Frequent-Pattern-Based Broadcast Scheduling for Conflict Avoidance in Multichannel Data Dissemination Systems

With the popularity of mobile devices, using the traditional client-server model to handle a large number of requests is very challenging. Wireless data broadcasting can be used to provide services to many users at the same time, so reducing the average access time has become a popular research topic. For example, some location-based services (LBS) consider using multiple channels to disseminate information to reduce access time. However, data conflicts may occur when multiple channels are used, where multiple data items associated with the request are broadcasted at about the same time. In this article, we consider the channel switching time and identify the data conflict issue in an on-demand multichannel dissemination system. We model the considered problem as a data broadcast with conflict avoidance (DBCA) problem and prove it is NP-complete. We hence propose the frequent-pattern-based broadcast scheduling (FPBS), which provides a new variant of the frequent pattern tree, FP ∗ -tree, to schedule the requested data. Using FPBS, the system can avoid data conflicts when assigning data items to time slots in the channels. In the simulation, we discussed two modes of FPBS: online and offline. The results show that, compared with the existing heuristic methods, FPBS can shorten the average access time by 30%.

Termitophily Documented in Earwigs (Dermaptera)

Based on behavioral observations, we report termitophily by the earwig Spirolabia kaja Kočárek, sp. nov. (Spongiphoridae: Labiinae). The new species was found in association with the wood-boring termite Schedorhinotermes sarawakensis (Holmgren, 1913) in a dipterocarp rain forest in Borneo; in addition to being observed in the galleries, termite–earwig interactions were subsequently documented in the laboratory. We found that earwigs and termites communicate by antennation, and we observed no form of targeted mutual or unilateral aggressive behavior. The earwigs responded to the proximity of an experimentally irritated termite soldier by conflict-avoidance behavior based on thanatosis, which seems to be a defensive reaction that may reduce the chance of being attacked by an irritated termite. Based on the analysis of gastrointestinal tract contents, we conclude that S. kaja sp. nov. is an omnivorous species that feeds mainly on plant tissues and fungi but occasionally on arthropod remains. The occurrence of S. kaja sp. nov. adults together with the nymphs (2nd to 4th instars) in the galleries of S. sarawakensis strongly suggests that the earwig can reproduce inside the termite colony. Spirolabia kaja Kočárek, sp. nov. is the first earwig species for which termitophily has been demonstrated.

Effects of Game Situation-Dependent Emotions on Sport Spectators’ Food Craving

This study sought to challenge prevalent accounts of emotional eating by exploring the effects of situation-dependent emotions on consumers’ food craving. Four specific game situations in the context of spectator sports, each corresponding to the four types of emotional coping (outcome-desire conflict, avoidance, fulfillment, and pursuit), were identified as follows: decisive victories, decisive losses, close victories, and close losses. By employing laboratory-based virtual reality spectatorship, Study 1 tested the causal effects of happiness (fulfillment), anger (conflict), sadness (conflict), fear (avoidance), and hope (pursuit) on food craving. Study 2 further designed fans’ previous association between emotions and eating as a moderating mechanism in the context of online sport viewership. The results of the two experiments supported the three theoretical principles of eating behavior, including the “food as fuel” principle of anger, the hedonic eating principle of happiness, and the self-regulation principle of hope. However, the results rejected the escape awareness principle of sadness and fear. The study concludes with a discussion of context-dependent emotional positioning and intervention strategies for marketers and policy makers.

Velocity Obstacles and Emergent Rules-of-the-Air for Autonomous Drone Traffic Management

As the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) becomes ever more widespread there is a growing need to develop traffic management and flight rules, in particular for autonomous UAVs or where the predicted traffic densities far exceed those of traditional manned aviation. Inspired by the current rules of the air and multi-agent systems (e.g., pedestrians and swarm robotics) we outline a set of flight rules for autonomous UAVs that consist of waypoint following and conflict avoidance schemes. These flight rules are then explored in small,pairwise simulations and thus refined to allow a UAV to choose from three potential avoidance behaviors based on it and its neighbors velocities and positions. Finally we compare the original and modified flight rules in larger scale simulations modelling two streams of UAV traffic crossing at a point. We show that the modified rules significantly reduce the mean transit time by reducing the impact of UAVs avoiding other UAVs from the same stream.

Velocity Obstacles and Emergent Rules-of-the-Air for Autonomous Drone Traffic Management

As the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) becomes ever more widespread there is a growing need to develop traffic management and flight rules, in particular for autonomous UAVs or where the predicted traffic densities far exceed those of traditional manned aviation. Inspired by the current rules of the air and multi-agent systems (e.g., pedestrians and swarm robotics) we outline a set of flight rules for autonomous UAVs that consist of waypoint following and conflict avoidance schemes. These flight rules are then explored in small,pairwise simulations and thus refined to allow a UAV to choose from three potential avoidance behaviors based on it and its neighbors velocities and positions. Finally we compare the original and modified flight rules in larger scale simulations modelling two streams of UAV traffic crossing at a point. We show that the modified rules significantly reduce the mean transit time by reducing the impact of UAVs avoiding other UAVs from the same stream.

Linking doctor-patient relationship to medical residents’ work engagement: The influences of role overload and conflict avoidance

Background Chinese residents’ practical work experiences are different from those described in Western studies. To explore potential mechanisms underlying the effects of doctor-patient relationships on medical residents’ work engagement, verifying a posited mediating effect of role overload, and moderating effect of conflict avoidance, in the Chinese context. Methods Based on the conservation of resources theory, a composite model was constructed. This study’s data were collected from four different Chinese tertiary hospitals; 195 residents undergoing regularization training took this survey. Hierarchical moderated and mediated regression analyses were utilized. Results Doctor-patient relationship were found to be positively related to residents’ work engagement (β=0.31, p≤0.001). Role overload partially mediated the effect of these relationships on work engagement, and the moderating role of conflict avoidance in the relationship between doctor-patient relationship and conflict avoidance was negative. Conclusion Maintaining good doctor-patient relationship can prompt residents to increase their engagement in work in order to meet their patients’ needs. Furthermore, role overload has a particular influence in early career stages. Not only is it necessary for residents to gain a sense of recognition and support while they carry out their job responsibilities, especially while dealing with complex doctor-patient relationship, but it is also important to create work environments that can help residents shape their professional competency.

Analysis of Conflict Resolution Strategies of Head Teachers: Teachers’ Perspective

Conflict managing has become a center of gravity of human activities in these days. Head teachers should be well aware how to resolve conflict among staff members. So, the study was designed to analyze how head teachers can resolve conflict among staff members and was there any significance difference between male and female head teachers’ conflict resolving strategies. Survey method was used to investigate conflict resolving strategies of the head teachers. Bahawalpur was the population of the study. Convenient sampling technique was used to select sample. Self-constructed instrument was applied to collect data. Questionnaire was consist of five types of parameters i-e integrating conflict, obliging conflict, dominating conflict, avoidance conflict and compromising conflict. The major finding of the study was that majority of the head teachers exercise integrating conflict resolution strategies to resolve conflict. Major part of the head teachers adopted obliging conflict resolution strategies to resolve the conflict. Mainstream of head teachers used dominating conflict resolving strategies to resolve conflict. Majority of the head teachers exercise dominating conflict resolving strategies. Greater part of the respondents agreed that head teachers adopted compromising conflict resolving strategies to resolve conflict among staff members. Gender wise comparison indicates that there was a significance difference between male and female head teachers to use the conflict resolution strategies at secondary level.

Submission signals in animal groups

Aggression is costly, and animals have evolved tactics to mitigate these costs. Submission signals are an underappreciated example of such adaptations. Here we review submissive behaviour, with an emphasis on non-primates. We highlight the design of submission signals and how such signals can reduce costs. Animal societies necessitate frequent social interactions, which can increase the probability of conflict. Where maintaining group proximity is essential, animals cannot avoid aggression by fleeing. Mutual interest between group members may also select for efficient conflict avoidance and resolution mechanisms. As a result, submission signals may be especially well developed among group living species, helping social animals to overcome potential costs of recurring conflict that could otherwise counter the benefits of group living. Therefore, submission signalling can be a crucial aspect of social living and is deserving of specific attention within the broader context of social evolution and communication.

Cooperative Multi-UAV Conflict Avoidance Planning in a Complex Urban Environment

Trajectory planning is of great value and yet challenging for multirotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) applications in a complex urban environment, mainly due to the complexities of handling cluttered obstacles. The problem further complicates itself in the context of autonomous multi-UAV trajectory planning considering conflict avoidance for future city applications. To tackle this problem, this paper introduces the multi-UAV cooperative trajectory planning (MCTP) problem, and proposes a bilevel model for the problem. The upper level is modeled as an extended multiple traveling salesman problem, aiming at generating trajectories based on heuristic framework for multi-UAV task allocation and scheduling and meanwhile considering UAV kinodynamic properties. The lower level is modeled as a holding time assignment problem to avoid possible spatiotemporal trajectory conflicts, where conflict time difference is analyzed based on the proposed state-time graph method. Numerical studies are conducted in both a 1 km2 virtual city and 12 km2 real city with a set of tasks and obstacles settings. The results show that the proposed model is capable of planning trajectories for multi-UAV from the system-level perspective based on the proposed method.