Classical Ideas Research Articles

A Review of Pluralistic Image Completion

Abstract. Image inpainting has always been a major problem in the field of scientific research. How to fill in the damaged area of the image to make the image look realistic is the main goal of the image inpainting task. In recent years, with the rapid development of machine learning, the researchers started using machine learning to assist in image inpainting. The most representative one is image inpainting based on generative models. The classic idea of restoration is to generate a restoration result with the highest quality and the most realistic appearance. However, as long as the result is reasonable, image inpainting allows for multiple restoration results. For this reason, the field of pluralistic image completion was born. This paper introduces pluralistic image completion and reviews past research in this field. This paper divides pluralistic image completion methods into three categories: VAE-based, GAN-based, and Transformer-based, and gives examples of various representative methods and the latest research in this field. This paper also introduces the available datasets and evaluation metrics. A discussion is given based on the performance of these three categories of methods and the prospects for the development of the field of pluralistic image completion. This review can serve as a reference for researchers in the field of image inpainting. It provides a table of datasets that can be used to evaluate and compare the listed methods and looks forward to possible developments and applications in this field in the future.

On the Existence of Extreme Coherent Distributions with No Atoms

The paper is devoted to the study of extremal points of C\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$${\\mathcal {C}}$$\\end{document}, the family of all bivariate coherent distributions on [0,1]2\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$[0,1]^2$$\\end{document}. It is well-known that the set C\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$${\\mathcal {C}}$$\\end{document} is convex and weak∗\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\hbox {weak}^*$$\\end{document} compact, and all extreme points of C\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$${\\mathcal {C}}$$\\end{document} must be supported on sets of Lebesgue measure zero. Conversely, examples of extreme coherent measures with a finite or countably infinite number of atoms have been successfully constructed in the literature. The main purpose of this article is to bridge the natural gap between those two results: We provide an example of extreme coherent distribution with an uncountable support and with no atoms. Our argument is based on classical tools and ideas from dynamical systems theory. This unexpected connection can be regarded as an independent contribution of the paper.

Transitive and intransitive structures in competition-based ecological communities

Based on the classical idea that no two species can occupy the same niche, ecological communities are frequently assumed to be structured according to the rules of interspecific competition, based on the intuition provided by the Lotka/Volterra competition equations in two dimensions. It has been noted that when three or more species are involved, the usual tacit assumption that all competition is transitive may be violated. Intransitive loops change some of the emergent principles of the competition-based framework of community structure. Since the intransitivity is oscillatory, the convenient stable equilibrium approach to communities is altered and oscillatory behavior of the system needs to be acknowledged. It is likely that real communities, especially if they are relatively large, will contain one or more intransitive structures, along with normal transitivities. Here we examine some theoretical constructs that emanate from the joint consideration of intransitive and transitive structures co-occurring in an ecological community.

Elites and ordinariness in cross-status encounters: Adding Goffman's ritual interaction order to sociological interpretations

Elites and higher-class people often downplay – even conceal – their status when interacting with people of lower class/status than themselves. This finding has been reported from several countries in the Global North. It is also shown in research from disparate academic fields and disciplines: the sociology of class, psychology, cognitive decision-making, and microsociology. This paper reviews and synthesises the literature on elites and high-status people who downplay social differences in cross-status social interaction. It makes two main contributions: First, I show that the phenomenon is more widespread transnationally than especially Nordic researchers have assumed. The second contribution comes from tracing the theoretical interpretations in the research. I notice tendencies of an individual – structure dualism in some strands of research, with the relevant analytical levels being the broader moral repertoires and predispositions. Other strands of research suffer from overly individualist interpretations. I argue that what is missing in most current research on cross-status interaction, is an adequate theoretical grasp of the social situation. I discuss how the study of cross-status interaction can be fertilised by the classical microsociological idea of situations’ existence in themselves, a social domain that cannot be reduced to dispositions or broader culture. I engage here especially Erving Goffman's ritual interaction order. From this vantage point, I also highlight situational variation, something attended to by few studies of cross-status interaction.

Rules of river avulsion change downstream.

Avulsing rivers create new pathways on the floodplain and the associated flooding can profoundly affect society1-4. River avulsions are thought to occur when the water column becomes perched above the floodplain5 or when the slope down the flanks of the channel provides a steeper descent than the existing river channel6,7. We test these classical ideas by quantifying the topography around avulsing rivers and show that these mechanisms, historically invoked separately, work together. Near coasts, rivers avulse when the slope away from the channel is steeper, not because they are perched. The opposite is true near mountain fronts; on fans, the alternative paths are similarly steep to the downstream path, so rivers avulse when they are perched above the surrounding landscape. We reconcile these findings and present a new theoretical framework that identifies which rivers are vulnerable to avulsion and predicts the path of an avulsing river. These first-order rules of avulsion suggest that avulsion risks are underestimated in many coastal environments8 and that probabilistic predictions of avulsion pathfinding can efficiently map hazards with minimal information. Applying these principles for risk assessment could particularly benefit the Global South, which is disproportionately affected by avulsions.

Logic, Perception, and Beauty—An Outline of the Modern Proportion-Based Approach in Architecture

The present study contributes to the discourse on the environmental paradigm in architecture, recognizing beauty as essential alongside community and sustainability. It examines the modern proportion-based approach within the realm of formal aesthetics, which views proportional relationships as essential for architectural form and aims to develop methods to manipulate these relationships to achieve desired aesthetic outcomes. The main objective of this study is to characterize the modern approach as a current distinct from classical theories. The research seeks to explore the unique rationales behind a systematic approach to architectural proportions and to discern how these rationales distinguish the modern approach from its classical predecessor. The research encompasses theories from the mid-19th century to the present day. Through content and comparative analysis, this study explores theories by key figures such as A. Thiersch, H.P. Berlage, Le Corbusier, H. van der Laan, J. Żórawski, J. Hale, and P. Märkli. This study reveals the modern proportional approach as a unique current that adapts classical ideas to modern sensibilities, shifting from classical cosmological symbolism to a focus on logical consistency, visual perception, and artistic expression. It maintains a dual relationship with tradition, preserving past methods while introducing new interpretations of their aesthetic function. Despite its modest impact on contemporary practice, the proportional approach is significant, emphasizing the visual quality of the built environment and pursuing timeless design principles that transcend fleeting trends, focusing on enduring aesthetic values.

A feature-specific prediction error model explains dopaminergic heterogeneity.

The hypothesis that midbrain dopamine (DA) neurons broadcast a reward prediction error (RPE) is among the great successes of computational neuroscience. However, recent results contradict a core aspect of this theory: specifically that the neurons convey a scalar, homogeneous signal. While the predominant family of extensions to the RPE model replicates the classic model in multiple parallel circuits, we argue that these models are ill suited to explain reports of heterogeneity in task variable encoding across DA neurons. Instead, we introduce a complementary 'feature-specific RPE' model, positing that individual ventral tegmental area DA neurons report RPEs for different aspects of an animal's moment-to-moment situation. Further, we show how our framework can be extended to explain patterns of heterogeneity in action responses reported among substantia nigra pars compacta DA neurons. This theory reconciles new observations of DA heterogeneity with classic ideas about RPE coding while also providing a new perspective of how the brain performs reinforcement learning in high-dimensional environments.

Misallocation under Trade Liberalization

This paper formalizes a classic idea that in second-best environments trade can induce welfare losses: incremental income losses from distortions can outweigh trade gains. In a Melitz model with distortionary taxes, we derive sufficient statistics for welfare gains/losses and show departures from the efficient case (Arkolakis, Costinot, and Rodríguez-Clare 2012) can be captured by the gap between an input and output share and domestic extensive margin elasticities. The loss reflects an endogenous selection of more subsidized firms into exporting. Using Chinese manufacturing data in 2005 and model-inferred firm-level distortions, we demonstrate that a sizable negative fiscal externality can potentially offset conventional gains. (JEL D22, F14, H25, L60, O19, P31, P33)

Moral panics on social media are fueled by signals of virality.

Moral panics have regularly erupted in society, but they appear almost daily on social media. We propose that social media helps fuel moral panics by combining perceived societal threats with a powerful signal of social amplification-virality. Eight studies with multiple methods test a social amplification model of moral panics in which virality amplifies perceptions of threats posed by deviant behavior and ideas, prompting moral outrage expression. Three naturalistic studies of Twitter (N = 237,230) reveal that virality predicts moral outrage in response to tweets about controversial issues, even when controlling for specific tweet content. Five experiments (N = 1,499) reveal the causal impact of virality on outrage expression and suggest that feelings of danger mediate this effect. This work connects classic ideas about moral panics with ongoing research on social media and provides a perspective on the nature of moral outrage. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

PECULIARITIES OF THE USE OF ANCIENT QUOTATIONS IN THE PORTRAITURE OF THE RENAISSANCE ERA

The article is devoted to the peculiarities of the use of quotations from ancient authors’ works in the form of inscriptions on secular portraits of the Renaissance period. It outlines the cultural and historical prerequisites that determined the peculiarities of portrait painting development in this period as well as the use of Latin inscriptions therein. The key underlying role in cultural development of this period played the change of religious and philosophical paradigm, the general cultural humanistic orientation of the era, as well as the revival of classical ancient ideas. These factors ultimately determined the selection and application of Latin inscriptions in the Renaissance portraiture. This paper analyses the grammatical features (change in the grammatical design of individual quotation elements) and structural transformations (abbreviation or, conversely, supplementation) of the ancient quotations on portraits depending on their respective functional load, which the painters availed themselves of, in order to explicitly convey their artistic intention. The article scrutinizes various semantic transformations undergone by ancient quotations in terms of their use in a completely different (as regards to the original text) cultural context. It also offers general description of the functional semantics of ancient quotations on secular portraits of the Renaissance period.

Migrant domestic workers and transnational foodcare chains in pandemic times

AbstractIn view of heightened food security issues in COVID‐19 times, we employ a transnational lens to give bifocal attention to migrant women’s experiences during the pandemic, as they sought to secure access to food for themselves and for left‐behind children and family members in Indonesia and the Philippines. In conjunction with the classic idea of global care chains and the notion of foodwork, we propose the idea of transnational foodcare chains. This distinctly agentic, migrant, and maternal food labour came to the fore under exceptional times of pandemic‐induced social distancing, economic precarity, and limited travel. First, we argue that these foodcare chains are multi‐relational, involving interdependence and reciprocity among a web of caregivers to secure food gaps. Second, we suggest that foodcare chains also extend to friendship networks forged among fellow migrant domestic workers in Singapore. Third, under pandemic conditions, we argue that foodcare chains enter the domain of well‐being and healthcare as food becomes evoked as medicine and cures. Drawing on findings from 40 qualitative interviews with Indonesian and Filipino migrant domestic workers in Singapore, we focus on developing, within studies of food (in)security, the idea of foodcare chains by foregrounding the maternal, relational, and often invisible labour of achieving food security for migrant women and their left‐behind families.

Entropy production for diffusion processes across a semipermeable interface

The emerging field of stochastic thermodynamics extends classical ideas of entropy, heat, and work to nonequilibrium systems. One notable finding is that the second law of thermodynamics typically only holds after taking appropriate averages with respect to an ensemble of stochastic trajectories. The resulting average rate of entropy production then quantifies the degree of departure from thermodynamic equilibrium. In this paper we investigate how the presence of a semipermeable interface increases the average entropy production of a single diffusing particle. Starting from the Gibbs-Shannon entropy for the particle probability density, we show that a semipermeable interface or membrane S increases the average rate of entropy production by an amount that is equal to the product of the flux through the interface and the logarithm of the ratio of the probability density on either side of the interface, integrated along S. The entropy production rate thus vanishes at thermodynamic equilibrium, but can be nonzero during the relaxation to equilibrium, or if there exists a nonzero stationary equilibrium state (NESS). We then give a probabilistic interpretation of the interfacial entropy production rate using so-called snapping out Brownian motion. This also allows us to construct a stochastic version of entropy production. Finally, we illustrate the theory using the example of diffusion with stochastic resetting on a circle, and find that the average rate of interfacial entropy production is a nonmonotonic function of the resetting rate and the permeability. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Delayed analogue of three-parameter pseudo-Mittag-Leffler functions and their applications to Hilfer pseudo-fractional time retarded differential equations

Delayed analogue of three-parameter pseudo-Mittag-Leffler functions and their applications to Hilfer pseudo-fractional time retarded differential equations

Unsteady flow of bubble liquid in hydraulic systems of aircraft and helicopters

The subject of this work is the phenomenon of a water hammer in a liquid that contains a small volume of gas bubbles. Historically, this phenomenon began to be studied as the dynamics of gas bubbles (Rayleigh-Pleset equation). Today, thanks to progress in computer technology, this phenomenon is studied at the level of bubble deformation during hydraulic shock. Another approach is to consider the dynamics of a multiphase (two-phase) medium in the form of a bubbly liquid. After several assumptions, the main one being a relatively small gas content in the liquid, the model consists of two differential equations with respect to the shock wave propagation speed and the resulting pressure perturbations. The specified system of equations differs from the corresponding classical water hammer equations: they consider the convection of the velocity field. In addition, the friction of the liquid against the wall according to the Weisbach-Darcy model is considered. Because of the small content of gas bubbles, the Weissbach-Darcy friction is approximated in the same way as in a homogeneous liquid, i.e., in a certain sense, greater than the real friction. Maybe that is why more or less physical results are obtained only for small values of the dimensionless parameter responsible for the friction of the liquid against the wall. It concerns the non-contradiction of the assumptions and the results obtained on their basis. Thus, in the front region of the shock pulse, where the pressure increases, the radial velocity of the bubbles is negative; however, for relatively large values of the friction parameter, the maximum pressure disturbance moves from the center of the shock pulse. This contradicts the assumption about compression: after passing the maximum pressure, gas bubbles expand due to a decrease in pressure. The graphical dependence obtained in this study are compared with the results related to a homogeneous liquid. They agree, but the shock pulse in a bubbly liquid is not as concentrated in space as that in a homogeneous liquid. Its length is 10-12 times greater than the corresponding value in a homogeneous liquid. Research methods are purely theoretical. The well-known bubble liquid model is used as a single-speed model continuum. Differential equations are solved analytically, approximately (series expansion), and numerically. In addition, the original approach of obtaining an analytical solution of an autonomous system is used-finding the function of pressure disturbances from the velocity of propagation of the shock pulse (and vice versa). Conclusions. A simple one-dimensional hydraulic model of shock wave (impulse) propagation in a bubbly liquid is proposed. In contrast to classical ideas (solutions) about a water hammer, which consists of two waves of opposite directions of propagation, a shock pulse is a region of pressure disturbances in which the speed of motion of fluid particles is also variable – from the maximum value to almost zero.

Political and legal ideas of Friedrich Hayek regarding the development and significance of the concept of the rule of law

The article examines the concept of the rule of law in the context of the political and legal views of Friedrich Hayek, a famous Austrian economist and philosopher who had a significant impact on modern political and legal theory. The article examines the essence of the concept of «rule of law» from the point of view of F. Hayek, and also analyzes his vision of the interaction of law, the state, and society. The main aspects of the concept of the rule of law, which F. Hayek developed in his writings, are considered. The views of F. Hayek on the role of the state in ensuring the rights and freedoms of citizens, the influence of legal norms on the functioning of the economy and society as a whole are analyzed.
 Attention is drawn to the fact that F. Hayek was one of the most influential economists and philosophers of the 20th century, who defended the ideas of classical liberalism and criticized socialism, interventionism and collectivism. It is shown that in the views of F. Hayek, the rule of law is a necessary condition for the development of freedom, democracy and market economy and actually means that laws should be general, abstract, stable, known and fair, and not aimed at achieving certain goals or interests. Such laws create equal conditions for all market participants and allow the use of scattered knowledge that exists in society.
 The concept of the rule of law is studied in the context of classical liberal ideas and ideals. It is analyzed how F.\ Hayek perceived the idea of limiting the power of the state through legal mechanisms and means protecting the individual rights of citizens. Within the framework of F. Hayek’s political and legal views, special emphasis is placed on the idea of «constitutional liberalism» and the determination of the limits of power. It is studied how these ideas contributed to the formation of the rule of law as a system that guarantees a balance between individual freedoms and the need for state regulation. The main aspects of F. Hayek’s philosophical and political views are highlighted, which have become key to understanding the essence and significance of the rule of law in modern legal discourse.
 The interaction between the rule of law and the economy is analyzed, paying special attention to F. Hayek’s contribution to the formation of the concept and the development of relevant practices. Key aspects such as the role of law, property, and market relations in the context of the rule of law are considered. It is highlighted how F. Hayek determined the importance of the legal foundation for ensuring the stability, transparency and efficiency of the economic environment. In addition, attention is drawn to F. Hayek’s views on the role of the law as a stabilizing factor that should protect the rights of citizens and ensure the efficient operation of economic structures.

Current scientific approaches to the establishment and development of international trade and economic relations

The evolution of international trade and trade policy has come a long way from mercantilism, A. Smith’s theory of absolute advantage, D. Ricardo’s comparative advantage. At present, there is no doubt that countries choose different models based on objective conditions of the cost of resources, the level of competitiveness achieved in goods and services and other factors. It has been proven many times that countries, following Heckscher-Ohlin’s model, export goods for which there are surplus resources and import goods with scarce resources. However, in the last 30-40 years, new theoretical concepts and views have emerged that, in our view, contribute to an understanding of the development of international trade and economic relations. The study is aimed at systematizing and supplementing the scientific base of trade and economic relations with modern views of scientists, not always directly related to international trade, but explaining its individual aspects, adequate to the current conditions of the world economy. The authors have generalized current theoretical approaches and concepts complementing classical ideas on the development of trade and economic relations. Two groups of scientific approaches have been identified: those that perform the function of forming the framework of the system of trade and economic relations and the function of «fine tuning». It is shown that at present the institutional approach occupies a special place. In particular, specialized bilateral and multilateral institutions can be a powerful tool for the development of trade and economic ties, the impact of which in modern economies cannot be underestimated. It is shown that sanctions cause serious damage to Russia by squeezing out of multilateral institutions of development of trade and economic relations. However, globalization continues to deepen its contradictions, contributing to the further fragmentation of the global world. The study contributes to the explanation of what is a sustainable system of economic relations between countries from the standpoint of modern scientific theories.

In vitro activity of human defensins HNP-1 and hBD-3 against multidrug-resistant ESKAPE Gram-negatives of clinical origin and selected peptidoglycan recycling-defective mutants.

In the current scenario of critical need for new antimicrobials against multidrug-resistant bacteria, all options must be considered, including classic ideas such as the use of purified immune compounds. However, information regarding the activity of certain human defensins against ESKAPE Gram-negatives was incomplete. This is the first study comparatively assessing the in vitro activity of two membrane-permeabilizing/peptidoglycan construction-blocking defensins (HNP-1 and hBD-3) against relevant clinical collections of ESKAPE Gram-negatives, alone or in combination with permeabilizers, additional peptidoglycan-targeting attacks, or the blockade of its recycling. Our data suggest that hBD-3 has a notable bactericidal activity against multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii and Enterobacter cloacae strains that should be considered as potential adjuvant option. Our results suggest for the first time an increased resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains from chronic infection compared to acute origin ones, and provide new clues about the predominant mode of action of hBD-3 against Gram-negatives (permeabilization rather than peptidoglycan-targeting).

Analogia Entis in a Monastic Vision: Thomas Merton’s Answer to the Modern World

The idea of analogia entis has undergone a long intellectual development and gained unprecedented importance in the twentieth century with the elaboration of Przywara. It seems difficult to correlate the development of this classical theological idea with Thomas Merton (1915–1968). Nevertheless, in the face of the challenges of the modern world, Merton’s way of thinking resonates with many of the connotations of analogia entis as articulated by Przywara. This paper attempts to argue that Merton, in his late works, alludes to the metaphysics, epistemology, and, by extension, the methodology of inter-religious dialogue that analogia entis entails by elaborating on the ideas of natural contemplation, symbolism, and metaphysical intuition.

THE MORAL FOUNDATIONS OF THE POLITICS UNDER CONDITIONS OF DIGITAL SOCIETY FLEXIBILITY: IF HUMAN VALUES NO LONGER MATTER (PART 1)

The main goal of the presented study is to analyze the features of the transformation of the moral foundations of politics in the digital society conditions. The authors start from the classical ideas about the moral foundations of politics as a multi-level complex that constitutes identity and provides legitimization of power and includes conceptual and theoretical ideologies developed by political philosophy, value-colored party-political programs for achieving goals, reflected in the mass consciousness of ideology-feelings. Modern digital society conceptions by M. Castells, T. Redshaw, M. Chayko, J. Wajcman and N. Dodd are used as the main theoretical tool for revising the transformation of the moral foundations of politics in the context of digitalization. The elasticity of a digital society is seen as the ability of a new technological paradigm characterized by permanent innovation and fluidity to modify institutions and systems by reconfiguration their components in a way that does not lead to the destruction of the basic organizational structure. The impact of the elasticity of the digital society on the moral foundations of politics is revealed through the lens of the increasing mosaic of discursive images of the political system elements and the displacement to the periphery political phenomena with a rigid value-normative structure. It concludes that in the conditions of a digital society, a complex set of moral foundations of politics has a pronounced tendency to collapse to the limits of the most actualized forms of manifestation of values in the form of ideologies-feelings of mass consciousness, while higher levels of values naturally atrophy due to the impossibility of meaningful interaction with the speed of the political process in the conditions of digitalization.

Imaginação de políticas alternativas para o desenvolvimento indiano antitóxico

ABSTRACT Worsening joblessness in India is put forward here from the multiple and inter-connected argumentative lens of formal-informal dichotomy by labour productivity differential, market size constraint, labour market flexibility, capital inflows, political constraint, corporate industrialization and welfare economic implications. In the process, the limitations of the classic developmental ideas of Kuznets, Lewis and Schumpeter are critiqued. Thereafter, an alternative policy framework is proposed to achieve economic development focused on employment, equity and environmental uplift. The paper shows how the massive unemployment problem can be managed in India’s democratic set up by departing from conventional wisdom about industrialization.