Universal Aspects Research Articles

Solvent constraints for biopolymer folding and evolution in extraterrestrial environments

We propose that spontaneous folding and molecular evolution of biopolymers are two universal aspects that must concur for life to happen. These aspects are fundamentally related to the chemical composition of biopolymers and crucially depend on the solvent in which they are embedded. We show that molecular information theory and energy landscape theory allow us to explore the limits that solvents impose on biopolymer existence. We consider 54 solvents, including water, alcohols, hydrocarbons, halogenated solvents, aromatic solvents, and low molecular weight substances made up of elements abundant in the universe, which may potentially take part in alternative biochemistries. We find that along with water, there are many solvents for which the liquid regime is compatible with biopolymer folding and evolution. We present a ranking of the solvents in terms of biopolymer compatibility. Many of these solvents have been found in molecular clouds or may be expected to occur in extrasolar planets.

Children’s narrative identity formation: Towards a childist narrative theology of praxis

This article explores children’s narrative identity formation and the impact of adult–child relationships on shaping a child’s narrative. The formation of identity in all children is vulnerable to a culture of ‘adultism’, wherein the authority wielded by adults can potentially subject children to abuse and neglect. Consequently, adultism has the aptitude to hinder the constructive development of a life-affirming identity in children. The primary objective of this article is to develop a childist narrative theology of praxis methodology, aimed at raising consciousness and educating adults on both life-denying and life-giving ways of engaging in the process of children’s narrative identity formation.To achieve this goal, the methodology is developed by adapting Denise Ackermann’s ‘feminist theology of praxis’ to focus specifically on children. The application of feminist theory principles is deemed relevant to the social standing of children as it aligns with the broader goal of liberating oppressed groups, whether women or children. Additionally, John Wall’s work is employed to elucidate the terms ‘childist’ and ‘childism’ as interpretive frameworks. Positioned within the scientific domain of Practical Theology, this study seeks to transform conditions that impede human flourishing into opportunities for positive change.The research objectives determine that a literature review will be suitable to gather essential information for the formulation of a childist narrative theology of praxis. This review, characterised as explorative and descriptive, is conducted within the field of Practical Theology.Contribution: The significance of this study is underscored by its exploration and description of the pastoral functions of consciousness, awareness-raising, and education concerning adult–child relations. By scrutinising these pastoral functions, the emphasis is placed on the proactive, preventive, and universal aspects of pastoral care in the context of children, thereby contributing valuable insights to the discourse.

Calculation of Term Life Insurance Premium Reserves with Fackler Method and Canadian Method

Every individual around the world goes through the life cycle of birth and continues their journey with unique experiences. The uncertainty of the future, which includes both happiness and calamity, is a universal aspect of human life. Life risks, such as illness and death, are an unavoidable reality for every individual in this world. Life insurance is one of the solutions to manage these risks, with term life insurance being one of the options. The focus of this research lies on term life insurance, with the aim of calculating premium reserves using the Fackler and Canadian methods. This research is concerned with the process of calculating premium reserves, and the results show that the Fackler method produces a larger premium reserve value compared to the Canadian method. Recommendations are given to companies to use the Fackler Method in calculating term life insurance premium reserves to avoid potential losses that could occur if using the Canadian method. The choice of premium calculation method is a strategic key in effective risk management for the company.

Propagation and fluxes of ultra-high energy cosmic rays in f(R)\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\varvec{f(R)}$$\\end{document} gravity theory

In this work, we study the effect of diffusion of ultra-high energy cosmic ray (UHECR) protons in the presence of turbulent magnetic fields (TMFs) in the light of the f(R) theory of gravity. The f(R) theory of gravity is a successful modified theory of gravity in explaining the various aspects of the observable Universe including its current state of expansion. For this work, we consider two most studied f(R) gravity models, viz., the power-law model and the Starobinsky model. With these two models, we study the diffusive character of the propagation of UHECR protons in terms of their density enhancement. The density enhancement is a measure of how the density of CRs changes due to their diffusion in the intergalactic medium and interaction with the cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation. Ankle, instep and Greisen–Zatsepin–Kuzmin (GZK) cutoff are all spectrum characteristics that extragalactic UHECRs acquire when they propagate through the CMB. We analyse all these characteristics through the diffusive flux as well as its modification factor. Model dependence of the modification factor is minimal compared to the diffusive flux. We compare the UHECR proton spectra calculated for the considered f(R) gravity models with the available data of the Telescope Array (TA) and Pierre Auger Observatory (PAO). We see that both models of f(R) gravity predict energy spectra of UHECRs with all experimentally observed features, which lay well within the range of combined data of both experiments throughout the energy range of concern. It is to be noted that our present work is only to investigate the possible effects of f(R) gravity theory on the UHECRs propagation, using pure proton composition as a simplified case study since protons are least affected by magnetic fields. Hence, at this stage, our results cannot be used to favor or disfavor f(R) cosmology over Λ\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\Lambda $$\\end{document}CDM cosmology as more work is needed in this regard.

Dynamical theory of topological defects II: universal aspects of defect motion

We study the dynamics of topological defects in continuum theories governed by a free energy minimization principle, building on our recently developed framework (Romano et al 2023 J. Stat. Mech. 083211). We show how the equation of motion of point defects, domain walls, disclination lines and any other singularity can be understood with one unifying mathematical framework. For disclination lines, this also allows us to study the interplay between the internal line tension and the interaction with other lines. This interplay is non-trivial, allowing defect loops to expand, instead of contracting, due to external interaction. We also use this framework to obtain an analytical description of two long-lasting problems in point defect motion, namely the scale dependence of the defect mobility and the role of elastic anisotropy in the motion of defects in liquid crystals. For the former, we show that the effective defect mobility is strongly problem-dependent, but it can be computed with high accuracy for a pair of annihilating defects. For the latter, we show that at the first order in perturbation theory, anisotropy causes a non-radial force, making the trajectory of annihilating defects deviate from a straight line. At higher orders, it also induces a correction in the mobility, which becomes non-isotropic for the +1/2 defect. We argue that, due to its generality, our method can help to shed light on the motion of singularities in many different systems, including driven and active non-equilibrium theories.

Addressing Local Water Security through Green Infrastructure Implementation: A Review of Urban Plans in Monterrey, Mexico, and Brussels, Belgium

Green infrastructure (GI) is increasingly linked to urban water management and can contribute to achieving water security in communities. This research uses a variation-finding comparative approach to recognize how far GI solutions are currently used to address water security in the urban developments of Monterrey City, Mexico, and Brussels-Capital Region, Belgium. A comparative content analysis of seven related urban development/sectoral plans is conducted using ATLAS.ti 9 software. The results depict the overall distribution of GI implementations, their typologies and spatial scales, water-security aspects that are addressed by GI, and the related definitions in the plans. In general, our analysis does not present a promising situation for the Monterrey case, although it reveals that policymakers have started to use GI in urban plans to address water security. Considering Brussels’ conditions, although GI solutions are much more frequent and advanced than in Monterrey plans, the region cannot be considered a frontrunner of GI policies. Comparing these two remarkably diverse areas is beneficial to illuminate universal aspects of planning, as the method provides an opportunity to gain insight from a multi-city perspective, whether developed or developing, showing the potential areas to advance urban policies.

Antitheses in the Literary Works of Ashim Dzhakypbekov

Contemporary linguistic studies delve into the languages employed by various writers, poets, and artists, with numerous Ph.D., doctoral, and scientific papers regularly published in our society. This trend underscores the dynamic development of the Kyrgyz language, holding its ground among a diverse array of both related and unrelated languages. This resilience speaks to the cultural significance of our nation. This article examines the distinctive features of the artistic language crafted by the prose master, Ashim Dzhakypbekov, aiming to uncover the nuances of his unique style. Within the realm of the author’s artistic language, one noteworthy tool is the exploration of antithesis and its stylistic nature. Dzhakypbekov employs all linguistic elements to construct his artworks, deploying various techniques, stylistic figures, and linguistic innovations to convey his ideas. It is through this distinctive approach that the greatness of Ashim Dzhakypbekov’s style emerges. This article delves into the analysis of antithesis as a stylistic device in the artist's body of work, exploring its utilization through specific examples drawn from the content of his works, and categorizing structural features based on established formulas. While antithesis has been extensively studied in general linguistics, particularly in the Russian language. While the Kyrgyz language remains incompletely explored in the context of antithesis, numerous scholars have actively contributed to understanding the universality and developmental aspects of this phenomenon.

Floquet Weyl states at one-photon resonance: An origin of nonperturbative optical responses in three-dimensional materials

Electrons driven coherently by laser light can exhibit nonperturbative geometric effects. Drastic deformation and gap openings of the electrons' Floquet bands occur at one-photon resonances since the electron and hole bands hybridize through their replicas at the lowest-order photon exchange. We study the evolution of Floquet bands in three-dimensional (3D) materials driven by circularly polarized light (CPL) using the Dirac model. We find that the light-induced gap closes at a select few points in the momentum space where Floquet Weyl points are formed. The Weyl points are protected by their monopole charge and can merge, separate, or pair annihilate depending on the anisotropy of electrons and the ellipticity of the incident light. In isotropic 3D Dirac electrons driven by CPL, the Weyl points merge to form Floquet double-Weyl points with topological charge ±2. Our results reveal a universal aspect of light-matter interactions in 3D quantum materials and open a route towards controllable versatile electromagnetic responses associated with light-induced Floquet Weyl states. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Impact of composite modes on electrochemical properties of Fe3O4/CNTs for Li-ion storage

Transition metal oxides (TMOs, e.g., Fe3O4) with high theoretical capacity hold tremendous potential in the field of lithium-ion batteries. Unfortunately, TMOs still suffer from the significant volume expansion and low intrinsic electronic conductivity, which results in irreversible structural collapse, uncontrollable particle aggregation, and sluggish electrochemical reaction kinetics, leading to bad rate performance and cycling stability. Combining TMOs with carbon has become the most effective approach to address the aforementioned issues. However, the interaction mechanism between TMOs and carbon influencing on electrochemical properties has not yet been thoroughly explored and widely recognized. Herein, we proposed a simple and controllable method to synthesize a series of Fe3O4 composites, i.e., Fe3O4 combined with carbon nanotubes (CNTs), via different composite modes, i.e., mixing, embedding and encapsulation. The mixing one exhibits the highest initial capacity but the poorest cycling stability. Encapsulating Fe3O4 into the cavities of CNTs effectively mitigates the volume expansion of Fe3O4, thereby achieving satisfactory rate performance. The embedded composite produces ultrafine Fe3O4 particles within the walls of CNTs, which not only enhances the dispersion of Fe3O4, but also provides an efficient pathway for electronic transport. The electrode based on the embedded composite mode demonstrates excellent cycling stability and an acceptable reversible capacity of 683.7 mAh/g at 1 A/g after 100 cycles. The relationship between structure and electrochemical properties of Fe3O4/CNTs composites is elaborated, which provides universal aspect for future design of high-energy–density lithium-ion batteries.

СИНКРЕТИЗМ СТЕПНОГО МИРОВОЗЗРЕНИЯ И ЭСТЕТИКИ ИНФОРМАЦИОННЫХ ТЕХНОЛОГИЙ В ТВОРЧЕСТВЕ ЮВЕЛИРА ИЛЬИ КАЗАКОВА

This article examines the symbolic interrelation between four main elements — silver/metal, stone, wood, bone — and their interpretation in the creative work of the renowned Kazakh jeweler Ilya Kazakov. The author argues that these concepts not only symbolise various aspects of the steppe universe, but also form a syncretic union with the aesthetics of information technology. Ilya Kazakov, a young, but already mature artist from Karaganda, stands out in the artistic space of contemporary Kazakhstan, and his creativity, in our view, is a fusion of the steppe worldview and the mindset of the information technology. Through the artistic treatment of local metalwork, Kazakov brings an active experimental approach to his work, inspired by the aesthetics of ancient times. Steppe motifs and the codes of the digital era merge in a harmonious symbiosis in his work. By analysing the artistic techniques, choice of materials and figurative decisions in Kazakov’s works, the author of the article seeks to understand the process of merging traditional cultural symbols with contemporary technological realities. The methodological approach employed in the study allows for the interpretation of Kazakov’s creativity not only as an individual expression of the artist but also as a reflection of contemporary cultural identity.

Phase separation in soft repulsive polymer mixtures: foundation and implication for chromatin organization.

Given the wide range of length scales, the analysis of polymer systems often requires coarse-graining, for which various levels of description may be possible depending on the phenomenon under consideration. Here, we provide a super-coarse grained description, where polymers are represented as a succession of mesosopic soft beads which are allowed to overlap with others. We then investigate the phase separation behaviors in a mixture of such homopolymers based on mean-field theory, and discuss universal aspects of the miscibility phase diagram in comparison with the numerical simulation. We also discuss an extension of our analysis to mixtures involving random copolymers, which might be interesting in the context of chromatin organization in a cell nucleus.

Hajj Funds Management Based on Maqāṣid Al-Sharīʿah; A Proposal for Indonesian Context

Indonesian hajj funds (BIPH) have the potential to support the implementation of hajj worship in an effective, efficient, transparent, and accountable manner while complying with Islamic law. However, it is said that the management turned out to be ineffective and unprofessional. This research aims to examine the management of hajj funds in detail using maqāṣid al-sharīʿah perspective to propose a breakthrough for its better management. It uses a normative juridical method through data presentation and explanation using an interdisciplinary perspective on maqāṣid al-sharīʿah. The data comes from journal articles, scientific documents, and statistical data. The research results show that in maqāṣid al-sharīʿah perspective, namely an instrument to create a balance of the Muslim way of life with Islamic legal values in social, political, economic, spiritual, and universal human aspects, the ḥifẓ māldimension urges using hajj funds for the benefit of society. Therefore, the Hajj Financial Management Agency (BPKH) should collaborate with the Ministry of Religious Affairs and other related stakeholders to manage Hajj funds optimally and efficiently while increasing trust and reducing negative public perceptions. Policies and regulations by the government are made in such a way that it can ease hajj pilgrims to carry out the worship comfortably, safely, smoothly, and spiritually enriching.

Interferences Between Tradition and Modernity in the Symphonic and Concerto Works by Adrian Pop – (2) Etos I

"The present study is part of a series of analytical approaches undertaken on the symphonic-concertant oeuvre of Cluj composer Adrian Pop. Following the chronological order of the works and keeping as a reference their common source of inspiration – namely the Romanian folklore –, the conclusion seeks to highlight the way in which the composer’s individuality relates to both the trends of contemporary language and the European cultured musical tradition, without attenuating the signs of the local stylistic matrix. Starting from the melody of a Miorița from Sălaj, whose typology will prove crucial in rendering the Blagian concept of the undulating plain, the composer uses traditional means – in particular the timbral essences and effects specific to folk organology – or contemporary techniques such as spectralism, texturalism, heterophony, to capture both the descriptive aspects of the idyllic universe and the archaic, archetypal, timeless and, last but not least, tragic essences of the philosophical and literary source. The symphonic discourse established at the level of the three main sections of the work follows a path of almost organic development, from the cellular-motivic elements that anticipate the Miorița theme, engaged in homogeneous, pulsating, diaphanous, or extremely dissonant textures, to the unique moment of virtuosity of the two semantroms in the central section and, finally, to the display of the original melody in juxtaposition, or superimposition with its inversion, in a tableau dominated by the ascent and descent of the flocks of sheep. Keywords: folklore, melody, variation, evolution, texturalism, heterophony, spectralism, timbrality"

The cultural and educational impact of Nobita in the Vietnamese context

This qualitative study delves into the cultural and educational impact of Nobita, a central figure in the Japanese anime series “Doraemon”, within the Vietnamese setting. Employing a qualitative approach, the research utilized a thematic analysis of specific episodes of “Doraemon”, combined with the Vietnamese viewers’ comments. The episodes were carefully selected to cover a range of scenarios depicting Nobita’s various challenges and interactions. A thematic analysis of viewer comments and selected episodes featuring Nobita was conducted, accompanied by insights from Vietnamese viewers. The objective was to discern how Nobita’s character aligns with, and at times contrasts with, Vietnamese cultural and moral norms. The findings unveil key themes: the cultural hybridization of Nobita’s character, the impartation of moral lessons, viewer identification with Nobita, and his influence on shaping children’s notions of responsibility and self-reliance. The study reveals how Vietnamese viewers, particularly children, actively engage with Nobita’s traits, resulting in a blend of Japanese and Vietnamese cultural elements. This refutes the conventional perspective of global media as a one-way cultural force, highlighting instead a reciprocal process of cultural interpretation and adaptation. Moreover, the research underscores Nobita’s significant role in moral education, illustrating that Vietnamese children do not just emulate but critically engage with his character through observational learning. This process extends beyond imitation, involving a deeper level of understanding and internalization of moral lessons. Furthermore, the study emphasizes Nobita’s role in fostering empathy and understanding, resonating with the universal aspects of human experiences and emotions. These findings offer insights into the intricate relationship between global media content and local cultural dynamics, underlining the influential role of media characters in shaping cultural perceptions, moral reasoning, and empathy in young audiences. The study contributes to the discourse on the impact of international media on local cultures, highlighting the potential of media content in bridging cultural gaps and aiding in child development.

Pragmatic Strategies in Interpersonal Conflict Resolution: A Cross-Cultural Analysis

Conflict resolution is a universal aspect of human interaction that profoundly impacts relationships, organizations, and entire societies. It is inherently influenced by the cultural perspectives and values of those involved, giving rise to diverse approaches across different regions. This paper embarks on an exploration of the intricate world of conflict resolution, specifically examining how pragmatic strategies manifest differently in Eastern and Western cultures. By delving into the patterns of speech acts and integrating the wisdom of esteemed scholars in cross-cultural communication, we aspire to offer a holistic perspective on how cultural contexts intricately mold conflict resolution strategies.
 In Eastern cultures, such as those influenced by Confucianism, indirect communication and face-saving strategies often take precedence in conflict resolution (Chen, 2023). Maintaining social harmony and avoiding public embarrassment play vital roles, steering individuals towards subtle cues and nonverbal communication. In contrast, Western cultures, rooted in individualism, tend to emphasize directness and assertiveness in communication (McConachy & Spencer-Oatey, 2021). Conflicts are addressed head-on, prioritizing clarity and resolution, even if it entails temporary discomfort.
 This exploration will illuminate the profound impact of cultural norms on the language used in conflict resolution, offering insights into how individuals from diverse backgrounds navigate conflicts. Through the lens of renowned scholars, we seek to enrich our understanding of the interplay between culture and conflict resolution, ultimately promoting more effective cross-cultural communication and harmonious interactions.

Abstract 12915: Eye Tracking in the ECG: Exploring the Visual Behavior Patterns of Medical Students

Introduction: While a universal aspect of medical education, there are few validated teaching methods for ECG interpretation. Eye tracking technology applied to study visual patterns during ECG interpretation suggest that top performers localize the critical leads for diagnosis more effectively. No study, however, has analyzed visual behavior occurring within critical leads. Research Question: How does visual behavior of medical students within critical leads correlate with accuracy of ECG interpretation? Aims: We aimed to characterize the visual behavior of medical students interpreting ECGs to help inform future educational methods. Methods: 36 fourth-year students from one medical school completed 9 cases while visual behavior was tracked via a Tobii Pro Nano eyetracker and analyzed with iMotions software. Cases included a vignette and 12-lead ECG followed by viewing up to three critical leads. We included five morphologic abnormalities (e.g. LBBB) and four arrhythmias (e.g. AVNRT). Accuracy was assessed via multiple choice questions after viewing the 12-lead ECG alone and again after viewing critical leads. Dwell time, the time spent focused on a given lead, and fixation count, the number of discrete focuses > 60 ms, were analyzed via Mann-Whitney U testing. Data: 36.1% of students correctly interpreted all ECGs with morphologic abnormalities compared to 16.7% for arrhythmias. Within critical leads, there was a significant difference in average dwell time (2.62 vs 5.21 seconds (s), p <0.001) and fixation count (9.59 vs 16.5, p<0.001) between morphologic versus arrhythmia ECGs. Higher performers had decreased average dwell time and fixation count in critical leads compared to inaccurate interpreters for morphologic (2.39 vs 3.39 s, p=0.003; 8.92 vs 11.9 fixations, p<0.01) and arrhythmia (4.32 vs 7.04 s, p<0.01; 13.4 vs 22.7 fixations, p<0.01), respectively. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that learners spend less focused time interpreting morphologic as compared to arrhythmia ECGs. Further, dwell times and fixation counts were lower amongst higher performers. Measurement of discrete visual behavior may provide a novel way to assess students’ pattern recognition skills and interpretation competency while also enhancing ECG didactic methods.

Anticipatory co-governance for human rights to sciences across knowledge systems

ABSTRACT The interface between Indigenous and Western knowledge systems highlights the existence of diverse sciences, each with their own history, contexts and processes for validation, with relevance to the human rights to sciences (HRS). The lens of intersectional universality shows how Indigenous peoples differ in ways that affect the HRS, through: (1) holding unique connections to territories, distinct cultures, worldviews and knowledge systems; (2) experiencing dispossession of their lands, territories and resources leading to great disadvantage in socio-economic status; (3) bearing a disproportionately high impact from colonial scientific practices that breach human rights; and (4) utilising Indigenous governance systems based on customary institutions for decision-making. Human rights law requires that these institutions are consistent with principles of non-discrimination – the universal aspect. From this recognition of difference and sameness, we argue that diligent anticipation of risk needs to be based on recognition and support from states for the institutions that govern Indigenous sciences, redress by relevant scientific organisations for the negative impacts of colonial scientific practices, and capacity-building to overcome inequitable distribution of resources and power. Anticipatory co-governance with Indigenous peoples can empower Indigenous agency, Indigenous perspectives on human rights and provide a fertile ground for future thinking to diligently anticipate risks and benefits of science and scientific progress.

Universal aspects of barrier crossing under bias

Universal aspects of barrier crossing under bias

Universality in eye movements and reading: A replication with increased power

Liversedge, Drieghe, Li, Yan, Bai and Hyönä (2016) reported an eye movement study that investigated reading in Chinese, Finnish and English (languages with markedly different orthographic characteristics). Analyses of the eye movement records showed robust differences in fine grained characteristics of eye movements between languages, however, overall sentence reading times did not differ. Liversedge et al. interpreted the entire set of results across languages as reflecting universal aspects of processing in reading. However, the study has been criticized as being statistically underpowered (Brysbaert, 2019) given that only 19–21 subjects were tested in each language. Also, given current best practice, the original statistical analyses can be considered to be somewhat weak (e.g., no inclusion of random slopes and no formal comparison of performance between the three languages). Finally, the original study did not include any formal statistical model to assess effects across all three languages simultaneously. To address these (and some other) concerns, we tested at least 80 new subjects in each language and conducted formal statistical modeling of our data across all three languages. To do this, we included an index that captured variability in visual complexity in each language. Unlike the original findings, the new analyses showed shorter total sentence reading times for Chinese relative to Finnish and English readers. The other main findings reported in the original study were consistent. We suggest that the faster reading times for Chinese subjects occurred due to cultural changes that have taken place in the decade or so that lapsed between when the original and current subjects were tested. We maintain our view that the results can be taken to reflect universality in aspects of reading and we evaluate the claims regarding a lack of statistical power that were levelled against the original article.

Tunable strain and bandgap in subcritical-sized MoS2 nanobubbles

Nanobubbles naturally formed at the interface between 2D materials and their substrate are known to act as exciton recombination centers because of the reduced bandgap due to local strain, which in turn scales with the aspect ratio of the bubbles. The common understanding suggests that the aspect ratio is a universal constant independent of the bubble size. Here, by combining scanning tunneling microscopy and molecular dynamics, we show that the universal aspect ratio breaks down in MoS2 nanobubbles below a critical radius (≈10 nm), where the aspect ratio increases with increasing size. Accordingly, additional atomic-level analyses indicate that the strain increases from 3% to 6% in the sub-critical size range. Using scanning tunneling spectroscopy, we demonstrate that the bandgap decreases as a function of the size. Thus, tunable quantum emitters can be obtained in 2D semiconductors by controlling the radius of the nanobubbles.