242 research outputs found
One-dimensional wave equations defined by fractal Laplacians
We study one-dimensional wave equations defined by a class of fractal
Laplacians. These Laplacians are defined by fractal measures generated by
iterated function systems with overlaps, such as the well-known infinite
Bernoulli convolution associated with the golden ratio and the 3-fold
convolution of the Cantor measure. The iterated function systems defining these
measures do not satisfy the post-critically finite condition or the open set
condition. By using second-order self-similar identities introduced by
Strichartz et al., we discretize the equations and use the finite element and
central difference methods to obtain numerical approximations to the weak
solutions. We prove that the numerical solutions converge to the weak solution,
and obtain estimates for the rate of convergence
The use of classifiers by Hong Kong young children in story-telling context
"A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Bachelor of Science (Speech and Hearing Sciences), The University of Hong Kong, June 30, 2006."Also available in print.Thesis (B.Sc)--University of Hong Kong, 2006.published_or_final_versionSpeech and Hearing SciencesBachelorBachelor of Science in Speech and Hearing Science
Shaolin Dan Tian Breathing Fosters Relaxed and Attentive Mind: A Randomized Controlled Neuro-Electrophysiological Study
Neuro-electrophysiological studies on meditative breathing revealed its association with either a
relaxed or an attentive state. The present study aimed to investigate whether the Shaolin Dan
Tian Breathing (DTB) technique, which consists of the Passive and Active subtypes and can be
considered as a relaxation exercise and Qigong, would induce both relaxed and attentive states.
Twenty-two adults and 22 age-, gender- and education-matched controls received training on the
Shaolin DTB (experimental group) and the progressive muscle relaxation respectively for one
month. Eyes-closed resting EEG data before and immediately after each type of breathing were
obtained individually at baseline and after one-month training. At baseline, the EEG changes
after the Shaolin DTB between both groups were comparable. After one-month training,
participants in the experimental, but not the control, group showed enhanced temporal alpha
asymmetry (an index of relaxation and positive mood) after performing the Passive DTB for five
minutes, and enhanced intra- and inter-hemispheric theta coherence (an index of attention and
alertness) after performing the Active DTB. The present findings suggested a positive effect of
the Shaolin DTB technique on enhancing human neural activity and connectivity, which may
possibly enhance mood state and cognitive functions
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy v. group psychoeducation for people with generalised anxiety disorder: randomised controlled trial
Background:
Research suggests that an 8-week mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) course may be effective for generalised anxiety disorder (GAD).
Aims:
To compare changes in anxiety levels among participants with GAD randomly assigned to MBCT, cognitive–behavioural therapy-based psychoeducation and usual care.
Method:
In total, 182 participants with GAD were recruited (trial registration number: CUHK_CCT00267) and assigned to the three groups and followed for 5 months after baseline assessment with the two intervention groups followed for an additional 6 months. Primary outcomes were anxiety and worry levels.
Results:
Linear mixed models demonstrated significant group × time interaction (F(4,148) = 5.10, P = 0.001) effects for decreased anxiety for both the intervention groups relative to usual care. Significant group × time interaction effects were observed for worry and depressive symptoms and mental health-related quality of life for the psychoeducation group only.
Conclusions:
These results suggest that both of the interventions appear to be superior to usual care for the reduction of anxiety symptoms
Gametogenesis, Embryogenesis, and Fertilization Ecology of Platygyra acuta
Understanding the reproductive biology of dominant coral species in subtropical nonreefal coral communities is critical in providing important information on the processes underlying the distribution limits of coral species and communities. This is the first study that investigates the reproduction cycle, gametogenesis, and fertilization ecology of Platygyra acuta. Results indicated that P. acuta is hermaphroditic and exhibits a single annual gametogenic cycle. Oogenic and spermatogenic cycle occurs for 6-7 months and for 2 months, respectively, prior to annual mass spawning event in May to June in Hong Kong. It took 18 hours for P. acuta to complete embryonic development, develop cilia, and start to rotate. High (>70%) fertilization success can be achieved under a broad range of sperm concentrations from 104 to 107 sperms mL−1. Fertilization success remained consistently high 6 h after spawning, indicating a prolonged viability of its gametes that is much longer than that recorded for other coral species. Significantly higher percentage of fertilization success was recorded in the first of the two consecutive nights of spawning, suggesting differences in the quality of the eggs and/or sperms between days of spawning. These results serve as important baseline information for better understanding of corals in marginal communities
From Design Methods to Future-Focused Thinking: 50 years of design research
The 50th anniversary of the founding of the Design Research Society fell in 2016, and the biennial DRS conference for 2016 became a special 50th anniversary conference, which took place in Brighton, UK, last June. This scholarly article describes the history of the Society along with the design of the conference which took place
Rewarding More Is Better for Soliciting Help, Yet More So for Cash Than for Goods: Revisiting and Reframing the Tale of Two Markets With Replications and Extensions of Heyman and Ariely (2004)
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