A Duality Based 2-Approximation Algorithm for Maximum Agreement Forest

We give a 2-approximation algorithm for the Maximum Agreement Forest problem on two rooted binary trees. This NP-hard problem has been studied extensively in the past two decades, since it can be used to compute the Subtree Prune-and-Regraft (SPR) distance between two phylogenetic trees. Our result improves on the very recent 2.5-approximation algorithm due to Shi, Feng, You and Wang (2015). Our algorithm is the first approximation algorithm for this problem that uses LP duality in its analysis

Penerapan Fēng Shuǐ dan Pandangan Fēng Shuǐ dari Anak yang Menyemayamkan Orang Tuanya di Pemakaman Puncak Nirwana 峰顶山庄风水运用及子女对父母墓葬峰顶山庄风水之看法

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui sejauh mana diterapkannya unsur fēng shuǐ pada pemakaman Puncak Nirwana serta pandangan anak yang memakamkan orang tuanya di pemakaman tersebut mengenai fēng shuǐ. Metode penelitian yang digunakan adalah deskriptif kualitatif. Subjek penelitian terdiri dari 11 informan. Teori yang digunakan yaitu aliran fēng shuǐ, simbol – simbol fēng shuǐ (pí xiū dan shi zi), simbol makna baik dalam kehidupan orang Tionghoa dan teori ajaran xiào Kǒng zi dalam upacara kematian. Hasil analisis ditemukan bahwa pemakaman Puncak Nirwana memiliki unsur fēng shuǐ yang bagus karena dilengkapi dengan seorang suhu yang merangkap sebagai arsitek yang membantu pelanggan mengatasi keadaan fēng shuǐ yang kurang bagus. Pandangan anak yang memakamkan orang tuanya merasa unsur fēng shuǐ disana sangat bagus

The Chinese copula SHI and Its Origin: A Congnitive-based Approach

This paper discusses the proposals of Li and Thompson (1977), Yen (1986), and Feng (1993) in relation to the development of the Chinese copula and argues that Li and Thompson’s suggestion of a topic mechanism, Yen’s analogical change, and Feng’s phonological pause are unsatisfactory in explaining the development of the copula. It is suggested that Katz’s (1996) cognitive concept of existence in time and space between pronouns and copulas is what relates the demonstrative pronoun shi to a copula, while the verbal form shi occurring in the same syntactic context as the demonstrative pronoun shi is what triggers this demonstrative pronoun to turn into a copula

Two new species and one new combination of Helina Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830 (Diptera: Muscidae) from China

Two new species of the genus Helina Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830 from Sichuan, China are described and illustrated, i.e. Helina fulvibasicosta Ming-Fu Wang sp. n. and Helina flavipes Ming-Fu Wang&Chen Sun sp. n. After re-examining the holotype, Helina occidentalisinica Feng, Shi & Li, 2005 is transferred to the genus Hebecnema Schnabl

The Impact of Feng Shui on Chinese Communication

Feng shui, the art of space arrangement, has made a great impact on Chinese society. It reflects and shapes most of the traditional Chinese cultural values. Because feng shui continues to play an important role in the contemporary Chinese world, it is important for scholars in different disciplines to systematically study feng shui in order to better understand the Chinese way of thinking and behavior. The goal of this article is threefold: (1) to delineate the meaning of feng shui, (2) to examine the philosophical and cultural bases of feng shui, and (3) to analyze its impact on the Chinese social interaction. It is concluded that, as a collection of Chinese ancient wisdom, feng shui not only contains much mysterious knowledge, but also possesses many ideas that can be explained and studied by using the contemporary research methodology, including empirical and interpretive investigations. [China Media Research. 2007; 3(4): 102-109

Adaptive Backstepping Controller Design for Stochastic Jump Systems

In this technical note, we improve the results in a paper by Shi et al., in which problems of stochastic stability and sliding mode control for a class of linear continuous-time systems with stochastic jumps were considered. However, the system considered is switching stochastically between different subsystems, the dynamics of the jump system can not stay on each sliding surface of subsystems forever, therefore, it is difficult to determine whether the closed-loop system is stochastically stable. In this technical note, the backstepping techniques are adopted to overcome the problem in a paper by Shi et al.. The resulting closed-loop system is bounded in probability. It has been shown that the adaptive control problem for the Markovian jump systems is solvable if a set of coupled linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) have solutions. A numerical example is given to show the potential of the proposed techniques

Feng Shui: A Comparison of the Original Concept and Its Current Westernized Version

Feng Shui is an ancient art, science, and philosophy that originated in China 3000 years ago. Followers of Feng Shui believe that they can find a better place or create a better living environment through the Feng Shui principles. Feng Shui is not only popular in China and Asia; its popularity also has dramatically increased in Western countries. Architects, interior designers, and landscape architects in the West have used Feng Shui as a design guideline for pursuing a harmonious living environment for many years. However, the different cultural backgrounds, the lack of basic knowledge of its true principles, and the lack of scientific data have resulted in concerns over the application of Feng Shui in the West. The Black-Sect Tibetan Tantric School of Feng Shui (known as Modern Feng Shui or BTB Feng Shui) is a very common school of Feng Shui in Western culture. The purpose of Modern Feng Shui is to help the discipline become easier to adapt and more suitable for the West and to encourage the application of Feng Shui principles into daily life. However, by trying to simplify its principles, Modern Feng Shui is potentially deviating from the true core wisdom of Feng Shui. Since the popularity of Feng Shui is continuously growing and many different professionals are attempting to apply the discipline to their fields, it is important to understand what is meant by Traditional Feng Shui principles and their core concepts and how to incorporate them. The purpose of this thesis is, first, to discuss the principles and history of Feng Shui, and second, to provide a design metric that follows both the Traditional Feng Shui III principles and BTB Modern Feng Shui principles. Finally, using the Traditional Feng Shui principles and Modern Feng Shui design metrics on the same floor plan, the two different results are compared to understand why the application of Modern Feng Shui might be at risk of losing the core concepts of Traditional Feng Shui

Youlan Feng, Nouveau traité sur l’homme

Feng Youlan (1895-1990, on notait jadis en français Fong Yeou-lan) est un des grands penseurs de la Chine républicaine des années trente et quarante, celui qui, avec Hu Shi, est le plus connu en Occident et a suscité le plus de controverses. Le P. Masson, s.j., qui, il y a déjà plus de vingt ans, s’était attaché à saisir le sens que Feng donnait à la tradition confucéenne (Philosophy and Tradition: The Interpretation of China’s Philosophic Past, Fung Yu-lan, 1939-1949, Taipei, Ricci Institute..