Theoretical Work Research Articles

An overview of neo-Latin epigrammatic poetry in Poland (and Russia)

The following article provides an overview of Polish neo-Latin poetry with a full historical background provided by situating the literary practices of 16th C. Poland and exploring some of the principal theoretical and rhetorical approaches to this poetry. The article claims Polish letters to be central in Eastern Europe, and a decisive authority that helped shape the literary fields of lands such as Ruthenia (presently, Ukraine and Belarus) and Russia until the 18th C. By taking as example Maciej Sarbiewski’s epigrammatic production, I offer a glimpse into the theoretical works of Jesuit priest, Jacobus Pontanus, and of the foremost intellectual in Peter the Great’s court, Feofan Prokopóvitch.

Existence and Uniqueness Result for Fuzzy Fractional Order Goursat Partial Differential Equations

In this manuscript, we discuss fractional fuzzy Goursat problems with Caputo’s gH-differentiability. The second-order mixed derivative term in Goursat problems and two types of Caputo’s gH-differentiability pose challenges to dealing with Goursat problems. Therefore, in this study, we convert Goursat problems to equivalent systems fuzzy integral equations to deal properly with the mixed derivative term and two types of Caputo’s gH-differentiability. In this study, we utilize the concept of metric fixed point theory to discuss the existence of a unique solution of fractional fuzzy Goursat problems. For the useability of established theoretical work, we provide some numerical problems. We also discuss the solutions to numerical problems by conformable double Laplace transform. To show the validity of the solutions we provide 3D plots. We discuss, as an application, why fractional partial fuzzy differential equations are the generalization of usual partial fuzzy differential equations by providing a suitable reason. Moreover, we show the advantages of the proposed fractional transform over the usual Laplace transform.

Spinning protons and gluons in the η′

The proton spin puzzle has inspired a vast programme of experiments and theoretical work challenging our understanding of QCD and its role in the structure of hadrons. The proton’s internal spin structure is connected to chiral symmetry and, through gluon degrees of freedom in the flavor singlet channel, to the physics of the [Formula: see text] meson. Why do quarks contribute just about one third of the proton’s spin? Why are [Formula: see text] mesons and their interactions so sensitive to gluonic degrees of freedom? We review the status of these topics and some key observables for forthcoming experiments.

Observation of negative surface and interface energies of quantum dots

Surface energy is a fundamental property of materials and is particularly important in describing nanomaterials where atoms or molecules at the surface constitute a large fraction of the material. Traditionally, surface energy is considered to be a positive quantity, where atoms or molecules at the surface are less thermodynamically stable than their counterparts in the interior of the material because they have fewer bonds or interactions at the surface. Using calorimetric methods, we show that the surface energy is negative in some prototypical colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals, or quantum dots with organic ligand coatings. This implies that the surface atoms are more thermodynamically stable than those on the interior due to the strong bonds between these atoms and surfactant molecules, or ligands, that coat their surface. In addition, we extend this work to core/shell indium phosphide/zinc sulfide nanocrystals and show that the interfacial energy between these materials is highly thermodynamically favorable in spite of their large lattice mismatch. This work challenges many of the assumptions that have guided thinking about colloidal nanomaterial thermodynamics, investigates the fundamental stability of many technologically relevant colloidal nanomaterials, and paves the way for future experimental and theoretical work on nanocrystal thermodynamics.

Chaotic neural dynamics facilitate probabilistic computations through sampling

Cortical neurons exhibit highly variable responses over trials and time. Theoretical works posit that this variability arises potentially from chaotic network dynamics of recurrently connected neurons. Here, we demonstrate that chaotic neural dynamics, formed through synaptic learning, allow networks to perform sensory cue integration in a sampling-based implementation. We show that the emergent chaotic dynamics provide neural substrates for generating samples not only of a static variable but also of a dynamical trajectory, where generic recurrent networks acquire these abilities with a biologically plausible learning rule through trial and error. Furthermore, the networks generalize their experience in the stimulus-evoked samples to the inference without partial or all sensory information, which suggests a computational role of spontaneous activity as a representation of the priors as well as a tractable biological computation for marginal distributions. These findings suggest that chaotic neural dynamics may serve for the brain function as a Bayesian generative model.

Revolutionizing lathe efficiency by bridging theory-practice gaps

This study explores the development of a Ball Turning Attachment for lathes to enhance efficiency in manufacturing spherical workpieces. Utilizing materials such as ST 37 and ST 42, the research focuses on the machining processes of milling, drilling, and turning. Despite theoretical estimations suggesting a total work time of 8 minutes 23 seconds, actual implementation records a duration of 12 minutes 23 seconds, highlighting a significant knowledge gap. Experimental procedures conducted in lathe workshops reveal discrepancies between theoretical and actual work times, influenced by factors like feed depth and manual drilling processes. Findings underscore the importance of optimizing tool design and feed rates to improve machining efficiency, offering practical insights for enhancing lathe manufacturing processes and productivity. Highlight: Develop Ball Turning Attachment for lathe manufacturing efficiency. Address discrepancies between theoretical and actual work times. Extract practical insights for enhancing lathe manufacturing processes. Keyword: Lathe manufacturing, Ball Turning Attachment, Machining efficiency, Tool optimization, Experimental procedures

Hybrid integrated optical chaos circuits with optoelectronic feedback

A chip-scale chaotic laser system with optoelectronic delayed feedback is proposed and analyzed by numerical simulation. This chip eliminates the need for bulky delay components such as long optical fibers, free propagation and external cavities, relying solely on internal devices and waveguides to achieve feedback delay. This approach simplifies integration, maintaining a compact chip size. According to the results, the chip-scale system exhibits rich dynamics, including periodicity, quasi-periodicity, and chaotic states. Chaos resembling Gaussian white noise is achieved with picosecond-level delay time, highlighting the complexity of chip-scale signals. Furthermore, time delay signature (TDS) concealment is enhanced with a short delay comparable to the inverse bandwidth τ, albeit at a cost of sacrificing chaotic signal complexity. Applying the photonic integrated circuits to practical applications, 1 Gbps back-to-back communication transmission is feasible. Results demonstrate low bit error rates (BERs) for authorizers (<10−6) and high BERs for eavesdroppers (>10−2), ensuring communication confidentiality and chaotic synchronization. Lastly, preliminary experiments validate the feasibility. Our theoretical work has demonstrated the feasibility of hybrid integrated optical chaos circuits with optoelectronic feedback based on photonic wire bonding, which can provide a stable and flexible integrated chaos source.

Rodolfo Sacco’s Theoretical Contribution to Comparative Law: A Personal Account

AbstractThis article highlights certain aspects of Rodolfo Sacco’s theoretical work on comparative law. Rather than offering an exhaustive discussion, it outlines key points in his intellectual journey to help the reader understand how certain themes gained prominence in his work. An outstanding figure in the comparative law community since the 1970s, he remained active until the end of his life, well into the twenty-first century. Through his many contributions to the field, Sacco took comparative law research in new directions. He developed a more nuanced and complex analysis of the tasks of the comparative lawyer, elaborating an approach to comparison that does justice to the multiple components of all legal systems (“legal formants”) and their dynamics. We owe him a fine study of the silent, implicit dimensions of law that have a major impact on its application (“cryptotypes”), and a reflection on the relationship between law and language that shows how comparative law is deeply implicated in the process of translation.

On the relationship between unprompted thought and affective well-being: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

There is a growing recognition that thoughts often arise independently of external demands. These thoughts can span from reminiscing your last vacation to contemplating career goals to fantasizing about meeting your favorite musician. Often referred to as mind wandering, such frequently occurring unprompted thoughts have widespread impact on our daily functions, with the dominant narrative converging on a negative relationship between unprompted thought and affective well-being. In this systematic review of 76 studies, we implemented a meta-analysis and qualitative review to elucidate if and when unprompted thought is indeed negatively associated with affective well-being in adults. Using a multilevel mixed-model approach on 386 effect sizes from 23,168 participants across 64 studies, our meta-analyses indicated an overall relationship between unprompted thought and worse affective well-being (r¯ = -.18, 95% CI [-.23, -.14]); however, the magnitude and direction of this relationship changed when considering specific aspects of the phenomenon (including thought content and intentionality) and methodological approaches (including questionnaires vs. experience sampling). The qualitative review further contextualizes this relationship by revealing the nuances of how and when unprompted thought is associated with affective well-being. Taken together, our meta-analysis and qualitative review indicate that the commonly reported relationship between unprompted thought and affective well-being is contingent upon the content and conceptualization of unprompted thought, as well as the methodological and analytic approaches implemented. Based on these findings, we propose emerging directions for future empirical and theoretical work that highlight the importance of accounting for when, how, and for whom unprompted thought is associated with affective well-being. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Early adversity and sexual diversity: the importance of self-reported and neurobiological sexual reward sensitivity

Work shows that sexually-diverse individuals face high rates of early life adversity and in turn increased engagement in behavioral outcomes traditionally associated with adversity, such as sexual risk taking. Recent theoretical work suggests that these associations may be attributable to heightened sexual reward sensitivity among adversity-exposed women. We aimed to test these claims using a combination of self-report and EEG measures to test the relationship between early adversity, sexual reward sensitivity (both self-reported and EEG measured) and sexual risk taking in a sexually diverse sample of cis-gender women (N = 208) (Mage = 27.17, SD = 6.36). Results showed that childhood SES predicted self-reported sexual reward sensitivity which in turn predicted numbers of male and female sexual partners. In contrast we found that perceived childhood unpredictability predicted neurobiological sexual reward sensitivity as measured by EEG which in turn predicted male sexual partner number. The results presented here provide support for the notion that heightened sexual reward sensitivity may be a pathway through which early life adversity augments future sexual behavior, and underscores the importance of including greater attention to the dynamics of pleasure and reward in sexual health promotion.

Estimating high-dimensional Hawkes process with time-dependent covariates

The Hawkes process models have been recently become a popular tool for modeling and analysis of neural spike train data. Despite this popularity, existing methodological and theoretical work has mainly focused on models without assumption of time-varying covariates, such as stimulus drive. In this article, motivated by neuronal spike trains study in the presence of stimuli, we propose a new Hawkes process model, where covariates are included in the intensity function. We consider the problem of simultaneous variable selection and estimation for the Hawkes process in the high-dimensional regime. Estimation of the intensity function of the high-dimensional point process is considered within a nonparametric framework, applying B-splines and the SCAD penalty for matters of sparsity. We apply the Doob-Kolmogorov inequality to establish the consistency of the resulting estimators. Finally, we illustrate the performance of our proposal through simulation and demonstrate its utility by applying it to the neuron spike train data set.

Objective metrics for ethical AI: a systematic literature review

AbstractThe field of AI Ethics has recently gained considerable attention, yet much of the existing academic research lacks practical and objective contributions for the development of ethical AI systems. This systematic literature review aims to identify and map objective metrics documented in literature between January 2018 and June 2023, specifically focusing on the ethical principles outlined in the Ethics Guidelines for Trustworthy AI. The review was based on 66 articles retrieved from the Scopus and World of Science databases. The articles were categorized based on their alignment with seven ethical principles: Human Agency and Oversight, Technical Robustness and Safety, Privacy and Data Governance, Transparency, Diversity, Non-Discrimination and Fairness, Societal and Environmental Well-being, and Accountability. Of the identified articles, only a minority presented objective metrics to assess AI ethics, with the majority being purely theoretical works. Moreover, existing metrics are primarily concentrating on Diversity, Non-Discrimination and Fairness, with a clear under-representation of the remaining principles. This lack of practical contributions makes it difficult for Data Scientists to devise systems that can be deemed Ethical, or to monitor the alignment of existing systems with current guidelines and legislation. With this work, we lay out the current panorama concerning objective metrics to quantify AI Ethics in Data Science and highlight the areas in which future developments are needed to align Data Science projects with the human values widely posited in the literature.

A finite strain integral model for the creep behavior of vaginal tissue

Vaginal delivery causes significant stretching of the vagina and surrounding muscles, potentially leading to the development of pelvic floor disorders and other maternal morbidities. Despite the extended duration of labor, little experimental and theoretical work has been done to characterize the long-term viscoelastic behavior of vaginal tissue. To mathematically capture the creep response of rat vaginal tissue measured, this study presents a new anisotropic finite-strain constitutive model within the single integral Pipkin-Rogers viscoelastic framework. The constitutive parameters are computed by curve-fitting the model to strain versus time data collected from ex vivo inflation testing along the two primary anatomical directions of the vagina, the longitudinal and circumferential directions. The results showed good agreement between theory and experiments, suggesting that the proposed model could be used to advance our understanding of the time-dependent deformations that are experienced by the vagina during delivery. This modeling framework represents a first step toward the development of accurate computational tools that can predict the safety of vaginal deliveries, reducing unnecessary Cesarean sections and their related complications.

Study of Raman Scattering of Light in Liquid Arenes and Their Halogen-Substituted ones in the Low-Frequency Region of the Spectrum

Purpose. Investigation of Raman scattering of light in liquid arenas and their halogenated ones in the low-frequency range of the spectrum, taking into account the clustering processes in their structure.Methods. Raman spectroscopy methods were used, as well as a modeling method using cluster representations of the structure of liquids. Raman spectra of light in the low-frequency range from 17 to 500 cm–1 were obtained using a LabRAM HR Evolution spectrometer at room temperature (23°C).Results. The analysis of theoretical and experimental work on the properties of dimeric configurations of benzene and on the effect of clustering processes in substances on their IR and Raman spectra is carried out. Low-frequency Raman spectra of liquid benzene, o-xylene, ethylbenzene, fluorobenzene, chlorobenzene, brombenzene, toluene, o-fluorotoluene, m-fluorotoluene, p-fluorotoluene, o-chlorotoluene, m-chlorotoluene, p-chlorotoluene, 2,4-dichlorotoluene, 2,6-dichlorotoluene were obtained. The model of formation and disintegration of cluster formations has been tested. Formulas have been obtained for estimating the minimum frequency of libration oscillations of the ωmin dimer formation in the cluster structure and the position of the maxima of spectral bands in the low-frequency region of the Raman spectrum, depending on the number of particles included in the cluster formations. The theoretical results obtained by ωmin are in satisfactory agreement with the experimental data within the total error.The proposed model makes it possible to predict the position of some spectral bands of the Raman spectrum. The presence of other spectral bands is obviously related to the multiparticle interaction in the cluster structure and requires additional research.Conclusion. The proposed model of formation and decay of cluster formations and the relations following from it allow us to estimate the value of the minimum frequency in the low-frequency range of the Raman spectrum of liquid arenes and their halogenated ones from the known values of the enthalpy of formation and the moment of inertia of the dimer. Conversely, using known values of the minimum frequency, the values of the enthalpy of formation and the moment of inertia of the dimer can be estimated without resorting to complex quantum mechanical calculations.

Observational Tests of Active Galactic Nuclei Feedback: An Overview of Approaches and Interpretation

Growing supermassive black holes (Active Galactic Nuclei; AGN) release energy with the potential to alter their host galaxies and larger-scale environment; a process named “AGN feedback”. Feedback is a required component of galaxy formation models and simulations to explain the observed properties of galaxy populations. We provide a broad overview of observational approaches that are designed to establish the physical processes that couple AGN energy to the multi-phase gas, or to find evidence that AGN impact upon galaxy evolution. The orders-of-magnitude range in spatial, temporal, and temperature scales, requires a diverse set of observational studies. For example, studying individual targets in detail sheds light on coupling mechanisms; however, evidence for the long-term impact of AGN is better established within galaxy populations that are not necessarily currently active. We emphasise how modern surveys have revealed the importance of radio emission for identifying and characterising feedback mechanisms. At the achieved sensitivities, the detected radio emission can trace a range of processes, including a shocked interstellar medium caused by AGN outflows (driven by various mechanisms including radiation pressure, accretion disc winds, and jets). We also describe how interpreting observations in the context of theoretical work can be challenging, in part, due to some of the adopted terminology.

Paracelsus and the Tyrolean Plague Epidemic of 1534: context and analysis of Von der Pestilentz an die Statt Stertzingen

ABSTRACT The study offers an analysis of the treatise Von der Pestilentz an die Statt Stertzingen (first edition 1576, ed. Michael Toxites) in the context of Paracelsus’s likely sojourn in Tyrol in 1533/1534. The article discusses Paracelsus's approach to treating plague, emphasizing practical remedies over theoretical considerations. Paracelsus offers various therapeutic interventions, including bloodletting and herbal remedies. The treatise also delves into astrological considerations, offering recommendations based on sex, age, and other factors. Despite its departure from Paracelsus’s more theoretical plague works, such as Zwey Bücher von der Pestilentz vnnd jhren Zufellen and De Peste Libri tres, the Sterzing treatise is deemed authentic, reflecting a practical and utilitarian approach likely driven by Paracelsus’s attempt to secure patronage. The article underscores the importance of considering audience and genre when interpreting Paracelsus's writings, suggesting that the Sterzing treatise serves as a valuable biographical source while offering insights into his evolving medical theories.

Development of size and shape dependent model for various thermodynamic properties of nanomaterials

The models developed in this work are used to study various thermodynamic properties of nanomaterials. A better agreement between theory and experiment indicates the validity of the proposed model. Since the model is simple and easy to use, we extend the theory to understand, how the thermodynamic properties of different nanomaterials depend on size and shape. The results were compared with previous theoretical work and experimental data. We have concluded that the model predicts a better agreement with previous theoretical work and experimental studies. Current research produces thermodynamic models for the Debye frequency, melting entropy, melting enthalpy, and Einstein temperature. To the best of our knowledge, such models are not yet available in the literature that works well.

Investigation of the Performance of a Sb2S3-Based Solar Cell with a Hybrid Electron Transport Layer (h-ETL): A Simulation Approach Using SCAPS-1D Software

In order to reduce current leakage and improve electron transfer in solar cells, charge transport layers (CTL), mainly hybrid electron transport layers (h-ETL), are considered as a solution. In this research contribution, computational analysis using SCAPS-1D software is performed to explore the output photovoltaic parameters of a Sb2S3-based solar cell with h-ETL. No theoretical works on this configuration have been previously reported. The main objectives of the present work are to propose a h-ETL with good band alignment with the Sb2S3 absorber, high transparency, and Cd free; to mitigate the instability and cost issues associated with using Spiro-OMeTAD HTL; and to optimize the solar cell. Thus, we calibrated the J-V characteristics and electrical parameters of the FTO/(ZnO/TiO2)/Sb2S3/Spiro-OMeTAD/Au solar cell by numerical simulation and compared them with those of the experiment. Subsequently, our simulations show that to replace the TiO2 ETL used in the experiment and to form the h-ETL with ZnO, IGZO is found to be a good candidate. It has better band alignment with the Sb2S3 absorber than TiO2 ETL, which reduces the trap states at the ETL/Sb2S3 interface; it has high transparency due to its wide bandgap; and an intense electric field is generated at the IGZO/Sb2S3 interface, which reduces the recombination phenomenon at this interface. MoO3, MASnBr3, Cu2O, CuI, and CuSCN HTL were also tested to replace the Spiro-OMeTAD HTL. Simulation results show that the cell with MoO3 HTL achieves higher performance due to its high hole mobility and high quantum efficiency in the visible region; it also allows the solar cell to have better thermal stability (TC=−0.32%/K) than the cell with Spiro-OMeTAD HTL (TC=−0.53%/K). The parameters that could improve the solar cell efficiency (η) obtained after these substitutions were also optimized. In particular, the parameters of the Sb2S3 absorber layer (thickness, defect density, and doping), ETL and HTL layer thicknesses, h-ETL/Sb2S3 interface defect density, and series and shunt resistances have been optimized. Finally, by combining high performance and thermal stability, the results show that the thermal stability of the solar cell depends on the back contact type; thus, nickel (Ni) was found to combine high performance and better thermal stability among the back contacts investigated. After these improvements, the efficiency of the Sb2S3-based solar cell increased from 5.08% (JSC=16.19 mA/cm2, VOC=0.56 V, and FF=55.40%) to 15.43% (JSC=18.51 mA/cm2, VOC=1.11 V, and FF=74.76%). This study proposes an approach to optimize the Sb2S3 upper subcell for tandem solar cells.

Poisson-New Quadratic-Exponential Distribution

This proposed distribution is a discrete compound probability distribution with only one parameter. To get this distribution, Poisson distribution has been mixed with the New Quadratic-Exponential distribution of Sah (2022). Hence, it is named as “Poisson-New Quadratic-Exponential Exponential Distribution (PNLED)”. The important statistical characteristics needed to check the validity of this distribution have been derived and clearly explained. To check the validity of the theoretical works of this distribution, while using goodness of fit on some over-dispersed count data, what we have been found that this distribution seems a better alternative of Poisson-Lindley distribution (PLD) of Sankaran (1970), Poisson Mishra distribution (PMD) of Sah (2017) and Poisson-Modified Mishra distribution (PMMD) of Sah and Sahani (2023).

Exploring local and global stability of COVID-19 through numerical schemes

Respiratory sensitivity and pneumonia are possible outcomes of the coronavirus (COVID-19). Surface characteristics like temperature and sunshine affect how long the virus survives. This research article analyzes COVID-19 mathematical model behavior based on symptomatic and non-symptomatic individuals. In the reproductive model, the best result indicates the intensity of the epidemic. Our model remained stable at a certain point under controlled conditions after we evaluated a specific element. This approach is in place of traditional approaches such as Euler’s and Runge–Kutta’s. An unusual numerical approach known as the non-standard finite difference (NSFD) scheme is used in this article. This numerical approach gives us positivity. A dependable numerical analysis allowed us to evaluate different approaches and verify our theoretical results. Unlike the widely used Euler and RK4 approaches, we investigated the benefits of implementing NSFD schemes. By numerically simulating COVID-19 in a variety of scenarios, we demonstrated how our theoretical concepts work. The simulation findings support the usefulness of both approaches.