Color Characters Research Articles

Exploring the Potential of Morphometrics to Inform the Conservation of Iguana delicatissima

Invasive alien species severely impact native and endemic species, disproportionately affecting insular species like Caribbean reptiles. The Lesser Antillean iguana, Iguana delicatissima, is rapidly declining due to hybridization with non-native green iguanas (NNGIs). With numerous NNGI populations present in the region, the last I. delicatisisma-inhabited islands remain highly susceptible to invasion, whereupon the rapid in situ differentiation of NNGIs is essential. However, currently only few scale and coloration characters allow the in situ identification of NNGIs. Here, we assessed the differentiating power of an additional 20 meristic and length-dependent characteristics between the I. delicatissima population on St. Eustatius and the NNGI population on St. Maarten, the main source of NNGIs arriving on St. Eustatius. Of these, 13 significantly differed between I. delicatissima and NNGIs, with a ≥94% assignment accuracy in multi-variate predictive models. We recommend that these characteristics be assessed and validated, especially for hybrid individuals, allowing the identification of NNGIs even in populations where hybridization is ongoing. Our work demonstrates the value of investing in baseline morphometric datasets for I. delicatissima and other native iguanas to aid in the rapid in situ detection of NNGIs for removal.

The Influence of BookTok on Literary Criticisms and Diversity

BookTok, a TikTok community where creators discuss and review books, influences the publishing industry as books that gain popularity on TikTok have seen mainstream success. BookTok is believed to be a diverse space where stories about marginalized identities are celebrated. This is in opposition to the traditional publishing world that is dominated by White, heterosexual, cis-gendered men. However, despite misconceptions, online spaces are notably homogeneous, and TikTok does not appear to diverge from these patterns. By analyzing 55 TikTok videos collected from the BookTok community, this study analyzes the race, gender, and sexual orientation of TikTok creators, authors, and main characters of BookTok books. This article aims to understand the effects social media applications such as TikTok have on the publishing world and to understand BookTok’s relation to diversity. While there is more gender equity among the authors of BookTok than in the traditional publishing world, there continues to be a deficiency in the prevalence of marginalized authors on the platform. Although women creators and women authors are popular on the app, most of these women are White. In addition, the authors who are most discussed on BookTok do not typically include persons of color or members of the LGBTQ+ community. The tendency for authors to write about their own experiences results in there being few characters of color and few books about members of the LGBTQ+ community. Publishing houses should prioritize increased collaboration with authors of color and LGBTQ+ authors, while also using BookTok to promote and advertise their work.

Hubungan Kekerabatan Tanaman Talas (Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott) di Kabupaten Bengkayang Berdasarkan Karakter Morfologi

Taro (Colocasia esculenta (L.) Scott) is a plant classified as a tuber derived from the genus Colocasia and belongs to the Araceae tribe. Analysis of kinship relationships can be done by observing morphological characters. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between taro plants in Bengkayang Regency based on morphological characters. This research was conducted from April to June 2023. Taking 30 samples in 6 sub-districts using purposive sampling method. Analysis of kinship relationships using the NTSys program with the UPGMA method. The results showed that 30 taro accessions had a similarity coefficient value of 0.52-0.93 or 52-93%. The results of kinship relationship analysis obtained 4 clusters at a similarity coefficient value of 0.60 or 60%. The results of morphological characterization based on qualitative and quantitative characters show that taro accessions have diversity in leaf and cormus characters of taro, especially in color characters.

Book bans in political context: Evidence from US schools.

In the 2021-2022 school year, more books were banned in US school districts than in any previous year. Book banning and other forms of information censorship have serious implications for democratic processes, and censorship has become a central theme of partisan political rhetoric in the United States. However, there is little empirical work on the exact content, predictors of, and repercussions of this rise in book bans. Using a comprehensive dataset of 2,532 bans that occurred during the 2021-2022 school year from PEN America, combined with county-level administrative data, multiple book-level digital trace datasets, restricted-use book sales data, and a new crowd-sourced dataset of author demographic information, we find that (i) banned books are disproportionately written by people of color and feature characters of color, both fictional and historical, in children's books; (ii) right-leaning counties that have become less conservative over time are more likely to ban books than neighboring counties; and (iii) national and state levels of interest in books are largely unaffected after they are banned. Together, these results suggest that rather than serving primarily as a censorship tactic, book banning in this recent US context, targeted at low-interest children's books featuring diverse characters, is more similar to symbolic political action to galvanize shrinking voting blocs.

“This is not easy”: Unveiling the nuances of discrimination experienced by LGBTQ+ teenagers in Heartstopper Season I (2022)

A majority of LGBTQ+ students experience harassment or assault based on sexual orientation and gender identity. It is as depicted in the Netflix Series entitled Heartstopper released in 2022. While the show centers on the budding romance between Nick and Charlie, it also delves into the experiences of a wider LGBTQ+ friend group. Thus, the aim of this current study is to examine the portrayal of discrimination experienced by LGBTQ+ teenagers in Heartstopper Season 1 and identify its causes, including the characters of color and those identifying as lesbian and gay. The qualitative approach is used using dialogues and pictures as the main data. Besides, gender theory is also employed to analyze the data features LGBTQ+ characters and the discrimination they experience. The result shows that the discrimination comes from both racial background and general people's expectation. Also, the discrimination against gay characters arguably happens due to the rejection of the community, in this case the same-sex school community. Machoism and masculinity may become the main reasons for rejecting, and thus discriminating against gay students as they are seen as weak and thin. By revealing the causes of such discrimination, we hope that the current research may shed light on how to prevent any discrimination against each other, including people with different sexual orientation.

Representing Rural: A Critical Content Analysis of Contemporary Middle Grade Novels Set in Rural Places

Children’s literature contains shared meanings that not only reflect societal norms, but also reinstate and reconstitute societal norms. This study used critical content analysis methods grounded in place theory to analyze the textual constructions of rurality in 52 contemporary, middle grade, realistic fiction novels set in US rural places. Findings revealed five salient themes, three of which are discussed in this article: systems work to keep rural people in poverty; rural people have deep connections to place; and rural people have diverse, intersectional identities. While some middle grade books in the sample move toward challenging stereotypes of rural places as monolithic (e.g., White-majority, socially conservative) by including nuanced portrayals of some characters of color, LGBTQ+ characters, and characters with disabilities, others rely on simplistic and otherwise problematic representations, using familiar tropes about rural people that suggest racial and cultural homogeneity privileging Whiteness and making invisible BIPOC in rural communities. Given the powerful impact of stories on identity formation and sensemaking, this study analyzes textual representations of rural people and places in books for middle grade readers.

Phylogenomics of the geometrid tribe Palyadini (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) reveals contrasting patterns of phylogenetic signal in wing colour characters.

Next generation sequencing techniques currently represent a practical and efficient way to infer robust evolutionary hypotheses. Palyadini is a small Neotropical tribe of geometrid moths composed of six genera that feature strikingly colourful wings. Here, we investigated patterns of evolution and amount of phylogenetic signal contained in various colour characters featured in the wings of members of this tribe by (i) inferring a robust phylogenetic hypothesis using ultraconserved elements (UCEs), and afterwards, (ii) mapping the morphological characters onto the molecular topology under a parsimonious ancestral character optimization. Our matrix, obtained with 60% completeness, includes 754 UCE loci and 73 taxa (64 ingroup, nine outgroup). Maximum likelihood and parsimony generated largely identical topologies with strongly supported nodes, except for one node inside the genus Opisthoxia. According to our topology, most wing colour characters are reconstructed as homoplastic, particularly at the tribe level, but five of the seven provide evidence supporting common ancestry at the genus level. Our results emphasize, once again, that no character system is infallible, and that more research is necessary to take our understanding of the evolution of wing colour in moths to a level comparable with the knowledge we have for butterflies.

"Dwaj święci" Aleksandra Kuprina: Studium przypadku


 
 
 Aleksandr Kuprin is considered to be a penetrating and wise observer of human life, admirer of colourful characters which represent different social groups, a writer who is able to transgress the borderlines of literary conventions in order to reveal fundamental truthes of the human existence. The tale Two saints proves these statements to be true. Its main heroes are Nicholas, bishop of Myra and John Cassian. Following the plot of the Russian folk legend, A. Kuprin depicts their journey in common to the Heavens, skilfully approximates both ancient saints to his reader and demonstrates different ways that lead to God, whose Justice is Mercy. 
 
 

Convergent and environmentally associated chromatic polymorphism in Bryconops Kner, 1858 (Ostariophysi: Characiformes: Iguanodectidae).

Bryconops Kner, 1858, includes two well defined subgenera based on morphological evidence, with each containing at least one species (B. (Bryconops) caudomaculatus and B. (Creatochanes) melanurus) with a very wide distribution, within which regional populations present color variations. To test if phenotypic variation is related to cladogenetic events, we performed tests for phylogenetic independence and determined the strength of convergence for color characters in relation to water type, as the variation between clear, black and white waters is considered to be one of the major driving forces in the evolution of Amazonian fishes. Color characters for fins above the median line of the body were generally found to be independent from phylogeny and the Wheatsheaf test strongly supports convergence of the dorsal fin color between populations of species in the same type of water, with a similar trend suggested for the color of the dorsal lobe of the caudal fin. This means that simple color characters cannot necessarily be relied upon for taxonomic revisions of the genus as local phenotypic variants may represent environmentally determined plasticity or convergent evolution. Further studies are required to determine the validity of these characters.

Fast texturing of micron grating on curved metallic surfaces using bending-torsional-coupled rotary ultrasonic side milling

Structural coloration by texturing micron gratings has been regarded as a promising approach for anticounterfeiting and functional decoration. However, the fabrication of micron gratings on curved surfaces is still challenging, restricting the application of structural colors. Taking advantage of the superior capacity of milling process in the machining of curved surfaces, this study proposes a novel texturing method for micron grating on curved surfaces by adopting bending-torsional-coupled rotary ultrasonic side milling (BTC-RUSM). The generation of gratings is governed by a “cutting and microforming combined process” in each vibration cycle induced by the bending-torsional-coupled vibration of the tool. The gratings with a spacing of 0.81 μm to 3.55 μm, controlled by the spindle rotation speed, are successfully fabricated. Structural coloration with colorful characters has been achieved on the curved surface.

Effect of Spermidine Supplementation on Testicular And Ovarian Development in Sex-limited and Non-sex-limited Bivoltine Silk Worm Breeds of <i>Bombyx mori</i> L

Silk worm Bombyx mori L is a holometabolous, lepidopteran model for investigating the effect of various molecules. The sex-limited character of cocoon color is useful for the separation of male and female pupae during commercial seed production. Fecundity is the major limitation of cocoon colour sex-limited breeds. Spermidine is a polyamine, present in all living cells involved in the growth and reproduction of many organisms. The effect of spermidine on testicular and ovarian development in the selected bivoltine sex-limited breed; APS27SL and non-sex-limited hybrid; APS45 x APS12 is studied in the present work. Results showed that foliar feeding of spermidine significantly increased pupal growth, testicular and ovarian growth, number of ovarioles and ovules in the sex-limited breed. Moreover, increased expression of Bm-tektin was observed in the testes of spermidine fed groups. Thus, the study suggests that foliar feeding of spermidine can be used to overcome the limitation of reproductive potential in sex-limited breeds.

“When I’m a Human Being”: race, bodies, and power in Disney’s adaptations of “The Frog King or Iron Henry”

In the summer of 2020, Walt Disney Theme Parks announced plans to reimagine the popular attraction “Splash Mountain” in the theme of the 2009 feature-length animated film The Princess and the Frog. As only the third Disney feature-length animated film to showcase Black characters prominently, The Princess and the Frog seems perfectly poised to replace the Song of the South—critiqued for its romanticization of race relations after the American Civil War—in the Disney parks. In this adaptation of “Der Froschkönig oder der eiserne Heinrich” (“The Frog King or Iron Henry”), Walt Disney Animation Studios introduces its first Black princess. While a hardworking, self-starter princess of color is a step towards representation, the film’s portrayal of non-white characters reinforces a hierarchy of race and class which privileges the wealthy white characters while relegating characters of color to the bottom rungs of human society and into non-human bodies. This essay explores the intersection of gender, race, and class in Disney’s adaptations of the classic fairy tale “Der Froschkönig” from the Grimms’ 1812 variation and the plans to reimagine it for Disney theme parks. In conversation with adaptation studies, narrative theory, and feminist theories, this contribution interrogates the underlying messages of prejudice and -isms in The Princess and the Frog that reinforce twentieth- and twenty-first-century prejudices against people of color, women, and the working class, rendering the proposed update of the “Splash Mountain” attraction into a modernization of the problems already recognized in the current ride.

Application and thinking of rock color in current heavy color characters

Application and thinking of rock color in current heavy color characters

Inheritance Pattern of Qualitative Character Traits in F2 Population of the Bara x Ungara and Dewata x Unggara Crosses

The purpose of this study was to estimate the inheritance pattern of qualitative character traits from the F2 population of the Bara x Ungara and Dewata cross. The study was conducted in the experimental garden of Unhas, Tamalanrea sub-district, Makassar, South Sulawesi. The quantitative character traits observed consisted of four characters, namely, the color of the flower corolla, the coloring of the immature fruit, the branching habit, and the nodal color. The results showed that the population of F2 crosses showed a purplish-green color (34) as the dominant color in immature fruits. Crosses with the Ungara variety exhibited a significant contribution to the color in the immature fruit. The nodal color characters is closely related to the duplication interaction pattern between alleles at different loci

Developing Concepts About Print: A Social Justice Literacy Approach

AbstractIt has been more than 50 years since Clay (1966) first introduced the concepts about print (CAP). Emergent readers, aged 4–5, must acquire an understanding of basic and hierarchical concepts of letters, words, and sentences; they must also learn basic knowledge about texts and books; they must develop an awareness of book orientation, directionality, and positions. CAP examines emergent readers' ability to recognize and understand the ways in which written language functions for the purpose of reading. However, we lovingly critique the elements of CAP (e.g., book orientation, directionality and print conventions) from the perspective of culturally sustaining pedagogies. Clay (1989) posited that “CAP as a test may be culturally inappropriate” (p. 71). We further argue that using this element marginalizes early young children of color who are learning ways of literacy practices that do not mirror the white monolingual middle‐class approach to learning foundational reading. In some cultures, readers turn pages left to right, read pages right to left, and decode logographic words. Does it matter if young children do not fully understand directionality and orientation at that age? What we think matters in the practice of CAP is the sense‐making process. Using social justice‐oriented texts, we offer a pedagogical framework that centers on the concepts of text and book. Using literature that features characters of color in non‐stereotype roles, we describe four principles for teaching CAP that advance social justice literacy: Relationship between written and oral language, print or pictures carry meaning, book orientation and directionality and conventions of print.

Is Puffin a Plus for Diversity in Young Adult Literature? The Move from Peacock to Puffin Plus

From 1981 to 1994, Penguin Books published literature for young adults under the ‘Puffin Plus’ imprint. Although Penguin had been publishing young adult literature since 1962, through its ‘Peacock’ imprint, Puffin Plus’s editors tried to radically alter the way that books for teenagers were selected and marketed in order to increase their readership. But while Puffin Plus editors attempted to connect with readers through covers that mimicked magazine and advertising techniques, they ignored contemporary teens’ political activism and interest in the cultures and lifestyles of their peers. This had particular consequences for how Puffin Plus readers understood the place of Black British and British Asian teenagers as part of the book world. While Puffin Plus fiction did include more depictions of characters of colour, and nonfiction, short story and poetry collections included authors of colour, issues of race and racism remained largely elsewhere in time or place. White British racism, whether institutional or individual, was either ignored or, in some cases, erased. As Penguin Random House, one of the largest publishers of young people’s fiction in the world, continues to struggle with diversity and inclusion today, this article looks back to the historical roots of publishing for young adults during a time when, like today, Britain’s population was becoming more diverse and activist.

Literary Associations in Rhyme Slang: Charles Dickens and His Characters in Rhyme Slang

The article aims at describing the literary associations of rhyming slang associated with the name of Charles Dickens, a classic of world literature, whose works were included in the treasury of both English and world literature and who became the most popular English-language writer during his lifetime, to reveal how the work of the eminent writer and unforgettable colorful characters, many of whom have become recognized types in English fiction, are represented in rhyming slang. The topic is examined using rhyming slang samples of containing the names of characters and titles of Charles Dickens's works, selected by a continuous sampling method from authoritative dictionaries of general and rhyming slang. Expressions of rhyming slang that refer to some important work of a writer or are based on the names of some significant characters are cultural items that are reflected in the collective memory of the British and are thus included in the so-called “current background knowledge” and “background knowledge of cultural heritage”. The rhymes contain precedent onyms and reflect the tendency to create new onomastic rhymes built on the names of famous and popular personalities from the world of cinema, pop music, show business, sports, politics, etc. Literary associations have not yet been the subject of special analysis and undoubtedly deserve linguistic and sociocultural description. The author's attention was drawn to the little-studied area, the analysis of which sets a new vector for the study of rhyming slang, which deals with cultural and historical items that are of certain value from the point of view of culture-oriented linguistics, cross-cultural communication and the general study of culture. The results of the study may be of use and interest to specialists developing topics in intercultural communication, linguocultural studies, contrastive linguistics of the English and Russian languages, foreign (English) literature, speech culture and in the practice of teaching English.

Fan perspectives of queer representation in DC's Legends of Tomorrow on Tumblr and AO3

DC's Legends of Tomorrow (2016–2022) is a television show with an ensemble cast of existing characters from other DC TV shows, formed into a single, time-traveling team of antiheroes. The show is known for its inclusion of multiple queer characters, particularly Sara Lance, the show's long-running central character and captain of the Legends team and an openly bisexual woman. Fans use Tumblr and Archive of Our Own to discuss queer characters, canonical same-sex pairings, and noncanonical slash pairings. Queer representation in television matters to the show's fan community, and users are appreciative of and invested in canonically queer characters and pairings. Beyond the canon content, users are perhaps equally invested in noncanonical queer pairings and utilize manipulation of the source text in order to appreciate these pairings. Fans simultaneously enjoy watching and blogging about the show while also forming their own interpretations of queer characters and relationships. However, the central canon queer couple of the show is still by far the most popular with fans, and fans pay more attention to white characters and relationships, regardless of canonicity, than to the show's characters of color.

A study of the effects of green stem syndrome on some quality parameters in soybean and the possibility of early detection

Green stem syndrome is one of the major problems encountered in soybean production in the world because it makes harvesting with a combine harvester difficult. Although the prevalence of the green stem syndrome Turkey is unknown, in recent years it has started to be observed frequently. Leaf color characters in the growing stages of some soybean varieties have been determined according to varieties in this study. Color changes in the leaves from V3 to R8 phase were monitored using L *, a *, b * color scale. Possibility of detecting changes in leaf color before the R8 stage was studied. Some quality parameters have been evaluated in seed samples obtained from plants with and without symptoms in the R8 stage. It was determined that the germination rate of the seeds obtained from the plants with the syndrome decreased by 61.4% on average compared to those from healthy plants. Furthermore, compared to non-symptomatic seeds, symptomatic seeds were larger, had a lower fat ratio, lower palmitic and linoleic fatty acid values, and higher oleic fatty acid values. At this study was determined that the most significant difference was manifested in terms of stem moisture values during germination and harvesting. In addition, detection of green stem syndrome can be used b* color value as a marker. The hypothesis of the study is that the syndrome can be diagnosed at early stage by following color values in the soybean leaves. In the future studies the color of the leaf can also be a parameter available for the machine learning models.
 Keywords: Harvest stage, Glycine max (L.), green stem syndrome, leaf color, machine learning

Performance of qualitative characters of head and grain of local gogo rice from Padang Lawas

The performance of plant qualitative characters is a very important early stage in plant breeding programs that are influenced by simple genes. This is the basis for selecting parent sources in the assembly program for new high-yielding varieties. This research was conducted in August 2022 without a design (plant per row). The results showed that there were 6 individuals with green stems and 1 individual with yellowish green color. Based on the color character of the base of the stem, 5 individuals were found to be green, 1 individual was green with purple stripes and 1 individual was purple. In the leaf color character, there were 3 green individuals, 3 dark green individuals and 1 light green individual. There are 5 white individuals and 2 red individuals based on the character of the color of the rice. If based on the character of grain color there are 6 individuals with yellow color and 1 individual with brownish yellow color and if based on the character of the presence of grain tails there are 6 individuals who do not have grain tails and 1 individual has grain tails.