Major Lines Research Articles

Study of the Balmer Decrements for Galactic Classical Be Stars Using the Himalayan Chandra Telescope of India

In a recent study, Banerjee et al. (2021) produced an atlas of all major emission lines found in a large sample of 115 Galactic field Be stars using the 2-m Himalayan Chandra Telescope (HCT) facility located at Ladakh, India. This paper presents our further exploration of these stars to estimate the electron density in their discs. Our study using Balmer decrement values indicate that their discs are generally optically thick in nature with electron density (ne) in their circumstellar envelopes (CEs) being in excess of 1013 cm-3 for around 65% of the stars. For another 19% stars, the average ne in their discs probably range between 1012 cm-3 and 1013 cm-3. We noticed that the nature of the Hα and Hβ line profiles might not influence the observed Balmer decrement values (i.e. D34 and D54) of the sample of stars. Interestingly, we also found that around 50% of the Be stars displaying D34 greater than 2.7 are of earlier spectral types, i.e. within B0 -B3.

Just Wars Theory as a Key Element of Germany’s New Sonderweg

The article traces the evolution and key characteristics of the German Sonderweg – Germany’s special path starting from the end of the 19th – the middle of the 20th century. The article considers geopolitical, ideological, and historical reasons for its emergence, transformation, and the specificity of its normative constitution, designed to morally justify the use of military force as an indispensable lever for Germany to achieve its goal of creating a “German Europe.” We develop a hypothesis of a possible remake at the beginning of the 21st century of a new German Sonderweg, focused on creation of the “European Germany,” stemming from liberalism and just war theory. It is demonstrated that Zeitenwende, announced in 2022, facilitated the possible resort to arms and made militant solution of political dilemmas a reality again. The discourse analysis of the German political speeches makes it possible to claim that the political elites in Germany are preconcerted with normative justification of the possible war. The article considers two major lines of transformation of the contemporary just war theory and their possible implication in the German military and defense policy. One of these is the emergence of human rights paradigm of the just war doctrine, another – the growing tendency of the theory to stick to national cultural tradition instead of moral universalism. The combination of the two tendencies may trigger an array of very special and unpredictable normative developments of the military policy in Germany. The further movement alongside the idea of jus ad bellum may provoke specific national perceptions of the justice of the war, which may merge the idea of just war with traditional German realism if not militarism. This tendency may lure Germany into a trap of, what we term, “human rights militarism.” To what extent the trap is viable depends on the normative constitution of the key elements of Sonderweg.

Sequential Polarization: The Development of the Rural-Urban Political Divide, 1976–2020

As recently as the early 1990s, Americans living in rural and urban areas voted similarly in presidential elections, yet in the decades since, they have diverged sharply as rural people in all regions of the country have increasingly supported the Republican Party. We seek to explain the sources of this growing cleavage by examining two interrelated processes of change: political-economic transformation that elevated many urban areas and marginalized rural ones, and the nationalization of policy goals. Our analytical approach is developmental, probing the timing and sequencing of trends across more than four decades. It is also comprehensive, testing theories related to economic decline, the educational gap, organizational mobilization, and racism and racial and ethnic threat. Our analysis reveals that while rural and urban counties resembled each other in several respects in the 1970s, they have since moved apart. We examine how key trends relate to political change in presidential voting. We find that in the 1990s and early 2000s, rural dwellers in places experiencing population loss or economic stagnation began to support Republican candidates. Then from 2008 to 2020, those in areas with higher percentages of less-educated residents, a higher presence of evangelical congregations per capita, and higher levels of anti-Black racism, each more prevalent in rural areas than urban areas, shifted their support to Republicans. Through sequential processes of polarization, with political-economic forces leading the way and activating rural resistance to the nationalization of policy goals subsequently, the rural-urban political divide emerged as a major fault line in the nation’s politics.

Correlations between Dementia and Loneliness.

This review describes associations between dementia and loneliness on the neurobiological and epidemiological levels according to the recent body of literature. The aim of this study was to highlight major lines of research in this field. Sociocognitive skills and social interactions present complex interdependencies with dementia which may be explained by two theories. According to the first one, not sufficiently engaging in social or cognitive activities results in brain atrophy. The second one claims that brain neurogenesis and synaptic density are being increased by social connections. The relationship between loneliness and dementia could be mediated by sensory loss, including hearing and visual impairment, as well as depression and psychotic symptoms. Loneliness itself might cause a depletion in sensory and cognitive stimulation which results in a decrease in neural reserve. Certain changes in the structures of the brain caused by loneliness were found in imaging examination. Loneliness appears to be a crucial risk factor for dementia in recent times due to the modern lifestyle and consequences of the outbreak of COVID-19. Additional studies are required to understand more completely the key tenets of this topic and therefore to improve the prevention and treatment of dementia.

EARTH TREMORS - EMERGING THREATS IN NORTHERN NIGERIA

The August 2000 Jushi Kwari, September 2016 Kwoi Kaduna, and September 2018 Mpape (Abuja) seismic events have clearly placed Nigeria's Northern states at high risk of earth tremors. Although the Northern part of Nigeria is far from earthquake-prone zones around the world, recent seismic activity in the region suggests that Northern Nigeria is now vulnerable to earthquakes. As a result, the purpose of this research is to identify the vulnerability and assess the evolution of tremor activities in Nigeria's Northern States. Previous research has revealed dominant NE-SW and NW-SE trending structures distributed throughout Northern Nigeria, with all major regional fault lines (Romanche, Chain Charlot, and St Paul) extending from the Atlantic Ocean linked to NE-SW and SW faults, which are interpreted as conduits of seismic energy that cause earth tremors in Nigeria.

OIL SPILL SIMULATION IN THE BALI STRAIT USING THE GNOME AND FVCOM MODELS ON EASTERLY SEASON

Among several forms of marine pollution, oil damages coastal ecosystems. Repeated reports of oil contamination in the marine environment can partly load with major shipping lines. The Ketapang-Gilimanuk crossing over the Bali Strait is Indonesia's second busiest ferry port after Merak-Bakauheni. The most congested shipping routes can carry a significant risk of environmental damage from an oil spill. Oil spill trajectory modelling is carried out to reduce the impact of this possible disaster. Therefore, the use of modelling to ascertain the route of the oil spill was considered. The oil leak path is simulated using the GNOME model. Two oil spill scenarios were used as input models. The chosen location is around the Ketapang Gilimanuk crossing, as well as the time of the easterly season. An ocean HF radar stationed in the Bali Strait verifies the accuracy of the current marine data generated by FVCOM. To see the pattern of the oil spill trajectory based on a ten days simulation, we combined the latest data from FVCOM with GNOME. To determine the ability of the model to predict the flow and trajectory of oil spills in the Bali Strait, this study try to analyze and interpret the oil spill trajectory from model and then validate the model results with satellite imagery.
 Keywords: Bali strait; oil spill; trajectory; GNOME; FVCOM; HF Radar

Numerical and Experimental Investigation of Time-Domain-Reflectometry-Based Sensors for Foreign Object Detection in Wireless Power Transfer Systems

Foreign object detection (FOD) is considered a key method for detecting objects in the air gap of a wireless charging system that could pose a risk due to strong inductive heating. This paper describes a novel method for the detection of metallic objects utilizing the principle of electric time domain reflectometry. Through an analytical, numerical and experimental investigation, two key parameters for the design of transmission lines are identified and investigated with respect to the specific constraints of inductive power transfer. For this purpose, a transient electromagnetic simulation model is established to obtain and compare the sensor impedance and reflection coefficients with experimental data. The measurement setup is based on parametrically designed sensors in laboratory scale, using an EUR 2 coin as an exemplary test object. Consequently, the proposed simulation model has been successfully validated in this study, providing a comprehensive quantitative and qualitative analysis of the major transmission line design parameters for such applications.

Polyaromatic Bis(indolyl)methane Derivatives with Antiproliferative and Antiparasitic Activity

Bis(indolyl)methanes (BIMs) are a class of compounds that have been recognized as an important core in the design of drugs with important pharmacological properties, such as promising anticancer and antiparasitic activities. Here, we explored the biological activity of the BIM core functionalized with different (hetero)aromatic moieties. We synthesized substituted BIM derivatives with triphenylamine, N,N-dimethyl-1-naphthylamine and 8-hydroxylquinolyl groups, studied their photophysical properties and evaluated their in vitro antiproliferative and antiparasitic activities. The triphenylamine BIM derivative 2a displayed an IC50 of 3.21, 3.30 and 3.93 μM against Trypanosoma brucei, Leishmania major and HT-29 cancer cell line, respectively. The selectivity index demonstrated that compound 2a was up to eight-fold more active against the parasites and HT-29 than against the healthy cell line MRC-5. Fluorescence microscopy studies with MRC-5 cells and T. brucei parasites incubated with derivative 2a indicate that the compound seems to accumulate in the cell’s mitochondria and in the parasite’s nucleus. In conclusion, the BIM scaffold functionalized with the triphenylamine moiety proved to be the most promising antiparasitic and anticancer agent of this series.

AI-algorithm-assisted 895-nm praseodymium laser emitting sub-100-fs pulses.

Praseodymium (Pr) lasers have achieved outstanding pico- and sub-picosecond pulsations covering the near-infrared (NIR) and visible spectral range in recent years. However, it has been a stagnant task for more than two decades to leapfrog into the sub-100 femtosecond (fs) regime as the Pr gain bandwidths are too narrow for their major transition lines. Although the wide tunability at the NIR bands in the Pr:YLF crystals has been explored, the spectral tails in these transitions suffer severely from weak gains for mode locking, combined with the intricate dispersion control to achieve transform-limit formation. In this work, we target the Pr:YLF's 895-nm line with a specially designed edge-pass filter to balance the gain bandwidth and transitional strength. By deploying a symmetric dispersion scheme and tuning with the soft actor-critic artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm, we have achieved the pulse duration down to sub-100-fs in a Pr laser for the first time. This work also enriches the AI-assisted methodology for ultrafast solid-state laser realizations.

The Metaphysics of Development and Evolution: From Thing Ontology to Process Ontology

This article discusses the metaphysics of development and evolution. Which most fundamental assumptions about the structure of reality underlie our thinking about development and evolution? Against the backdrop of major lines of thought in the history of western metaphysics, I argue that the characteristic disregard of development in neo-Darwinist evolutionary theory is due to an underlying view of reality in terms of things (thing ontology) and that putting development back into evolution, as intended by the Extended Evolutionary Synthesis, requires understanding reality in terms of processes (process ontology). I show how a metaphysical paradigm shift from thing ontology to process ontology, and a philosophy of biology informed accordingly by process ontology (process biology), can advance our understanding of development and evolution.

Mapping and monitoring of vegetation regeneration and fuel under major transmission power lines through image and photogrammetric analysis of drone-derived data

The use of drones and remote sensing in combination with geospatial analysis is a cost-efficient way to monitor energy distribution networks, especially those in fire-prone areas. This study investigated the use of image and photogrammetric analysis together with segmentation algorithms to assess vegetation height and volume in power line corridors in Southeast Queensland, Australia. Various fuel reduction techniques, including mega-mulching, spot sprays and cool mosaic burns, were implemented, and drone-generated models were employed to evaluate their effectiveness. The fuel hazard reduction and regrowth in terms of vegetation height and volume were recorded and analysed. Importantly, the study demonstrates a robust correlation (R 2 = 0.9073; df = 1,16; F = 156; p < .001) between field observations and drone-derived models, affirming the efficacy of this method in assessing fuel heights. This validation suggests that the approach could represent a viable, cost-efficient option for future monitoring and management of energy distribution networks in fire-prone areas.

Business accountability in the Anthropocene

AbstractThe arrival of the Anthropocene requires a profound rethinking of business accountability. A central challenge in this age is the possibility of pushing past planetary boundaries, which may irreversibly propel the Earth system into a new equilibrium that is less hospitable for human civilization. Businesses drive many of the processes contributing to such boundaries, and are powerful political actors who may shape or obstruct the necessary transformations to our socio‐economic systems. We therefore need to reconsider their accountability, focused on the following guiding question: Who (in business) should be accountable to whom for what? The answer to this question has important implications for environmental policy and governance. Drawing on a range of recent conceptual and policy developments, I present four major lines of thinking for reconsidering business accountability in the Anthropocene context: to rethink the purpose of business; to acknowledge companies' expanded but shared accountability for productive activities; to heighten collective and individual liability for past and future actions linked to overshooting planetary boundaries; and to recognize business accountability for influencing political and societal processes. Each of these lines of thinking imply policy changes related to, inter alia, corporate governance, due diligence, liability, and lobbying laws. I further call on businesses to actively participate in the large‐scale transformation necessary to keep within planetary boundaries by changing not only their production processes, but also product portfolios, business models, legal forms, and political and societal engagement; and highlight avenues for future research.

3 Rey Complex Figure Scoring Made Simple: Data from the Emory Healthy Brain Study

Objective:The Rey Complex Figure (CF) is a popular test to assess visuospatial construction and visual memory, but its broader use in clinical research is limited by scoring complexity. To widen its application, we developed a new CF scoring system similar to the Benson Figure in which 10 primary CF elements are scored according to presence and location. A novel recognition task was also created for each of these 10 items consisting of a 4-choice recognition condition containing the primary rectangle and major interior lines with qualitative variations of target elements as distractors. The current investigation was designed to characterize the relationship between scoring methods and establish whether comparable results are obtained across both traditional and new CF scoring approaches.Participants and Methods:Participants from the Emory Health Brain Study (EHBS) who had completed the Rey CF copy during their cognitive study visit were studied. All participants were self-identified as normal, and administered the CF according to our previously published procedure that included the Copy, Immediate Recall (∼ 30 seconds), and 30-minute Delayed Recall (Loring et al., 1990). Following delayed recall, CF recognition was assessed using the Meyers and Myers (1995) recognition followed by the newly developed forced choice recognition. The final sample included 155 participants ranging in age from 51.6 years to 80.0 years (M=64.9, SD=6.6). The average MoCA score was 26.8/30 (SD=6.6).Results:Mean performance levels across conditions and scoring approaches are included in the table. Correlations between Copy, Immediate Recall, Delayed Recall, and Recognition were calculated to evaluate the relationship between the traditional 18 item/36 point Osterrieth criteria and newly developed CF scoring criteria using both parametric and non-parametric approaches. Pearson correlations demonstrated high agreement between approaches when characterizing performance levels across all CF conditions (Copy r=.72, Immediate Recall r=.87, Delayed Recall r=.90, and Recognition r=.52). Similar correlations were present using non-parametric analyses (Copy ρ=.46, Immediate Recall ρ=.83, Delayed Recall ρ=.91, and Recognition ρ=.42). Table. Mean performance levels across conditions and scoring approachesConclusions:The high correlations, particularly for Immediate and Delayed Recall conditions, suggest that the modified simpler scoring system is comparable to the traditional approach, thereby suggesting potential equivalence between scoring methods. When comparing Rey’s original 47 point scoring approach to his 36 point scoring system, Osterrieth (1944) reported a correlation in fifty adults of ρ=.95 and a correlation in twenty 6-year-olds of ρ=.92. In this investigation, lower correlations were observed for copy and recognition conditions, in part representing smaller response distribution across participants. Although these preliminary results are encouraging, to implement the new EHBS scoring method in clinical evaluation, we are developing normative data in participants across the entire EHBS series, many of whom were not administered the new CF Recognition. We are also examining performances in patients undergoing DBS evaluation for Parkinson Disease to explore its clinical sensitivity. Simpler scoring will permit greater CF clinical and research application.

Crafting investment models through contradictory value and momentum investment strategies by artificial intelligence

Crafting investment models through contradictory value and momentum investment strategies by artificial intelligence Professor Chien-Feng Huang discusses how Artificial Intelligence could provide innovative models and strategies to solve investment problems. Over the past decade, Professor Chien-Feng Huang has been working on several investment problems using Artificial Intelligence (AI). Big Data technology, data mining and machine learning play crucial roles in his research, where he hopes to discover niches and innovative solutions to bring about blue ocean strategies for investment. One major line of research Professor Huang has been pursuing is to combine seemingly contradictory strategies to generate emerging solutions for investment. For example, the momentum investing strategy might advise buying a stock, yet the value investment strategy advises against it. So, which one is right?

FFK: Fourier-Transform Fuzzy-c-means Kalman-Filter Based RSSI Filtering Mechanism for Indoor Positioning.

As indoor positioning has been widely utilized for many applications of the Internet of Things, the Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI) fingerprint has become a common approach to distance estimation because of its simple and economical design. The combination of a Gaussian filter and a Kalman filter is a common way of establishing an RSSI fingerprint. However, the distributions of RSSI values can be arbitrary distributions instead of Gaussian distributions. Thus, we propose a Fouriertransform Fuzzyc-means Kalmanfilter (FFK) based RSSI filtering mechanism to establish a stable RSSI fingerprint value for distance estimation in indoor positioning. FFK is the first RSSI filtering mechanism adopting the Fourier transform to abstract stable RSSI values from the low-frequency domain. Fuzzy C-Means (FCM) can identify the major Line of Sight (LOS) cluster by its fuzzy membership design in the arbitrary RSSI distributions, and thus FCM becomes a better choice than the Gaussian filter for capturing LOS RSSI values. The Kalman filter summarizes the fluctuating LOS RSSI values as the stable latest RSSI value for the distance estimation. Experiment results from a realistic environment show that FFK achieves better distance estimation accuracy than the Gaussian filter, the Kalman filter, and their combination, which are used by the related works.

Memories and Musings: My Experiences with Marcia Gentry and More

ABSTRACT Marcia Gentry personified a life well-lived. In this tribute to her work and legacy, her early ideas are highlighted. The author describes her professional experiences with Marcia during the years when Marcia was a doctoral student at the University of Connecticut. Recalling her initial motivation for a more inclusive form of identification of gifted students, the author shares Marcia’s experiment with cluster grouping while still working in a public school in Michigan and describes how that experience grew into one of Marcia’s major lines of inquiry in her quest for more inclusive and authentic strategies for identifying gifted and talented youngsters. The author relates how this line of inquiry mirrored her own work in identifying twice-exceptional students using more authentic identification methods. Also explored is Marcia’s early experience with authentic learning as she developed curriculum for Project High Hopes, and how this problem-based curriculum was a precursor for Marcia’s extensive work with Enrichment Clusters as a means to extend gifted pedagogy to all students. The author then details her own research in using authentic learning as a research-based intervention for twice-exceptional students.

Association analysis of agronomic traits and construction of genetic networks by resequencing of 306 sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) lines

Due to the relatively brief domestication history of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris ssp. vulgaris), our understanding of the genomic diversity and functional genes in its cultivars is limited, resulting in slow breeding progress. To address this issue, a total of 306 germplasm materials of major cultivars and breeding lines from China, the USA, and Europe were selected for genome resequencing. We investigated population structure and genetic diversity and performed selective scanning of genomic regions, identifying six novel genes associated with important agronomic traits: the candidate genes DFAX2 and P5CS for skin roughness; the candidate genes FRO5, GL24, and PPR91 for root yield and sugar yield, and the pleiotropic candidate gene POLX for flourishing growth vigour, plant height, crown size, flesh coarseness, and sugar yield. In addition, we constructed a protein–protein interaction network map and a phenotype-gene network map, which provide valuable information for identifying and characterizing functional genes affecting agronomic traits in sugar beet. Overall, our study sheds light on the future improvement of sugar beet agronomic traits at the molecular level.

Cianjur Earthquake- Roles of Social Media and the Distribution of Sciences

A magnitude 5.2 earthquake hit Cianjur Regency, West Java, Indonesia on November 21, 2022, killing more than 300 people, leaving many more missing, and damaging more than 60,000 houses which caused thousands of people to be displaced from their homes. Significant seismic activity was recognized in 1699, 1834, 1879, and 1900 near Cianjur in West Java. The news quickly hit social media, with some responding in group chats, feeds, reels, and literature reviews shared via other social media claiming that the Cimandiri Fault had caused the event. Moreover, discussions were featured in webinars and on national television. However, this information was based solely on limited information and prior knowledge of the area without further analysis of the actual data.New satellite data was uploaded via social media a few days later. This update soon reduced online discussion about the Cimandiri Fault. There was further evidence of a previously buried fault between the Cimandiri Fault and the Gede Pangrango Range, 12 km north of the estimated location of the Cimandiri Fault. Our field observations indicate that this fault caused most of the rupture in this region.Socially, the earthquake event also caused immediate problems in the local community. There have been incidents of earthquake survivors, donors, and people taking advantage of the situation. Blockades were everywhere, and those claiming to be survivors demanded that oncoming donation fleets be stopped, and all donations abandoned. These incidents have hampered efforts to distribute aid to the most remote areas. As a result, survivors who had taken refuge far from major logistical lines were left stranded. Heartless selfies and video content created in the face of grieving communities are everywhere and create a rift between survivors and donors.The recent Cianjur earthquake has taught us how important it is to understand the geological phenomena behind our homes and the effect of information and misinformation via social media. While social media serves as a valuable tool for rapid information dissemination during disasters, verifying information from reliable sources and encouraging responsible usage of social media platforms is essential. Effective filtering of information becomes pivotal to combat misinformation in developing more resilient communities, safeguarding lives, and minimising the impact of the disaster.

Common Challenges for All? A Critical Engagement with the Emerging Vision for Post‐pandemic Development Studies

ABSTRACTThe COVID‐19 pandemic motivated calls for the field of development studies to be recast. This article analyses two prominent, future‐gazing ‘pandemic papers’ to illustrate salient features of the ascendant trend towards a new ‘global development’ paradigm. By unpacking and interpreting major lines of reasoning put forward by two agenda‐setting articles, this contribution appraises how these texts make the case for the future of development studies. Through this analysis, the article questions the core arguments that seek to shift the contours of the discipline, and thus the study of development generally. In making their call to adopt a universalist or global development framework that includes a focus on Europe and North America, the authors of the ‘pandemic papers’ overlook the Southern origins of and justifications for the North‒South framework they seek to overturn. The present article acknowledges the importance of and supports returning to and advancing — rather than jettisoning — the intellectual lineage anchored in non‐Truman understandings of development, including as a popular project of Southern emancipation from colonial, imperial and structural subordination. Rather than de‐centring the global North‒South framework, it suggests that the analytically more useful way forward is for development studies to (re)centre the global South and use global South theories and lenses to better understand the world economy and the majority world.

Psoas major and lumbar lordosis may correlate with pain episodes during Sorensen test in patients with non-specific low back pain.

The reason that participants develop pain episodes during the Sorensen test remains unclear. Lumbar lordosis and trunk muscle are important for dynamic stability of the spine; however, their role in pain episodes during the Sorensen test has not yet been discussed. To investigate the effects of muscular morphology and lumbar curvature on pain development during the Sorensen test in patients with non-specific low back pain (LBP). Ninety-one patients diagnosed with chronic non-specific LBP and underwent the Sorensen test were enrolled. Lumbar lordosis, cross-sectional area and fat infiltration rate of trunk muscle and centroid line of psoas major (dividing into three types: anterior arc, linear and posterior arc) were measured using ImageJ software. All recruited patients were grouped into pain episode and exhaustion groups and were matched for the confounders based on propensity scores. The above parameters were compared between groups and further adjusted for confounding bias. After adjustment , the mean differences in lumbar lordosis of 12.1 ± 2.3∘ between the two groups in the complete cohort and of 13.9 ± 2.5∘ in the matching cohort remained significant, the exhaustion group had a 0.22-fold and 0.08-fold risk of presenting as linear and posterior arc types, respectively, compared with the pain episode group in the complete cohort (p= 0.008, p= 0.004), the corresponding values were 0.19-fold and 0.05-fold, respectively, in the matching cohort (p= 0.014, p= 0.010). Logistic regression demonstrated that lumbar lordosis, the linear and posterior arc types were significantly associated with pain episode during the test (OR = 0.78, p< 0.001; OR = 4.50, p= 0.038; OR = 9.93, p= 0.033). Lower lumbar lordosis and linear and posterior arc types of the psoas major centroid line were possibly relevant to the pain episode during Sorensen test in patients with chronic non-specific LBP.