Closest Neighbours Research Articles

Authority to Liberate the Ottoman Legacy

One of the most striking elements of Dušan Grabrijan’s and Juraj Neidhardt’s oeuvre is the extent and freedom of associations with the contested Ottoman legacy in the first decades of the socialist era in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as seen in their book Architecture of Bosnia and the Way towards Modernity. Such freedom primarily resulted from the increasingly favorable political environment that permitted and encouraged decentralization from the predominantly negative portrayal of the Ottoman past.This paper seeks to unravel the structure and sources of the main discourses used by Grabrijan and Neidhardt in Architecture of Bosnia to deal with the stigma of the Ottoman heritage. We argue that they utilize a certain syncretic language that reflects their own and varied experiences within the Orient-Occident borderline. We assert that their first generating discourse is that of modernism, while the second one revolves around the so-called ‘close neighbor’ or ‘domesticated foreigner’ perspective on the Orient. The premise of Grabrijan’s and Neidhardt’s first position is argued through the parallels of their narrative and the inherent modernist authorization to operate with scientific displacement. The premise of the second position is confirmed through contact nodes with the local differentiated orientalist discourse, which Heiss and Feichtinger (2013) define as distinct in relation to Said’s general concept of oriental Otherness as formulated in Orientalism (1978).In addition to plunging into the dualistic nature of Grabrijan’s and Neidhardt’s work on the lines of modernism and otherness, center-periphery, the conclusions of the paper point to the broader problem of the controversies of the Bosnian and Herzegovinian heritage, where the relationship of modernism towards/with Ottoman heritage is still an underrepresented subject.

A Robust Optimization Approach to Network Control Using Local Information Exchange

Managing networks often involves extensive communication between all parts of the system, which can be inefficient and raise privacy concerns. This paper explores an alternative approach where each part of the system only communicates with its closest neighbors. By simplifying the communication structure, the system can operate with less computational effort while maintaining privacy. Applied to areas like energy management and supply chains, this method has the potential to provide similar outcomes to traditional models but with fewer communication requirements. The results suggest that this approach could offer a more efficient and privacy-conscious way to manage networks.

Entropy production of active Brownian particles going from liquid to hexatic and solid phases

Due to its inherent intertwinement with irreversibility, entropy production is a prime observable to monitor in systems of active particles. In this numerical study, entropy production in the liquid, hexatic and solid phases of a two-dimensional system of active Brownian particles is examined at both average and fluctuation level. The trends of averages as functions of density show no singularity and marked changes in their derivatives at the hexatic-solid transition. Distributions show instead peculiar tail structures interpreted by looking at microscopic configurations. Particles in regions of low local order generate tail values according to different dynamical mechanisms: they move towards empty regions or bounce back and forth into close neighbours. The tail structures are reproduced by a simple single-particle model including an intermittent harmonic potential.

Особенности роста сосны обыкновенной в условиях Красноярской лесостепи

The growth peculiarities of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) have been studied by the example of an even-aged pine stand of high density. A long-term research has been conducted on a permanent sample plot. The data has been collected from the stand aged from 37 to 55 years. The characteristics of individual trees and the entire stand during the growth period in the absence of external influences (cutting, windfalls, pest damage, etc.) and after improvement cuttings have been analyzed. The influence of the amount of resource available to a tree on the formation of crowns, root systems and stem wood has been investigated. The size of the available resource has been the square of the dominance area. The root system of the pine trees of the studied stands is compact in size and, despite the high stand density, due to the high content of nutrients in the soil and the absence of moisture deficiency, it sufficiently ensures intensive tree growth corresponding to the conditions of the I quality class. It has been found that under these conditions, the average area of the root system is proportional to the average square of the dominance area. It has been shown that the stem diameter at a height of 1.3 m in the absence of external influences significantly depends on the square of the dominance area. The correlation coefficient of these indicators for the studied stand at the age of 37 is 0.89. The influence of cuttings on annual radial increment has been studied using dendrochronology methods. It has been revealed that in the year following the cutting, it has increased by 1.3–2.0 times, depending on the increase in the square of the dominance area. A method has been proposed for calculating the competition coefficient as a share of the resource required for the free growth of a tree, which is redistributed between its closest neighbours. Long-term observations have shown that with competition coefficients exceeding 0.6–0.7, the stem diameter increment rate decreases significantly, and the trees develop a sparse crown extending less than 40 % of the tree height. This, in turn, leads to growth retardation and a transition to a depressed state. This, in turn, leads to growth retardation and a transition to a depressed state.

The dialectics of intergroup relations between the Alago and Eggon peoples of Central Nigeria

ABSTRACT This study dwells on Alago-Eggon relations within the discursive remit of the dialectics of intergroup relations in Nasarawa State, Central Nigeria. Historicizing the patterns, dynamics, shifts and trajectories of their relations over the years, the study found that the two groups have engaged in diverse forms of mutually beneficial and supportive relationships as close geographical and cultural neighbours. The study revealed that the relationship between the groups witnessed a dramatic setback in the 2010s, following primordial contestations for power by their political elites, which plunged the two groups into inter-communal animosity. The study noted that the relationship between the two groups has been largely tense and hostile since the onset of their communal crises, and that has had significant implications for their peaceful coexistence and social cohesion.

Bilateral Law of the Sea Neighbors: Australia and New Zealand’s Partnership and McDorman’s North American Rivals

Ted McDorman’s scholarship had a focus on Canada/United States law of the sea relations ranging from the Arctic, to fisheries, islands, maritime boundaries, and dispute settlement. Using McDorman’s frame of analysis, this article assesses Australian/New Zealand law of the sea relations relating to the Southern Ocean, fisheries, islands, maritime boundaries, marine environmental protection, and dispute settlement. Building on McDorman’s Canada/United States scholarship, Australian/New Zealand relations between close maritime neighbors with shared boundaries, culture, economies, and history are assessed.

Helicobacter cappadocius sp. nov., from lizards: The first psychrotrophic Helicobacter species

It was aimed to determine the prevalence of Helicobacter in some reptilian and amphibian species in Türkiye and to describe the bacteria. For this purpose, 73 cloacal swab samples were used as material. The description of the isolates was performed by detailed phenotypic tests, whole genome analyses, and MALDI-TOF MS. As a result of the phenotypic analysis, two helical, curved Gram-negative, motile isolates were recovered. It was determined through the analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences that two isolates belonged to the genus Helicobacter. These isolates were found to be in a distinct group from other Helicobacter species. However, the 16S rRNA sequence did not match any identified species, with the closest match being Helicobacter mustelae strain R85-13-6T, which had an identity level of 96.2 %. Additionally, it was found that strains faydin-H75T and faydin-H76 had a 99.3 % identity level for their 16S rRNA genes. After conducting dDDH and ANI analyses, it was found that strains faydin-H75T and their close neighbors H.anseris ATCC BAA-1299T shared 13.5 % and 68.8 % similarity, respectively. The genome size of the strains was 1.7 Mb while G + C contents were 33.5 %. Metagenomic analyses using IMNGS and Protologger tools revealed the presence of faydin-H75T in various lizard species with high similarity, confirming its broad distribution and host specificity. The results indicated that these two strains represent a novel species, for which we propose the name Helicobacter cappadocius with faydin-H75T (=NCTC014972 = LMG 33382 = DSM117062) as the respective type strain. The current novel species is the first Helicobacter species to exhibit a psychrotrophic feature.

THE ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION IN ACHIEVING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AT THE GLOBAL LEVEL

In the context of globalization and demographic change, states are currently more vulnerable to non-military, asymmetric, hybrid and cyber threats and threats from non-state actors. Russia's war on Ukraine, Hamas's military attack on Israel indicate the likelihood of armed aggression against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the state in modern global conditions. In the introductory part of the paper, the author analyzes the notion of national security as the ability of states, taking into account global changes and development, to protect their own identity, survival and interests. Furthermore, the author analyzes the need to achieve Sustainable Development at the global level. In the final part of the paper, the author states that Investing in the common future with its closest neighbors is fundamental for the long-term political stability of the European Union itself. Therefore, the enlargement of the European Union is based on development programs aimed at achieving political stability, secure economic conditions, social cohesion and environmental sustainability. The content will be created based on the analysis of foreign literature and using electronic content. In preparing the content of the paper, the author will apply the general scientific methods: the descriptive method, the normative method, the comparative method and the content analysis method as a special scientific method.

Indirect social influence and diffusion of innovations: An experimental approach.

A fundamental feature for understanding the diffusion of innovations through a social group is the manner in which we are influenced by our own social interactions. It is usually assumed that only direct interactions, those that form our social network, determine the dynamics of adopting innovations. Here, we test this assumption by experimentally and theoretically studying the role of direct and indirect influences in the adoption of innovations. We perform experiments specifically designed to capture the influence that an individual receives from their direct social ties as well as from those socially close to them, as a function of the separation they have in their social network. The results of 21 experimental sessions with more than 590 participants show that the rate of adoption of an innovation is significantly influenced not only by our nearest neighbors but also by the second and third levels of influences an adopter has. Using a mathematical model that accounts for both direct and indirect interactions in a network, we fit the experimental results and determine the way in which influences decay with social distance. The results indicate that the strength of peer pressure on an adopter coming from its second and third circles of influence is approximately two-third and one-third, respectively, relative to their closest neighbors. Our results strongly suggest that the adoption of an innovation is a complex process in which an individual feels significant pressure not only from their direct ties but also by those socially close to them.

A THREAT ANALYSIS: CHALLENGES TO HUMANSECURITY FOR VENEZUELAN MIGRANTS POST-MIGRATION TO TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

The country of Venezuela which is a close neighbor of Trinidad and Tobago continues to confront a major crisis that has unleashed multiple forms of sociopolitical violenc e against its citizens and has created a plethora of problems and threats including poverty, insecurity, and human rights violations. This ongoing socioeconomic crisis began around 2013 and has become progressively worse. Hyperinflation, escalating starvation, disease, crime and mortality rates are commonplace resulting in massive migration from the country. About seven millio n persons have left Venezuela over the last ten years seeking better lives and safety. About one hundred thousand of these migrants are in Trinidadand Tobago.Outward migration caused by this situation has been linked to numerous new challenges to Venezuelan migrants in Trinidad and Tobago. This paper sought to understand the experiences of these migrants. A cross-sectional qualitative project was conducted to discuss the threat environment for these migrants analysing resettlement threat factors for health, security and general well being through semi-structured interviews(forty).Theanalysis focused on understanding the experiences of Venezuelan migrants during the period 2014-2024 and was conducted during the period March1-April 30 2024. The research revealed threats related to health, safety, education,employment and general well being of Venezuelan migrants that have informe d migration policies, and human rights efforts for Trinidad and Tobago.

The Intriguing Pattern of Nontuberculous Mycobacteria in Bulgaria and Description of Mycobacterium bulgaricum sp. nov.

We investigated the rise of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) infections in Bulgaria, focusing on species identification and distribution from 2018 to 2022. Utilizing advanced diagnostic tools, including the Hain Mycobacterium CM/AS method, Myco-biochip assay, and whole-genome sequencing, the study identifies and characterizes a diverse range of Mycobacterium species from clinical samples. While M. avium, M. gordonae, M. fortuitum, and M. chelonae were dominating, a number of rare species were also found. They include such species as M. marseillense and M. celatum. Moreover, the noticeable prevalence of M. terrae complex species missed by conventional testing was observed. We identified a rare species, highly homologous to previously described strains from Japan; based on genome-genome distance data, we propose its reannotation as a new species. Further, a novel species was identified, which is significantly distinct from its closest neighbor, M. iranicum, with ANI = 87.18%. Based on the SeqCode procedure, we propose to name this new species Mycobacterium bulgaricum sp. nov. Dynamic changes in NTM species prevalence in Bulgaria observed from 2011 to 2022 highlight the emergence of new species and variations tied to environmental and demographic factors. This underscores the importance of accurate species identification and genotyping for understanding NTM epidemiology, informing public health strategies, and enhancing diagnostic accuracy and treatment protocols.

The application of chemical similarity measures in an unconventional modeling framework c-RASAR along with dimensionality reduction techniques to a representative hepatotoxicity dataset

With the exponential progress in the field of cheminformatics, the conventional modeling approaches have so far been to employ supervised and unsupervised machine learning (ML) and deep learning models, utilizing the standard molecular descriptors, which represent the structural, physicochemical, and electronic properties of a particular compound. Deviating from the conventional approach, in this investigation, we have employed the classification Read-Across Structure-Activity Relationship (c-RASAR), which involves the amalgamation of the concepts of classification-based quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) and Read-Across to incorporate Read-Across-derived similarity and error-based descriptors into a statistical and machine learning modeling framework. ML models developed from these RASAR descriptors use similarity-based information from the close source neighbors of a particular query compound. We have employed different classification modeling algorithms on the selected QSAR and RASAR descriptors to develop predictive models for efficient prediction of query compounds’ hepatotoxicity. The predictivity of each of these models was evaluated on a large number of test set compounds. The best-performing model was also used to screen a true external data set. The concepts of explainable AI (XAI) coupled with Read-Across were used to interpret the contributions of the RASAR descriptors in the best c-RASAR model and to explain the chemical diversity in the dataset. The application of various unsupervised dimensionality reduction techniques like t-SNE and UMAP and the supervised ARKA framework showed the usefulness of the RASAR descriptors over the selected QSAR descriptors in their ability to group similar compounds, enhancing the modelability of the dataset and efficiently identifying activity cliffs. Furthermore, the activity cliffs were also identified from Read-Across by observing the nature of compounds constituting the nearest neighbors for a particular query compound. On comparing our simple linear c-RASAR model with the previously reported models developed using the same dataset derived from the US FDA Orange Book (https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/ob/index.cfm), it was observed that our model is simple, reproducible, transferable, and highly predictive. The performance of the LDA c-RASAR model on the true external set supersedes that of the previously reported work. Therefore, the present simple LDA c-RASAR model can efficiently be used to predict the hepatotoxicity of query chemicals.

Diabetic Retinopathy Using Deep Learning

Untreated diabetic retinopathy, a complication of uncontrolled diabetes, may lead to total blindness if not addressed promptly. Consequently, in order to avoid the serious complications of diabetic retinopathy, it is crucial to diagnose the condition early and treat it medically. Patients go through a lot of pain and suffering as ophthalmologists manually identify diabetic retinopathy. With the use of an automated method, diabetic retinopathy may be detected more rapidly, allowing for easier follow-up therapy to prevent more eye damage. This paper presents a machine learning strategy for feature extraction including exudates, hemorrhages, and micro aneurysms. The strategy involves a hybrid classifier that integrates support vector machine, k closest neighbour, random forest, logistic regression, and multilayer perceptron networks. To further assist in DR stage image recognition, for instance to detect blood vessels, future research may center on applying object identification techniques based on convolutional neural networks (CNNs).

The role of food trade in the European Single Market in the years 2000-2022

This article examines the role of food in the external trade of the Member States of the European Union. The paper is based on literature and data collected from international databases of the World Bank, EUROSTAT and the Statista service. A statistical-descriptive analysis method was applied to the data on export volumes and their structure, as well as to the comparison of gravity index values and their deviations. The results of the research indicate an upward trend in food trade between EU countries. Between 2000 and 2022, the value of the intarnal market of EU food trade tripled. Four product groups play a dominant role in intra-EU trade: meat products, dairy products, cereals and fruit and vegetables. On the other hand, the Benelux countries, Germany and France have the largest trade flows. Belgium is an exporter with a significant role in trade for all the main food groups. The main intra-EU trade flows take place mainly between the closest neighbours.

¿Por qué las gotas de agua son ubicuas en la naturaleza?

Drops are made up of small volumes of some liquid. The most common in nature and in our daily life experience are water droplets. In general, droplets owe their existence and shape to the so-called surface tension forces, which not only act on the surface molecules and their closest neighbors, but are also directed towards the interior of the liquid. The pressure difference between a point outside the drop and a point inside it contains direct information about the ratio between the surface tension and its radius

Analysis of Japanese Cultural Patterns

Japan is a close neighbor of China. Since ancient times, China and Japan have had close cultural exchanges. The splendid Chinese culture has played an extremely important role in the course of Japanese history and the development of Japanese culture. The discussion of Japanese culture can enhance the understanding between the two peoples, and can also achieve the purpose of cross-cultural communication through the study of Japanese culture. Hosftede's cultural dimension theory and Minkov's cultural dimension theory used in this paper provide a strong theoretical basis and support for cultural analysis and interpretation in the context of the rapid development of globalization and cross-cultural communication. This paper makes a deep analysis of Japanese culture through seven cultural dimensions, from which it can be seen that Japan is a country with a relatively large power gap, a tendency to collectivism, masculinity and uncertainty avoidance. At the same time, Japanese culture is a laissez-faire culture with strong flexibility and a tendency to universalism.

Cognatishimia coralii sp. nov., a marine bacterium isolated from seawater surrounding corals.

Coral reefs are declining due to the rising seawater temperature. Bacteria within and surrounding corals play key roles in maintaining the homeostasis of the coral holobiont. Research on coral-related bacteria could provide benefits for coral reef restoration. During the isolation of coral-associated bacteria, a Gram-stain-negative, motile bacterium (D5M38T) was isolated from seawater surrounding corals in Daya Bay, Shenzhen, PR China. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that strain D5M38T represents a novel species in the genus Cognatishimia. The temperature range for strain D5M38T growth was 10-40 °C, and the optimum temperature was 37 °C. The salinity range for the growth of this isolate was from 0 to 4.0 %, with an optimal salinity level of 0.5 %. The pH range necessary for strain D5M38T growth was between pH 5.0 and 9.0, with an optimal pH being 7.5. The predominant fatty acid was summed feature 8 (65.0 %). The major respiratory quinone was Q-10. The DNA G+C content was 56.8 %. The genome size was 3.88 Mb. The average nucleotide identity (ANI), average amino acid identity (AAI) and digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) values between strain D5M38T and its two closest neighbours, Cognatishimia activa LMG 29900T and Cognatishimia maritima KCTC 23347T, were 73.2/73.6%, 73.2/73.6% and 19.7/19.5%, respectively. Strain D5M38T was clearly distinct from its closest neighbours C. activa LMG 29900T and C. maritima KCTC 23347T, with 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity values of 97.5 and 97.3 %, respectively. The phylogenetic analysis, along with the ANI, AAI, and dDDH values, demonstrated that strain D5M38T is a member of the genus Cognatishimia, and is distinct from the other two recognized species within this genus. The physiological, biochemical and chemotaxonomic characteristics also supported the species novelty of strain D5M38T. Thus, strain D5M38T is considered to be classified as representing a novel species in the genus Cognatishimia, for which the name Cognatishimia coralii sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is D5M38T (=MCCC 1K08692T=KCTC 8160T).

Spurious correlations in surface-based functional brain imaging.

The study of functional MRI data is increasingly performed after mapping from volumetric voxels to surface vertices. Processing pipelines commonly used to achieve this mapping produce meshes with uneven vertex spacing, with closer neighbours in sulci compared to gyri. Consequently, correlations between the fMRI time series of neighbouring sulcal vertices are stronger than expected. However, the causes, extent, and impacts of this bias are not well understood or widely appreciated. We explain the origins of these biases, and using in-silico models of fMRI data, illustrate how they lead to spurious results. The bias leads to leakage of anatomical cortical folding information into fMRI time series. We show that many common analyses can be affected by this "gyral bias", including test-retest reliability, fingerprinting, functional parcellations, regional homogeneity, and brain-behaviour associations. Finally, we provide recommendations to avoid or remedy this spatial bias.

Commensal microbiome and gastrointestinal mucosal immunity: Harmony and conflict with our closest neighbor.

The gastrointestinal tract contains a wide range of microorganisms that have evolved alongside the immune system of the host. The intestinal mucosa maintains balance within the intestines by utilizing the mucosal immune system, which is controlled by the complex gut mucosal immune network. This review aims to comprehensively introduce current knowledge of the gut mucosal immune system, focusing on its interaction with commensal bacteria. The gut mucosal immune network includes gut-associated lymphoid tissue, mucosal immune cells, cytokines, and chemokines. The connection between microbiota and the immune system occurs through the engagement of bacterial components with pattern recognition receptors found in the intestinal epithelium and antigen-presenting cells. This interaction leads to the activation of both innate and adaptive immune responses. The interaction between the microbial community and the host is vital for maintaining the balance and health of the host's mucosal system. The gut mucosal immune network maintains a delicate equilibrium between active immunity, which defends against infections and damaging non-self antigens, and immunological tolerance, which allows for the presence of commensal microbiota and dietary antigens. This balance is crucial for the maintenance of intestinal health and homeostasis. Disturbance of gut homeostasis leads to enduring or severe gastrointestinal ailments, such as colorectal cancer and inflammatory bowel disease. Utilizing these factors can aid in the development of cutting-edge mucosal vaccines that have the ability to elicit strong protective immune responses at the primary sites of pathogen invasion.

Обстоятельства развития внутренней и внешней экспансии горцев Северного Кавказа в начале XIX века

The article substantiates the socio-cultural and other conditions, causes and essence of mountain internal and external expansion, which in the local interpretation took the form of raiding practice. The author lists the problems that the mountaineers of the North Caucasus sought to solve with the help of raids on close or distant neighbors. This phenomenon had a long history and reflected the peculiarities and specifics of the everyday life of mountain societies that maintained a militarized way of life. Together with traditional agricultural activities, equestrianism played an important role in their sociocultural development, contributed to the formation of new social relations in the mountain environment, built on status stratification, and established the institution of private property and inequality among the mountaineers. These processes, however, should not be taken into account as absolutes, since mountain communities had well-developed mechanisms to prevent the decomposition of the established social system. To the greatest extent by the beginning of the 19th century the practice of raiding was developed among the Circassians and the peoples of Dagestan, although all other ethnic groups of the North Caucasus used raids at the first opportunity, due to the fact that it was an attribute of their everyday upbringing and manifestation of the spirit of belligerence.