15,753 research outputs found
When in Rome Think Like a Roman: Empirical Evidence and Implications of Temporarily Adopting Dialectical Thinking
As a result of increasing globalization, people are exposed to an even greater extent to other cultures, making it possible for individuals to assimilate mindsets that are typical of another culture. Recent work on extracultural cognition has shown that immediate cultural contexts exert powerful influences on cognition and behavioral patterns. This chapter reviews empirical support for extracultural cognition. Specifically, the chapter focuses on dialectical thinking and the well-established finding in the cultural literature that Westerners tend to anticipate linear continuity in the environment and East Asians anticipate change in existing patterns. Research shows, though, that cultural cues may shift these tendencies and—at least temporarily—alter cognitive mindsets to reflect the cognitions of another culture. After a review of the literature, the chapter addresses the implications of extracultural cognition for understanding the influence of dialectical thinking on judgment and decision-making
Advanced communications payload for mobile applications
An advanced satellite payload is proposed for single hop linking of mobile terminals of all classes as well as Very Small Aperture Terminal's (VSAT's). It relies on an intensive use of communications on-board processing and beam hopping for efficient link design to maximize capacity and a large satellite antenna aperture and high satellite transmitter power to minimize the cost of the ground terminals. Intersatellite links are used to improve the link quality and for high capacity relay. Power budgets are presented for links between the satellite and mobile, VSAT, and hub terminals. Defeating the effects of shadowing and fading requires the use of differentially coherent demodulation, concatenated forward error correction coding, and interleaving, all on a single link basis
Thermal analysis of Malaysian double storey housing - low/medium cost unit
Almost half of the total energy used today is consumed in buildings. In the tropical climate, air-conditioning a housing unit takes much of the energy bill. Malaysia is no exception. Malaysian double storey terrace housing is popular among developers and buyers. Surveys have shown that housing occupants are much dissatisfied with the thermal comfort and artificial cooling is often sought. The objective of this study is to assess the thermal comfort of the low and medium-cost double storey housing in the area surrounding Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. A simulation program using the Weighting Factor Method calculates the heat transfer interaction, temperature distribution, and PMV level in three types of housing units in relation to the size. Fanger's PMV model based on ISO Standard 7730 is used here because it accounts for all parameters that affect the thermal sensation of a human within its equation. Results showed that both the low and medium-cost housing units studied are out of the comfortable range described by ASHRAE Standard 55 with the units all complied with the local bylaws. In view of the uncertainties in energy supply, future housing units should consider natural ventilation as part of the passive energy management
Energy-Efficient Power Allocation in OFDM Systems with Wireless Information and Power Transfer
This paper considers an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM)
downlink point-to-point system with simultaneous wireless information and power
transfer. It is assumed that the receiver is able to harvest energy from noise,
interference, and the desired signals.
We study the design of power allocation algorithms maximizing the energy
efficiency of data transmission (bit/Joule delivered to the receiver). In
particular, the algorithm design is formulated as a high-dimensional non-convex
optimization problem which takes into account the circuit power consumption,
the minimum required data rate, and a constraint on the minimum power delivered
to the receiver. Subsequently, by exploiting the properties of nonlinear
fractional programming, the considered non-convex optimization problem, whose
objective function is in fractional form, is transformed into an equivalent
optimization problem having an objective function in subtractive form, which
enables the derivation of an efficient iterative power allocation algorithm. In
each iteration, the optimal power allocation solution is derived based on dual
decomposition and a one-dimensional search. Simulation results illustrate that
the proposed iterative power allocation algorithm converges to the optimal
solution, and unveil the trade-off between energy efficiency, system capacity,
and wireless power transfer: (1) In the low transmit power regime, maximizing
the system capacity may maximize the energy efficiency. (2) Wireless power
transfer can enhance the energy efficiency, especially in the interference
limited regime.Comment: 6 pages, Accepted for presentation at the IEEE International
Conference on Communications (ICC) 201
Energy-Efficient Resource Allocation in Multiuser OFDM Systems with Wireless Information and Power Transfer
In this paper, we study the resource allocation algorithm design for
multiuser orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) downlink systems
with simultaneous wireless information and power transfer. The algorithm design
is formulated as a non-convex optimization problem for maximizing the energy
efficiency of data transmission (bit/Joule delivered to the users). In
particular, the problem formulation takes into account the minimum required
system data rate, heterogeneous minimum required power transfers to the users,
and the circuit power consumption. Subsequently, by exploiting the method of
time-sharing and the properties of nonlinear fractional programming, the
considered non-convex optimization problem is solved using an efficient
iterative resource allocation algorithm. For each iteration, the optimal power
allocation and user selection solution are derived based on Lagrange dual
decomposition. Simulation results illustrate that the proposed iterative
resource allocation algorithm achieves the maximum energy efficiency of the
system and reveal how energy efficiency, system capacity, and wireless power
transfer benefit from the presence of multiple users in the system.Comment: 6 pages. The paper has been accepted for publication at the IEEE
Wireless Communications and Networking Conference (WCNC) 2013, Shanghai,
China, Apr. 201
Exploring the processes of change facilitated by musical activities on mental wellness
While the benefits of music to people’s mental health have long been recognized, the process of how it works requires further investigation.
This paper is based on the results of a community-based music project offered to a group of mental health service users by a Hong Kong social service centre. A six-dimensional framework, which contains emotional, psychological, social, cognitive, behavioural and spiritual dimensions, is constructed for understanding how musical activities may produce benefits for mental health service users.
Through conducting 23 interview sessions for the participants (N = 47), who suffered from mental health problems, including schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, mood disorders and anxiety disorders, of the music project, this study examines the processes of change within musical activities. Feedback was solicited from them by listening to their first-hand experiences as service users of the musical activities. Recorded interviews were transcribed and analysed to generate themes that correspond to the six dimensions the researchers proposed.
This study shows that the clinical effects elicited by the musical activities described fit closely with the needs of mental health service users. Its findings suggest that community-based musical activities have clear potential for supporting mental health service users in recovery, which deserve further promotion
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