. Yuen, S. C. F. Hsu, L. C. S. CHOW. S. P. Leong, J. C. Y. 7A Clinical Review of 100 Cases of Ankylosing Spondylitics in Hong Kong Chinese E. Ho, L.C.S. Hsu, S.P. Chow, J.C.Y. Leong Ho, E. Hsu, L. C. S. Chow, S. P. Leong, J. C. Y. 1V The Future of Ankylosing Spondylitics in Hong Kong E. Ho Ho, E. 117IV The Ankylosing Spondylitis PHAB Club in Hong Kong M. B. Lee, E. Ho Lee, M. B. Ho, E. 115III Paramedical Management ReviewII Medical and Surgical AspectsPermission Had Been Obtained From the Publishers to Include These Manuscripts in This ReportManuscript IIG (ii) Had Been Accepted For Publication in SpineManuscripts IIA, IIB, IID Had Been Published/accepted For Publication in the Journal of Western Pacific Orthopaedic AssociationManuscript IIID Had Been Published in the Journal of the Hong Kong Psychiatric AssociationPreface E. Ho Ho, E.I Foreword M.B. Lee Lee, M. B

Optimal cosine modulated nonuniform linear phase FIR filter bank design via stretching and shifting frequency response of prototype filter

This paper proposes an optimal cosine modulated nonuniform linear phase finite impulse response (FIR) filter bank design. The frequency responses of all the analysis filters and the synthesis filters of the filter bank are derived based on both stretching and shifting the frequency response of the prototype filter. The total aliasing error of the filter bank is minimized subject to a specification on the maximum amplitude distortion of the filter bank as well as specifications on both the maximum passband ripple magnitude and the maximum stopband ripple magnitude of the prototype filter. This filter bank design problem is actually a functional inequality constrained optimization problem. Our recently developed integration approach is employed for solving the problem. Computer numerical simulation results show that our proposed design method outperforms existing design methods