I argue that spacetime singularities entail no ontological commitment to material entities. First, I show that Penrose's singularity theorem is best understood as a theorem of incompleteness, it demonstrates the failure of specific spacetime models within General Relativity (or any theory incorporating the Raychaudhuri equation) under certain general conditions. Although this has been done before, I adopt a novel approach based on differentiating between physical and purely formal assumptions in the axiomatic foundation of general relativity. Next, I compare Penrose's result with Gödel's incompleteness theorem, highlighting key similarities and differences. Finally, I draw philosophical conclusions regarding the limits and prospects of our epistemic reconstructions of the physical world.
The rapid development of digital technology has led to the creation of numerous online works generated by Artificial Intelligence (AI) on various platforms. The emergence of these works brings about challenges to traditional copyright protection. Traditional copyright aims to protect the legitimate rights and interests that individuals enjoy over their intellectual achievements, while AI mainly relies on algorithms. Issues such as the ownership of rights, infringement determination, and the degree of protection of works all need to be addressed. This review explores the copyright disputes involved in works generated by AI, including compliance issues, ownership issues and infringement determination. Moreover, corresponding feasible countermeasures for such issues will be discussed. Under no circumstances should the creation of works be based on laws. Nowadays, a work cannot exist independently without the support of vast amounts of data. Clearly distinguishing the attributes of works generated by AI plays an important role. This not only promotes the improvement of the legal theoretical framework in the field of intellectual property rights under the impact of AI, but also protects the legitimate rights of authors. And it conforms to the trend of the law and big data keeping pace with modern society.
Abstract The advancement of computational techniques has greatly influenced artistic practices, especially in replicating traditional oil painting digitally. While conventional image processing methods have achieved moderate success in emulating painterly effects, challenges remain in accurately reproducing the depth, brushwork dynamics, and chromatic complexity of classical oil media. To address these limitations, this study proposes a hybrid computational framework that integrates both image processing techniques and deep learning to transform photographs into visually authentic digital oil paintings. The pipeline begins with preprocessing and color anchoring using K-means clustering in the CIELAB (International Commission on Illumination) color space to simplify color regions while maintaining structural coherence. Edge detection using Sobel and Canny operators identifies contours and gradient orientations, guiding brushstroke placement. Stylization is applied through bilateral and Kuwahara filters, producing texture-smoothened yet edge-preserving visuals. A gradient-based directional stroke filter introduces Gaussian-weighted, orientation-aligned strokes to emulate the natural fluidity of oil paint. To further refine the output, a Style-Conditional Generative Adversarial Network (Style-GAN) is employed. Trained on a curated dataset of traditional oil paintings, this GAN module enhances texture realism, global consistency, and brushstroke fidelity through adversarial learning. To evaluate effectiveness, a dual-assessment approach was employed: expert artists qualitatively reviewed the outputs against traditional works, while structured Likert-scale surveys captured user perceptions of expressiveness, innovation, and fidelity. Results demonstrate that the GAN-integrated model significantly outperforms baseline methods, producing visually convincing and stylistically rich digital paintings. This study highlights how combining traditional techniques with generative models can bridge the aesthetic gap between digital simulation and classical art, contributing meaningfully to computational creativity.
History of scholarship and learning. The humanities, Social Sciences
Although building social capital improves student learning and the effectiveness of schools in educating students, it still needs to be explored in the area of primary schools. Thus, this case study was undertaken to explore the practices of primary school principals to develop students' social capital by taking social capital theory as a theoretical lens. Five school principals were selected purposefully from primary schools in Ethiopia. Thematic analysis was used to narrate data gathered through semi-structured interviews. Five focus group discussions were held with teachers and students separately. Findings revealed that the principal formed various social groups, facilitated family and community engagement, created a caring school culture, worked with parent-student-teacher associations and other social networks, and created common school goals for developing the social capital of students. Lack of interest and commitment from parents, lack of willingness and trust from teachers, and giving poor value for information were challenges constraining principals from developing the social capital of students in primary schools. In a nutshell, this study is important because it provides educators, administrators, the Ministry of Education, and other pertinent school stakeholders with more knowledge and information on methods for helping students build their social capital. This also makes the principals transform their leadership behavior to be more ethical, focused, caring, democratic, and pedagogical in leading teaching and learning and enhances their ability to exercise empowering, effective social behaviors towards their students in their daily practices.
History of scholarship and learning. The humanities, Social sciences (General)
The main purpose of this paper, which takes the form of an essay, is an attempt to answer the question of the limits of artificial intelligence (AI). In the introductory section, we present the key milestones in AI development, both historical and future projections, in which two terms – Artificial Human (AH) and Artificial ‘god’ (AG) – play a special role. In the second section, we clarify the question of the limits of AI by indicating the hypothetical goal of AI development. The third section develops the argument proposed by C. F. Weizsäcker, originally formulated for cybernetics. The conclusion of this argument is optimistic about limitations to the possibilities of cybernetic simulations. We apply this argument to AI and subject it to a critique which ultimately undermines the legitimacy of its conclusion. We base the critique on two well-known results: the theorem of the unsolvability of the halting problem and Gödel’s first incompleteness theorem, and we formulate two objections interpreted without adopting Church’s thesis. In the crucial fourth section, we present a third objection in the form of a hypothesis for which we argue that AI (AH), understood as a subject, will always be solipsistic.
History of scholarship and learning. The humanities
The thermal–hydraulic dynamics in containment are governed by a system of stiff ordinary differential equations (ODEs). A fully implicit discretization scheme is adopted to discretize these ODEs in order to mitigate the effects of stiffness. In comparison with explicit or semi-implicit discretization schemes that are subject to Courant limits on time steps, the fully implicit discretization scheme is more suitable for a containment analysis code that focuses on predicting both short-term and long-term thermal–hydraulic parameters after an accident. This study introduces a general-purpose ODE solver for the containment analysis code. The outline of the solver is as follows: The fully implicit discrete equations lead to a large set of nonlinear equations that need to be solved using Newton’s iterative method. The partial derivative components in the Jacobi matrix are calculated by the perturbation method using finite difference approximation, which avoids the complicated derivation of partial derivatives. The scaling modification technique is incorporated into this ODE solver to deal with significant differences in unknown variable magnitudes, and the line search method is introduced to address the difficulty of obtaining an accurate root estimate with Newton’s method when the initial guess is far from the actual root. This proposed ODE solver was applied to two typical stiff ODE problems to test its stiffness-suppressed ability and to demonstrate that this proposed solver can perform calculations with a very large time step. Then, the CASSIA code, a containment analysis code developed by China Nuclear Power Technology Research Institute Co., Ltd (CNPRI), equipped with this ODE solver, was applied to the CSNI (Committee on the Safety of Nuclear Installations) benchmark problem and the Carolinas Virginia Tube Reactor (CVTR) test 3 problem to preliminarily demonstrate that the proposed ODE solver can perform containment thermal–hydraulic analysis correctly. This study could provide references for the development of a home-made containment analysis code.
O trabalho encaixa-se no “Grupo de Trabalho 08 – Questões educacionais na contemporaneidade e os desafios da interculturalidade” e tem como questão central as políticas de ação afirmativa em Roraima nas universidades deste extremo norte, as resistências, tensões e desafios para sua implantação. No Estado de Roraima, de acordo com dados do Instituto Brasileiro e Geografia e Estatística, o percentual de negros (inclui pardos) entre a população é de 73,3%. Nosso objetivo é discutir a respeito da questão, visto que a questão negra pouco espaço tem ocupado nas discussões nas universidades. Ao inviabilizar ou não dar a visibilização necessária a questão, compreendemos que vamos permitindo a reprodução do racismo, da discriminação e do preconceito nestes espaços de formação. A metodologia foi baseada em análises bibliográficas priorizando os dados bibliográficos em Munanga, Nogueira, além de legislações de ação afirmativas nas universidades em Roraima. O artigo é resultado das leituras, de reflexões, fichamentos e inquietações sobre nossa realidade local, realizadas no Grupo de Estudos em Educação, Interculturalidade e Emancipação Humana – GEEINEH, ligado a linha de pesquisa Educação do Campo, Educação Indígena e Interculturalidade do Mestrado Acadêmico (PPGE/UERR/IFRR). O artigo é pertinente para a comunidade acadêmica e geral, pois reafirma a necessidade de pautar tais questões, sobretudo dentro do contexto de Roraima, cuja produção científica acerca da temática ainda é pouco suficiente.
María José Ibáñez, Felipe Vásquez Lavin, Roberto D. Ponce Oliva
Comparison between the performance of female and male-managed firms has long been a subject of research interest. Although the argument is that firms run by women have lower performance than those run by men, there is no agreement on the effects of managerial gender on companies’ financial outcomes. This study conducts a methodological review of quantitative research on the relationship between female business leadership and firm performance from 2010 to 2020. This review identifies the most frequently used dependent and explanatory variables and econometric models in the literature. Most studies have not considered endogeneity bias in their model specifications; therefore, these results could be biased and unreliable. We select empirical models to test the female underperformance hypothesis using a sample of Chilean firms. Our findings suggest that managers’ gender does not significantly affect business performance when endogeneity is addressed. Our methodological review reveals a significant gap in the research on female managers and firm performance in the Latin American context, and the empirical test provides new evidence in this vein.
History of scholarship and learning. The humanities, Social Sciences
This work introduces a novel three-fold classification of reference frames in General Relativity, distinguishing between Idealised Reference Frames (IRFs), Dynamical Reference Frames (DRFs), and Real Reference Frames (RRFs). By defining a reference frame as a set of degrees of freedom instantiated by a physical system, the work contrasts this notion with that of coordinate systems-purely mathematical idealisations lacking physical instantiation. This classification addresses two longstanding challenges in GR: (P1) the difficulty of defining local and gauge-invariant observables, and (P2) how to interpret diffeomorphism gauge freedom in physical terms rather than as merely a mathematical redundancy. Overall, this work clarifies the conceptual foundations in classical General Relativity, enhancing our understanding of gauge-symmetries, observers and laying the groundwork for future investigations in both classical and quantum gravitational contexts.
Ho Yin Pekkle Lam, Meng-Yun Hung, Po-Ching Cheng
et al.
Background: Schistosomiasis is one of the most devastating tropical diseases in the world. Currently, praziquantel (PZQ) represents the best pharmacological option for the treatment of schistosomiasis as it effectively kills the worm. However, the inability to reverse established liver damages often makes treatment futile. In the current study, we investigate whether combining the use of wogonin, a compound that was found to be liver-protective, with PZQ can attribute to the greatest beneficial effect in Schistosoma mansoni-infected mice. Methods: To determine the protective effect of PZQ-wogonin treatment on S. manosni-infected mice, histopathological analysis was done to evaluate the granuloma size and fibrotic areas in the liver. Western blotting was performed to analyze several injuries-related markers including fibrotic markers, inflammasomes, and apoptotic markers. Scanning electron microscopy was done to evaluate the effect of wogonin on the worms, and the worm and egg burden was calculated. Results: Our results showed that PZQ-wogonin treatment significantly improved liver histopathology of S. mansoni-infected mice. Further analysis showed that PZQ-wogonin combinations are more effective in reducing fibrosis, inflammation, and apoptosis in the liver than that of individual drug use. Furthermore, our results revealed that wogonin is anthelmintic; and it works better with PZQ in reducing hepatic egg burden, further lessen the disease progression. Conclusion: In general, this combinatorial strategy may represent a new and effective approach to schistosomiasis treatment.
Este artículo analiza el auge de tráfico marítimo en el Pacífico mexicano durante la fiebre de oro. Durante la parte tardía de la década de 1840 y a principios de la de 1850, la cantidad de barcos que fondeaban en el litoral del oeste mexicano se incrementó como consecuencia de la masiva migración que se dio hacia el norte de California. Lo anterior trajo consigo un crecimiento comercial en puertos como Mazatlán, San Blas y Acapulco. El artículo argumenta, no obstante, que dicho auge distó de traer una bonanza permanente para esa zona de México. El empuje de las compañías comerciales de México y Estados Unidos y el rápido posicionamiento de San Francisco como eje comercial pronto inhibieron el incipiente crecimiento en la venta de bienes y las exportaciones.
History of scholarship and learning. The humanities, History (General) and history of Europe
This work completes a serie of two papers devoted to the extension of the fundamental laws of electrodynamics in the context of Fock's nonlinear relativity (FNLR). Indeed, after having established in the previous study the exact generalizations of both Maxwell's equations and Dirac magnetic monopole, we present here the remaining exact Lorentz force. As in k-Minkowski spacetime, two different nature contributions appear in the corresponding equation of motion where the new effect is interpreted as the gravitational-type Lorentz force. This common point separately induced by the radius of the universe in our case or Planck energy in other works, reinforces once more the analogy between electromagnetism and gravity in two different scientific approaches. As a relative difference, it is very important to highlight that more homogeneity characterizes our results where each effect is exclusively generated by mass or charge but not both at the same time. Even more, the new effect emerges as the result of the triple effect of R-deformation, mass and the square of velocities but completely independent of electromagnetic field.
Manuel Jesús Sánchez Chero, José Luis Casas Lazo, Priscila Estelita Luján Vera
et al.
El artículo de investigación tiene como propósito establecer la relación entre el clima social familiar y el clima laboral de los trabajadores operarios de la empresa pesquera – LALA FISH E.I.R.L. - PAITA. A través del diagnóstico comparativo nos ha permitido establecer la correlación entre el clima social familiar y el clima laboral. Los datos estadísticos se consiguieron a través del proceso de las encuestas realizadas a los 180 trabajadores acerca del “clima social familiar” y “clima laboral”. Los resultados denotan que no existe relación significativa con un p≥0.05 entre el clima social familiar y el clima laboral de los trabajadores operarios de la Empresa Pesquera en estudio. Se concluye que 47.10% de los trabajadores tienen un regular clima social familiar y en efecto el clima laboral es eficiente respaldado con un 44.20%.
Oluranti Olupolola Ajayi, Olajide Julius Faremi, Simeon Dele Roger
et al.
A house is an essential facility that affords an abode, provides habitation and shelter adequacies. Affordable housing presumes access to a conducive, functional, and sustainable dwelling by the majority of the people within a locality. The study investigated the factors mitigating the actualization of affordable housing for low-income masses in the selected area. Survey research was adopted for the study. The population for the study is made up of two groups comprising low-income masses and construction professionals. The study adopted a multi-sampling method. Both convenient and random sampling techniques were utilized to gather information from the respondents. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used for descriptive (frequency, percent, and mean score) and appropriate inferential analysis. Results indicated factors weighing down the provision of affordable housing as well as factors precluding accessible housing for low-income masses. Also, the response from construction professionals showed the level of agreement on factors impeding the provision of affordable housing. The trail to alleviate the effect of the non-affordability of housing for low-income masses becomes perceptible and addressed.
El presente artículo tiene como fin presentar el diseño de un sistema de evaluación del transporte público en Quito. Se propuso esta temática debido a que el sistema de transporte público en Quito y otras ciudades de Latinoamérica no ha sido planificado adecuadamente, lo cual provoca problemas en la calidad del servicio como altos tiempos de espera, incomodidad al desplazarse, inseguridad, entre otros aspectos.
Con el objetivo de ofrecer un mejor servicio se propone el diseño de una aplicación móvil, mediante la cual los usuarios podrán evaluar el servicio otorgado y a su vez los transportistas y la Alcaldía del Distrito Metropolitano de Quito tendrán acceso a esta información mediante un portal web tal que se pueda ejercer un correcto control del servicio. Se desarrolló una planificación basada en la metodología PMBOK ya que al tratarse de un ente público se requiere mayor nivel de documentación y detalle en los procesos.
Jose Beltrán Jiménez, Lavinia Heisenberg, Damianos Iosifidis
et al.
In this Letter we consider a general quadratic parity-preserving theory for a general flat connection. Imposing a local symmetry under the general linear group singles out the general teleparallel equivalent of General Relativity carrying both torsion and non-metricity. We provide a detailed discussion on the teleparallel equivalents of General Relativity and how the two known equivalents, formulated on Weitzenböck and symmetric teleparallel geometries respectively, can be interpreted as two gauge-fixed versions of the general teleparallel equivalent. We then explore the viability of the general quadratic theory by studying the spectrum around Minkowski. The linear theory generally contains two symmetric rank-2 fields plus a 2-form and, consequently, extra gauge symmetries are required to obtain potentially viable theories.
Vittorio De Falco, Emmanuele Battista, Maurizio Falanga
We propose the Lagrangian formulation for describing the motion of a test particle in a general relativistic, stationary, and axially symmetric spacetime. The test particle is also affected by a radiation field, modeled as a coherent flux of photons traveling along the null geodesics of the background spacetime, including the general relativistic Poynting-Robertson effect. The innovative part of this work is to prove the existence of the potential linked to the dissipative action caused by the Poynting-Robertson effect in General Relativity through the help of an integrating factor, depending on the energy of the system. Generally such kinds of inverse problems involving dissipative effects might not admit a Lagrangian formulation, especially in General Relativity there are no examples of such attempts in literature so far. We reduce this general relativistic Lagrangian formulation to the classic case in the weak field limit. This approach facilitates further studies in improving the treatment of the radiation field and it contains for example some implications for a deeper comprehension of the gravitational waves.
Corpos Striped constitui-se em uma produção seriada de nove desenhos realizados pelo pesquisador e artista Rafael Scheibe Coutinho, a qual reflexiona aspectos devastadores presentes na sociedade contemporânea, sobretudo apregoando a figura da mulher como objeto de desejo e consumo de maneira abjeta. Para tanto, adiciona-se a esta figura uma relação insurgente com a criatura polvo, que se sobrepõe à mulher fazendo às vezes de uma vasta e repulsante cabeleira. O polvo assume metaforicamente o peso grotesco imposto pela sociedade como uma força que sufoca e transgride a feminilidade, envolvendo-a por meio de uma relação simbiótica e camuflando-se de forma capilar, transformando-a na representatividade da medusa contemporânea.
This work generalizes the treatment of flat spin connections in the teleparallel equivalent of general relativity. It is shown that a general flat spin connection form a subspace in the affine space of spin connections which is dynamically decoupled from the tetrad and the matter fields. A translation in the affine subspace introduces a torsion term without changing the tetrad. Instead, the change in the torsion is related to the introduction of a global acceleration field term that introduces Lorentz inertial effects in the reference frame. The dynamics of the gravitationally coupled matter fields remains however equivalent regardless of the flat spin connection chosen. The implications of the break of this invariance by a general $f(T)$ and $f(R)$ is discussed.
We investigate the efficiency of an isothermal Brownian work-to-work converter engine, composed of a Brownian particle coupled to a heat bath at a constant temperature. The system is maintained out of equilibrium by using two external time-dependent stochastic Gaussian forces, where one is called load force and the other is called drive force. Work done by these two forces are stochastic quantities. The efficiency of this small engine is defined as the ratio of stochastic work done against load force to stochastic work done by the drive force. The probability density function as well as large deviation function of the stochastic efficiency are studied analytically and verified by numerical simulations.