In my paper, “Sublimated Colonialism： The Persistence of Actually Existing Settler-Colonialism,” I interrogate the remaining settler-colonialisms that refused to disappear during the epoch of decolonization. I am m...In my paper, “Sublimated Colonialism： The Persistence of Actually Existing Settler-Colonialism,” I interrogate the remaining settler-colonialisms that refused to disappear during the epoch of decolonization. I am most concerned with those settler-colonialisms that persist at the centers of world capitalism, and examine bow this social context often produces an ideology that relegates the concrete reality of settler-colonialism to the past, pushing its existence under supposedly “modem” social relations. Since Frantz Fanon＇s analysis of settler-colonialism, and the class contradiction between colonizer and colonized, was developed in an era where settler-colonialism was partially defined by the relationship between motherland and colony, some often imagine that the era of settler-colonialism is over. Clearly settler-colonialism did not vanish along with this distinction; internal colonies are retained in North America, for example, and the state of Israel is perhaps the most recent historical of this type of colonialism since it was settled and established in the 20th century. Moreover, there is often talk of a “world-wide indigenous movement” which claims to represent a global anti-colonialist front. The point of my paper, therefore, is to examine how settler-colonialism functions and persists when the settler-colony has become synonymous with the motherland. In this social context, colonizers often imagine themselves as the native inhabitants, while those who remain colonized are pushed even further out of history than they were during the previous era of settler-colonialism.展开更多
The post-colonialism is a theory proposed by the eastern colonial academist Edward W. Said. With the understanding and the definition of post-colonialism, the paper is to analyze phenomena of the movie 2012 and Avatar...The post-colonialism is a theory proposed by the eastern colonial academist Edward W. Said. With the understanding and the definition of post-colonialism, the paper is to analyze phenomena of the movie 2012 and Avatar from several aspects. Firstly, the ＂other＂ is the first angle to be talked about. In the Westerners＇ perspective, they are the center of the world, and they dominate the world. Their rules are the accepted rules, and people of different origin or different cultures are all called ＂other＂. Secondly, it is the degeneration of eastern culture. In the complex of the degeneration of the culture, the demonization of the under-developed nations, the dominant language of English in the communication with the people around, feminization of the characters in the movies, and the updated colonialism of the colonized countries are to be mentioned.展开更多
In Youth volume,Conrad shows his growing criticism of British colonialism.But because of his special favor to Britain,his disaffection with British colonialism is implicit,which is presented by a western voice in Yout...In Youth volume,Conrad shows his growing criticism of British colonialism.But because of his special favor to Britain,his disaffection with British colonialism is implicit,which is presented by a western voice in Youth,Kurtz’s non-pure British heritage in Heart of Darkness,and Whalley’s pure English seaman in The End of the Tether.展开更多
Objectives: Iodine is an essential nutrient needed for the synthesis of hormone thyroxin. Hormone thyroxin is involved in the metabolism of several nutrients, the regulation of enzymes and differentiation of cells, ti...Objectives: Iodine is an essential nutrient needed for the synthesis of hormone thyroxin. Hormone thyroxin is involved in the metabolism of several nutrients, the regulation of enzymes and differentiation of cells, tissues and organs. Iodine deficiency (ID) impairs the development of the brain and nervous system. It affects cognitive capacity, educability, productivity and child mortality. ID hinders physical strength and causes reproductive failure. The objective of this paper is to explore if the health impacts of ID are more common and severe among women. Design: Using primary data (notes from a visit) and secondary data, this paper examines if the effects of ID are more common and severe among Oromo women inEthiopia. Findings: The health impacts of ID are more common and severe among women. Conclusions: ID is an easily preventable nutritional problem. In Oromia, the persistence of ID is explained by the Ethiopian government’s colonial social policies. Preventing ID should be seen as part of the efforts we make to enhance capacity building, promote health, gender equity and social justice. Implications: Iodine deficiency has a wide range of biological, social, economic and cultural impacts. Preventing ID can be instrumental in bringing about gender equity and building the capacity of people.展开更多
Colonialism is an ideological system that was not only contrary to traditional African law(family law,popular law,etc.),but was also incompatible with the dignity of man.Colonial tyranny in Africa began with the polit...Colonialism is an ideological system that was not only contrary to traditional African law(family law,popular law,etc.),but was also incompatible with the dignity of man.Colonial tyranny in Africa began with the political implementation of the decisions adopted at the Berlin Conference of 1884/85,its essential principles of international law being the inviolability and the purity of colonial borders.Thus the European colonial powers managed to avoid wars of aggression and prevent uprisings by African people.Since the dominant theories of colonialism were Eurocentric,they could scarcely contribute to adequately investigating the nature of colonialism,let alone adequately describing its dimension in Africa.Instead of examining the shades of the colonial system from different cultural perspectives to inform people objectively,Eurocentric theories prevented any attempt at truth about colonial injustice.Unfortunately,some Europeans still tend to endorse the colonial injustice system in Africa with cheap and cynical Downplaying terms.The fact that colonial policy has a long history,however,in no way indicates that it should necessarily be accepted or legitimized.On the contrary,since its inception colonialism met with violent and intellectual opposition until African countries attained national sovereignty and territorial integrity.This article demonstrates the significance colonialism has in Africans’intellectual discourse and shows how the colonial question is discussed in Germany.展开更多
Multinational firms such as Apple Inc. have accomplished environmental colonialism in China through the transfer of ecological costs to the local environment. This paper discusses ambiguities in China＇s environmental...Multinational firms such as Apple Inc. have accomplished environmental colonialism in China through the transfer of ecological costs to the local environment. This paper discusses ambiguities in China＇s environmental legislation and supervision, Apple＇s business model, and ＂green washing. ＂ Further, we have identified countermeasures such as the encouraging Environmental Non-Governmental Organizations （ENGOs）, streamlining litigation procedures, increasing fines, and the development of nonprofit media organizations.展开更多
My essay on Heart of Darkness explores Conrad’s dramatization of the voice and heart dynamic in the novella as a penetration of the deep-lying rationale of colonial operation and more generally the human condition at...My essay on Heart of Darkness explores Conrad’s dramatization of the voice and heart dynamic in the novella as a penetration of the deep-lying rationale of colonial operation and more generally the human condition at the turn of the 20th century.Three different forms of assumed centrality in the novella-capital,Eurocentrism,and the African interior as detrimental void symbolized by the heart of darkness form concentric circles that interconnect and work in concert as the core colonial ideology and produce a sense of incongruity and absurdity.The voice of this colonial ideological apparatus disguised as the universal subject of humanity and rationality finds its best expression in the eloquence of Kurtz,the specimen of culture seduced by its very opposite-the wilderness-right in the heart of darkness.“The horror”,as his final verdict of life as a European with real intent of living on his own terms at the turn of the 20th century,sums up the predicament of a civilization with too much culture and self-absorption for its own good.展开更多
Doris Lessing is one of the most influential writers in English. The colonialism, one of her most concerned topics, is often revealed in many of her early works and so is in The Old Chief Mshlanga. In this story, Less...Doris Lessing is one of the most influential writers in English. The colonialism, one of her most concerned topics, is often revealed in many of her early works and so is in The Old Chief Mshlanga. In this story, Lessing first employs a third-person narrator and then a first-person narrator, both of whom adopt the narrative perspective from the protagonist within the story.What the two different person-narrators really differ is in the narrative voice. The narrative voice of the third-person narrator comes from the narrator outside the story, while the other one comes from the protagonist within the story. It is by means of the same perspective and the different narrative voice that Lessing vividly reveals the colonialism in The Old Chief Mshlanga.展开更多
Harbin, a typical emerging colonial city in modern times, has drawn worldwide attention due to its quick transformation from a fishing village to a modern globalized metropolis. With Harbin and its urban planning from...Harbin, a typical emerging colonial city in modern times, has drawn worldwide attention due to its quick transformation from a fishing village to a modern globalized metropolis. With Harbin and its urban planning from 1898 to 1917 as the subject of study from the perspective of planning historiography, this paper probes into the driving force behind Harbin's early modern urban development, historical phasing and characteristics of its urban planning, as well as evolution of planning and construction activities during this period. The findings reveal that Harbin's urban planning and construction activities were closely linked to Russia's political and economic interests and also reflected the political game between the powers led by Japan and Russia in the Manchurian region.展开更多
Fluctuating voltage levels in power grids necessitate automatic voltage regulators(AVRs)to ensure stability.This study examined the modeling and control of AVR in hydroelectric power plants using model predictive cont...Fluctuating voltage levels in power grids necessitate automatic voltage regulators(AVRs)to ensure stability.This study examined the modeling and control of AVR in hydroelectric power plants using model predictive control(MPC),which utilizes an extensive mathe-matical model of the voltage regulation system to optimize the control actions over a defined prediction horizon.This predictive feature enables MPC to minimize voltage deviations while accounting for operational constraints,thereby improving stability and performance under dynamic conditions.Thefindings were compared with those derived from an optimal proportional integral derivative(PID)con-troller designed using the artificial bee colony(ABC)algorithm.Although the ABC-PID method adjusts the PID parameters based on historical data,it may be difficult to adapt to real-time changes in system dynamics under constraints.Comprehensive simulations assessed both frameworks,emphasizing performance metrics such as disturbance rejection,response to load changes,and resilience to uncertainties.The results show that both MPC and ABC-PID methods effectively achieved accurate voltage regulation;however,MPC excelled in controlling overshoot and settling time—recording 0.0%and 0.25 s,respectively.This demonstrates greater robustness compared to conventional control methods that optimize PID parameters based on performance criteria derived from actual system behavior,which exhibited settling times and overshoots exceeding 0.41 s and 5.0%,respectively.The controllers were implemented using MATLAB/Simulink software,indicating a significant advancement for power plant engineers pursuing state-of-the-art automatic voltage regulations.展开更多
The proposed hybrid optimization algorithm integrates particle swarm optimizatio(PSO)with Ant Colony Optimization(ACO)to improve a number of pitfalls within PSO methods traditionally considered and/or applied to indus...The proposed hybrid optimization algorithm integrates particle swarm optimizatio(PSO)with Ant Colony Optimization(ACO)to improve a number of pitfalls within PSO methods traditionally considered and/or applied to industrial robots.Particle Swarm Optimization may frequently suffer from local optima and inaccuracies in identifying the geometric parameters,which are necessary for applications requiring high-accuracy performances.The proposed approach integrates pheromone-based learning of ACO with the D-H method of developing an error model;hence,the global search effectiveness together with the convergence accuracy is further improved.Comparison studies of the hybrid PSO-ACO algorithm show higher precision and effectiveness in the optimization of geometric error parameters compared to the traditional methods.This is a remarkable reduction of localization errors,thus yielding accuracy and reliability in industrial robotic systems,as the results show.This approach improves performance in those applications that demand high geometric calibration by reducing the geometric error.The paper provides an overview of input for developing robotics and automation,giving importance to precision in industrial engineering.The proposed hybrid methodology is a good way to enhance the working accuracy and effectiveness of industrial robots and shall enable their wide application to complex tasks that require a high degree of accuracy.展开更多
Spinal cord injury represents a severe form of central nervous system trauma for which effective treatments remain limited.Microglia is the resident immune cells of the central nervous system,play a critical role in s...Spinal cord injury represents a severe form of central nervous system trauma for which effective treatments remain limited.Microglia is the resident immune cells of the central nervous system,play a critical role in spinal cord injury.Previous studies have shown that microglia can promote neuronal survival by phagocytosing dead cells and debris and by releasing neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory factors.However,excessive activation of microglia can lead to persistent inflammation and contribute to the formation of glial scars,which hinder axonal regeneration.Despite this,the precise role and mechanisms of microglia during the acute phase of spinal cord injury remain controversial and poorly understood.To elucidate the role of microglia in spinal cord injury,we employed the colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor inhibitor PLX5622 to deplete microglia.We observed that sustained depletion of microglia resulted in an expansion of the lesion area,downregulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor,and impaired functional recovery after spinal cord injury.Next,we generated a transgenic mouse line with conditional overexpression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor specifically in microglia.We found that brain-derived neurotrophic factor overexpression in microglia increased angiogenesis and blood flow following spinal cord injury and facilitated the recovery of hindlimb motor function.Additionally,brain-derived neurotrophic factor overexpression in microglia reduced inflammation and neuronal apoptosis during the acute phase of spinal cord injury.Furthermore,through using specific transgenic mouse lines,TMEM119,and the colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor inhibitor PLX73086,we demonstrated that the neuroprotective effects were predominantly due to brain-derived neurotrophic factor overexpression in microglia rather than macrophages.In conclusion,our findings suggest the critical role of microglia in the formation of protective glial scars.Depleting microglia is detrimental to recovery of spinal cord injury,whereas targeting brain-derived neurotrophic factor overexpression in microglia represents a promising and novel therapeutic strategy to enhance motor function recovery in patients with spinal cord injury.展开更多
In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries,ornithology,based on shooting and skin collection,was regarded as an unsuitable pursuit for women.Simultaneously,colonial expansion was a dominantly masculine enterprise.From...In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries,ornithology,based on shooting and skin collection,was regarded as an unsuitable pursuit for women.Simultaneously,colonial expansion was a dominantly masculine enterprise.From postcolonial and gendered perspectives,we can rediscover severely marginalized and overshadowed roles of women within the network of colonial ornithology,a particularly masculine and patriarchal branch of imperial science.This paper highlights the contributions of three skilled women artists:Sarah Stone,Elizabeth Gwillim,and Elizabeth Gould.As embodiments of the Victorian ideal of the"angel in the house",these women also functioned as metaphorical angels within colonial ornithology.They provided unwavering support to the male-dominated scientific and imperial endeavors,which,in turn,enabled their travel to colonial territories and access to exotic avifauna.Their work holds enduring value in both scientific and artistic contexts,while simultaneously revealing women's entanglement in and contribution to the imperial agenda.Beyond illustration,women also engaged in observation,documentation,collection,and trade of birds in colonial contexts,with some even commemorated in bird nomenclature.展开更多
In this paper,a fusion model based on a long short-term memory(LSTM)neural network and enhanced search ant colony optimization(ENSACO)is proposed to predict the power degradation trend of proton exchange membrane fuel...In this paper,a fusion model based on a long short-term memory(LSTM)neural network and enhanced search ant colony optimization(ENSACO)is proposed to predict the power degradation trend of proton exchange membrane fuel cells(PEMFC).Firstly,the Shapley additive explanations(SHAP)value method is used to select external characteristic parameters with high contributions as inputs for the data-driven approach.Next,a novel swarm optimization algorithm,the enhanced search ant colony optimization,is proposed.This algorithm improves the ant colony optimization(ACO)algorithm based on a reinforcement factor to avoid premature convergence and accelerate the convergence speed.Comparative experiments are set up to compare the performance differences between particle swarm optimization(PSO),ACO,and ENSACO.Finally,a data-driven method based on ENSACO-LSTM is proposed to predict the power degradation trend of PEMFCs.And actual aging data is used to validate the method.The results show that,within a limited number of iterations,the optimization capability of ENSACO is significantly stronger than that of PSO and ACO.Additionally,the prediction accuracy of the ENSACO-LSTM method is greatly improved,with an average increase of approximately 50.58%compared to LSTM,PSO-LSTM,and ACO-LSTM.展开更多
Security is the cor nerstone of a country's peace and stability and the prerequisite for its survival and development.All countries around the world regard security as their top priority.Since most Asian countries...Security is the cor nerstone of a country's peace and stability and the prerequisite for its survival and development.All countries around the world regard security as their top priority.Since most Asian countries suffered from colonial aggression and plundering for a long time in history,they as a whole attach special importance to national security.展开更多
SNAPSHOTS OF NOTABLE BOOKS ON AFRICA Dress Cultures in Zambia By KAREN TRANBERG HANSEN Cambridge University Press The author draws on more than 50 years of research and deep regional expertise to present a vivid and e...SNAPSHOTS OF NOTABLE BOOKS ON AFRICA Dress Cultures in Zambia By KAREN TRANBERG HANSEN Cambridge University Press The author draws on more than 50 years of research and deep regional expertise to present a vivid and engaging history of dress in Zambia from the late colonial era to the present.展开更多
Since it first appeared in 2022,the phenomenon referred to as Colony Collapse Disorder(CCD)has affected several regions of Morocco to varying degrees.In order to assess the possible impact of pesticides on the appeara...Since it first appeared in 2022,the phenomenon referred to as Colony Collapse Disorder(CCD)has affected several regions of Morocco to varying degrees.In order to assess the possible impact of pesticides on the appearance of this syndrome,we conducted a study aimed at evaluating the impact of pesticide use on the emergence of this syndrome through a year-long survey involving 160 beekeepers in the Beni Mellal–Khenifra Region(BKR)who also experienced an unprecedented desertion of hives during the same period.The majority of surveyed beekeepers practice mixed(45%)or migratory beekeeping(42%)and provide supplementary feeding(83.75%)to support their bees.Nearly 37.5%of the hives are located near crops treated with pesticides,exposing the bees to these chemicals.The results showed that the majority of beekeepers reported a cessation of queen laying(74.38%),high mortality rates among worker bees(81.25%),drones(65.63%),and queens(61.88%).Abnormal behaviors such as immobility with trembling(42.50%),reduced flights(47.50%),and disoriented navigation(28.75%)were also observed.Correlation analyses indicate that proximity to treated crops significantly increases the risk of queen laying cessation(Odds Ratio 6.0)and a reduction in waggle dances(Odds Ratio 2.41).Extended foraging flights show a borderline statistical significance(Odds Ratio 2.33),suggesting a disruption of natural food sources.These results highlight the potential impact of pesticides on colony health and bee behavior,pointing out the need to adapt beekeeping practices and implement protective measures against pesticides.展开更多
The genus Selenastrum comprises common coccoid green algae found in diverse habitats worldwide.This genus has a complex taxonomic history,but recent applications of molecular phylogenetic methods have removed some mem...The genus Selenastrum comprises common coccoid green algae found in diverse habitats worldwide.This genus has a complex taxonomic history,but recent applications of molecular phylogenetic methods have removed some members with similar morphologies from Selenastrum and established new genera.However,due to the lack of available molecular sequences and isolates,the species diversity of the genus has not been fully explored.We conducted a detailed examination of the taxonomy of genus Selenastrum based on 11 new strains collected from China.The multi-disciplinary study utilized morphology,ultrastructure,and phylogeny based on multiple molecular markers,and ITS-2 secondary structure.All the included strains of genus Selenastrum were clustered into two distinct clades.The members of one clade were similar morphologically to the type species Selenastrum bibraianum,whereas the strains of the other clade had distinctly different colony structures.Based on the latter clade’s larger colony cell numbers and independent phylogenetic position,we proposed that it as a new species of the genus Selenastrum,namely Selenastrum densum sp.nov.Additional taxa sampling and molecular data will help to discover additional new species and clarify the validity of morphological taxonomic characteristics within the genus Selenastrum.展开更多
Tick studies in Malaysia have experienced a dynamic evolution characterized by periods of growth,stagnation,and the potential for revival.Beginning during the colonial era in the early 1900s,tick studies were primaril...Tick studies in Malaysia have experienced a dynamic evolution characterized by periods of growth,stagnation,and the potential for revival.Beginning during the colonial era in the early 1900s,tick studies were primarily conducted by European scientists and curators,establishing the foundation for tick taxonomy in the region.Pioneering works by George Henry Falknier Nuttall and Cecil Warburton introduced several new tick species,including Haemaphysalis(H.)calva,H.mjoebergi,H.vidua and H.wellingtoni[1].However,some records from this period are now considered doubtful,for instance Amblyomma(A.)breviscutatum,A.clypeolatum and A.integrum.The 1929 description of Ornithodoros batuensis by Stanley Hirst[2]marked the first documentation of a soft tick species in Malaysia,setting the stage for subsequent research endeavours.The Golden Age of tick studies(early 1950s-late 1980s)in Malaysia saw a surge in tick research activities.展开更多
文摘In my paper, “Sublimated Colonialism： The Persistence of Actually Existing Settler-Colonialism,” I interrogate the remaining settler-colonialisms that refused to disappear during the epoch of decolonization. I am most concerned with those settler-colonialisms that persist at the centers of world capitalism, and examine bow this social context often produces an ideology that relegates the concrete reality of settler-colonialism to the past, pushing its existence under supposedly “modem” social relations. Since Frantz Fanon＇s analysis of settler-colonialism, and the class contradiction between colonizer and colonized, was developed in an era where settler-colonialism was partially defined by the relationship between motherland and colony, some often imagine that the era of settler-colonialism is over. Clearly settler-colonialism did not vanish along with this distinction; internal colonies are retained in North America, for example, and the state of Israel is perhaps the most recent historical of this type of colonialism since it was settled and established in the 20th century. Moreover, there is often talk of a “world-wide indigenous movement” which claims to represent a global anti-colonialist front. The point of my paper, therefore, is to examine how settler-colonialism functions and persists when the settler-colony has become synonymous with the motherland. In this social context, colonizers often imagine themselves as the native inhabitants, while those who remain colonized are pushed even further out of history than they were during the previous era of settler-colonialism.
文摘The post-colonialism is a theory proposed by the eastern colonial academist Edward W. Said. With the understanding and the definition of post-colonialism, the paper is to analyze phenomena of the movie 2012 and Avatar from several aspects. Firstly, the ＂other＂ is the first angle to be talked about. In the Westerners＇ perspective, they are the center of the world, and they dominate the world. Their rules are the accepted rules, and people of different origin or different cultures are all called ＂other＂. Secondly, it is the degeneration of eastern culture. In the complex of the degeneration of the culture, the demonization of the under-developed nations, the dominant language of English in the communication with the people around, feminization of the characters in the movies, and the updated colonialism of the colonized countries are to be mentioned.
文摘In Youth volume,Conrad shows his growing criticism of British colonialism.But because of his special favor to Britain,his disaffection with British colonialism is implicit,which is presented by a western voice in Youth,Kurtz’s non-pure British heritage in Heart of Darkness,and Whalley’s pure English seaman in The End of the Tether.
文摘Objectives: Iodine is an essential nutrient needed for the synthesis of hormone thyroxin. Hormone thyroxin is involved in the metabolism of several nutrients, the regulation of enzymes and differentiation of cells, tissues and organs. Iodine deficiency (ID) impairs the development of the brain and nervous system. It affects cognitive capacity, educability, productivity and child mortality. ID hinders physical strength and causes reproductive failure. The objective of this paper is to explore if the health impacts of ID are more common and severe among women. Design: Using primary data (notes from a visit) and secondary data, this paper examines if the effects of ID are more common and severe among Oromo women inEthiopia. Findings: The health impacts of ID are more common and severe among women. Conclusions: ID is an easily preventable nutritional problem. In Oromia, the persistence of ID is explained by the Ethiopian government’s colonial social policies. Preventing ID should be seen as part of the efforts we make to enhance capacity building, promote health, gender equity and social justice. Implications: Iodine deficiency has a wide range of biological, social, economic and cultural impacts. Preventing ID can be instrumental in bringing about gender equity and building the capacity of people.
文摘Colonialism is an ideological system that was not only contrary to traditional African law(family law,popular law,etc.),but was also incompatible with the dignity of man.Colonial tyranny in Africa began with the political implementation of the decisions adopted at the Berlin Conference of 1884/85,its essential principles of international law being the inviolability and the purity of colonial borders.Thus the European colonial powers managed to avoid wars of aggression and prevent uprisings by African people.Since the dominant theories of colonialism were Eurocentric,they could scarcely contribute to adequately investigating the nature of colonialism,let alone adequately describing its dimension in Africa.Instead of examining the shades of the colonial system from different cultural perspectives to inform people objectively,Eurocentric theories prevented any attempt at truth about colonial injustice.Unfortunately,some Europeans still tend to endorse the colonial injustice system in Africa with cheap and cynical Downplaying terms.The fact that colonial policy has a long history,however,in no way indicates that it should necessarily be accepted or legitimized.On the contrary,since its inception colonialism met with violent and intellectual opposition until African countries attained national sovereignty and territorial integrity.This article demonstrates the significance colonialism has in Africans’intellectual discourse and shows how the colonial question is discussed in Germany.
文摘Multinational firms such as Apple Inc. have accomplished environmental colonialism in China through the transfer of ecological costs to the local environment. This paper discusses ambiguities in China＇s environmental legislation and supervision, Apple＇s business model, and ＂green washing. ＂ Further, we have identified countermeasures such as the encouraging Environmental Non-Governmental Organizations （ENGOs）, streamlining litigation procedures, increasing fines, and the development of nonprofit media organizations.
文摘My essay on Heart of Darkness explores Conrad’s dramatization of the voice and heart dynamic in the novella as a penetration of the deep-lying rationale of colonial operation and more generally the human condition at the turn of the 20th century.Three different forms of assumed centrality in the novella-capital,Eurocentrism,and the African interior as detrimental void symbolized by the heart of darkness form concentric circles that interconnect and work in concert as the core colonial ideology and produce a sense of incongruity and absurdity.The voice of this colonial ideological apparatus disguised as the universal subject of humanity and rationality finds its best expression in the eloquence of Kurtz,the specimen of culture seduced by its very opposite-the wilderness-right in the heart of darkness.“The horror”,as his final verdict of life as a European with real intent of living on his own terms at the turn of the 20th century,sums up the predicament of a civilization with too much culture and self-absorption for its own good.
文摘Doris Lessing is one of the most influential writers in English. The colonialism, one of her most concerned topics, is often revealed in many of her early works and so is in The Old Chief Mshlanga. In this story, Lessing first employs a third-person narrator and then a first-person narrator, both of whom adopt the narrative perspective from the protagonist within the story.What the two different person-narrators really differ is in the narrative voice. The narrative voice of the third-person narrator comes from the narrator outside the story, while the other one comes from the protagonist within the story. It is by means of the same perspective and the different narrative voice that Lessing vividly reveals the colonialism in The Old Chief Mshlanga.
基金supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Youth Project of Humanities and Social Sciences of the Ministry of Education entitled “Research on Scope Identification and Integral Spatial Construction of Cultural Corridor of Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal (Jiangnan Section)”(No. 24C10332002)。
文摘Harbin, a typical emerging colonial city in modern times, has drawn worldwide attention due to its quick transformation from a fishing village to a modern globalized metropolis. With Harbin and its urban planning from 1898 to 1917 as the subject of study from the perspective of planning historiography, this paper probes into the driving force behind Harbin's early modern urban development, historical phasing and characteristics of its urban planning, as well as evolution of planning and construction activities during this period. The findings reveal that Harbin's urban planning and construction activities were closely linked to Russia's political and economic interests and also reflected the political game between the powers led by Japan and Russia in the Manchurian region.
文摘Fluctuating voltage levels in power grids necessitate automatic voltage regulators(AVRs)to ensure stability.This study examined the modeling and control of AVR in hydroelectric power plants using model predictive control(MPC),which utilizes an extensive mathe-matical model of the voltage regulation system to optimize the control actions over a defined prediction horizon.This predictive feature enables MPC to minimize voltage deviations while accounting for operational constraints,thereby improving stability and performance under dynamic conditions.Thefindings were compared with those derived from an optimal proportional integral derivative(PID)con-troller designed using the artificial bee colony(ABC)algorithm.Although the ABC-PID method adjusts the PID parameters based on historical data,it may be difficult to adapt to real-time changes in system dynamics under constraints.Comprehensive simulations assessed both frameworks,emphasizing performance metrics such as disturbance rejection,response to load changes,and resilience to uncertainties.The results show that both MPC and ABC-PID methods effectively achieved accurate voltage regulation;however,MPC excelled in controlling overshoot and settling time—recording 0.0%and 0.25 s,respectively.This demonstrates greater robustness compared to conventional control methods that optimize PID parameters based on performance criteria derived from actual system behavior,which exhibited settling times and overshoots exceeding 0.41 s and 5.0%,respectively.The controllers were implemented using MATLAB/Simulink software,indicating a significant advancement for power plant engineers pursuing state-of-the-art automatic voltage regulations.
文摘The proposed hybrid optimization algorithm integrates particle swarm optimizatio(PSO)with Ant Colony Optimization(ACO)to improve a number of pitfalls within PSO methods traditionally considered and/or applied to industrial robots.Particle Swarm Optimization may frequently suffer from local optima and inaccuracies in identifying the geometric parameters,which are necessary for applications requiring high-accuracy performances.The proposed approach integrates pheromone-based learning of ACO with the D-H method of developing an error model;hence,the global search effectiveness together with the convergence accuracy is further improved.Comparison studies of the hybrid PSO-ACO algorithm show higher precision and effectiveness in the optimization of geometric error parameters compared to the traditional methods.This is a remarkable reduction of localization errors,thus yielding accuracy and reliability in industrial robotic systems,as the results show.This approach improves performance in those applications that demand high geometric calibration by reducing the geometric error.The paper provides an overview of input for developing robotics and automation,giving importance to precision in industrial engineering.The proposed hybrid methodology is a good way to enhance the working accuracy and effectiveness of industrial robots and shall enable their wide application to complex tasks that require a high degree of accuracy.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,Nos.82072165 and 82272256(both to XM)the Key Project of Xiangyang Central Hospital,No.2023YZ03(to RM)。
文摘Spinal cord injury represents a severe form of central nervous system trauma for which effective treatments remain limited.Microglia is the resident immune cells of the central nervous system,play a critical role in spinal cord injury.Previous studies have shown that microglia can promote neuronal survival by phagocytosing dead cells and debris and by releasing neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory factors.However,excessive activation of microglia can lead to persistent inflammation and contribute to the formation of glial scars,which hinder axonal regeneration.Despite this,the precise role and mechanisms of microglia during the acute phase of spinal cord injury remain controversial and poorly understood.To elucidate the role of microglia in spinal cord injury,we employed the colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor inhibitor PLX5622 to deplete microglia.We observed that sustained depletion of microglia resulted in an expansion of the lesion area,downregulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor,and impaired functional recovery after spinal cord injury.Next,we generated a transgenic mouse line with conditional overexpression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor specifically in microglia.We found that brain-derived neurotrophic factor overexpression in microglia increased angiogenesis and blood flow following spinal cord injury and facilitated the recovery of hindlimb motor function.Additionally,brain-derived neurotrophic factor overexpression in microglia reduced inflammation and neuronal apoptosis during the acute phase of spinal cord injury.Furthermore,through using specific transgenic mouse lines,TMEM119,and the colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor inhibitor PLX73086,we demonstrated that the neuroprotective effects were predominantly due to brain-derived neurotrophic factor overexpression in microglia rather than macrophages.In conclusion,our findings suggest the critical role of microglia in the formation of protective glial scars.Depleting microglia is detrimental to recovery of spinal cord injury,whereas targeting brain-derived neurotrophic factor overexpression in microglia represents a promising and novel therapeutic strategy to enhance motor function recovery in patients with spinal cord injury.
文摘In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries,ornithology,based on shooting and skin collection,was regarded as an unsuitable pursuit for women.Simultaneously,colonial expansion was a dominantly masculine enterprise.From postcolonial and gendered perspectives,we can rediscover severely marginalized and overshadowed roles of women within the network of colonial ornithology,a particularly masculine and patriarchal branch of imperial science.This paper highlights the contributions of three skilled women artists:Sarah Stone,Elizabeth Gwillim,and Elizabeth Gould.As embodiments of the Victorian ideal of the"angel in the house",these women also functioned as metaphorical angels within colonial ornithology.They provided unwavering support to the male-dominated scientific and imperial endeavors,which,in turn,enabled their travel to colonial territories and access to exotic avifauna.Their work holds enduring value in both scientific and artistic contexts,while simultaneously revealing women's entanglement in and contribution to the imperial agenda.Beyond illustration,women also engaged in observation,documentation,collection,and trade of birds in colonial contexts,with some even commemorated in bird nomenclature.
基金Supported by the Major Science and Technology Project of Jilin Province(20220301010GX)the International Scientific and Technological Cooperation(20240402071GH).
文摘In this paper,a fusion model based on a long short-term memory(LSTM)neural network and enhanced search ant colony optimization(ENSACO)is proposed to predict the power degradation trend of proton exchange membrane fuel cells(PEMFC).Firstly,the Shapley additive explanations(SHAP)value method is used to select external characteristic parameters with high contributions as inputs for the data-driven approach.Next,a novel swarm optimization algorithm,the enhanced search ant colony optimization,is proposed.This algorithm improves the ant colony optimization(ACO)algorithm based on a reinforcement factor to avoid premature convergence and accelerate the convergence speed.Comparative experiments are set up to compare the performance differences between particle swarm optimization(PSO),ACO,and ENSACO.Finally,a data-driven method based on ENSACO-LSTM is proposed to predict the power degradation trend of PEMFCs.And actual aging data is used to validate the method.The results show that,within a limited number of iterations,the optimization capability of ENSACO is significantly stronger than that of PSO and ACO.Additionally,the prediction accuracy of the ENSACO-LSTM method is greatly improved,with an average increase of approximately 50.58%compared to LSTM,PSO-LSTM,and ACO-LSTM.
文摘Security is the cor nerstone of a country's peace and stability and the prerequisite for its survival and development.All countries around the world regard security as their top priority.Since most Asian countries suffered from colonial aggression and plundering for a long time in history,they as a whole attach special importance to national security.
文摘SNAPSHOTS OF NOTABLE BOOKS ON AFRICA Dress Cultures in Zambia By KAREN TRANBERG HANSEN Cambridge University Press The author draws on more than 50 years of research and deep regional expertise to present a vivid and engaging history of dress in Zambia from the late colonial era to the present.
文摘Since it first appeared in 2022,the phenomenon referred to as Colony Collapse Disorder(CCD)has affected several regions of Morocco to varying degrees.In order to assess the possible impact of pesticides on the appearance of this syndrome,we conducted a study aimed at evaluating the impact of pesticide use on the emergence of this syndrome through a year-long survey involving 160 beekeepers in the Beni Mellal–Khenifra Region(BKR)who also experienced an unprecedented desertion of hives during the same period.The majority of surveyed beekeepers practice mixed(45%)or migratory beekeeping(42%)and provide supplementary feeding(83.75%)to support their bees.Nearly 37.5%of the hives are located near crops treated with pesticides,exposing the bees to these chemicals.The results showed that the majority of beekeepers reported a cessation of queen laying(74.38%),high mortality rates among worker bees(81.25%),drones(65.63%),and queens(61.88%).Abnormal behaviors such as immobility with trembling(42.50%),reduced flights(47.50%),and disoriented navigation(28.75%)were also observed.Correlation analyses indicate that proximity to treated crops significantly increases the risk of queen laying cessation(Odds Ratio 6.0)and a reduction in waggle dances(Odds Ratio 2.41).Extended foraging flights show a borderline statistical significance(Odds Ratio 2.33),suggesting a disruption of natural food sources.These results highlight the potential impact of pesticides on colony health and bee behavior,pointing out the need to adapt beekeeping practices and implement protective measures against pesticides.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.32370219,32270220,U22A20445)the Fundamental Research Program of Shanxi Province(No.202303021221082)+2 种基金the Open Project Program of Xinghuacun College of Shanxi University(Shanxi Institute of Brewing Technology and Industry)(No.XCSXU-KF-202320)the Yuncheng Salt Lake Protection and Utilization Research Institute of Shanxi,China(No.YHYJ-2023003)the Program for Young Scholar Talents of Wenying in Shanxi University。
文摘The genus Selenastrum comprises common coccoid green algae found in diverse habitats worldwide.This genus has a complex taxonomic history,but recent applications of molecular phylogenetic methods have removed some members with similar morphologies from Selenastrum and established new genera.However,due to the lack of available molecular sequences and isolates,the species diversity of the genus has not been fully explored.We conducted a detailed examination of the taxonomy of genus Selenastrum based on 11 new strains collected from China.The multi-disciplinary study utilized morphology,ultrastructure,and phylogeny based on multiple molecular markers,and ITS-2 secondary structure.All the included strains of genus Selenastrum were clustered into two distinct clades.The members of one clade were similar morphologically to the type species Selenastrum bibraianum,whereas the strains of the other clade had distinctly different colony structures.Based on the latter clade’s larger colony cell numbers and independent phylogenetic position,we proposed that it as a new species of the genus Selenastrum,namely Selenastrum densum sp.nov.Additional taxa sampling and molecular data will help to discover additional new species and clarify the validity of morphological taxonomic characteristics within the genus Selenastrum.
基金supported by the Higher Institution Centre of Excellence(HICoE)program(MO002-2019&TIDREC-2023)funded by the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine,Hamburg,Germany[100-TNCPI/INT 16/6/2(005/2020)].
文摘Tick studies in Malaysia have experienced a dynamic evolution characterized by periods of growth,stagnation,and the potential for revival.Beginning during the colonial era in the early 1900s,tick studies were primarily conducted by European scientists and curators,establishing the foundation for tick taxonomy in the region.Pioneering works by George Henry Falknier Nuttall and Cecil Warburton introduced several new tick species,including Haemaphysalis(H.)calva,H.mjoebergi,H.vidua and H.wellingtoni[1].However,some records from this period are now considered doubtful,for instance Amblyomma(A.)breviscutatum,A.clypeolatum and A.integrum.The 1929 description of Ornithodoros batuensis by Stanley Hirst[2]marked the first documentation of a soft tick species in Malaysia,setting the stage for subsequent research endeavours.The Golden Age of tick studies(early 1950s-late 1980s)in Malaysia saw a surge in tick research activities.
