Search Results (399)

Blastus Lour. is a taxonomically complex genus of Sonerileae (Melastomataceae), with unresolved infrageneric relationships and controversial boundaries among several species and varieties. In this study, we integrated morphological evidence with a broadly sampled internal transcribed spacer (ITS) dataset, an expanded nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA) dataset, plastome data, and genomic single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data to evaluate the phylogenetic relationships and classification within Blastus. The broadly sampled ITS and expanded nrDNA analyses supported the monophyly of the sampled Blastus accessions but provided limited resolution of relationships among closely related taxa. The plastome analysis did not recover the sampled Blastus accessions as monophyletic and revealed marked cytonuclear phylogenetic incongruence. The genomic SNP analysis strongly supported the monophyly of the sampled Blastus accessions and recovered the sampled members of the terminal inflorescence group as a monophyletic clade. However, the sampled members of the traditional axillary inflorescence group were not monophyletic because Blastus borneensis was recovered as sister to the terminal inflorescence clade. Within the terminal inflorescence clade, the sampled members of the B. pauciflorus and B. cavaleriei groups formed two strongly supported sister lineages. Morphological comparisons showed that inflorescence position and architecture, the distribution of yellow glands on the abaxial leaf surfaces, and calyx lobe morphology generally corresponded to the principal lineages recovered in the SNP tree, whereas indumentum characters varied considerably among individuals and populations. We therefore recommend retaining the axillary and terminal inflorescence groups as descriptive morphological categories and treating the B. pauciflorus and B. cavaleriei groups as two informal working subdivisions within the terminal inflorescence group. The broad circumscription of B. pauciflorus adopted in the Flora of China requires reassessment, whereas the boundaries of B. longiflorus var. apricus and B. dunnianus require broader population sampling before formal taxonomic changes are proposed. Full article

Since the 17th century, when illustrations began to appear in children’s schoolbooks, the role of illustrations has undergone a development in concept. It has shifted from a narrow view of illustrations demonstrating the text, as well as lightening up the textual monotony, to a broader view of illustrations as a way of perceiving an additional interpretational layer of the meanings inherent in the text. Concurrently, the hierarchy indicating the supremacy of the written text over the illustrations has been undermined, opening the way to viewing children’s stories as a literary work in which the text and the illustrations conduct a complex relationship, together affecting the addressees’ experiencing of the meaning. After five decades of analyzing picturebooks, there are still some gaps between the research on children’s literature and the research on illustrations, whereby the study of children’s literature mainly deals with the textual aspects of works. The present research offers a model examining the functions of illustrations in children’s literature. The model includes a spectrum of layers located on an axis, which may be termed “the axis of influence”. This spectrum begins with illustrations that are limited to a simple description and adhere to the text, and it reaches illustrations that contrast with the text, accompanying it as a “counterpoint”. The illustrations’ modes of function are divided into three groups. The first group is that of illustrations describing the text faithfully. The second group includes illustrations which expand the meaning by providing layers that do not exist in the text: illustrations describing the space in which the protagonists are located; illustrations portraying the inner world of the protagonists; illustrations explicating complex concepts or themes; inclusive illustrations expanding the cultural and social variety of the characters in the story; and illustrations which promote social or national values. The third group includes illustrations subversive to the text, often even contradicting it or promoting a message that does not necessarily adhere to the contents of the text, thereby providing an independent narrative. The existence of an independent narrative leads to a poetic gap, by which there are two narratives dwelling in the same story. The research examines four types of subversive illustrations: illustrations creating gender correction; the implicative illustrations containing a visual subtext; illustrations casting a new light upon the story’s ending; and illustrations voicing a counterpoint to the content delivered in the text. Full article

We investigate the onset of hyperbolicity in Jensen polynomials $J_{d,n}$ associated with the Riemann $\mathsf{\Xi }$-function and identify a robust parity-driven bifurcation with a natural geometric interpretation. Numerical analysis for degrees $5\le d\le 16$ reveals two distinct regimes. For even d, the roots form a compact complex cluster whose imaginary extent decreases smoothly, and the transition to hyperbolicity is governed by a single complex-conjugate pair, consistent with a low-dimensional (tame) geometric structure. For odd d, a hierarchy of more intricate onset mechanisms emerges, including single-event transitions ($d=11$) and intermittent regimes ($d\ge 13$) with decoupled geometric invariants, suggestive of dynamics on decorated (wild) character varieties. We interpret this dichotomy through a connection with the $P_{\mathrm{III}}\left(D_6\right)$ tau-function arising in the Painlevé confluence diagram. Defining $\tau \left(t\right)=\mathsf{\Xi }({\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}+\sqrt{-t})/\mathsf{\Xi }\left({\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}\right)$, we construct a generating function $B\left(w\right)={\sum }_{j\ge 0}{b}_j{w}^j$ from the cumulants of $log\mathsf{\Xi }({\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}+z)$ using high-precision Cauchy/DFT methods (280–400-digit arithmetic), without explicit use of the zero expansion. Two independent numerical diagnostics indicate that B exhibits Stieltjes-type behavior: (i) positivity of Hankel determinants up to order $N=30$ and (ii) Padé approximants whose poles converge to ${\gamma }_k^2$ (squares of Riemann-zero ordinates) with stabilizing residues. These results provide strong evidence that the parity bifurcation observed in Jensen polynomial onset reflects a finite-dimensional manifestation of an underlying moment-based positivity structure. Motivated by this correspondence, we formulate a conjecture relating the Stieltjes nature of $B\left(w\right)$ to the eventual hyperbolicity of Jensen polynomials. This conjecture suggests a bridge between finite-dimensional root geometry and an infinite-dimensional kernel-based positivity framework, while leaving open the problem of establishing such positivity independently of the zero expansion. Full article

The certification information of wheat varieties contains valuable breeding knowledge and plays an important role in germplasm resource management and breeding research. However, most certification information is stored in unstructured text form, making it difficult to support efficient knowledge acquisition and utilization. To address this issue, this paper investigates joint entity-relation extraction from wheat variety certification texts and its application to knowledge graph construction. Specifically, building on existing character-word fusion methods, we propose the Joint Entity-Relation Extraction for Wheat Variety Certification Texts (JERE-WVCT) to address indiscriminate incorporation of candidate features in character-word fusion that obscures key features, a lack of differentiated weight assignment for features, and severe imbalance across relation types. Within JERE-WVCT, a deep character-word fusion mechanism based on hierarchical filtering and ranking is designed to enhance the representation of domain-specific entities. In addition, relation labels are incorporated as prior knowledge to alleviate the impact of relation type imbalance and improve the model’s triple extraction capability. Experimental results show that JERE-WVCT achieves an F1 score of 96.78% on the wheat variety certification corpus, outperforming all baseline models. Based on the extracted triples, a wheat variety knowledge graph is constructed, and exploratory variety relationship analysis is conducted as a downstream application. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed model for structured knowledge acquisition and support graph-based exploration of wheat variety information. Full article

Enormous genetic diversity exists in rice germplasm, including wild and weedy relatives, though they remain unexplored within in situ or ex situ collections. Characterisation and utilisation of the available biodiversity in plant breeding is essential for the detection of novel traits or genes for climate resilience. In this study, 97 rice genotypes, including 90 rice accessions belonging to various Oryza species and 7 check cultivars with an O. sativa background, were characterised for quantitative morphological characters following the guidelines based on distinctiveness, uniformity and stability (DUS) test by the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority (PPVFRA), India. Characterisation of the genotypes based on 39 important DUS morphological descriptors revealed polymorphism in 35 traits, confirming high morphological diversity among wild rice accessions and distinguishing and unique traits from other wild accessions for the utilisation in pre-breeding programmes. Genotypes such as WD5_6, WD10_4, and WD3_3 consistently expressed a favourable combination of broad and long leaves, extended panicle length, and well-branched panicles with higher panicle number. In addition, these genotypes showed purple pigmentation across multiple vegetative and reproductive organs, indicating stable and enhanced anthocyanin accumulation. Accessions WD10_4 and WD3_3 also represent valuable donors for panicle architecture and yield component enhancement, while genotypes such as WD17_15 and WD12_8 may serve as specific donors for panicle length and branching traits. Characterisation studies and detection of unique traits provide the empirical foundation for conservation decisions, taxonomic clarity, and pre-breeding applications. Interspecific crosses in the genetic background of elite cultivars with donor species viz., O. barthii, O. glaberrima and O. rufipogon were developed as pre-breeding materials for further crop improvement as well as for the identification of novel genes of agronomic importance. Full article

Previous studies have established that insight enhances memory across a variety of tasks. However, it remains unclear whether memory performance differs between perceptual and semantic insights. To address this issue, this study employed a learning–testing paradigm with Chinese riddles. In the learning phase, individuals judged whether they had grasped the relationship between each riddle and its solution (a Chinese character) under four conditions created by crossing match status (matched vs. unmatched) with riddle type (visual-rule vs. semantic-rule). During the testing phase, they performed immediate and delayed recognition tasks, judging whether each presented character was old or new. The results showed that, relative to trials on which riddles were not solved (primarily unmatched riddles), participants exhibited higher hit rates, recognition rates, and retrospective confidence judgment (RCJ) in both immediate and delayed recognition tasks when they experienced sudden insight into matched riddles. This reflects a memory advantage for insight induced by solution-appropriate processing. Moreover, hit rates, recognition rates, and memory confidence judgment accuracy were consistently higher for semantic insight than for perceptual insight, regardless of match condition (significant main effects with no interaction). In contrast, memory confidence judgment was higher for semantic (vs. perceptual) insight under matched conditions but not under unmatched conditions (significant interaction). Collectively, these findings suggest that insight yields better memory performance when it operates at the semantic level than at the perceptual level. Full article

Manual survey data entry remains a bottleneck in large-scale research, marketing, and public policy, where survey sheets are still widely used due to accessibility and high response rates. Despite the progress in Optical Character Recognition (OCR) and Optical Mark Recognition (OMR), existing systems treat these tasks separately and are typically tailored to clean, standardized forms, making them unreliable for real-world survey sheets with diverse markings and handwritten inputs. These limitations hinder automation and introduce significant error rates in data transcription. To address this, we propose SurveyNet, a unified deep learning framework that combines OCR and OMR capabilities to automatically digitize complex survey responses within a single model. SurveyNet processes both handwritten digits and a wide variety of mark types including ticks, circles, and crosses across multiple question formats. We also introduce SurveySet, a novel dataset comprising 135 real-world survey forms annotated across four key response types. Experimental results demonstrate that SurveyNet achieves between 50% and 97% classification accuracy across tasks, with strong performance even on small and imbalanced datasets. This framework offers a scalable solution for streamlining survey digitization workflows, reducing manual errors, and enabling timely analysis in domains ranging from consumer research to public health and education. Full article

Modern Greek was spoken along the northwestern coast of Asia Minor until the early 20th century, yet neither its precise geographical extent nor its dialectal classification is well established. This paper seeks to clarify both issues by focusing on the variety of Adramytti (Edremit). The available evidence suggests that Adramyttian, despite its close relationship to and partial origin in Modern Lesbian, was essentially a mixed variety that leveled out many characteristic Modern Lesbian features, such as the raising of unstressed mid vowels and certain morphological phenomena. Such differences can be attributed to the diverse character of the speech community that led to contact between speakers of Modern Lesbian origin and speakers of other Greek dialects. In addition to providing a grammatical description of Adramyttian, which demonstrates its mixed profile, the paper offers a tentative classification of this variety in relation to Modern Lesbian and the other insular varieties of northeastern Aegean, as well as in relation to other neighboring varieties of northwestern Asia Minor (Aeolis, Mysia, northern Ionia). Full article

Produced at a point of significant change in literary representations of what was called “the black experience,” the comic book series Panther’s Rage and The Black Panther Takes on the Klan each represent an ambitious collaboration between Don McGregor, the white writer of the series, and Billy Graham, the black series artist. As a revision of “black experience” novels published by Holloway House during the early 1970s, this comic book series significantly alters the ways in which mourning, memory, and mental fortitude are represented in a world of almost entirely black characters. Fighting villains who create phantasmic illusions that evoke self-doubt, The Black Panther, one of three black superheroes introduced by Marvel comics during the 1960s and 1970s, brings to light and then revises traumatic historical memories. The hero’s journey around the provinces of Wakanda, a black kingdom in Western Africa, requires the Panther to defeat a variety of villains and their proxies and to posit an alternative to revolutionary self-hatred. We learn from this journey that tradition and modernity can coexist and that traumatic memories need not repeat themselves endlessly. Instead, they can be revised and incorporated into narratives that celebrate the power of the disciplined imagination to imagine a better future. Full article

The principal difficulty in studying the physico-mechanical and filtration-capacity properties of coals and host rocks under laboratory conditions using core samples lies in reproducing natural thermodynamic conditions characteristic of in situ depths. To address this issue, specialized equipment and methodologies for transferring measurement results are employed, including the Hoek–Brown failure criterion, the structural weakening coefficient, and the development of thermodynamic models. The reliability and accuracy of such measurements are determined by the degree of conformity between the adopted laboratory conditions and natural in situ conditions, the number of samples representing different lithological varieties, and the adequacy of sampling procedures ensuring representativeness. Particular challenges arise when sampling cleated and fractured coals formed under natural stress–strain conditions and contain methane, which significantly influences their physical properties. These difficulties are especially pronounced in prepared-for-mining high-gas-content coal seams of the Karaganda Basin at depths of approximately 700 m, where obtaining representative samples is technically complicated. Reliable values of the physico-mechanical properties of the coal–rock mass are essential for geomechanical calculations aimed at ensuring safe mining of high-gas-content seams through risk assessment of geodynamic phenomena, particularly in zones of geological disturbances, floor heave, and roof collapse. In this context, the use of a comprehensive suite of geophysical logging data from exploration boreholes makes it possible to obtain continuous, high-precision information on physico-mechanical and filtration-capacity properties. These methods are particularly important for characterizing the coal–rock mass in operating mines, since the natural state of host rocks and prepared coal seams is altered due to stress relief caused by mine workings, preliminary degasification measures, and hydraulic fracturing. The problem addressed is the need for reliable assessment of rock and coal seam parameters under natural thermodynamic stress–strain conditions, taking into account lithological composition, structural heterogeneity, fracture development, stratigraphic differentiation, and gas saturation. The aim of this study is to ensure efficient and safe coal extraction based on geomechanical calculations utilizing physico-mechanical and filtration-capacity properties of host rocks and gas-bearing coal seams, whether prepared for mining or not yet extracted. The research methods are based on an integrated complex of geophysical logging of exploration wells, specialized software tools, and statistical processing techniques to identify patterns in physico-mechanical and filtration-capacity properties of host rocks and coal seams under natural stress–strain conditions, as well as to determine the nature of changes in these properties within coal seams and roof and floor rocks in prepared mining areas. The physico-mechanical and filtration-capacity properties of host rocks and coals from the Lenin and Kazakhstanskaya mines were determined. Regularities governing the application of these parameters to coals of different formations and depths were established; fracture orientations and characteristics were evaluated; and relationships between changes in coal seam parameters and gas content were identified. A comprehensive methodological framework for studying the physical and capacity properties of the coal–rock mass under natural thermodynamic conditions has been developed. Its primary application is the investigation of coal seams prepared for mining to support geomechanical calculations for efficient and safe coal extraction, the implementation of degasification measures for high-gas-content seams, and the assessment of gas-dynamic risks based on the character of variations in physical parameters. Full article

Employing ab initio electronic structure methods, in this study, I examine the effect of order on the spin gapless semiconducting behavior of the Mn₂CoAl Heusler compound. The occurrence of atomic disorder in general destroys the spin gapless semiconductivity observed in the inverse XA lattice structure; however, in some cases, novel magnetic configurations emerge. In the case of structures derived from the XA structure, where only Mn-Co or Mn-Al atoms are mixed, Mn₂CoAl alloy presents a half-metallic magnetic character. In the case of full disorder (A2 lattice structure), where atoms occupy all sites with the same probability, the ground state is an antiferromagnetic metallic one. The L2₁ and B2 lattice structures, where Mn atoms occupy both sites of a similar local environment, correspond to a ferromagnetic state of very high spin magnetic moment per formula unit. The present study encompasses a much larger variety of disordered structures in comparison with other studies in the literature. It concludes that the control and minimization of the concentration of impurities at anti-sites is imperative to achieving optimal performance in spintronic devices based on spin gapless semiconducting Mn₂CoAl. Full article

The image of the journalist in popular culture has increasingly added value to metajournalistic discourse. These portrayals have the power to influence the audience’s perception of real-world journalists and the industry. However, most research analyzes portrayals in film and television. Using Terry Pratchett’s fantasy novel “The Truth,” this study explored how journalism, the media industry, and the journalist are portrayed in fantasy literature. Through a textual analysis of the novel, it was found that the work was a celebratory portrayal of journalism that shared a variety of themes found in film and television portrayals. Though its ethics were challenged throughout the novel, the Ankh-Morpork Times was devoted to the truth, served the watchdog role, and practiced social responsibility. Additionally, the novel’s historical rendition of the penny press highlighted the competitiveness of the media industry, how the public interest was challenged by political and corporate influence, and offered a portrayal of naïve news consumers. Lastly, it was found that William de Worde portrayed an ethical journalist and followed the common investigative journalist trope, but his character strayed from the usual editor, publisher, and male reporter tropes found in film and television. This study also suggests the possibility of looking at negative portrayals of journalism in fiction as a series of critical incidents in which journalism has difficulty fully repairing its paradigm. Full article

Symmetry governs complex systems from particle physics to biology. We demonstrate that consciousness dynamics follow symmetry-breaking cascades described by Painlevé confluence topology, bridging quantum topology, neuroscience, and consciousness theory. Analyzing exceptional individuals (mathematicians Grothendieck, Nash, Perelman, Cantor; physicist Einstein; artists van Gogh, Artaud) plus artificial intelligence systems, we show consciousness trajectories follow topological paths governed by three symmetry measures: holes (information flows), cusps (binding points), signatures (distribution balance). Two fundamental branches emerge: D-type (symmetry-preserving: 3 holes maintained) and E-type (symmetry-breaking: progressive flow loss). We establish correspondences with Integrated Information Theory, Global Workspace Theory, four brain systems, and phenomenological frameworks, explaining why consciousness requires character varieties with sufficient topological complexity (≥2–3 holes) and stable cusp configuration. Higher consciousness involves fewer connections but better balance: peak state ${\mathrm{D}}_8$ requires only two perfectly balanced cusps. Clinical data (16,887 patients), EEG studies, and contemplative neuroscience (62,000+ meditation hours) validate the model. AI systems exhibit identical symmetry dynamics. Character varieties function as Platonic templates that consciousness navigates. Moral consciousness emerges as a fundamental symmetry-preserving principle transcending biological/artificial boundaries. Full article

For the development of effective and secure methods for plant genetic resources preservation, different storage treatments of fiber flax seeds were compared. Seeds of the flax variety Orshanskiy-2 in aluminum foil bags were stored at different low temperatures, including in liquid nitrogen. Agronomic characters of plants grown from them and next-generation seeds were compared. Plants grown from frozen seeds changed 14 out of 31 evaluated characters in comparison with the non-frozen control. The biggest changes were detected after gradual freezing in liquid nitrogen, due to mechanical damage of the seed coat, and storage at −10 °C for 24 years. Freezing had a negative effect on production characters (straw, fiber and seed) because of the reduction of the germinated plant number. Seeds stored for 24 years at −10 °C, compared to control plants, ripened earlier, grew higher, produced a greater yield of straw and fiber, but had reduced fiber quality and increased seed size. Plants of the next generation showed a tendency toward attenuation of the storage time influence on flax characters. However, it is unknown how many years this process will take. For seed preservation in GeneBanks, it is recommended to use several variants of storage conditions and use rapid cooling and/or cryoprotectors. The latter two methods, which have been successfully used for other crops, should be implemented only after preliminary experiments. Full article

We propose a novel mathematical framework for understanding consciousness as a dynamical phenomenon governed by nonlinear integrable equations. The central hypothesis identifies conscious state dynamics with the Painlevé VI equation and its confluence limits, providing a unified description of stability, bifurcation, and collapse across cognitive regimes. In this approach, consciousness is modeled as an emergent phase sustained near criticality, where coherent quantum-like structures and classical decoherence coexist in a regulated balance. The theory is formulated in terms of isomonodromic deformations on $\mathrm{SL}(2,\mathbb{C})$ character varieties, allowing conscious states to be characterized by monodromy data and their controlled evolution. This geometric setting naturally encodes memory, attention, and transitions between conscious and unconscious phases, while confluence processes account for irreversible loss of coherence. A two-stage quantum-to-classical transition is identified, separating microscopic coherence from macroscopic stabilization. The framework yields universal signatures such as critical slowing down, scaling laws near transition points, and robustness under perturbations, linking consciousness dynamics to broader classes of critical phenomena observed in physics and complex systems. By replacing heuristic assumptions with a mathematically constrained dynamical structure, this work extends existing quantum consciousness models and provides a tractable platform for comparison with neural, biological, and informational data. Full article