Realistic Explanation Research Articles

Constructing a realistic explanation of Turkish – US relations

ABSTRACT U.S. support for the Syrian-Kurdish forces aligned with the PKK; U.S. declining to extradite Fethullah Gülen; Turkey’s purchase of the Russian S-400 missile defense system; and Turkey’s aggressive interference with natural gas exploration in the Mediterranean are four issues that have roiled U.S.-Turkish relations. This paper examines neorealist and constructivist explanations for these issues and determines that they provide a less than complete understanding of this troubled relationship. The paper then turns to middle level alliance theory and domestic factors favored by neoclassical realism to fill in the explanatory gaps.

Hygrothermal transfer modelling through a bio-based building material: Validation of a switching-linear model

This research presents a switching linear data-driven model (PWARX) dedicated to predicting the hygrothermal behavior through the building envelope. This model uses a discrete state and a switched detection approach for discrete-time linear switched systems, as well as an additional variable with a discrete value. The bio-based materials are subjected to humidification/drying cycles by the temperature and relative humidity variations. The current study aims to fill the knowledge gap and to address the limitations of data-driven models by (i) providing a realistic explanation of the hygrothermal behavior of bio-based materials, (ii) identifying the hygroscopic mode such as sorption/desorption and transition phase between sorption/desorption modes, and (iii) estimating the process time of each phenomenon, which makes it possible to estimate the rate of moisture propagation. Finally, the proposed method can be faithfully applied to the study of hygrothermal behavior of materials, which is strongly related to the building energy performance and the investigation of their durability.

Reply to “Comment on ‘The 373 B.C. Helike (Gulf of Corinth, Greece) Earthquake and Tsunami, Revisited’ by ” by Dora Katsonopoulou and Ioannis Koukouvelas

Abstract This reply is a response to a comment criticizing a recent article proposing a new scenario for the 373 B.C. earthquake, derived from ancient texts. This earthquake and a following tsunami are reported to have destroyed Helike and Boura, two ancient Greek towns, which then were found submerged into the Gulf of Corinth, punished by Poseidon, an ancient Greek god. The comment contested the new scenario that these ancient texts reflect a later legend, of Roman times. The comment is unsubstantiated, because (1) ruins of the two towns, invisible till recently, have been found in archaeological excavations, without any signs of a marine regression, while no significant marine regression is derived from sedimentological data; (2) Helike and Boura were town–states consisting of smaller villages, located at elevations above 20 and 500 m, respectively, and their subsidence into the sea was impossible; (3) ancient authors writing shortly after 373 B.C. ignore the loss of Helike and Boura; and (4) ancient texts reporting the loss are much later, of Roman times (>200 yr after 373 B.C.), and they reflect a local legend and manipulated or forged ancient texts, for example by pseudo-Aristotle. The scenario proposed in Seismological Research Letters represents the only realistic explanation for the ancient texts referring to the 373 B.C. earthquake.

Modernist mythologism of Vladimir Nabokov’s creative work (based on the material of the novels “Mary”, “The Gift”, “Invitation to a Beheading”)

The subject of research in the article is the early prose of Vlaimir Nabokov, the writer of the Russian diaspora, from the point of view of the mythologising of the creative process, which was a characteristic feature of the art of modernism. The study notes that Nabokov builds his texts as artistic mythology, giving art a sacred meaning. Unlike the ontological function of the ancient myth, mythologism in modernist literature is aimed at the aesthetic perception of reality. The writer intentionally mythologises his texts, saturating them with mythological codes, revealed in such writing techniques as intertextuality, allusions, associations, including the work in a wide cultural context. It can be concluded that the mythological codes in Nabokov's modernism act as the literary work of the author who is the Creator of his texts, rather than as a formula for the world order or an explanation of reality. When studying Nabokov's works, one should keep in mind that the writer uses his codes pointwise to create new artistic structures instead of interpreting the traditional myth.

Factors contributing to rising cesarean section rates in South Asian countries: A systematic review

Rising cesarean section (CS) rates are a global public health problem. The systematic review investigates key indications for performing CS and factors significantly associated with the rising rate of CS in South Asia. Primary studies in South Asia published between January 2010 and December 2018 were searched using relevant electronic databases: MEDLINE, Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL, NepJOL, and BanglaJOL. A narrative synthesis of the indications for performing CS and factors significantly associated with the rising CS rates was performed using content analysis. A total of 68 studies were included in this review. The most common medical indication for CS was fetal distress, followed by previous CS, antepartum hemorrhage (including placenta previa/abruption), cephalopelvic disproportion, failed induction, hypertensive disorders in pregnancy, oligohydramnios, and non-progress of labor. Maternal request was the most common non-medical indication for conducting CS. Higher maternal age was the most common significant factor associated with the rising CS rate followed by higher maternal education, urban residency, higher economic status, previous CS, pregnancy/childbirth complications, and lower parity/nulliparity. Preference for CS and increasing private number hospital were also factors contributing to the rising rate. Several key indicators and factors significantly associated with rising CS rate are revealed. These key indicators and significant factors reflect the global trend. Reduction in the use of primary CS, unless medically warranted, would help stem rates of CS. Realistic and candid explanation to pregnant women and their families regarding the benefits of vaginal birth for women and babies should form an integral part of maternity care as these are issues of public health.

A Novel Distribution for Representation of 6D Pose Uncertainty.

The 6D Pose estimation is a crux in many applications, such as visual perception, autonomous navigation, and spacecraft motion. For robotic grasping, the cluttered and self-occlusion scenarios bring new challenges to the this field. Currently, society uses CNNs to solve this problem. The CNN models will suffer high uncertainty caused by the environmental factors and the object itself. These models usually maintain a Gaussian distribution, which is not suitable for the underlying manifold structure of the pose. Many works decouple rotation from the translation and quantify rotational uncertainty. Only a few works pay attention to the uncertainty of the 6D pose. This work proposes a distribution that can capture the uncertainty of the 6D pose parameterized by the dual quaternions, meanwhile, the proposed distribution takes the periodic nature of the underlying structure into account. The presented results include the normalization constant computation and parameter estimation techniques of the distribution. This work shows the benefits of the proposed distribution, which provides a more realistic explanation for the uncertainty in the 6D pose and eliminates the drawback inherited from the planar rigid motion.

Challenging Conventional Wisdom about Non-Performing Loans: A Post-Keynesian Institutionalist Perspective

This article addresses the problem of Non-Performing Loans (NPLs) both from a theoretical and policy viewpoint. It is argued that the mainstream literature on the factors affecting NPLs is hardly able to provide an adequate basis for proposing solutions, given the justification it offers to seemingly conflicting hypotheses. On the contrary, a Post-Keynesian Institutionalist perspective provides a realistic comprehensive theoretical explanation and method of inquiry that stresses historical and institutional specificity in guiding successful policies to cope with NPLs.

Repercussions of COVID-19 on the daily lives of women living in a rural settlement.

To understand the repercussions of COVID-19 on women's daily lives in a rural settlement. A qualitative study was conducted in a rural settlement of the Landless Workers' Movement (MST) in a municipality in Northeastern Brazil between January and March 2021. Forty-eight women participated through semi-structured interviews. The data collected were analyzed by the Collective Subject Discourse method in light of the referential of pandemic processes. The grouping of the speeches unveiled similar and/or complementary meanings about the coping strategies and the feelings generated due to the pandemic. Four Central Ideas were organized: denial to progressive awareness; Perception of the problem, acceptance, and explanation of reality; Negotiation; and Retrospection/reflection. The pandemic repercussions are intrinsically related to an inhospitable reality from the perspective of the experience of women daily forgotten, marginalized, and suppressed.

Fractal dimension and area of seismicity in the Baikal Rift System: Implications for modern geodynamics

The fractal geometry and extent of seismicity in the Baikal Rift System (BRS) are estimated from data on 52,700 instrumental events of MLH ≥ 2.5 magnitudes for fifty years (1964–2013). The seismic pattern is characterized by the box-counting Hausdorff dimension D0, multifractal spectra f(α), and surface area S of seismicity at three scales: the rift system as a whole, its three zones, and six subzones. The multifractal spectra record a self-similar hierarchical structure of the BRS seismicity pattern. The space and time variations in the fractal dimension (D0) and area of seismicity (S), which are mapped and plotted as a function of time, show good correlation. The two parameters depend on three related factors: progressive increase in the amount of instrumental data (dataset size), structure of seismogenic fault network, and geodynamic activity. They increase as ever more data appear with time and acquire high local values at increasing extent and density of quakes. Moreover, the obtained D0 estimates reflect statistical self-similarity of earthquake patterns being in the range ≈ 1.45–1.55 over most of BRS, except one zone and one subzone in the rift flanks. They are the highest in the southwest and the lowest in the northeast of the rift system (D0 ≈ 1.60 ± 0.02 and D0 ≈ 1.37 ± 0.02 respectively). This dissimilarity indicates that seismogenic faulting occurs by different mechanisms: distributed failure as a result of superposed global-scale collisional compression and regional rifting in the SW flank and quasi-linear rift propagation in the NE flank. In general, D0 decreases toward the northeastern part of the BRS, where the pattern of earthquakes becomes localized along lineaments instead of being distributed over an area. The space and time variations of D0 and S revealed in the earthquake data are consistent with the location and activity pulses of rifting attractors and provide a realistic explanation of BRS geodynamics and tectonophysics. The global lithospheric compression and the regional pulse-like activity of rifting attractors control the network of seismogenic faults which, in turn, govern the fractal geometry and 2D structure of seismicity in the region. The obtained results confirm the oscillatory dynamics of the regional seismicity at a decadal period correlated with activity pulses of rifting attractors. The oscillations stand out against the background of decreasing global low-frequency secular cycle of the BRS seismicity. The BRS lithospheric geodynamics fits the model of a nonlinear oscillator with dissipation. The suggested analysis of the fractal geometry and extent of seismicity as proxies of the faulting evolution provides insights into modern geodynamics of the Baikal Rift System and its constituents.

The Oxford Handbook of Contemporary Middle Eastern and North African History

The Oxford Handbook of Contemporary Middle Eastern and North African History

Formation of information culture of society in the conditions of digitalization

The purpose of the work is to investigate the formation of information culture as a defining characteristic of modern communicative practices and socio-cultural existence of man in the digital environment. The research methodology consists in the application of analytical, semiotic, systemic, culturological methods in the study of information as a fundamental factor in the formation of information culture and in general the digital environment of the information society. Information is a subsystem capable of transforming all spheres of society, while forming the needs and skills in obtaining, processing and transmitting information. Oversaturation and rapid circulation of information encourages the introduction of the concept of information culture, which can become a cognitive filter in the selection of information. The scientific novelty of the work is to expand information on the impact of information on the deepening of socio-cultural competencies, the level of socialization and education of the individual due to the information factor, as well as the ability to resist the negative effects of information on society in various forms. Information culture should become the core of the modern digital environment not only as an indicator of literacy and competence, but also as a general worldview vector that can influence the explanation of reality, commenting on current events, promoting important norms and values. Conclusions. In recent decades, information culture has become increasingly relevant as a phenomenon generated by the information society, mediated by Internet communication and modern communication practices in general. The development of modern digital information space generates a huge amount of information that is transmitted from person to person, but, at the same time, grows into a social phenomenon that shapes the thinking, behavior and actions of communities. The information culture of society becomes tangential and affects various spheres of life, which can no longer be understood and defined outside the information context, while serving as an effective factor in human perception of the surrounding reality, the world at large. Information culture is directly related to the social nature of the individual, due to the relevant values ​​and worldviews. Modern information culture is inextricably linked with technological progress and means of communication, which are the determining factors of social development that can influence the way of social life and worldview. Thus, the formation of information culture of society becomes an important and continuous process, mediated by the influence of information of human existence.
 Key words: information, information culture, communicative practices, communication, digitalization, information society.

CaSE: Explaining Text Classifications by Fusion of Local Surrogate Explanation Models with Contextual and Semantic Knowledge

Generating explanations within a local and model-agnostic explanation scenario for text classification is often accompanied by a local approximation task. In order to create a local neighborhood for a document, whose classification shall be explained, sampling techniques are used that most often treat the according features at least semantically independent from each other. Hence, contextual as well as semantic information is lost and therefore cannot be used to update a human’s mental model within the according explanation task. In case of dependent features, such explanation techniques are prone to extrapolation to feature areas with low data density, therefore causing misleading interpretations. Additionally, the ”the whole is greater than the sum of its parts” phenomenon is disregarded when using explanations that treat the according words independently from each other. In this paper, an architecture named CaSE is proposed that either uses Semantic Feature Arrangements or Semantic Interrogations to overcome these drawbacks. Combined with a modified version of Local interpretable model-agnostic explanations (LIME), a state of the art local explanation framework, it is capable of generating meaningful and coherent explanations. The approach utilizes contextual and semantic knowledge from unsupervised topic models in order to enable realistic and semantic sampling and based on that generate understandable explanations for any text classifier. The key concepts of CaSE that are deemed essential for providing humans with high quality explanations are derived from findings of psychology. In a nutshell, CaSE shall enable Semantic Alignment between humans and machines and thus further improve the basis for Interactive Machine Learning. An extensive experimental validation of CaSE is conducted, showing its effectiveness by generating reliable and meaningful explanations whose elements are made of contextually coherent words and therefore are suitable to update human mental models in an appropriate way. In the course of a quantitative analysis, the proposed architecture is evaluated w.r.t. a consistency property and to Local Fidelity of the resulting explanation models. According to that, CaSE generates more realistic explanation models leading to higher Local Fidelity compared to LIME.

Thermal inertia and energy efficiency assessment of Direct Solar Floor system using a switching-linear model

This study presents a case study of a room equipped with a Direct Solar Floor (DSF) in order to predict the true thermal and energy behaviour. DSF operation during the night by thermal inertia is a complex phenomenon, and its relative impact is proven to be influenced by many factors including the solar radiation and the thermal insulation of the slab. However, current physical models do not show this relationship efficiently. This paper will demonstrate by adopting switching linear models that this relationship can be described formally with a numerical model. In fact, the simulation models developed in literature are represented in a very simplified method and cannot be used for a detailed analysis of thermal operations of DSF. The present study aims to reduce the knowledge gap and resolve the limitations such as (i) a realistic explanation of the thermal behaviour of direct solar floor, (ii) identify the heating mode by thermal inertia in a quick and easy way and (iii) estimate the heating time by thermal inertia for a long period, which can later estimate the gain in energy consumption bring. The switching model has detected three operation modes of the Direct Solar Floor, one of which corresponds to the moment of heating by thermal inertia. The model can also evaluate the duration and the energy provided by the thermal inertia. As a result, it has been estimated at 310 h and 18.6 kWh for a test period of 1110 h, which corresponds to an average of 3.58 h per day.

Memeticity of communicative practices in the conditions of developmentdigital information space

The aim of the workis to investigate memeticity as a defining characteristic of modern communicative practices unfolding in the digital environment of the Internet. The research methodology consists in the application of analytical, semiotic, discursive, culturological methods in the study of memetics and memes as fundamental polymodal and interdiscursive objects of digital culture, acting as means of communication capable of forming social narratives and discourses through the prism of social semiotics. her identity. The scientific novelty of the work is that for the first time modern communicative practices of the digital environment are analyzed in terms of prevalence in their structure ofmemeticity and memetic communication; Memes, in turn, are considered not only as units of cultural information and entertainment content, but also as digital polysemes that have the ability to serve as a universal means of communication, explanation of reality, commenting on current events, promoting important norms and values. Conclusions. Over the last decade, memes have become a complex phenomenon of Internet communication and modern communication practices in general, which are characterized by memetics as an integral attribute. From the point of view of the development of modern digital information space, memes are understood as cultural information that is transmitted from person to person, but, at the same time, grows into a social phenomenon that shapes the thinking, behavior and actions of communities. Memes combine forms of intertextuality with elements of popular culture, emphasizing the dynamics of the real and virtual world and becoming an online discourse tool that gives users a sense of commitment to creating and participating in it and even influencing others. Given the discursive potential, polysemy, realized in memes, it is possible to understand the ability of these artifacts of digital culture to form new meanings and values, evaluative judgments. Memetics is a part of public communication that defines memes as texts created, disseminated and collectively transformed by various participants in participatory digital culture, enhancing socio-cultural integration in society, allowing co-thinkers to co-opt into a single symbolic space built on new precedents or precedents.

A three-dimensional-model inversion of methyl chloroform to constrain the atmospheric oxidative capacity

Abstract. Variations in the atmospheric oxidative capacity, largely determined by variations in the hydroxyl radical (OH), form a key uncertainty in many greenhouse and other pollutant budgets, such as that of methane (CH4). Methyl chloroform (MCF) is an often-adopted tracer to indirectly put observational constraints on large-scale variations in OH. We investigated the budget of MCF in a 4DVAR inversion using the atmospheric transport model TM5, for the period 1998–2018, with the objective to derive information on large-scale, interannual variations in atmospheric OH concentrations. While our main inversion did not fully converge, we did derive interannual variations in the global oxidation of MCF that bring simulated mole fractions of MCF within 1 %–2 % of the assimilated observations from the NOAA-GMD surface network at most sites. Additionally, the posterior simulations better reproduce aircraft observations used for independent validation compared to the prior simulations. The derived OH variations showed robustness with respect to the prior MCF emissions and the prior OH distribution over the 1998 to 2008 period. Although we find a rapid 8 % increase in global mean OH concentrations between 2010 and 2012 that quickly declines afterwards, the derived interannual variations were typically small (< 3 %/yr), with no significant long-term trend in global mean OH concentrations. The inverse system found strong adjustments to the latitudinal distribution of OH, relative to widely used prior distributions, with systematic increases in tropical and decreases in extra-tropical OH concentrations (both up to 30 %). These spatial adjustments were driven by intrahemispheric biases in simulated MCF mole fractions, which have not been identified in previous studies. Given the large amplitude of these adjustments, which exceeds spread between literature estimates, and a residual bias in the MCF intrahemispheric gradients, we suggest a reversal in the extratropical ocean sink of MCF in response to declining atmospheric MCF abundance (as hypothesized in Wennberg et al., 2004). This ocean source provides a more realistic explanation for the biases, possibly complementary to adjustments in the OH distribution. We identified significant added value in the use of a 3D transport model, since it implicitly accounts for variable transport and optimizes the observed spatial gradients of MCF, which is not possible in simpler models. However, we also found a trade-off in computational expense and convergence problems. Despite these convergence problems, the derived OH variations do result in an improved match with MCF observations relative to an interannually repeating prior for OH. Therefore, we consider that variations in OH derived from MCF inversions with 3D models can add value to budget studies of long-lived gases like CH4.

New understanding of electrical activity brought by surface potential of cardiomyocytes

Aiming at the problem encountered in the previous research: during the electrical activity of cardiomyocytes, the influent ions do not seem to be directly derived from the extracellular fluid. We chose to cut in from the colloidal properties of the cells, follow the basic principles of physical chemistry, and establish hypotheses along the derivation of the structural characteristics of cardiomyocytes. Through the surface ion adsorption experiment and patch clamp experiment of living cells, under the condition of sequentially reducing the concentration of Na+ in the extracellular fluid, we observed the exchange and diffusion of adsorbed ions on the cell surface; the changes of inflow INa, ICa-L and action potential; and correlation between results. The results showed that the hypothesis is true. The observed parameter changes were consistent with the fact that during depolarization of cardiomyocytes, the ions of influx were derived from the inference of adsorbed ions on the cell surface; at the same time, it also provided an objective and realistic explanation for the generation of electrocardiogram.

Ultramagnesian Olivine in the Monchepluton (Fo96) and Pados-Tundra (Fo93) Layered Intrusions (Kola Peninsula)

Abstract —The paper focuses on compositional variations of olivine and chromian spinel in the Monchepluton and Pados-Tundra layered intrusions, which host significant chromitite mineralization. Ore-bearing dunite (with up to 25–30 vol.% Mcr) in the Sopcheozerskoe chromite deposit from the Monchepluton complex, Kola Peninsula, Russia, bears an assemblage of phases with exceptionally high magnesium contents: Fo96 + augite (Mg# = 94) + magnesiochromite, Mcr (Mg# ≈ 65); Mg# = 100·Mg/(Mg + Fe2+ + Mn). However, olivine in the host dunite has normal maximum values of Mg# comparable to those in cumulus olivine from layered intrusions worldwide (Fo≤91–92). The Fo96 phase in the Sopcheozerskoe deposit shows the most primitive composition ever reported from any layered intrusion. Magnesiochromite occurs as unzoned homogeneous euhedral crystals unaffected by subsolidus exchange or metasomatic effects. Olivine in ore-bearing dunite (20–25 vol.% magnesian chromite) from the Pados-Tundra complex attains Fo93, with the Mg# value notably higher than the range (Fo85.5–90.6) in olivine from orthopyroxenite, harzburgite, and dunite within the intrusion. Olivine and chromian spinel in the two complexes behave coherently, with covarying patterns of Mg# and Ni contents in olivine at R = 0.75 (n = 160) and positive correlation between Mg# in coexisting chromian spinel and olivine grains at R = 0.8 (n = 150). This behavior indicates that the two phases attained equilibrium during crystallization. It appears unlikely that the extremely high Mg enrichment in olivine (Fo96), as well as in all associated phases of the Monchepluton complex, would result from a subsolidus reaction between olivine and chromian spinel or low-temperature alteration of olivine. We suggest a more realistic explanation that the olivine (+ high-Mg augite)–chromian spinel assemblage crystallized from komatiitic magma under the conditions of progressively increasing oxygen fugacity (fO2). The high Mg# in the Mcr-chromite-enriched system, above the maximum values common in cumulus olivine from layered intrusions (up to Fo96 against Fo≤91–92), may be caused by shortage of ferrous iron.

The End of the Pāṇḍavas’ Year in Disguise

Abstract This article discusses an ambiguity in the Sanskrit Mahābhārata concerning whether or not the Pāṇḍavas maintained their disguises for a full year. It argues that the text uses this ambiguity in order to provide a psychologically realistic explanation for the war – the war that is mandated in advance as part of a divine plan to address the Earth’s reported afflictions, and that is ensured in real time by the actions of divinities in the form of human beings. The ambiguity at the end of the year in disguise makes a success of the text’s strategy of presenting a divine plan simultaneous with the human action. The article shows that both human sides – Duryodhana and Yudhiṣṭhira – adhere closely to the dharma of the covenant made at the second dicing match. Discussion focuses on the recognition of Arjuna by the Kauravas in the Virāṭaparvan, and on the narrative effects of that recognition. Various characters’ perspectives on this recognition event are presented and examined. Bhīṣma says the year was already over, so the Pāṇḍavas are not accused of breaching the covenant. The second half of the article explores the implications of this as they unfold in the Udyogaparvan.

Impact of Healthcare Expenditures on Healthcare Outcomes in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region: A Cross-Country Comparison, 1995-2015.

The association between healthcare expenditures and outcomes, mainly mortality and life expectancy, is complex. The real explanation for this association is not clear, especially in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. This study assesses the impact of health expenditures on improving healthcare systems and health status and finds a relationship between health expenditures and health outcomes across different region. Annual time series data on healthcare spending and outcomes from 1995 to 2015 were used for MENA region in comparison to developed and developing countries. Health expenditure was adjusted by the consumer price index equation to the 2015 US dollar eliminate the impact of inflation on our results. For many countries, spending on healthcare continues to rise, Among MENA countries, we found that the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait spent more per capita on health, $1,711 and $1,420, respectively, than any other countries in the region. Although this study demonstrated a relationship between total healthcare expenditure and outcomes, some countries spend more on healthcare but have shorter life expectancy. In most countries, efficient and effective utilization of healthcare resources is the key strategy for improving health outcomes in any country. The lack of a positive correlation between healthcare spending and life expectancy may indicate that health resources are not allocated effectively. In those cases, increasing health spending does not guarantee that there is any kind of improvement in healthcare.

Real-space charge distribution of the cobalt ion and its relation with charge and spin states

The charge state of an ion provides a simplified electronic picture of the bonding in compounds, and heuristically explains the basic electronic structure of a system. Despite its usefulness, the physical and chemical definition of a charge state is not a trivial one, and the essential idea of electron transfer is found to be not a realistic explanation. Here, we study the real-space charge distribution of a cobalt ion in its various charge and spin states, and examine the relation between the formal charge/spin states and the static charge distribution. Taking the prototypical cobalt oxides, La/SrCoO$_3$, and bulk Co metal, we confirm that no prominent static charge transfer exists for different charge states. However, we show that small variations exist in the integrated charges for different charge states, and these are compared to the various spin state cases.