What is neutrality in history?4 answersNeutrality in history refers to the concept of maintaining friendly or impartial relations with other states during international conflicts. It encompasses various aspects such as politics, laws, ethics, economics, and norms. The study of neutrality is explored through different academic lenses, including realism, liberalism, constructivism, and poststructuralism. The law of neutrality regulates the coexistence of war and peace, and its development has been shaped by real-world struggles rather than theoretical expositions. Neutrality is also a crucial aspect of defining standard language and the standard language ideology, with the construction of neutrality in discourse being necessary due to linguistic forms not being inherently neutral. In the context of deliberation, the ideal of neutrality is challenged, as language practices are fundamentally perspectival and not based on a neutral space of discourse. Neutrality played a significant role in international developments during the 'long' nineteenth century, being utilized as a tool of diplomacy and statecraft by European states to avoid war and protect their interests.
What is neutral drift in evolutionary biology?5 answersNeutral drift in evolutionary biology refers to the stochastic fluctuations in allele frequencies within a population due to random sampling in finite populations. This process can lead to the fixation or loss of genetic variants, reducing genetic diversity over time. In the context of protein engineering, neutral drift is used as an experimental technique to identify superior starting points for evolution. It involves repeated rounds of mutagenesis and selection to maintain wild-type function, allowing mutations that are largely neutral to accumulate while purging highly detrimental ones. In the field of genetic programming, the concept of Semantic Neutral Drift (SND) has been introduced. SND exploits equivalence laws to design semantics-preserving mutations that guarantee the preservation of individuals' fitness scores, leading to quantitative improvements in evolutionary performance. Overall, neutral drift plays a role in shaping patterns of genetic diversity and can provide a repository of genetic variation upon which adaptive selection can act.
Is any amount of smoking health neutral?3 answersNo, any amount of smoking is not health neutral. Even smoking 1-4 cigarettes per day is associated with a significantly higher risk of dying from ischaemic heart disease and from all causes, as well as from lung cancer in women. Increasing the length and amount of smoking is also associated with an increased risk for chronic cough and sputum production, indicating a dose-dependent negative effect of chronic smoking. Furthermore, smoking is a risk factor leading to abnormality of blood lipid levels and an increased risk of cardiac ischemia. In addition, there is a dose-response relationship between smoking amounts (pack-years) and the risk of developing pancreatic cancer, with higher risks observed in current smokers compared to former smokers. Therefore, even small amounts of smoking have detrimental effects on health.
Do gender-neutral pronouns adequately represent the diversity of gender identities?3 answersGender-neutral pronouns have been introduced in many languages to include non-binary individuals and as a generic singular. However, the current modeling of pronouns in Natural Language Processing (NLP) technology does not adequately represent the diversity of gender identities. This omission contributes to the discrimination of marginalized and underrepresented groups, such as non-binary individuals, and prevents gender equality. The current NLP technology largely ignores phenomena like neopronouns, which are novel pronoun sets that are not widely established. This exclusion of non-binary users and other identity-expressions beyond gender hinders the goal of achieving gender equality. Therefore, there is a need for a more discrimination-free approach to modeling pronouns in language technology, which takes into account the diversity of gender identities and ensures inclusivity.
Does crop yield in neutralized soil?5 answersCrop yield can be affected by soil conditions, including soil salinization and soil erosion. Soil salinization, which is the accumulation of salts in the soil, can lead to decreased crop productivity. On the other hand, soil erosion, which is the removal of topsoil, can also negatively impact crop yields. However, the relationship between crop yield and soil erosion is complex and varies depending on factors such as erosion depth and crop type. It has been found that crop yields do not significantly decrease when the remaining A horizon depth is greater than 25 cm or when erosion depth is less than 5 cm. Additionally, the sensitivity of crop yield to erosion varies with crop type, with decreasing sensitivity from soybean to maize and then to wheat. Overall, while neutralized soil can potentially improve crop yield, other factors such as soil salinization and erosion also need to be considered.
How does negative harmony work?5 answersNegative harmony is a technique of reharmonization that involves replacing common chord progressions with their negative harmony counterparts. It was popularized by musician Jacob Collier and can be used to create original songs in the style of instrumental jazz and funk. Negative harmony allows composers to explore new tones within traditional music theory rules and can be used to create harmonically viable chords that challenge both the musician and the listener. The concept of negative harmony works by mirroring major and minor chords, creating unconventional but musically valid chord progressions. When harmonically incongruous chords are inserted within a musical sequence, a brain response called the early right anterior negativity (ERAN) is elicited, reflecting the processing of harmony in the brain. Negative harmony can be a valuable tool for music makers to express emotions and create unique compositions while still adhering to established musical rules.