Special Light Research Articles

Mere light

ABSTRACT The special issue Mere Light examines hidden paradoxes of light, perhaps the most conventional imagistic figure known to literature and philosophy alike. In this introduction, the editors lay out the stakes of the special issue, while offering brief readings of passages from Roland Barthes, Marcel Proust, Martin Heidegger, Immanuel Kant, and Arthur Schopenhauer that disrupt some of light’s conventional associations – as an unproblematic emblem of meaning, mimesis, truth, or the aesthetic itself – to reveal a deeper obscurity.

New 3-D Fluorescence Spectral Indices for Multiple Pigment Inversions of Plant Leaves via 3-D Fluorescence Spectra

High-sensitivity fluorescence monitoring has been widely used in agriculture and environmental science. However, the active fluorescence detection information of leaf segments mainly focuses on total chlorophyll, and the fluorescence information of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and some other pigments has not been explored. This only considers the fluorescence spectrum characteristics at a single wavelength or the fluorescence integral from a range of wavelength regions and does not completely consider the linkage relation between the excitation, emission, and interference information. In this paper, the three-dimensional fluorescence spectrum, containing the excitation and emission fluorescence spectra, and the corresponding multiple pigment characteristics from the upgraded LOPEX_ZJU database were collected. The linkages of excitation and emission of the three-dimensional fluorescence spectra of these pigments were analyzed for the newly built multiple pigment 3-D fluorescence spectral indices (3-D FSIs), including those of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, carotenoid, anthocyanin, and flavonoid 3-D FSIs. Then, these pigment inversion models were established and validated. The results show that the 3-D FSIs performances for the photosynthetic pigment content inversion (including chlorophyll a and b, and carotenoids) were much better than those for the photo-protective pigments (including anthocyanins and flavonoids) from the 3-D fluorescence spectra of these plant leaves. Here, the 3-D fluorescence normalization index (FNI ((F430,690-F430,763)/(F430,690+F430,763))) for the chlorophyll a inversion model has a high accuracy, the RMSE is 2.96 μg/cm2, and the 3-D fluorescence reciprocal difference index (FRI (F650,704/F650,668) for the chlorophyll b model has an encouraging RMSE (2.01 μg/cm2). The RMSE of the 3-D fluorescence ratio index (FRI (F500,748/F500,717)) for the carotenoid inversion is 3.77 μg/cm2 RMSE. Only FRI (F370,615/F370,438) was selected for the modeling and validating evaluation of the leaf Flas content inversion, but the evaluation metrics were not good, with an RMSE (151.13 μg/cm2). For Ants, although there was a 3-D FSI (FRDI (1/F540,679-1/F540,557)), and its evaluation metrics, with an RMSE (2.8 μg/cm2), were at or over 0.05 level, the validating evaluation metric VC (98.3577%) was not encouraging. These results showed that fluorescence, as a nondestructive and efficient detection method, could determine the contents of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and carotenoid in plant leaves, providing a new method to detect plant information. It can also provide a potential chance for the fluorescence images of fine photo-protective pigments, especially chlorophyll a and b, using the special active fluorescence excitation light source and a few fluorescence imaging channels from the optimal FSIs.

Review and Assessment of Existing and Future Techniques for Traceability with Particular Focus on Applicability to ABS Plastics.

It is generally recognized that the use of physical and digital information-based solutions for tracking plastic materials along a value chain can favour the transition to a circular economy and help to overcome obstacles. In the near future, traceability and information exchange between all actors in the value chain of the plastics industry will be crucial to establishing more effective recycling systems. Recycling plastics is a complex process that is particularly complicated in the case of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) plastic because of its versatility and use in many applications. This literature study is part of a larger EU-funded project with the acronym ABSolEU (Paving the way for an ABS recycling revolution in the EU). One of its goals is to propose a suitable traceability system for ABS products through physical marking with a digital connection to a suitable data-management system to facilitate the circular use of ABS. The aim of this paper is therefore to review and assess the current and future techniques for traceability with a particular focus on their use for ABS plastics as a basis for this proposal. The scientific literature and initiatives are discussed within three technological areas, viz., labelling and traceability systems currently in use, digital data sharing systems and physical marking. The first section includes some examples of systems used commonly today. For data sharing, three digital technologies are discussed, viz., Digital Product Passports, blockchain solutions and certification systems, which identify a product through information that is attached to it and store, share and analyse data throughout the product's life cycle. Finally, several different methods for physical marking are described and evaluated, including different labels on a product's surface and the addition of a specific material to a polymer matrix that can be identified at any point in time with the use of a special light source or device. The conclusion from this study is that the most promising data management technology for the near future is blockchain technology, which could be shared by all ABS products. Regarding physical marking, producers must evaluate different options for individual products, using the most appropriate and economical technology for each specific product. It is also important to evaluate what information should be attached to a specific product to meet the needs of all actors in the value chain.

Beyond disciplinary engagement: Researching the ecologies of interdisciplinary learning

ABSTRACT The importance of engaging students with complex societal challenges has led to the adoption of various interdisciplinary teaching and learning practices in both K-12 and higher education. However, interdisciplinary learning is one of the most complex domains of contemporary educational practice, and, despite its significance, remains significantly undertheorized and under-researched. This Special Issue highlights empirical research efforts toward understanding interdisciplinary learning in its complexity. It simultaneously aims to 1) advance ecological perspectives that encompass concepts and methodologies for studying complex heterogeneous learning practices and 2) apply these perspectives to the research of interdisciplinary learning—of how people learn across and beyond disciplines. This introduction provides a historical context for interdisciplinary learning, introduces an ecological stance toward researching learning across and beyond disciplines, and reviews critical theoretical and methodological challenges within interdisciplinary learning, arguing that the field of the learning sciences is well-positioned to address these challenges. It discusses how the contributions presented in this special issue shed light on theoretical, methodological, empirical, and design aspects of interdisciplinary learning and offer a basis for further design work and research.

Crosstalk in monocentric multiscale systems based on an internal stray light stop suppression method.

Monocentric multi-scale (MMS) systems offer the advantages of a high resolution and wide field of view (FOV). These systems can improve the image resolution with a broad FOV by utilizing the stitching of the detectors. In addition to traditional stray light in optical systems, such as ghost reflection, scattering, and diffraction, the crosstalk between relay lenses cannot be ignored as a type of special stray light. Because of the intersection rays between the multiscale relay lenses in MMS systems, the rays enter the adjacent relay lens, which generates rays that do not belong to the corresponding relay lens in the corresponding image plane. Consequently, this crosstalk stray light affects the imaging contrast of the systems. This study aimed to investigate the crosstalk stray light in MMS systems. A simulation model of the MMS system was established. In the object-imaging process, the characteristic rays of a multiscale relay lens are traced using geometrical optics. Factors affecting the crosstalk stray light were studied in detail. The relationships between different parameters and crosstalk stray light were analyzed. A stray light suppression method is proposed based on incorporating a stray light stop in a monocentric (MC) objective to cut the crosstalk stray rays. The simulation results show that the crosstalk stray light can be effectively eliminated with this method, and the image contrast of the MMS systems is greatly improved.

COMPARISON OF UPPER LIMB REACTION SPEED BETWEEN YOUNG TABLE TENNIS AND BADMINTON ATHLETES USING THE LYMMIC ELECTRONIC SYSTEM

<p>The aim of the present study was to compare the upper limb reaction time between young athletes (boys) of table tennis and badminton. Two groups of 14 table tennis and badminton athletes (a total of 28 athletes) with a mean age of 14±1.65 and mean involvement in these sports of 5±1.32 were the sample of the study. The visual stimulus tests used to record reaction times were as follows: a) left hand simple reaction time test, b) right hand simple reaction time test, c) left hand choice reaction time test, d) right hand choice reaction time test. The tools used for the measurements were a special light sensor and other technological means. ANOVA and Duncan’s multiple range test (p<0.05) were applied for statistical data processing. The analysis of the results showed no statistically significant differences in any of the 4 tests of the athletes. The findings and the way of measuring reaction speed could be used by the athletes’ coaches to enrich and improve the training process.</p><p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0091/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Improved STMask R-CNN-based defect detection model for automatic visual inspection of an optics lens.

A lens defect is a common quality issue that has seriously harmed the scattering characteristics and performance of optical elements, reducing the quality consistency of the finished products. Furthermore, the energy hotspots coming from the high-energy laser through diffraction of optical component defects are amplified step by step in multi-level laser conduction, causing serious damage to the optical system. Traditional manual detection mainly relies on experienced workers under a special light source environment with high labor intensity, low efficiency, and accuracy. The common machine vision techniques are incapable of detecting low contrast and complex morphological defects. To address these challenges, a deep learning-based method, named STMask R-CNN, is proposed to detect defects on the surface and inside of a lens in complex environments. A Swin Transformer, which focuses on improving the modeling and representation capability of the features in order to improve the detection performance, is incorporated into the Mask R-CNN in this case. A challenge dataset containing more than 3800 images (18000 defect sample targets) with five different types of optical lens defects was created to verify the proposed approach. According to our experiments, the presented STMask R-CNN reached a precision value of 98.2%, recall value of 97.7%, F1 score of 97.9%, mAP@0.5 value of 98.1%, and FPS value of 24 f/s, which outperformed the SSD, Faster R-CNN, and YOLOv5. The experimental results demonstrated that the proposed STMask R-CNN outperformed other popular methods for multiscale targets, low contrast target detection and nesting, stacking, and intersecting defects sample detection, exhibiting good generalizability and robustness, as well as detection speed to meet mechanical equipment production efficiency requirements. In general, this research offers a favorable deep learning-based method for real-time automatic detection of optical lens defects.

God’s characteristics as reported by near-death experiencers

The aim of this study is to replicate Long & Perry’s (2016) God study using a more updated database and different inclusion criteria. The descriptions of God’s and Jesus’ characteristics as observed by 303 Near-death or Near-death-like experiencers were analyzed for their frequency both in the whole sample and divided by the participants’ religious experience. Both in the whole sample and in the religious experience subgroups, the main observed characteristics (approximately 70%) were a special Light and Unconditional Love, associated with other characteristics such as Oneness and Nonjudgmental, very similar to the descriptions reported following spiritual and mystical experiences. Only 13.9% of the descriptions reported God or Jesus assuming human form, as represented in popular religious images. These characteristics are not commonly reported descriptions of God’s in the texts of the main monotheistic religions. These first-person accounts of God’s characteristics complement what has been reported in association with spiritual/mystical experiences, offering a great resource for the scientific investigation of God’s nature.

Atoms for Peace in the 1950s: Lessons from the Spread of Nuclear Technology in the Early Cold War

Abstract The articles in this special issue shed light on the influence of the Eisenhower administration's “Atoms for Peace” proposal on the civilian nuclear programs of five European countries, including Italy and France, which were member-states of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO); Hungary and Czechoslovakia, which were part of the USSR's Communist bloc; and Spain, which did not become a member of NATO until nearly three decades later. Based on detailed archival research, the articles analyze the commercial, scientific, practical, and cultural aspects of nascent nuclear research programs in these five countries. The authors demonstrate that all five acted early on to pursue peaceful nuclear activities for their own economic benefit.

God’s characteristics as reported by near-death experiencers

The aim of this study is to replicate Long & Perry’s (2016) God study using a more updated database and different inclusion criteria. The descriptions of God’s and Jesus’ characteristics as observed by 303 Near-death or Near-death-like experiencers were analyzed for their frequency both in the whole sample and divided by the participants’ religious experience. Both in the whole group and in the subgroups, the main observed characteristics (approximately 70%) were a special Light and Unconditional Love, associated with other characteristics such as Oneness and Nonjudgmental, very similar to the descriptions obtained during spiritual and mystical experiences. Only 13.9% of the descriptions reported God or Jesus as in human form, as represented in popular religious images. These characteristics are not commonly reported in God’s main descriptions in the texts of the main monotheistic religions. These first-person accounts of God’s characteristics complement what has been reported in other mental conditions, especially in the spiritual/mystical experiences, offering a great resource for the scientific investigation of God’s nature.

Novel salicylic acid derivatives connecting to five-membered cycle through an acyl hydrazone bond as multi-stimuli responsive fluorescent smart materials with photoswitching properties

In order to exploit novel multi-stimuli responsive fluorescent materials, a series of novel fluorescent molecules of salicylic acid derivatives were designed and synthesized via introducing pyrazole or cyclopentane to the salicylic acid scaffold through a special Schiff base–acylhydrazone, and the molecular structures of representative compounds A2 and A4 were verified via single crystal X–ray diffraction. All title molecules could exhibit obvious solvatofluorochromism from cyan to indigo in several solutions with different polarity. The fluorescence titration data exhibited compound A2 and complex A2-Cu2+ with prime detection limits to Cu2+ (0.24 μM) and S2- ions (2.83 μM). The sensitive recognition of A2 to trifluoroacetic (TFA) and A2-TFA to triethylamine (TEA) were also confirmed via fluorescent titration experiments in various solutions, respectively. What’s more, the 1H NMR and UV/Vis absorption spectra further explained the mechanism between molecules and ions or molecules and TFA/TEA. Besides, the photoswitching properties of the compounds A2 and A3 could be demonstrated via the irradiation of special wavelength light or heating accompanied with changes in quantum yields. In addition, these phenomena of multiple responses were explained via Density Functional Theory (DFT) based on the Gaussian calculations. Thus, this work provided a preliminary basis for the research of multi-stimuli responsive fluorescent molecules with photoswitching properties.

RESEARCH OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF COLLISIONS AT REGULATED INTERSECTIONS WITH LIMITED VISIBILITY OF ESCORTED COLUMNS OF VEHICLES WITH OTHER VEHICLES

The article analyzes the requirements of the current Traffic Rules of Ukraine regarding the conditions for the movement of motorcades and aspects of the occurrence of traffic accidents at controlled intersections with limited visibility with the participation of a column of cars accompanied by another vehicle. The options for expert studies to establish the causes of traffic accidents in non-standard situations were studied and recommendations were proposed for including additions to the Traffic Rules of Ukraine regarding the installation of special light and sound signals and devices on the cars accompanied by the convoy, as well as to unify the terminological concepts of «immediate proximity» and «safe distance» when the column is moving. The authors consider it appropriate: – to consider the possibility of introducing additions by the relevant authorities to Article 25 of the Traffic Rules of Ukraine regarding the installation of special light and sound signals and devices on the cars of the accompanied column of vehicles, as an additional factor in attracting the attention of other road users and avoiding dangerous moments at regulated intersections when passing the accompanied columns cars; – during the briefing, provide for the obligations of the drivers of the convoy of cars in case of division of cars into groups while driving, to comply with the requirements of the Traffic Rules of Ukraine, based on the current conditions for the passage of cars at regulated intersections; – to coordinate in the articles of the Rules the terminological concepts «immediate proximity» and «safe distance», which are used in the current requirements of the Traffic Rules of Ukraine.

ROBERT FALK AND ITALY

In the personal fate of the “quiet jack of diamonds”, Robert Falk, his ten-year stay in France played an important role; the innovations of French art influenced his creative passions. Meanwhile, Falk was interested in broad cultural strata. In the proposed article, for the first time, a seemingly marginal topic of his reflection on Italy and understanding of Italian art are highlighted. The journey of 1911, when the young artist, mostly on foot, visited dozens of cities and memorable places in northern Italy, made an unforgettable impression on him, the echoes of which (for example, the Ravenna mosaics) were reflected in his painting. However, we are not talking about direct natural images. The Italian “look” appears only on one canvas by Falk, Sienna. Memories of Italy, painted from memory after this eventful visit. Throughout his life, Falk carefully and analytically observed the masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance classics, sometimes changing his views and assessments, as happened with the great Venetians and Raphael. The first impression of the city was so strong that at the early time of acquaintance with Venice, with architecture, with the special light of the lagoon, the works of its art were out of Falk’s attention, who later appreciated them. The Ravenna mosaics especially attracted the artist’s attention, primarily the individuality of each mini-fragment of the colourful surface, textured complexity. Thus, in Falk’s dense painting, the influences of the foundations of Cezanne and early Byzantine masterpieces were simultaneously present. In addition, the texture attracted him in Titian’s painting, which he appreciated in the Hermitage and Louvre collections. In the Louvre, the interpretation of white in Raphael’s masterpiece Donna Velata attracted the artist’s attention. In the perception of early Falk, “dull” Sistine Madonna at the Moscow exhibition in 1956 struck him with “greatness and beauty”. The “Italian experience” was constantly used by the artist in his analytical and pedagogical work. As a “feedback”, the article gives examples of writer Carlo Levi and film director Michelangelo Antonioni’s high attitude towards painting of one of the greatest masters of Russian art of the 20th century.

The Performative Aspects of Tamang Ritual in Chaitra Purne Jatra

Chaitra Purne Jatra, takes place in the month of Chaitra (March/April)when the Tamang people visit Namobuddha, Boudha and Swayambhu and performspecial rituals for the salvation of the departed soul. Against this backdrop,the paper explores examines and analyse the performative aspects of Chaitra PurneJatra taking Rabindra Tamang’s Timal Jatra (2054) as a primary text. Moreover, it concentrates on the dynamics of Tamang ritual. Performing specific cultural ritesin memory of their family members is a ritual process of the Tamang community. They begin the religious rites from Namobuddha and conclude in Swayambhu lighting the special light made up of astu powder, ghee and thread. At the end, people sing, dance and feast, which is reminiscent of the modern performances ontheatre that only highlight the subtle performative qualities of the jatra. To assess and scrutinize the performativity of the jatra, I have employed Richard Schechnerand Victor Turner’s concepts of ritual and performance.

Two-dimensional heterostructures for photocatalytic CO2 reduction

The photocatalysis conversion of CO2 into fuels has become an encouraging method to address climate and energy issues as a long-term solution. Single material suffers poor yield due to low light energy utilization and high recombination rate of photoinduced electron-hole pairs. It is an efficient approach to construct heterojunction through two or three materials to improve the photocatalytic performance. Recently, 2D-based heterojunction is getting popular for outstanding properties, such as special light collecting structure to enhance light harvest, intimate interface to facilitate charge transfer and separation, and large specific surface area to provide abundant reactive sites. Recently, some new 2D-based heterostructures materials (both structure and composition) have been developed with excellent performance. 2D materials exert structural and functional advantages in these fine composite photocatalysts. In this review, the literatures about the photocatalytic conversion of CO2 are mainly summarized based on overall structure, interface type and material type of 2D-based heterojunction, with special attention given to the preparation, characterization, structural advantages and reaction mechanism of novel 2D-based heterojunction. This work is in hope of offering a basis for designing improved composite photocatalyst for CO2 photoreduction.

The aesthetics of light in Afghan Cinema

Human observation is essentially the reflection of light from surrounding objects. The main nature of light is to show. Exposure mode allows objects and spaces around us to appear. By appearing, shaping the color and texture and reaching the audience in a space beyond what they see, it makes sense to us. The light shows the texture of the face so that the audience can see the inner state and feeling of the character. Like high-contrast lighting, it pays more attention to the nature of light conduction in such cases. The places that have more light are seen more than other places and attract the viewer’s attention. The presence of these shadows of light causes gestures in the light. An image that is rarely seen or not seen at all.Filmmakers use the most professional lighting equipment, But Afghan cinema lacks some of the tools and techniques of cinema. This deprivation is related to the structure, perspective and science of cinematographers. Because in Afghanistan, cinema is not defined as a tool and industry, but as a means of entertainment and many filmmakers have not studied cinema academically but have learned it empirically. Therefore, they have not realized the nature of lighting. As a result, they suffice with ordinary lighting and no special light is seen in most movies Films that have been produced in Afghanistan and are of special importance have been produced by some people Who have studied cinema academically Like Atiq Rahimi who makes “Soil and Ash” and “Patient Stone” and Siddiq Barmak who makes “Osama” and “Opium War” And some of them have gained years of experience experimentally and now they are making films like Kaveh Eric who is making the film “Dubanoo”. And Masod Eslami, who is making the film “Kabul Girls”.

Construction of Nanomaterials and the Role of Rutin in the Treatment of Cerebral Hemorrhage

Cerebral hemorrhage generally refers to nontraumatic cerebral parenchymal hemorrhage. In China, about 20%–30% of all stroke in a month after the mortality rate can be as high as 40%. And most of the survivors have obvious neurological dysfunction, to the patient’s family and society from all walks of life caused great psychological pressure, which will seriously affect the human physical and mental health. This article aims at studying the construction of nanomaterials and the role of rutin in the treatment of ICH. It first introduces the characteristics of nanomaterials; nanomaterials have some special effects based on their special internal structural properties and surface states. These effects derive many physical and chemical properties that general substances do not possess, such as optical, electrical, magnetic, catalytic, and photocatalytic properties. A simple analysis of cerebral hemorrhage then gives the nanomaterials the first-principles algorithm. Practical application of nanomaterials is a class of nanomaterials, which have many strange chemical characteristics such as special light, electric, magnetic, thermal, mechanical, mechanical physical, and chemical characteristics. Then, the nanocomposite of rutin electrochemical detection is analyzed, and finally rutin and analog brain drug dynamics is discussed. The experimental results showed that the RSD of samples at room temperature, freeze-thaw cycles, and long-term stability of the mice were less than 5.0%, and the stability of mouse brain tissue homogenate samples completely meets the requirements of troxerutin, rutin, and troxerutin aglycone.

।। आचारहीनं न पुनन्ति वेदा ।।

In the present research it has been told that how should a human being follow his culture, his civilization and his morals. In this, for human beings, what tasks should be done by a person after waking up in the morning, and which works have been told in the scriptures from morning till night. Special attention has been given to this matter. In this, special light has been laid on the subjects of defecation, dental cleaning, bathing process, Panch Mahayagya, Vaishvadev Yagya, hospitality etc. Failure to do so, how the creature can fall, has also been told.

FROM LANDSCAPES TO MINDSCAPES: ECOCRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON THE SENSE OF PLACE IN JANE AUSTEN’S EMMA

This article aims to analyze Jane Austen’s Emma (1816) with a specialized interest in environmental consciousness and place-based identities, presented in the novel, through a close textual analysis of the relationship between the characters and their environment. Accordingly, it discusses the potential of the sense of place to invoke certain environmental values through which the readers could appreciate the interdependent relationship between human beings and their natural surroundings. To this end, it first discusses how Austen’s “environmental imagination” (to use Lawrence Buell’s term) works through Emma to draw a parallelism between the environment in which she grew up as a child, that is, Steventon, and her fictional environment that she created for this specific novel, Highbury. The reflections of her environmental imagination are particularly worth revisiting in line of the environmental ethics philosopher Jim Cheney’s idea of the parallelism between “landscapes and mindscapes” and Holmes Rolston III’s “storied residences”. These two theorists similarly suggest that landscapes are directly or indirectly reflected through mindscapes, and narrative is the most convenient mode to contextualize this parallelism. Building on these theoretical insights, this article displays how Austen is a keen observer of her natural surroundings but also argues that there is a place-based approach in her characters that potentially offer an environmental consciousness for the reader in Emma, explored within the special light of the ecocritical understanding of place.

-

Jatropha L. is an exotic genus to Iraq and it has been cultivated in gardens for ornamental purposes because of the shiny red color of the flowers. The plant adapted to environmental conditions and succeeded in growing and blooming, which is why the species was interested to study. The species Jatropha integerrima Jacq. was examined and diagnosed for the first time in Iraq. Morphological and anatomical characteristics for leaves (considering that the variations are the most reliable and taxonomically important) were provided. The Phytochemical screening showed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenes, tannins and saponins. The qualitative analysis by TLC indicated the presence of alkaloids and flavonoid that was detected by special reagent and UV light, which included two orang spots of alkaloid with 0.71 and 0.63 Rf value one flavonoid yellow spot with 0.43 Rf value.