Dialoguing with nature through the thought of the heart

Today’s modern Western epistemology and ontology is built upon the scientific method of fragmentation of knowledge, with real world experience so fixed on this one position that humanity now has difficulty moving beyond rational and literal ways of relating to each other and nature as a whole (McGilchrist, 2009). This paper seeks to offer a differing perspective on, and means of engaging with, nature - aiming to illuminate an ‘interconnected’, heart-centred epistemology by drawing attention to the mystical traditions of Sufism and the Christian East, and the archetypal psychology of Hillman, who each highlight the heart as the place of reconnection and transformation (Cutsinger, Ware, Corbin). This paper suggests that the dynamic symbol of the heart speaks urgently to our own troubled times as the mediator between the rational and the non-rational worlds, and when embodied as metaphor, could support the development of an epistemological lens through which it may be possible to open up a long-forgotten dialogue

How can the thought of the heart offer effective ways of engaging with conflict? An imaginal and reflexive study

This thesis explores the idea that heart knowing is a vitally important human capability which has, over the course of many hundreds of years, been divorced from, and rendered subservient to, knowledge about the world as generated through the brain (understood in modern times as the seat of knowledge and rational thinking). Suggesting that this move not only carries the potential to cause conflict, but in addition prevents contemporary society from engaging in creative ways with conflict, my research suggests that there is room for, and a growing need to, reconsider conflict and our interactions with conflict situations, through a more expansive, heart-centred lens. While the heart and benevolent heart qualities such as love, kindness, non-judgment and compassion (Young, 2002, pp. 381–394; Hoystad, 2007, p. 12; Bound Alberti, 2012, p. 3), are often alluded to within conflict literature (LeBaron, 2002; Cloke, 2013), the practical role that the heart could play is consistently, and frustratingly, left unaddressed. I suggest that this issue is of key importance, and aim to show that while people in contemporary society might intuitively or unconsciously be aware that heart knowing may be helpful to navigate the complexities of daily life, the traditionally accepted lens of empiricism, which labels the heart a biological pump, creates epistemological barriers for the conscious consideration of this idea and often silences other hearts that may wish to make themselves known to us and express themselves authentically in the world. By taking an imaginal and reflexive approach, supported by auto/biographical research, this thesis explores ways of seeing, being and knowing that are made possible by adopting the heart as a legitimate way of generating knowledge about the world. Through a heart-centred lens, this research explores the possibility of transforming current understanding of conflict, and subsequently relationships with ourselves, each other and the wider world. Importantly, this work suggests implications for not just conflict resolution and transformation, but for education that is truly transformative – feeding into growing conversations concerning sustainability and wellbeing issues. Certainly, the heart as mediator and teacher demands our imaginative, authentic, empathic and courageous consideration, and it is upon this understanding that this thesis is written

Adaptive MBER space-time DFE assisted multiuser detection for SDMA systems

In this contribution we propose a space-time decision feedback equalization (ST-DFE) assisted multiuser detection (MUD) scheme for multiple antenna aided space division multiple access systems. A minimum bit error rate (MBER) design is invoked for the MUD, which is shown to be capable of improving the achievable bit error rate performance over that of the minimum mean square error (MMSE) design. An adaptive MBER ST-DFE-MUD is proposed using the least bit error rate algorithm, which is demonstrated to consistently outperform the least mean square (LMS) algorithm, while achieving a lower computational complexity than the LMS algorithm for the binary signalling scheme. Simulation results demonstrate that theMBER ST-DFE-MUD is more robust to channel estimation errors as well as to error propagation imposed by decision feedback errors, compared to the MMSE ST-DFE-MUD

Minimum Bit-Error Rate Design for Space-Time Equalisation-Based Multiuser Detection

A novel minimum bit-error rate (MBER) space–time equalization (STE)-based multiuser detector (MUD) is proposed for multiple-receive-antenna-assisted space-division multiple-access systems. It is shown that the MBER-STE-aided MUD significantly outperforms the standard minimum mean-square error design in terms of the achievable bit-error rate (BER). Adaptive implementations of the MBER STE are considered, and both the block-data-based and sample-by-sample adaptive MBER algorithms are proposed. The latter, referred to as the least BER (LBER) algorithm, is compared with the most popular adaptive algorithm, known as the least mean square (LMS) algorithm. It is shown that in case of binary phase-shift keying, the computational complexity of the LBER-STE is about half of that required by the classic LMS-STE. Simulation results demonstrate that the LBER algorithm performs consistently better than the classic LMS algorithm, both in terms of its convergence speed and steady-state BER performance. Index Terms—Adaptive algorithm, minimum bit-error rate (MBER), multiuser detection (MUD), space–time processing

Associations between dietary added sugar intake and micronutrient intake: a systematic review

Original article can be found at: http://journals.cambridge.org/ Copyright The Authors. DOI: 10.1017/S0007114507617206There is increasing concern that high intakes of added sugars might compromise intakes of micronutrients. The objectives of this systematic review were (1) to determine whether dietary added sugar intake was associated with micronutrient intakes, and if so, whether there was evidence of micronutrient dilution as a result of higher dietary added sugar intake and (2) if micronutrient dilution was present, to determine whether there was sufficiently robust evidence to support a threshold effect above which there was a significant decline in micronutrient intake or status relative to the recommended intakes. A systematic computerised literature search was undertaken, limited to studies written in English published from 1980 onwards and further studies identified through hand searching papers. Fifteen studies that assessed associations between intakes of added sugars or non-milk extrinsic sugars and micronutrients were included. Overall, there are insufficient data and inconsistency between studies in relationships between added sugars and micronutrient intakes, with no clear evidence of micronutrient dilution or a threshold for a quantitative amount of added sugar intake for any of the micronutrients investigated. The current evidence base is considerably constrained by methodological issues. Further research is required to determine which food products high in added sugars might adversely affect micronutrient intakes by displacing other food items from the diet. Analyses should take into account the magnitude of any observed associations to determine their true biological significance.Peer reviewe

Pulsar magnetic alignment and the pulsewidth-age relation

Using pulsewidth data for 872 isolated radio pulsars we test the hypothesis that pulsars evolve through a progressive narrowing of the emission cone combined with progressive alignment of the spin and magnetic axes. The new data provide strong evidence for the alignment over a time-scale of about 1 Myr with a log standard deviation of around 0.8 across the observed population. This time-scale is shorter than the time-scale of about 10 Myr found by previous authors, but the log standard deviation is larger. The results are inconsistent with models based on magnetic field decay alone or monotonic counter-alignment to orthogonal rotation. The best fits are obtained for a braking index parameter n_gamma approximately equal to 2.3, consistent the mean of the six measured values, but based on a much larger sample of young pulsars. The least-squares fitted models are used to predict the mean inclination angle between the spin and magnetic axes as a function of log characteristic age. Comparing these predictions to existing estimates it is found that the model in which pulsars are born with a random angle of inclination gives the best fit to the data. Plots of the mean beaming fraction as a function of characteristic age are presented using the best-fitting model parameters.Comment: 13 pages, 11 figures, Accepted for publication in MNRA

Fading Performance Evaluation of Adaptive MSER Beamforming Receiver for QAM Systems

The ever-increasing demand for mobile communication capacity has motivated the development of adaptive antenna array assisted spatial processing techniques for bandwidth efficiency, high-throughput quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) systems. We evaluate performance of adaptive beamforming assisted detection for QAM systems in Rayleigh fading environments. An adaptive minimum symbol error rate design, referred to as the least symbol error rate, is shown to be capable of successfully operating in fast fading conditions and to consistently outperform the conventional adaptive beamforming benchmarker based on the least mean square algorithm

“They just don't understand us”: The role of felt understanding in intergroup relations

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from the American Psychological Association via the DOI in this recordWe report 5 studies examining the unique role of felt understanding in intergroup relations. In intergroup terms, felt understanding is the belief that members of an outgroup understand and accept the perspectives of ingroup members, including ingroup members’ beliefs, values, experiences, and self-definition/identity. In Studies 1 (Scotland–U.K. relations; N = 5,033) and 2 (U.K.–EU relations; N = 861) felt understanding consistently and strongly predicted outcomes such as trust, action intentions, and political separatism, including participants’ actual “Brexit” referendum vote in Study 2. These effects were apparent even when controlling for outgroup stereotypes and metastereotypes. Felt understanding was a unique predictor of outgroup trust and forgiveness in Study 3 (Catholic–Protestant relations in Northern Ireland; N = 1,162), and was a powerful predictor of political separatism even when controlling for specific, relational appraisals including negative interdependence and identity threat in Study 4 (Basque–Spanish relations; N = 205). Study 5 (N = 190) included a direct manipulation of felt understanding, which had predicted effects on evaluation of the outgroup and of ingroup-outgroup relations. Overall, the findings provide converging evidence for the critical role of felt understanding in intergroup relations. We discuss future research possibilities, including the emotional correlates of felt understanding, and its role in intergroup interactions

Prediction of melt depth in selected architectural materials during high power diode laser treatment

The development of an accurate analysis procedure for many laser applications, including the surface treatment of architectural materials, is extremely complicated due to the multitude of process parameters and materials characteristics involved. A one-dimensional analytical model based on Fourier’s law, with quasi-stationary situations in an isotropic and inhomogeneous workpiece with a parabolic meltpool geometry being assumed, was successfully developed. This model, with the inclusion of an empirically determined correction factor, predicted high power diode laser (HPDL) induced melt depths in clay quarry tiles, ceramic tiles and ordinary Portland cement (OPC) that were in close agreement with those obtained experimentally. It was observed, however, that as the incident laser line energy increased (>15 W mm-1 s-1/2), the calculated and the experimental melt depths began to diverge at an increasing rate. It is believed that this observed increasing discrepancy can be attributed to the fact the model developed neglects sideways conduction which, although it can be reasonably neglected at low energy densities, becomes significant at higher energy densities since one-dimensional heat transfer no longer holds true

Following the excited state relaxation dynamics of indole and 5-hydroxyindole using time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy

Time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy was used to obtain new information about the dynamics of electronic relaxation in gas-phase indole and 5-hydroxyindole following UV excitation with femtosecond laser pulses centred at 249 nm and 273 nm. Our analysis of the data was supported by ab initio calculations at the coupled cluster and complete-active-space self-consistent-field levels. The optically bright 1La and 1Lb electronic states of 1\u3c0\u3c0* character and spectroscopically dark and dissociative 1\u3c0\u3c3* states were all found to play a role in the overall relaxation process. In both molecules we conclude that the initially excited 1La state decays non-adiabatically on a sub 100 fs timescale via two competing pathways, populating either the subsequently long-lived 1Lb state or the 1\u3c0\u3c3* state localised along the N-H coordinate, which exhibits a lifetime on the order of 1 ps. In the case of 5-hydroxyindole, we conclude that the 1\u3c0\u3c3* state localised along the O-H coordinate plays little or no role in the relaxation dynamics at the two excitation wavelengths studied.Peer reviewed: YesNRC publication: Ye