Geographical Delimitation Research Articles

Enhancing forensic applications through the mineralogy of clays in surface soil horizon: A case study of baixada fluminense, Southeast Brazil

Clay minerals possess chemical, mineralogical, and crystallographic characteristics that make them potential forensic markers, as they can reflect geochemical and weathering processes on a detailed scale. Therefore, this study aims to use the mineralogy of the clay fraction to distinguish samples from the surface soil horizons in four municipalities in Brazil, to assess the possibility of geographical tracking for forensic applications. Studies characterizing clays in environments with a variety of soil types in forensic pedology are necessary but still in their early stages. Furthermore, due to the high incidence of homicides involving the displacement of bodies in the region and the low resolution of these crimes, this research is crucial for geoscientific applications, with the potential for global replication. The samples were separated by centrifugation and analyzed using X-ray diffractometry, X-ray fluorescence, and thermogravimetry. Minerals were determined through quantitative mineralogical analyses using Rietveld and Biscaye methods. Additionally, in conjunction with the crystallographic parameters of kaolinite (Full Width at Half Maximum – FWHM), it was possible to form 8 Clay Mineral Assemblages and Gibbsite (CMAG), whose geographical delimitation considered geological and hydrographic aspects. The determination of CMAGs is based on mineralogy and is defined as follows: CMAG 1: kaolinite+(illite); CMAG 2: kaolinite+(gibbsite); CMAG 3: kaolinite + illite + montmorillonite; CMAG 4: kaolinite + illite+(gibbsite); CMAG 5: ordered kaolinite+(illite)+(gibbsite); CMAG 6: kaolinite + gibbsite+(illite); CMAG 7: disordered kaolinite + illite + gibbsite; CMAG 8: kaolinite+(illite)+(chlorite). The results indicate that the quantification of clay minerals in samples from surface soil horizons, FWHM, and the % of Al in goethite can represent valuable tools for forensic pedology. Moreover, through the characterization of iron and titanium (hydr)oxides, it was possible to distinguish samples with a distance of 335 m between them, further expanding the capability to identify the geographical origin of samples, making them potential forensic markers.

Moral harassment: a portrait of northern brazil based on lawsuits

Purpose: To investigate moral harassment on northern Brazil through the lens of lawsuits. Design/methodology: Statistical analyses on lawsuits from 2012 to 2018 issued at Labor Court, 11th Region, which includes states of Amazonas and Roraima. It also provided a qualitative discussion, based on semi-structured interviews with main actors (judges, prosecutors, and lawyers). Findings: A representative volume of legal actions was found, signaling the presence of moral harassment in the region. There was a higher proportion of vertical harassment (management over employees), a large concentration in industry and banks, a predominance of men as harassers and great difficulty in proving the harassment. Originality/value: This article addresses the topic of moral harassment from a lens that is still little explored, lawsuits, considering a geographic delimitation without many studies – the northern region of Brazil. Theoretical/methodological contributions: The northern Brazil presents similar characteristics regarding moral harassment to those found in other regions of the country, reinforcing the understanding of a social phenomenon under the influence of the institutional environment. Practical implications: The findings reinforce the need to debate and review how reporting channels about moral harassment are structured in the country, as it is a phenomenon that is difficult to delimit and prove but has a profound impact on the lives of its victims.

Golden Eagle Populations, Movements, and Landscape Barriers: Insights from Scotland

GPS satellite tracking allows novel investigations of how golden eagles Aquila chrysaetos use the landscape at several scales and at different life history stages, including research on geographical barriers which may prevent or limit range expansion or create population/sub-population isolation. If there are significant barriers to golden eagle movements, there could be demographic and genetic consequences. Genetic studies have led investigations on the identification of sub-species, populations, and sub-populations but should be conjoined with demographic studies and dispersal movements to understand fully such designations and their geographic delimitation. Scottish eagles are genetically differentiated from continental European birds, with thousands of years of separation creating a distinct population, though without sub-species assignation. They present unique research opportunities to examine barriers to movements illustrated by satellite tracking under Scotland’s highly variable geography. We primarily examined two features, using more than seven million dispersal records from satellite tags fitted to 152 nestlings. The first was the presence of unsuitable terrestrial habitat. We found few movements across a region of largely unsuitable lowland habitat between upland regions substantially generated by geological features over 70 km apart (Highland Boundary Fault and Southern Uplands Fault). This was expected from the Golden Eagle Topography model, and presumed isolation was the premise for an ongoing reinforcement project in the south of Scotland, translocating eagles from the north (South Scotland Golden Eagle Project: SSGEP). Second was that larger expanses of water can be a barrier. We found that, for a northwestern archipelago (Outer Hebrides), isolated by ≥24 km of sea (and with prior assignation of genetical and historical separation), there were no tagged bird movements with the Inner Hebrides and/or the Highlands mainland (the main sub-population), confirming their characterisation as a second sub-population. Results on the willingness of eagles to cross open sea or sea lochs (fjords) elsewhere in Scotland were consistent on distance. While apparently weaker than the Outer Hebrides in terms of separation, the designation of a third sub-population in the south of Scotland seems appropriate. Our results validate the SSGEP, as we also observed no movement of birds across closer sea crossings from abundant Highland sources to the Southern Uplands. Based on telemetric results, we also identified where any re-colonisation of England, due to the SSGEP, is most likely to occur. We emphasise, nevertheless, that our study’s records during dispersal will be greater than the natal dispersal distances (NDDs), when birds settle to breed after dispersal, and NDDs are the better shorter arbiter for connectivity.

Additions to the jewish heritage of the Edelény district

With my study, I would like to contribute to the exploration of some abandoned, untended, small Jewish cemeteries in Northern Hungary. In the lack of proper attention and protection, cemeteries with only a few gravestones are likely to be lost or forgotten within a few decades. The settlements listed in the title belong to the Edelény district. Their inclusion was justified by the geographical delimitation of the research project Creative Region III. Cemeteries occupy an important position in the fabric of society. The trauma of the Holocaust is not exclusive to the Jews, but is a trauma for society as a whole, and is exacerbated by the lack of public awareness. There are parts of the world - and Northern Hungary is one of them - where it is impossible to ask how Jews and non-Jews lived together. For this reason, only secondary sources can speak of a time when coexistence was natural. In my study I examine the funerary heritage of local Jewish culture in three settlements - Lak, Hangács and Nyomár. My study also seeks to present the current state of the burial grounds and to provide data for further research.

Ralph Ellison Travels to Denmark: Invisible Man/Usynlig Mand and the World Location of American Literature

This essay argues that the Danish translation of Invisible Man (1952), Ralph Ellison’s prize-winning debut novel, offers a set of spatiotemporal coordinates with which the world location of postwar American literature can be mapped. By reconstructing how Invisible Man was received both in the United States and Denmark, I show that the evaluative criteria by which the novel was judged to be a valuable work of art breaks down the geographical delimitation of national literatures. To that effect, the construction of the author figure “Ralph Ellison” was contingent upon his fiction conforming to criteria of evaluation formalized by cultural institutions such as newspapers, universities, and literary prizes. These criteria were often derived from aesthetic principles associated with European modernism, and they come into full view in my reconstruction of Invisible Man’s publication and (Danish) translation history. I conclude that the residue of Invisible Man’s paratextual apparatus which has survived to this day, as well as the global connections this residue signifies, exposes the discursive construction of a nationally specific American literature as an ideological fiction, not a material fact.

Road Safety Efficiency on Interurban Roads in Spain.

The slowdown in economic development caused by traffic accidents in Spain, together with the disparity in the risk of death or injury due to traffic accidents in its provinces, makes it necessary to evaluate their road safety performance. Therefore, the objectives of the present research are, on the one hand, to find out the level of road safety efficiency of Spanish provinces in the period 2014-2018. On the other hand, it is also aimed to determine to what extent the annual efficiency change is originated by pure changes in efficiency or by technological changes. To achieve both objectives, the nonparametric technique of Data Envelopment Analysis and the Malmquist Index have been used based on the consideration of the Safety Performance Indicators (SPI) as the inputs of the process. The research findings show changes in the level of road safety efficiency in each of the years of the study period. Thus, it is possible to identify a geographical delimitation of the causes that generate changes in efficiency in recent years. A contraction in efficiency and technological progress is identified in part of the Spanish provinces in the north, northeast, and south of Spain.

Endemism and Reemergence Potential of the Ipomovirus Sweet Potato Mild Mottle Virus (FamilyPotyviridae) in Eastern Africa: Half a Century of Mystery

Viruses have the ability to frequently colonize new hosts and ecological niches because of their inherently high genetic and evolutionary plasticity. However, a virus may emerge and remain of no or less economic importance until changes in viral or environmental factors dictate its epidemiological status. An example is sweet potato mild mottle virus (SPMMV), which was first reported in the 1970s on sweetpotato in eastern Africa. SPMMV has remained endemic in the region and poorly understood, yet accounting for 60 to 95% of losses, especially in mixed infections. Unlike other sweetpotato viruses which have global incidences, SPMMV has never been confirmed outside eastern Africa. This implicates the region as its center of origin but does not fully account for SPMMV's exclusive geographic delimitation to eastern Africa. Despite its importance, several mysteries and research gaps surround SPMMV, which decelerate efforts for effective virus disease management in sweetpotato. The aim of this review is to articulate research gaps, propose pivotal scientific directions, and stimulate knowledge generation for better management of virus diseases in sweetpotato. Vector-mediated transmission of SPMMV remains enigmatic. Here, we postulate testable hypotheses to explain SPMMV transmission. Comparisons between SPMMV and cassava brown streak ipomoviruses demonstrate epidemiological “hallmarks” for monitoring SPMMV. Evolutionary forces on SPMMV coupled with the virus' broad host range imply a “silent build up” of more fit variants in a changing climate, and this could explode into a worse disease conundrum. These information gaps need urgent filling to ease future management of virus disease emergences in sweetpotato.[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license .

Agricultural Use of Pesticides in Galicia (NW Spain) During the 20th Century: Inventory of Active Substances and Their Geographic Distribution

Production of agricultural pesticides underwent an exponential increase during the 20th century. Many of these pesticides have since been prohibited because they are toxic and because they are bioaccumulated and persist in the environment. Detailed knowledge about any substance that is applied to land is essential to enable evaluation of potential contamination effects and the risk of latent exposure to these types of substances. However, accurate determination of the type and amounts of pesticides used throughout the history of agriculture in Spain is greatly complicated by the absence of historical records, scarce control of use and the lack of effective legislation until well into the 21st century. The aims of this study were: 1) to elaborate an inventory of the active substances of the agricultural pesticides (phytosanitary products) used in Galicia throughout the 20th century, 2) to develop a model of their geographic distribution by using a geographic information system (GIS), and 3) to contrast the geographical model obtained for selected persistent pesticides with the presence of these compounds in raw water. We consulted a large variety of sources of information and carried out a geographic analysis for the most commonly used pesticides in different crops. We inventoried a total of 176 active substances belonging to more than 50 different classes of chemicals and observed a clear geographic zoning according to the chemical class and mode of action of the substances. The presence of pesticide residues at drinking water extraction points is consistent with the geographic delimitation established in the study.

Geometric routing model as a new approach in mathematical modeling of wagon flows rational distribution

In the ongoing transport and logistics researches, a coefficient of railway line non-straightness is introduced, by means of which, for the considered loading stations, the specifics of the location of the railway network in a given region are taken into account. The use of this coefficient makes it possible to increase the efficiency and practical expediency of applying the method of economic and geographical delimitation of the «influence areas» of the loading stations. As a result, it is possible to construct a mathematically substantiated geometric routing model of the territorial oligopolistic market for freight transportation formed by the considered loading stations. As an effective tool in the research process, a system of analytical calculations is used.

The limits of coastal and marine areas in Andalusia (Spain). A socio-ecological approach for ecosystem-based management

Coastal and marine areas represent one of the most relevant spaces on a global scale to address management and conservation processes. Firstly, this is due to the interactions that characterise the area of exchange between land and sea. Secondly, it is the area where the main population settlements are located. However, there is no agreed definition of the scope of the coastal zone for management, and legal delimitations usually simplify the reality, making it impossible to develop Ecosystem Based Management in these areas. The research advances on a proposal for a conceptual and geographical delimitation of coastal areas from a socio-ecological perspective. The results show a delimitation of the coastal area based on two large geographical areas: The Coast and the Coastal Zone. The first one includes the Coastal Water, the Intertidal Area and the Shoreland. Seconly, the Coastal Zone is fundamental for understanding certain ecosystemic and social phenomena, and includes two units: Coastal Zone Water and Coastal Land. The proposed socio-ecological limits do not always coincide with the legal limits, which is why this article analyses in depth, for the case of Andalusia (Spain), the state and regional legislation on coastal matters. With all this, ideas are proposed on which to introduce socio-ecological delimitation into the legal limits and thus advance towards Ecosystem-Based Management in coastal and marine areas.

ИНТЕЛЛЕКТУАЛИЗАЦИЯ УПРАВЛЕНИЯ МУЛЬТИАГЕНТНЫМ ВЗАИМОДЕЙСТВИЕМ ПРИ ОРГАНИЗАЦИИ ГРУЗОВЫХ ПЕРЕВОЗОК В ПРИПОРТОВЫХ ТРАНСПОРТНЫХ СИСТЕМАХ

Under the conditions of operation's and rolling stock owner’s plurality on the Russian railwaynetwork the following issues are in case: excessive freight-hauling and carrying capacity ofsection, oncoming rerun of empty boxcar in one type, excessive mileage of empty boxcars, sectionalspeed reduction and others. More effective cooperation of transit process members based onlogistics, market simulation of freight traffics, creation of math models with the use of digitalizationand intellectualization methods of control are necessary for solving mentioned issues. Thisstudy is devoted to research matters of principles updating modelling multi-agent interaction inthe portside transport systems. Methods of statistical, morphological, regression and system analysis,mathematical and analytical modelling compose the methodological basis of the research.Research and modelling characteristics of freight and car traffic flow distribution under contextsof multiagency of transport complex, wherein the author-developed economic and geographicalmethod to delimit stations’ «spheres of influence» is applied allow to create analytical models oftransportation process based on integrated assessment of transport and technological infrastructureof the railway polygon and cost of transport services. Building of a digital geographical modelof rolling stock distribution according to types of transportation service for portside stations byanalytic curves of higher order is one of special characteristics. «Spheres of influence» of loadingstations obtained by methods of economic and geographical delimitation allows formulating arange of preferential directions while distributing car traffic. Acquired territorial scene of distributingcar traffic is a basis for solution of multi-attribute problem of optimization of boxcar directionsregulation taking into account multi-operator market of rolling stock, digitalization and intellectualizationof the branch. In addition to solution of objectives of transport services marketregulation in terms of rolling stock distribution, the problems of technological, economic, fiscaland digital interaction on a basis of logistics in the multi-agent systems are continued to be crucial.Model and methodological propositions formed in this context should ensure reduction oftransport and logistic costs with parallel improvement of quantitative, qualitative and temporaryindicators of integrated logistic supply chains realization.

Genetic diversity and population structure of Moroccan Botrytis spp. strains, causing chocolate spot disease in faba bean

Chocolate spot (Botrytis spp.) is one of the most important foliar diseases limiting the yield and seed quality of faba bean (Vicia faba L.) worldwide. Knowledge of the population structure of the pathogen is key to developing appropriate breeding strategies for disease management. This study aims to assess the genetic diversity and population structure of 75 Botrytis spp. isolates collected from seven major faba bean growing regions in Morocco. Genetic diversity was assessed using 30 Sequence Related Amplified Polymorphism (SRAP) primer combinations. Eight primer-combinations generated 118 polymorphic alleles and had discriminated between different isolates with an average PIC value of 0.28. The Moroccan Botrytis spp. populations presented a high genetic diversity that was more distributed within populations (99%) than among populations. Population structure analysis revealed that the genetic diversity was not linked to geographic locations, indicating limited geographic delimitation and significant gene flow. The data will be useful to improve the faba bean breeding program to develop effective resistant cultivars. To our knowledge, this is the first study carried out on the genetic variability of Botrytis spp. Isolates from faba bean In Morocco.

The influence of country of origin effect on export marketing performance in the cotton industry of Zimbabwe

The purpose of this paper was to investigate the influence of country of origin effect on export marketing performance in the cotton industry of Zimbabwe. Specific variables studied were brand image, customer attitude, customer product evaluation and export market performance. There is little research on the influence of country of origin effect on export marketing performance in the cotton industry of Zimbabwe, hence, the need to carry out this study. The research was conducted through a survey where pre-coded structured questionnaires were administered to respondents from the 5 cotton trading companies. A total of 80 questionnaires were sent to the respondents in the cotton industry. The main data analysis method used was factor analysis using inferential statistics which are total variance explained and rotated component matrix. Hypotheses were tested using one sample T test. Cronbach’s alpha proved that the data obtained from the sample was adequate and reliable. Results from the study showed that cotton buyers consider the image of the country when evaluating products; Despite country image organizations prefer cotton lint from Zimbabwe; A positive word of mouth is spread about cotton lint from Zimbabwe; I have or would recommend Zimbabwean produced lint to other organisations; Your organizational perception of a country portrays the reputation of organisations within that country; There will always be continuous purchase of cotton lint from Zimbabwe; There is guarantee you would recommend lint from Zimbabwe. The study brought significant contribution in understanding the concept of country of origin effect in the cotton industry. The study recommended that brand image can be made positive by organizations through unique marketing strategies which can separate the perception customers have about a country to the image of the product; Organizations must ensure customer attitude is positive about the organization; The product must be of high quality so that cotton lint from can be competitive on the global market. Beside the findings, this study had limitations, including a smaller sample size. So, future studies can be done researching the same topic but using a sample which is bigger in size and a geographical delimitation which is wider.

The Migration Patterns and Identity of the Okun-Yoruba People of Central Nigeria

Migration is a global phenomenon. From time immemorial, man has been moving from one place to another for temporary or permanent settlements. This is largely facilitated by natural or artificial factors. The former include nat­ural disasters such as ecological change and draught, while the latter can be in­stigated by wars and search for better fortunes. This study examines the nature of the movements of the Okun-Yoruba people from the western region of Ni­geria to the confluence of the Niger and Benue rivers in the Central Geograph­ical Zone of Nigeria. It reveals how their long years of interactions with peoples of the confluence region were aided by the European delimitation of the area as part of the North, which has been the basis of sociopolltical agitation. The study reveals that Okun-Yoruba people, despite their geographical delimitation as northerners, see themselves more as southerners.

Next-generation sequencing, isolation and characterization of 14 microsatellite loci of Canthon cyanellus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae).

We used Illumina paired-end sequencing to isolate and characterize microsatellites of Canthon cyanellus, a Neotropical roller dung beetle, encompassing several lineages within its distribution range. We examined C. cyanellus specimens collected at eight different localities in Mexico (two or three specimens per locality). We initially performed amplification tests with 16 loci, but two of which were unsuccessful. The 14 remaining microsatellites were polymorphic, with 2-16 alleles each. The expected and observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.11 to 0.76 and from 0.20 to 0.78, respectively. These microsatellites will help to assess structure at the population and lineage levels, identify zones of potential hybridization between lineages, and draw a more precise geographic delimitation of C. cyanellus lineages.

GLOBALIZATION – A FORM OF MANIFESTATION OF THE HYBRID WAR

Abstract: The growing scale and diversity of specific events of globalization, taking place on a global scale in the first two decades of the 21st century prove indisputably that actions assimilated to the hybrid warfare have become the most significant threat to nations. Unlike conventional warfare, hybrid forms do not involve direct or declarative actions of open conflict, but rather involve complex issues that are constantly unfolding and that are constantly evolving. Like globalization, the conflict no longer has a geographical delimitation or an infrastructure component, and populations are no longer the main fighters of these conflicts. In this article I will seek to answer some questions about the phenomenon of globalization and its implications for amplifying the manifestations of hybrid warfare in the contemporary operational environment, especially those of a cyber, terrorist, climatological, biological and organized crime nature, while presenting the concerns of international actors for increasing investments in research in the armament industry, improving military intelligence and long-range capabilities, in order to use military power as a tool of intimidation in foreign policy, active involvement of forces in punishing actors on the “axis of evil”, as well as the partial recovery of old areas of influence at regional or global level.

Speciation along a latitudinal gradient: The origin of the Neotropical cycad sister pair Dioon sonorense-D. vovidesii (Zamiaceae).

Latitude is correlated with environmental components that determine the distribution of biodiversity. In combination with geographic factors, latitude‐associated environmental variables are expected to influence speciation, but empirical evidence on how those factors interplay is scarce. We evaluated the genetic and environmental variation among populations in the pair of sister species Dioon sonorense–D. vovidesii, two cycads distributed along a latitudinal environmental gradient in northwestern Mexico, to reveal their demographic histories and the environmental factors involved in their divergence. Using genome‐wide loci data, we determined the species delimitation, estimated the gene flow, and compared multiple demographic scenarios of divergence. Also, we estimated the variation of climatic variables among populations and used ecological niche models to test niche overlap between species. The effect of geographic and environmental variables on the genetic variation among populations was evaluated using linear models. Our results suggest the existence of a widespread ancestral population that split into the two species ~829 ky ago. The geographic delimitation along the environmental gradient occurs in the absence of major geographic barriers, near the 28th parallel north, where a zonation of environmental seasonality exists. The northern species, D. vovidesii, occurs in more seasonal environments but retains the same niche of the southern species, D. sonorense. The genetic variation throughout populations cannot be solely explained by stochastic processes; the latitudinal‐associated seasonality has been an additive factor that strengthened the species divergence. This study represents an example of how speciation can be achieved by the effect of the latitude‐associated factors on the genetic divergence among populations.

Selective perimeter lockdowns in Madrid: a way to bend the COVID-19 curve?

Lockdowns have been widespread used to limit social interaction and bend the epidemic curve. However, their intensity and geographical delimitation have been variable across different countries. Madrid (Spain) implemented perimeter lockdowns in September with the purpose of bending the COVID-19 curve. In this paper we compared, using join point regressions, the evolution of COVID-19 cases in those areas where this intervention was implemented and those where it was not. According to our analysis, the decrease in the epidemic curve started before the impact of the perimeter lockdown could be reflected.

MATHEMATICAL MODELING OF CARGO FLOW DISTRIBUTION IN A REGIONAL MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM

An integrated approach is proposed in the study of rational schemes for the distribution of cargo flows at a regional transport loop for multimodal transportation, considered within the framework of an oligopolistic market. A technique has been developed for the parallel application of two approaches, differing in their mathematical nature, to the issues of increasing the economic efficiency of these transportations. The results obtained by the previously developed method of economic and geographical delimitation of «influence areas» of loading stations serve as a justification for the correctness of the results obtained by using an algorithm based on the Pareto optimization of the freight transportation process. Rational variants for organizing the freight transportation, taking into account time and cost indicators, have been obtained. The system of analytical calculations is used as a software tool to obtain a mathematically sound and transport–logistic diversified model of a regional oligopolistic freight market.

Identification of tourist resources for the design of thematic routes in the natural corridor of the Armorican Arch of Cáceres (Extremadura, SW Spain)

The Spanish region of Extremadura represents a paradigmatic case within the European Union because above 30% of its territory (41,634 km2) is protected by international, national or regional figures of protection. In addition, many of these protected areas are connected between them through the so-called Armorican Arch of Cáceres which crosses the region from SE to NW as if it were a natural corridor of quartzite ridges. The main goal of this study was to identify tourist resources in this natural corridor aimed at the design of tourist routes that can suppose an opportunity of touristic development in this territory characterized by a low population density. For doing that, we have followed these methodological steps: [1] geographical delimitation of the Armorican Arch of Cáceres, [2] socio-economic analysis of the municipalities and [3] identification of the natural protected sites crossed by this corridor, [4] compilation of information on fauna and flora as well as geological and cultural aspects, and [5] design of tourist routes. This corridor passes by 52 municipalities, 7 counties, 3 provinces and 2 countries and connects the La Siberia Biosphere Reserve with the Naturtejo Geopark in Portugal passing by the Villuercas, Ibores, Jara Geopark, the Monfragüe National Park (also Biosphere Reserve), the Canchos de Ramiro y Ladronera Special Protection Area for Birds and the International Tagus River Biosphere Reserve. We have identified 81 remarkable tourist resources: 37 natural protected sites, 30 sites of geological interest and 14 medieval castles as well as the presence of fossils and valuable species of flora and fauna (some of them are endangered). By using this information we have designed three thematic tourist routes: birdwatching, medieval castles and geological sites.