Federal Systems Research Articles

Ratio-Based Offloading Optimization for Edge and Vehicular-Fog Federated Systems: A Multi-Agent TD3 Approach

Ratio-Based Offloading Optimization for Edge and Vehicular-Fog Federated Systems: A Multi-Agent TD3 Approach

The projected exposure and response of a natural barrier island system to climate-driven coastal hazards

Accelerating sea level rise (SLR) and changing storm patterns will increasingly expose barrier islands to coastal hazards, including flooding, erosion, and rising groundwater tables. We assess the exposure of Cape Lookout National Seashore, a barrier island system in North Carolina (USA), to projected SLR and storm hazards over the twenty-first century. We estimate that with 0.5 m of SLR, 47% of current subaerial barrier island area would be flooded daily, and the 1-year return period storm would flood 74%. For 20-year return period storms, over 85% is projected to be flooded for any SLR. The modelled groundwater table is already shallow (< 2 m deep), and while projected to shoal to the land surface with SLR, marine flooding is projected to overtake areas with emergent groundwater. Projected shoreline retreat reaches an average of 178 m with 1 m of SLR and no interventions, which is over 60% of the current island width at narrower locations. Compounding these hazards is subsidence, with one-third of the study area currently lowering at > 2 mm/yr. Our results demonstrate the difficulty of managing natural barrier systems such as those managed by federal park systems tasked with maintaining natural ecosystems and protecting cultural resources.

Bridging the gap: Political engagement and trust as mediators of racial health inequities and vaccine reluctance

This paper investigates how political engagement and trust can reduce health disparities in the context of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. It posits that active participation in the political process and trust in political institutions enable communities, especially marginalized ones, to advocate for equitable health policies, leading to more inclusive healthcare services. The study employs a multidisciplinary approach to understand how politics influence individual and collective health behaviors and decision-making. The research uses t-tests and logistic regression to analyze the relationship between political factors (like interest and participation) and trust in political and federal systems on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. The t-test examines disparities in vaccine hesitancy across racial groups, revealing significant differences and emphasizing the impact of race on health behaviors. Logistic regression, controlling for variables such as partisanship and media influence, further explores these relationships, showing a consistent negative correlation between trust in federal institutions and vaccine hesitancy across racial groups. The study also finds that this correlation varies by race, with trust in the political system and political participation influencing vaccine hesitancy to different degrees among racial groups. These findings underscore the complex interplay between political engagement, trust, and health behaviors, highlighting the role of politics in shaping public health outcomes.

Оценка стоимости проектирования локальной вычислительной сети предприятия водного транспорта

The main stages of designing a local area network at a water transport enterprise are considered. The goals and objectives of each stage are outlined, the most significant stage in the design is highlighted – a pre-design survey, within which a thorough collection of information from the customer (industry enterprise) should be carried out and the parameters and conditions for the functioning of the future network should be determined. It is important to take into account the need for employees to work in industry information systems and the specifics of working with them, as well as to provide appropriate reliable equipment for the correct and uninterrupted operation of the enterprise. An example of a room plan for water transport enterprises is given, it is noted which physical characteristics must be taken into account when developing the plan. A general list of equipment for the future local area network is defined, active and passive equipment are noted. The main advantages and disadvantages of communication lines are considered. Examples of a physical circuit and a logical circuit for connecting computers to a network in an enterprise are given. The federal and regional information systems used at water transport enterprises for the implementation of state functions are listed. Enterprises can use a large number of such systems simultaneously, as well as real-time access from several workplaces to one system. The cost of designing the local network of a water transport enterprise was estimated, it was determined that the largest part falls on material costs.

Urban Patterns from Space: A Remote Sensing Based Comparison Between France and Germany

AbstractThis article presents two novel methods on how to derive and visualise settlement patterns from space: a non-parametric approach called multi-scale homogeneity and a parametric, unsupervised approach known as hierarchical multi-scale clustering that models the urban clusters with the help of Gaussian bell curves. The main advantage of remote sensing based acquisition and fully automated evaluation methods is their consistency over large coverages. The Global Urban Footprint-Density (GUF-DenS) indicating the degree of impervious surfaces worldwide serves as database. The geographical focus lies on the neighbouring central-European countries France and Germany. Assuming that the centralist and federal administrative systems resulting from the individual history show a certain impact on the urban patterns, both countries are first examined separately, then together as union. The numerical comparison proofs the expected differences: the settlement pattern of the capital Paris as the largest metropolitan region in France is dominating, whereas several economic clusters of more of less similar size like Rhine–Ruhr and Rhine–Main characterise the German urban landscape. The most interesting and unexpected findings are located along the border, where neighbouring urban ellipses overlay in the separate processing and form transnational clusters when processed as union. One can interpret that the national border does not play a role in the urban development (any longer). The temporal change of the settlement patterns as effect of the regional planning strategies or the opening of the inner-European border cannot be derived from the mono-temporal GUF-DenS and thus, will be subject to future studies.

Interregional Migration of Youth in the Russian Federation

The subject of the study is interregional migration of young people in the Russian Federation during the period of obtaining higher education; The topic of the study is the change in the migration attractiveness of regions for higher education; research hypothesis: there has been a change in the centers of gravity of migration flows and the status of regions from 2017 to 2020 and 2023 due to the impact of the pandemic and government measures to increase the attractiveness of universities in the regions. Source data includes official government statistics for the period from 2017 to 2023. The article identifies limitations on the use of this source (migration of 18-year-olds and migration of 21-year-olds is not identical to direct and return educational migration) and formulates a thesis about the need to use aggregated data of «digital traces» of applicants and graduates and federal information systems. An assessment of changes in the status of regions for 2017, 2020 and 2023 was carried out. The study makes assumptions about the possibility of using tools for objective monitoring of interregional educational migration of applicants to improve the work of universities. It is necessary to concentrate the efforts of the regional authorities of the «donor» region and the regional university community on first obtaining «transit» status for the university and the region, followed by transition to the «acceptor» category. For 2017, the author identified 12 «acceptor» territories, 59 «donor territories» (the rest were mixed and intermediate forms). In 2020, there were only 30 «donors», 12 «acceptors», 37– they reached conditional «balance» positions– this is how the COVID-2019 pandemic affected interregional migration. In 2023, there were 12 «acceptors» in the Russian Federation (the list has changed slightly), the number of «donors» was 46, 21 territories reached a «balance» state, the rest still belong to intermediate types.

Spatial Economy Research: Trends, Problems and Priorities

The article provides a brief overview of research in the field of spatial economics. Among the identified trends in the development of these studies is the expansion of the theoretical construction of economic space, which at different stages included more and more new elements; at the moment this trend has exhausted itself and produces destructive works without reference to specific problems. The second trend is associated with the movement towards the synchronization of all factors of spatial economy development due to the neutralization of individual influences from the established territorial environment. The third trend has led to the exhaustion of specific analytical tools of spatial economy and their unification, bringing to the forefront the thoughtfulness of the initial problem statement and the conjugation of the analytical results with the practice of state regulation. The result of many years of development of the spatial economy problematics was noticeable success in descriptive modeling against the background of almost complete failure in its normative part: we know a lot about what the development of territories depends on, but the parameters of the spatial economy are beyond the influence of federal and regional management systems. The most promising directions of research in this area are discussed. Two of them are highlighted: turning academic research into the first step of comprehensive design of territorial development and integrating it into the format of modern reform theory; intensifying the study of the issues of innovation diffusion between territories in order to reduce interregional gaps in development. A two-step mechanism of borrowing achievements between territories is proposed, based on the combination of the procedure of stimulating advanced regions with the subsequent transfer of their experience and technological results to lagging territories.

Hegemonic Party System and Federalism

The paper inquiries into the fixture of the hegemonic Ethiopian Peoples’ Revolutionary Democratic Party (EPRDF) in the operation of the Ethiopian federal constitutional order. It finds out the federal malfunction of EPRDF. The hegemonic political program of the front, which took the shape of a non-competitive dominant party was not in line with the constitutional diversity of the federal system, as it delinked the constitutional right to self-determination and federal autonomy from the options of multiparty politics. On the structure of EPRDF, equal representation was favorable to the federal politics of diversity accommodation and minority protection. However, the exclusiveness of its structure from the “affiliate” parties had the effects of a narrow-based federal shared-rule, as EPRDF which was the only channel to influence the center. Party-state inseparability was the other gap to the check of power and in establishing the neutrality of the state to deal with ethnic-driven conflict, as a major pathology to the stability of ethnic federal systems. Finally, the power nucleus in the EPRDF created the dominance of TPLF at the perils of diminishing the representative legitimacy and the subordinate position of the “affiliate parties” to EPRDF.

Federal fractals: review of Stephen Tierney, The Federal Contract

Stephen Tierney’s new book presents an exciting new theory of federal constitutionalism. His core argument is that each federal constitution is founded on a ‘federal contract’, which is an agreement among a plurality of territorial communities to form a federal political community while retaining their distinct constitutional identity as constituent states. This offers an alternative to the ‘social contact’ of liberal political theory in which the isolated individual is the sole basic unit of the constitutional order. The explanatory power of Tierney’s thesis is impressive. He shows how the idea of the federal contract can be manifested in many varied forms but in a manner that recognises the constitutional status and autonomy of the constituent states, formed into an association under which they agree to act cooperatively with each other and with the federation as a whole, under a mutual commitment of reciprocity that underwrites inter-governmental cooperation and solidarity, while also maintaining inter-governmental distinctiveness and autonomy. Under the auspices of this simple and elegant idea, Tierney offers an account of federal constitutionalism that resembles the fractal patterns of mathematical geometry insofar as each federal system reflects a particular federating logic that drives its initial creation and ongoing evolution. This opens up a promising area of further research involving an ever-closer examination of federal systems to see whether the fractal-like patterns he has identified continue to be apparent at progressively higher levels of resolution.

Beyond intergovernmental relations in federal systems: the concept of intergovernmental law

Beyond intergovernmental relations in federal systems: the concept of intergovernmental law

Comparing Policy Feedback Effects in Federal Systems: The Case of Provincial Indigenous Consultation Policies in Canada

Drawing on the policy feedback literature, this article explores the variations in the impact of Indigenous rights-based participation policies adopted by Canadian provinces. Specifically, it compares the cases of British Columbia and Alberta to unpack the mechanisms that resulted in generative effects in the former and stasis in the latter. The comparison highlights the interaction between endogenous factors intrinsic to the policies themselves and exogenous factors linked to the broader context of Indigenous–state relations in the two provinces, which collectively explain the divergent outcomes observed.

Cybersecurity leadership policy and compliance for institutions of higher education

Cybersecurity pairs with information asset storage and security for institutions of higher education. When institutions of higher education lack effective cybersecurity leadership, cyber incidents escalate. Worldwide, institutions of higher education are experiencing threats and vulnerabilities woven in their information systems and technology applications. This requires strategic resolutions. One strategy is cybersecurity and information security policy. Research collected worldwide proves usage of cybersecurity policy aligned with federal international law, establishes a cyber culture of compliance. Furthermore, personnel, internally and externally, are the bridge to managing access to data assets, and unless they are knowledgeable of the policy mandated by the institution and its cybersecurity infrastructure, the results of non-compliance can be catastrophic. Since the United States National Institute of Standards and Technology enacted cybersecurity policy for federal information systems. Institutions of higher education must adhere to these standards and guidelines to manage threats and vulnerabilities programmed in their hardware, software, and cloud. Therefore, why are so many institutions of higher education neglecting to align policy and enforcement of policy with these standards? What problems are creating non-compliance among institutions of higher education personnel and executive leadership? How can cybersecurity leadership improve policy and compliance to control risks factors programmed in information systems, technology, and cloud applications, institutions of higher education rely on to reduce human error? To assess and answer these questions, the researcher deployed qualitative grounded theory lite research to assess trends of cybersecurity leadership at institutions of higher education and to improve policy development and compliance.

Fiscal Federalism in the Twenty-First Century

Fiscal federalism concerns the division of policy responsibilities among different levels of government. Many current economic and policy developments, such as globalization, environmental crises, and rising inequality, may not appear to be favorable to fiscal federalism, yet countries are further decentralizing their fiscal systems. We summarize the efficiency and equity aspects of fiscal decentralization, fiscal competition, fiscal externalities, and intergovernmental grants. The review introduces readers to theoretical reasons for/against a federalist structure. We discuss how federalism relates to classic problems in economics: externalities, inequality, spillovers, information, and aspects of political economy. Our review integrates both theory and empirics, while also focusing on the variety of federal systems in different countries, both developing and developed. We conclude by discussing how fiscal federalism is being shaped by economic, technological, and environmental changes, while discussing the effects of globalization, polarization, and global crises on the future of federal systems.

Image of ‘Sino-Western Essence’ in the Press: On the ‘Dual-Track’ Physical Training System of Chin Woo Athletic Federation

Chinese (martial arts) and Western (sports) cultures started their encounter and fusion under the specific historical atmospheres of China’s new culture movement and the debate on ‘Chinese essence and Western practice’ or ‘Western essence and Chinese practice’. This paper analyzes the Chin Woo Athletic Federation as a case study, aiming to explore the operation of its dual-track physical training system and to understand how this organisation positioned, expanded, and perpetuated its influence through media in the turbulent Chinese society. This study analyzes newspapers from late Qing and Republican China from the period between the 1910s and 1930s. The results reveal that the thinking and practice of Chin Woo’s dual-track training system constructed an image of ‘interoperability of Chinese and Western sports’ based on the words and photos in the press and embodied its brand position of cultivating healthy citizens. Chin Woo’s practice model included setting up special Chinese martial arts and Western sports departments and sending members to the regional, Far East, and Olympic games. As such, the Chin Woo Athletic Federation presents an appropriate example of the cultural flow of Oriental and Western sports.

A dual summit of power? Career movements and multilevel circulation in the Spanish executive elite

ABSTRACT Drawing from the literature on political ambition, this article examines whether politicians holding executive offices exhibit similar patterns of movement between different levels of government as parliamentary elites. It also tests the influence of various institutional and political variables typical of federal systems. Focusing on Spain, the study classifies career movements based on the initial position and the direction of advancement, analyzing their variations depending on the availability, accessibility, and attractiveness of the structure of opportunities. The article particularly aims to elucidate why certain regions are more advantaged to provide decision-makers with more opportunities to circulate across political layers. Our sample includes cabinet members (prime ministers and ministers) and regional chief executives in Spanish regions from 1980 to 2021. The findings suggest that the status of regions, the availability of parliamentary seats, and the regional party system, among other factors, contribute to understanding regional variations in opportunities for executive level-hoppers.

Navigating Conflicting Incentives: Discursive Strategies of Political Parties in Germany’s Cooperative Federalism

Abstract Federal systems create complex institutional settings that foster and encourage cooperation while also enabling self-serving and even opportunistic political behavior. Focusing on parliamentary discourses, we argue that political parties can navigate these conflicting incentives skillfully, employing a set of five distinct discursive strategies that integrate both the need for cooperation and the possibility of self-interest. Leveraging a qualitative content analysis of 212 German parliamentary debates and 4,524 manually coded statements, we demonstrate that the use of these discursive strategies is shaped by parties’ level of integration into federal institutions. The data reveal that parties which are more strongly involved in intergovernmental bodies uphold a more cooperative discourse, while refraining from confrontational strategies toward federal institutions and actors. We also find that the linkage between the vertically integrated party system, which incentivizes co-partisans to stick together across levels and constituent units, and multiparty coalition governments, counteracts federal blame games.

On Vehicular Data Aggregation in Federated Learning

Vehicular federated learning systems will be beneficial to predicting traffic events in future intelligent cities. However, they might leak private information upon model updates. Hence, an honest but curious server could infer private information, such as the route of a vehicle. In this study, we elaborate on the nature of such privacy leakage caused by gradient sharing. With a simulated scenario, we focus on determining who is in danger of privacy threats and how successful a route inference attack can be. Results indicate that vanilla federated learning exposes intra-city and commuter traffic to successful location inference attacks. We also found that an adversarial aggregator server successfully infers the moving time of vehicles traveling during low-traffic periods.

Competitive federalism, individual autonomy, and citizen sovereignty

AbstractThe paper examines the theory of competitive federalism, focusing specifically on Hayek's and Buchanan's significant contributions to this theory. Looking at the rivalry between sub‐units in federal systems and drawing an analogy between market competition and intergovernmental competition, the theory of competitive federalism stresses the critical role viable exit options play as operating force in both arenas. The principal claim argued for in this paper is that by exclusively focusing on exit in its territorial dimension, the theory of competitive federalism obfuscates the fact that “exit” can mean two critically different things in federal systems. It can mean exiting from the territory over which a government exercises its assigned authority, and it can mean exiting from a polity in the sense of giving up one's membership status in the respective community. The paper discusses the nature, the significance, and the implications of the difference between these two kinds of exit.

FedKGRec: privacy-preserving federated knowledge graph aware recommender system

FedKGRec: privacy-preserving federated knowledge graph aware recommender system

A Brief Overview of Some Federal Systems and Restructuring in Nepal

Modern politics endorses various governing systems, with the unitary and federal systems being the primary forms. These systems can change in response to the immediate needs of a country, influenced by the will of the people and the interests of leadership. Some unitary states have transitioned to federal systems, while some federal systems have disintegrated, depending on the circumstances and necessities of the state. In the context of conflict management, Nepal has transitioned from a unitary system to federalism through state restructuring. The primary reason for this shift was the internal conflict within the state. This article focuses on the federalism adopted by Nepal, examining the experiences of major federal countries worldwide and discussing Nepal's approach to federalism. The study attempts to address and find solutions to several pertinent questions regarding this transition.