A dynamic programming approach of finding an optimal broadcast schedule in minimizing total flow time

We study the problem of (off-line) broadcast scheduling in minimizing total flow time and propose a dynamic programming approach to compute an optimal broadcast schedule. Suppose the broadcast server has k pages and the last page request arrives at time n. The optimal schedule can be computed in O(k³(n+k)^k−1) time for the case that the server has a single broadcast channel. For m channels case, i.e., the server can broadcast m different pages at a time where m < k, the optimal schedule can be computed in O(n^k−m) time when k and m are constants. Note that this broadcast scheduling problem is NP-hard when k is a variable and will take O(n^k−m+1) time when k is fixed and m ≥ 1 with the straightforward implementation of the dynamic programming approach. The preliminary version of this paper appeared in Proceedings of the 11th Annual International Computing and Combinatorics Conference as “Off-line Algorithms for Minimizing the Total Flow Time in Broadcast Scheduling”.     

少数股东权益的法律救济——股东派生诉讼制度

股东派生诉讼是指公司的正当权益受到他人损害,特别是有控制权的股东、董事等侵害时,股东以自己的名义为公司的利益对侵害人提起诉讼,追究其法律责任的一种诉讼制度。股东派生诉讼制度最初形成于 19世纪初的英美国家,是衡平法的一种特殊制度。股东派生诉讼不仅保护了少数股东或小股东的合法权益,更直接地是保护了公司的权益,也有利于保护公司债权人的利益。我国法律欠缺对股东派生诉讼制度的规定,这种不合理的诉讼障碍限制了股东寻求法律保护的机会和途径,无法根本保障少数股东和公司的合法利益,在我国确立股东派生诉讼制度已经刻不容缓。     

What helps people with bipolar affective disorder succeed in employment: a grounded theory approach

The present study used a qualitative research design to unfold those contextual factors which influence vocational outcomes amongst people with bipolar disorder (BD). The data for this qualitative study was collated using a grounded theory approach because of its particular relevance to the study's aims i.e., to propose a theory grounded in the data that provided an account of the vocational integration process people with BD go through. The emerging theory consists of two over-arching principles that determine an individual's readiness to join the workforce: i) recovery from an acute phase of BD and ii) goodness of fit between the individual, support, job and wider contextual components. The emerging theory is in general agreement with those issues discussed in the literature. The present study also highlights the importance of maintaining a sense of hope and how self-determination may help individuals achieve their vocational goals. The credibility of these findings was strengthened by the method of triangulation of data interpretation and sources.     

Practice guidelines: therapeutic interventions aimed at assisting people with bipolar affective disorder achieve their vocational goals

Based on a thorough review of literature and findings from an earlier study on what are the factors helping individuals with bipolar disorder to find and remain in employment, the practice guidelines are proposed to aim at assisting individuals affected by bipolar disorder or other persistent mental disorder achieve their vocational goals. The proposed guidelines emphasise an integrated approach to the employment problem, incorporating clinical, vocational training and employment services. The guidelines advocate quick job placements as opposed to prolonged pre-vocational assessment and training are preferable for people with bipolar disorder in view of their usual high educational achievements and vocational experiences prior to the onset of illness. When necessary, a graduated approach to immediate placement may be adopted. Interventions proposed in these guidelines involve working with an individual client, mobilising support from family, workmates, managers, advising the employers on provision of support systems within the actual workplace and liaising with government agencies to reinforce client's aspiration to work.     

刍议通俗歌曲及其创作原则

通俗歌曲内容广泛 ,贴近生活 ,深受群众喜爱。同时通俗歌曲中存在着一些思想庸俗、格调不健康、艺术水平低下的东西。我们既不能采取一概肯定任其发展的态度 ,也不能采取全盘否定的办法 ,而应吸收其精华 ,剔除其糟粕 ,注重通俗性和民族性相结合的创作原则 ,以促使它的不断完善与提高     

建筑是怎样的“艺术”

建筑“一类只具有一般的审美性质 ,另一类有较强的思想性 ,属于真正艺术的行列”。建筑既是一种广义的艺术 ,又可能上升到狭义艺术的高度     

我国实施行政指导的原因、现状及法治化对策

在我国实施行政指导的主要原因 ,一是社会主义市场经济本质的要求 ,这是基础性原因 ;二是转变政府职能和行政模式的要求 ,这是功能性原因。行政指导制度建设是一项系统工程 ,现阶段特别需要从确立法治原则、转变传统观念、加强制度建设、完善有关立法、采取配套措施等方面进行创造性的持久努力 ,促使行政指导行为走上法治化轨道     

论福柯非历史主义的历史观

由于连续的历史观假定主体具有先验奠基和构造事物的作用 ,所以 ,对坚持起源、连续性和总体性这三个论题的历史主义进行批判 ,是福柯反对近代先验意识哲学的理论前提。虽然都批判了以黑格尔历史主义为理论基础的西方总体化的理性过程 ,但福柯与韦伯、马克思、霍克海默和哈贝马斯等人之间还是存在着颇多歧异。福柯所谓的“真实的历史”实是一种否定事物的本质起源并强调历史过程的间断性和个体化的非历史主义的历史。     

我国会计准则变更价值相关实证研究

我国的资本市场发展时间短,相应的会计准则也处于不断的更替和完善过程中。通过运用价值相关研究方法中的Feltham-Ohlson模型,检验我国会计准则变更是否达到了准则制定者期望达到的目的。研究发现:1、1996~2001年我国会计信息的价值相关性没有随各项具体会计准则的变更逐年提高,反而逐年降低;2、这种会计准则变更所带来的价值相关性在亏损上市公司和非亏损上市公司具有明显不同,但仍不支持“会计准则变更会提高会计信息含量”的假设;3、与2000年相比,2001年会计数据不但没有更谨慎,反而更“激进”。     

Social Capital and Human Mortality: Explaining the Rural Paradox with County‐Level Mortality Data

The “rural paradox” refers to standardized mortality rates in rural areas that are unexpectedly low in view of well‐known economic and infrastructural disadvantages there. We explore this paradox by incorporating social capital, a promising explanatory factor that has seldom been incorporated into residential mortality research. We do so while being attentive to spatial dependence, a statistical problem often ignored in mortality research. Analyzing data for counties in the contiguous United States, we find that: (1) the rural paradox is confirmed with both metro‐nonmetro and rural‐urban continuum codes, (2) social capital significantly reduces the impacts of residence on mortality after controlling for race and ethnicity and socioeconomic covariates, (3) this attenuation is greater when a spatial perspective is imposed on the analysis, (4) social capital is negatively associated with mortality at the county level, and (5) spatial dependence is strongly in evidence. A spatial approach is necessary in county‐level analyses such as ours to yield unbiased estimates and optimal model fit.