Definition Of Function Research Articles

Функция и миссия «маленького человека» в романе Булата Окуджавы «Бедный Авросимов»

In the beginning of the article we correlate Okudzhava’s story about the creative history of his novel (“invention” of the scrivener’s image) with the writer’s statements about Decembrism, which allows us to solve the following tasks: 1) to restore the main creative impulses of the writer; 2) to characterize the formation of his cognitive strategy, which covers the mythologized past and the tragic events of the Soviet era; 3) to clarify a number of definite functions of the “little man” that have not yet been noted by the interpreters of the novel; 4) to highlight the mission of the “little man” that reveals Okudzhava’s ethical principle. We consider the artist’s inconsistency in stylizing the thinking of the “little man” (the lead character and his psychological counterpart – the narrator) as a means of involving the contemporary reader in a dispute about the conflicts of the past inherited by the 20th century. We show the fundamental novelty of the embodiment of the Decembrist theme in the mirror of the perception of literary critics of the 1970s, who remained in the grip of the myth of the first Russian revolutionaries in its two varieties (official or alternative, cultivated by freethinkers), which interfered with the proper perception of the status of the “little man” next to a historic figure. Our task is to show that the merciful ethics of the artist, compassionate to the sufferer, soften Okudzhava’s civic intransigence towards the ideology of Pestel, whose state utopia became a Soviet reality; thus, we substantiate the regularity of the election of the “little man”, who himself needs indulgence, to the role of the spokesman for Pushkin’s commandment of “mercy to the fallen”. We trace the bold development in Okudzhava’s novel of the classical tradition of the “little man” experiencing his own drama of the “weak heart”. The echoes of Avrosimov’s fantasies about saving Pestel with Pushkin’s poem “Deep in Siberia’s mines...” are comprehended in the article as a sublimation of the author’s pain about the tragic fate of the Decembrists.

Influencing Factors and Evaluation of Groundwater Ecological Function in Arid/Semiarid Regions of China: A Review

In arid and semi-arid areas, due to drought climate and shortage of water resources, groundwater is crucial for natural ecological protection and economic development. It serves a dual role as a resource function and an ecological function. However, with the continuous improvement of the exploitation and utilization of groundwater by human activities during rapid economic development, the phenomenon of groundwater overexploitation is becoming more and more serious, which has destroyed the natural balance of groundwater recharge and discharge. As a result, natural vegetation has lost the maintenance of the ecological function of groundwater, and a series of ecological and environmental problems have occurred, such as natural vegetation degradation, land desertification, sandstorms, and so on. In recent years, scholars have carried out research on groundwater resource management and optimization of water resource allocation, trying to solve the problem of water balance in arid regions. However, there is still a lack of comprehensive understanding and systematization regarding influencing factors and degeneration mechanisms related to groundwater’s ecological function. By summarizing and analyzing the previous research results, this paper summarizes the influencing factors, evaluation methods, existing problems and future directions of groundwater ecological function research in China to provide a reference for rational exploitation and utilization of groundwater and ecological protection. This paper is divided into four main contents. The first part introduces the definition of groundwater ecological function (GEF); the second part summarizes the research status of influencing factors of GEF, including the groundwater table depth, vegetation root system and lithologic structure of vadose zone, etc.; the third part analyzes the evaluation of groundwater ecological function; the fourth part discusses the existing problems in the study of groundwater ecological functions, and based on the above research the evaluation framework of GEF is proposed with the Shiyang River basin as a case study; and finally, it highlights the future research directions about GEF.

Annotating microbial functions with ProkFunFind.

Analyzing microbial genomes has become an essential part of microbiology research, giving valuable insights into the functions and evolution of microbial species. Identifying genes of interest and assigning putative annotations to those genes is a central task in genome analysis, and a plethora of tools and approaches have been developed for this task. The ProkFunFind tool was developed to bridge the gap between these various annotation approaches, providing a flexible and customizable search approach to annotate microbial functions. ProkFunFind is designed around hierarchical definitions of biological functions, where individual genes can be identified using heterogeneous search terms consisting of sequences, profile hidden Markov models, protein domains, and orthology groups. This flexible and customizable search approach allows for searches to be tailored to specific biological functions, and the search results are output in multiple formats to facilitate downstream analyses. The utility of the ProkFunFind search tool was demonstrated through its application in searching for bacterial flagella, which are complex organelles composed of multiple genes. Overall, ProkFunFind provides an accessible and flexible way to integrate multiple types of annotation and sequence data while annotating biological functions in microbial genomes.IMPORTANCEGenome sequencing and analysis are increasingly important parts of microbiology, providing a way to predict metabolic functions, identify virulence factors, and understand the evolution of microbes. The expanded use of genome sequencing has also brought an abundance of search and annotation methods, but integrating the information from these different methods can be challenging and is often done through ad hoc approaches. To bridge the gap between different types of annotations, we developed ProkFunFind, a flexible and customizable search tool incorporating multiple search approaches and annotation types to annotate microbial functions. We demonstrated the utility of ProkFunFind by searching for gene clusters encoding flagellar genes using a combination of different annotation types and searches. Overall, ProkFunFind provides a reproducible and flexible way to identify gene clusters of interest, facilitating the meaningful analysis of new and existing microbial genomes.

Use of trait concepts and terminology in freshwater ecology: Historic, current, and future perspectives

Abstract Trait‐based approaches have received increasing interest among freshwater scientists given their capacity to predict community structure and biodiversity effects on ecosystem functioning. However, the inconsistent development and use of trait concepts and terms across freshwater scientific disciplines may have limited realisation of the potential of traits. Here, we reviewed trait definitions and terms use to provide recommendations for their consistent application in freshwater science. To do so, we first reviewed literature to identify established trait definitions, historical and current use of trait terms and challenges restricting the application of trait‐based approaches in freshwater science. Next, we surveyed 414 freshwater researchers from 54 countries to assess variability in the current use of trait terminology in relation to respondent characteristics (i.e., professional experience, geographical region, research discipline, and focal freshwater ecosystem, biotic group, and ecosystem function). Our literature review identified two well‐established trait definitions, which emphasise individual phenotypic characteristics that influence either eco‐evolutionary aspects (i.e., organism performance and fitness) or ecosystem dynamics and processes (i.e., responses to the environment and/or effects on ecosystem functioning). Publications used a range of trait‐related terms and their frequency of use varied among scientific fields. The term functional trait dominated fields such as biodiversity conservation, environmental sciences and ecology, plant sciences and microbiology. In contrast, the terms biological trait, functional trait, and species trait were used with similar frequencies in fields such as entomology, fisheries, marine and freshwater biology, and zoology. We also found that well‐established trait definitions are difficult to apply to freshwater unicellular organisms, colonial multicellular organisms, genomic information, and cultural traits. Our survey revealed highly inconsistent use of trait terms among freshwater researchers. Terms including biological trait, functional trait, structural measure, and ecosystem function were commonly used to describe the same traits or functions. Variability in the use of terms was generally explained by research discipline, geographical region, and focal biotic group and ecosystem functions. We propose making the trait concept flexible enough to be applicable to all freshwater biota and their characteristics, while keeping and integrating links to eco‐evolutionary and ecosystem aspects. Specifically, our new definition expands the established functional trait definition by considering also supra‐individual scales of trait measurement (colonial‐ or community‐mean traits), genotypic traits (e.g., functional gene markers of enzymes) and cultural traits (e.g., feeding behaviours, communication skills). To reduce terminological ambiguity, we also recommend that researchers define trait terms, prioritising the use of functional trait as an overarching term over alternative terms (e.g., biological trait), and restricting specific terms (e.g., morphological trait) to situations in which such precision is desirable. The findings of our integrative study could help to improve terminological consistency across freshwater disciplines and to better recognise the potential of traits to elucidate the mechanisms behind ecological patterns.

Exergy as Lyapunov Function for Studying the Dynamic Stability of a Flow, Reacting to Self-Oscillation Excitation

This article introduces a new, physically-based Lyapunov function definition that can be used as acoustic energy for finite-amplitude pressure oscillations in reacting systems, especially in combustion chambers. Reacting flow is seen as an open, non-equilibrium (parameters are distributed unevenly locally) thermodynamic system. This Lyapunov function is defined as the maximum mechanical work that could be extracted by a heat engine from the studied system if this system were disconnected from the inlet and outlet and from any other surrounding environment and the engine could transfer to the surrounding environment only mechanical work.

Learning systems of ordinary differential equations with Physics-Informed Neural Networks: the case study of enzyme kinetics

Physics Informed Neural Networks (PINNs) are a type of function approximators that use both data-driven supervised neural networks to learn the model of the dynamics of a physical system, and mathematical equations of the physical laws governing that system. PINNs have the benefit of being data-driven to train a model, but also of being able to assure consistency with the physics, and to extrapolate accurately beyond the range of data that currently accessible. As a result, PINNs can provide models that are more reliable while using less data. Specifically, the PINNs objective is to learn the solutions of a systems of equations using supervised learning on the available data and incorporating the knowledge of physical laws and constraints into the training process. However, solving single differential equations with a PINN may be relatively simple, solving systems of coupled differential equations may not be so simple. In this study, I present a neural network model specialized in solving differential equations of enzyme kinetics that has the main characteristic of being a demonstrative simple case of coupled equations system. The study focuses mainly on the theoretical aspects of the definition of a physics-informed loss function and shows a case study that highlights the challenges still to be overcome in solving systems of coupled differential equations.

The concept and essence of corporate governance

The article is devoted to the study of the basic concepts and essence of corporate governance. The main aspects of corporate governance are characterized, including its objectives, functions, principles, structure and role in the stable functioning of enterprises. It is determined that corporate governance can be viewed as a set of legal, economic, organizational norms and rules within which a corporation (company) operates, and on the basis of which the relations between all its participants are built. Corporate governance unites various participants in corporate relations, each of which takes care of its own interests, establishes mechanisms and methods of interaction between them. It is highlighted that most studies related to corporate governance have a rather narrow focus and are conducted exclusively at one of these levels. The issue under study is multifaceted and also includes the definition of functions and components of corporate governance, which include: creating a strategy and setting goals, ensuring financial stability, ensuring transparency and compliance, and facilitating interaction with stakeholders.

The Turán Problem and Its Dual for Positive Definite Functions Supported on a Ball in $${\mathbb {R}}^d$$

The Turán Problem and Its Dual for Positive Definite Functions Supported on a Ball in $${\mathbb {R}}^d$$

Information Function of the State: Essence and Main Features in the Theoretical Approaches of Domestic Researchers

In the context of informatization of society, the issue of the relationship between government activities and information is relevant. There are not many works devoted to the study of the information function of the state in domestic science. The paper examines and analyzes the theoretical approaches of domestic researchers, set out in the author’s monographs. Scientists consider the information function as one of the main functions of the state, which has subfunctions that were previously expressed in a pre-functional state. Through the «goal — task — function» algorithm, the concept is revealed, the prerequisites for the formation, signs, means and methods of the information function are given. The paper draws attention to the peculiarity of the function, which is expressed in the influence on people’s consciousness through information influence. Since the information function involves managing the information sphere, the relationship between the concepts of «information sphere» and «information space» is considered, and a definition of the information sphere is given. As a result, essential characteristics and a generalized definition of the information function are formulated. An area requiring further study is noted.

Augmenting Large Language Models with Rules for Enhanced Domain-Specific Interactions: The Case of Medical Diagnosis

In this paper, we present a novel Artificial Intelligence (AI) -empowered system that enhances large language models and other machine learning tools with rules to provide primary care diagnostic advice to patients. Specifically, we introduce a novel methodology, represented through a process diagram, which allows the definition of generative AI processes and functions with a focus on the rule-augmented approach. Our methodology separates various components of the generative AI process as blocks that can be used to generate an implementation data flow diagram. Building upon this framework, we utilize the concept of a dialogue process as a theoretical foundation. This is specifically applied to the interactions between a user and an AI-empowered software program, which is called “Med|Primary AI assistant” (Alpha Version at the time of writing), and provides symptom analysis and medical advice in the form of suggested diagnostics. By leveraging current advancements in natural language processing, a novel approach is proposed to define a blueprint of domain-specific knowledge and a context for instantiated advice generation. Our approach not only encompasses the interaction domain, but it also delves into specific content that is relevant to the user, offering a tailored and effective AI–user interaction experience within a medical context. Lastly, using an evaluation process based on rules, defined by context and dialogue theory, we outline an algorithmic approach to measure content and responses.

Multi-objective deep reinforcement learning for a water heating system with solar energy and heat recovery

Deep reinforcement learning (DRL) has gained attention from the scientific community due to its potential for optimizing complex control schemes. This study describes the implementation of a DRL platform that allows training smart agents to manage a complex water heating system in an institutional building that uses solar energy and waste heat from a water chiller as energy sources. In addition to optimizing the use of energy while delivering hot water, the agents are also trained to activate the chiller, to avoid the premature degradation of the system, and to continue providing hot water in case of failures of heating devices of the system. The definition of the reward function, which is fundamental to simultaneously impose all these goals on the agent, is tested by comparing different agents trained to prioritize different goals. In comparison with a previous study done on the same system with standard reinforcement learning techniques, this method allows far more freedom to control the system. The deep neural networks and the DRL algorithm were programmed without specialized libraries, implying that the algorithm could be used to train smart agents in programs without direct access to deep learning libraries, or in the actual system with a simple programmable controller.

Expressing Solutions of Bessel Differential Equation in terms of Hypergeometric Functions

The BDE (Bessel differential equation) is a second-order linear ordinary differential equation (ODE), and it is considered one of the most significant differential equations because of its extensive applications. The solutions of this differential equation are called Bessel functions. These solutions can be expressed in terms of hypergeometric functions, and in this study, the Bessel functions of the first kind are worked. Hypergeometric functions are the sum of a hypergeometric series. A series ∑▒u_n is known as hypergeometric when the ratio u_(n+1)⁄u_n is a rational function of n. BDE has coefficients with variables; therefore, it is solved by the Frobenius approach. We implement some mathematical steps based on the definition of hypergeometric functions to express the solutions in terms of hypergeometric function. The result shows that the solution of the BDE in terms of hypergeometric function is f(x)=a_0 x^p (_1^ )F_2 (1;1+(p+ρ)/2,1+(p-ρ)/2;x^2⁄4) and the two linearly independent solutions for the BDE of order ρ in terms of hypergeometric function are 〖f_1 (x)=a〗_0 x^ρ (_0^ )F_1 (1+ρ;x^2⁄4) and〖〖 f〗_2 (x)=a〗_0 x^ρ (_0^ )F_1 (1-ρ;x^2⁄4).

Definition of fragmentation functions and the violation of sum rules

We point out a problem with the formulation and derivations of sum rules for quark fragmentation functions that impacts their validity in QCD, but which potentially points toward an improved understanding of final states in inclusive hard processes. Fragmentation functions give the distribution of final-state hadrons arising from a parton exiting a hard scattering, and the sum rules for momentum, electric charge, etc. express conservation of these quantities. The problem arises from a mismatch between the quark quantum numbers of the initial quark and the fact that all observed final-state hadrons are confined bound states with color zero. We point that, in a confining theory like QCD, the Wilson line in the operator definition of a fragmentation function entails that the final state in a fragmentation function includes a bound state in the external field generated by the Wilson line. We justify this with the aid of general features of string hadronization. The anomalous bound states are restricted to fractional momentum z=0. They tend to invalidate sum rules like the one for charge conservation when applied to the fragmentation functions inferred from experimental data but not the momentum sum rule. We propose to exploit our ideas in future studies as a way to relate the fragmentation functions extracted from inclusive cross sections to more detailed nonperturbative descriptions of final state hadronization. We also describe scenarios wherein the traditional sum rules might remain approximately valid with a reasonably high degree of accuracy. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Weak determinism and the computational consequences of interaction

Recent work has claimed that (non-tonal) phonological patterns are subregular (Heinz 2011a,b, 2018; Heinz and Idsardi 2013), occupying a delimited proper subregion of the regular functions—the weakly deterministic (WD) functions (Heinz and Lai 2013; Jardine 2016). Whether or not it is correct (McCollum et al. 2020a), this claim can only be properly assessed given a complete and accurate definition of WD functions. We propose such a definition in this article, patching unintended holes in Heinz and Lai’s (2013) original definition that we argue have led to the incorrect classification of some phonological patterns as WD. We start from the observation that WD patterns share a property that we call unbounded semiambience, modeled after the analogous observation by Jardine (2016) about non-deterministic (ND) patterns and their unbounded circumambience. Both ND and WD functions can be broken down into compositions of deterministic (subsequential) functions (Elgot and Mezei 1965; Heinz and Lai 2013) that read an input string from opposite directions; we show that WD functions are those for which these deterministic composands do not interact in a way that is familiar from the theoretical phonology literature. To underscore how this concept of interaction neatly separates the WD class of functions from the strictly more expressive ND class, we provide analyses of the vowel harmony patterns of two Eastern Nilotic languages, Maasai and Turkana, using bimachines, an automaton type that represents unbounded bidirectional dependencies explicitly. These analyses make clear that there is interaction between deterministic composands when (and only when) the output of a given input element of a string is simultaneously dependent on information from both the left and the right: ND functions are those that involve interaction, while WD functions are those that do not.

A conditionally positive definite kernel function for clustering of incomplete data

Clustering of incomplete data sets that contains missing features is one of the most widely studied problems in the literature, and several imputation and non-imputation techniques are used to solve this problem. A weighted sum of the Euclidean distance from the datum to the corresponding clusters is used in Fuzzy c-means clustering. It has been observed that the kernel-based clustering techniques outperform the conventional algorithms in terms of accuracy. This is due to their ability to handle non-linear data and map it to higher dimensional space while preserving its internal structure. Kernel functions are really important when it comes to the performance of kernel-based clustering methods. Choosing the right kernel function isn’t simple. Among the various clustering algorithms that have been examined in the literature, the, Gaussian kernel function has been found to be more useful.. This paper suggests a conditionally positive definite kernel function that can be used in the unsupervised clustering of incomplete data. Numerical analysis shows that the conditionally positive definite kernel function also performs well on datasets with incomplete features.

NLRP1 inhibits lung adenocarcinoma growth through mediating mitochondrial dysregulation in an inflammasome-independent manner.

NLRP1, the first identified inflammasome-forming sensor, is thought to be involved in cancer, yet its definite function in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remains unclear. Herein, we explored the expression and function of NLRP1 in LUAD. Decreased NLRP1 expression was identified in LUAD, which was associated with a poor prognosis. Overexpression of NLRP1 inhibited tumor growth in vitro and in vivo. Mechanically, this effect was observed regardless of inflammasome activation. Further studies revealed that overexpression of NLRP1 downregulated the phosphorylation of DRP1 and promoted mitochondrial fusion, which was mediated by inhibition of NF-κB activity. NF-κB agonist could neutralize the effect of NLRP1 on mitochondrial dynamics. In addition, LUAD sensitivity to cisplatin was enhanced by decreased mitochondrial fission resulting from up-regulated NLRP1. In conclusion, our findings demonstrated an unexpected role of NLRP1 in LUAD by modulating mitochondrial activities, which provides strong evidence for its potential in LUAD treatment.

MODELING OF PARTICLE WET MILLING IN A STIRRED TANK USING CFD/PBE COUPLED APPROACH

Many industrial processes involve grinding and milling operations to produce powders of well-controlled particle size distribution. Improving these processes requires researchers to consider particle-particle interactions, breakage, aggregation, and in the case of wet milling, hydrodynamics. The purpose of this study is to develop a numerical model, accounting for these mechanisms, with the final goal to guide the design of an optimal process. Computational fluid dynamics is coupled with a population balance model. The hydrodynamics of the multiphase flow is predicted using the multifluid Euler approach, whereas the class method is considered to solve the population balance equation. A theoretical definition of the breakage functions, based on hydrodynamics inside the tank, is proposed. The results show that breakage is highly heterogeneous inside the tank and that particle breakage frequency allows researchers to evaluate milling efficiency.

On fixed point and an application of $ C^* $-algebra valued $ (\alpha, \beta) $-Bianchini-Grandolfi gauge contractions

<abstract><p>It is the purpose of the present paper to obtain certain fixed point outcomes in the sense of $ C^* $-algebra valued metric spaces. Here, we present the definitions of the gauge function, the Bianchini-Grandolfi gauge function, $ \alpha $-admissibility, and $ (\alpha, \beta) $-admissible Geraghty contractive mapping in the sense of $ C^* $-algebra. Using these definitions, we define $ (\alpha, \beta) $-Bianchini-Grandolfi gauge contraction of type I and type II. Next, we prove our primary results that the function satisfying our contraction condition has to have a unique fixed point. We also explain our results using examples. Additionally, we discuss some consequent results that can be easily obtained from our primary outcomes. Finally, there is a useful application to integral calculus.</p></abstract>

Profile of Pre-Service Math Teachers’ Conception about the Definition of Limit Functions Based on Mathematical Ability

Profile of Pre-Service Math Teachers’ Conception about the Definition of Limit Functions Based on Mathematical Ability

The Wigner function of a semiconfined harmonic oscillator model with a position-dependent effective mass

We propose a phase-space representation concept in terms of the Wigner function for a quantum harmonic oscillator model that exhibits the semiconfinement effect through its mass varying with the position. The new method is used to compute the Wigner distribution function exactly for such a semiconfinement quantum system. This method suppresses the divergence of the integrand in the definition of the quantum distribution function and leads to the computation of its analytical expressions for the stationary states of the semiconfined oscillator model. For this quantum system, both the presence and absence of the applied external homogenous field are studied. Obtained exact expressions of the Wigner distribution function are expressed through the Bessel function of the first kind and Laguerre polynomials. Furthermore, some of the special cases and limits are discussed in detail.