Separate Subsystems Research Articles

Energy-Efficient Three-Wheel Bleedless Electrical Environmental Control System for a Passenger Aircraft

Abstract The environmental control system (ECS) of an aircraft is designed to create a comfortable and suitable atmosphere for both passengers and crew, as well as the avionics. Additionally, the ECS represents the highest power consumers within nonpropulsive systems in an aircraft. With sustainable technology development for aircraft, secondary systems such as the ECS are evolving from conventional bleed air to electric-type to improve energy efficiency by reducing fuel consumption. This study introduces a novel electrically driven ECS (EECS) that is designed to replace the existing bleed-air-driven three-wheel air cycle system (ACS) and the high-pressure water separation subsystem (HPWS) of the Airbus 320 (A320) passenger aircraft's ECS during cruise conditions. matlab was used to construct the system component model of the ECS to verify the accuracy of the data from A320. The performance of the proposed EECS was compared with that of the existing bleed-air system in terms of cabin requirements. The conventional ECS's bleed-air off-take from the engine caused a 50% higher fuel mass penalty for missions lasting 5–15 h, which exceeds the shaft power off-take of the EECS. The energy required for the conventional ECS and EECSs was 3.59 MJ and 1.78 MJ, respectively.

The Identification, Separation, and Clamp Function of an Intelligent Flexible Blueberry Picking Robot

Identifying fruit maturity accurately and achieving damage-free harvesting are challenges in designing blueberry-picking robots. This paper presents an intelligent flexible picking system. First, we trained a deep learning-based YOLOv8n network to locate the position of the fruit and determine fruit ripeness. We used a neural network to establish the relationship between fruit hardness and shape parameters, achieving an adaptive gripping force for different fruits. To address the issue of dense clusters in some blueberry varieties, we designed a fruit separation subsystem using a combination of flow field analysis and pressure-sensitive experiments. The results show that the mean average precision can reach 84.62%, the precision is 94.49%, the recall is 83.85%, the F1 score is 88.85%, and the test time is 0.12 s, which can meet the requirements for blueberry fruit recognition accuracy and speed. The spacing between closely packed fruits can increase by 4 mm, and the damage-free picking rate exceeds 92%, achieving stable, damage-free harvesting.

Aggregation-based obfuscation method for electronic systems design

Hardware Trojan attacks relate to malicious modifications of integrated circuits during design or manufacturing, involving untrusted design tools or components. Such modifications can lead to undesired behavior of integrated circuits or the appearance of hidden data leakage channels. There are various methods of classification, detection and prevention of hardware Trojans insertion. One approach to prevent of Trojans insertion is an obfuscation-based design approach. This approach is based on hiding the functional and structural properties of the design, which makes it difficult for an attacker to insert Trojans. The subject matter of research is an aggregation-based obfuscation method for electronic systems design. The goal of the work is to study the process of aggregation-based obfuscation of the electronic systems design. The main idea is that the development and connection phase of the reference monitor is performed in a trusted environment. Thus, an attacker will not be able to obtain its functionality and original structure. The relevance of the work lies in the fact that this approach prevents the possibility of functioning of hardware Trojans. The following tasks were solved in the work: development and study of an aggregation-based obfuscation algorithm for electronic systems design; implementation of the reference monitor presentation as a separate subsystem associated with the main design; experimental evaluation of the possibilities of the method. As a result of the work the aggregation-based obfuscation method for electronic systems design was demonstrated; reference monitor was presented as a separate subsystem associated with the main design; experimental evaluation of the possibilities of the method was demonstrated. The studies allow us to conclude: the obfuscation-based design approach is that the integrated circuit is modified, thus, the functional and structural properties of the design are hidden, which makes it difficult for an attacker to insert Trojans. Aggregation-based obfuscation considers the reference monitor as a separate subsystem associated with the main design.

Improving the Electronic Data Collection System (EDCS), a Computer-assisted Personal Interviewing and Database Tool Used for the Expanded National Nutrition Survey

The Expanded National Nutrition Survey (ENNS), formerly the National Nutrition Survey, is a regularly conducted survey that records the Philippines’ overall nutritional status. This is especially important not only for government intervention and policy-making but also for private sector entities that plan for their nutrition and development programs. First deployed during the conduct of the 2013 ENNS, the electronic data collection system (EDCS) is a tool that implemented computer-assisted personal interviewing (CAPI) functionalities. This paper records the improvements made to this system and its division into separate subsystems, various CAPI subsystems with specialized functionalities, and how they interact with each other. Descriptive analysis was used for the users’ feedback and recommendations – specifically, for usability and navigation, system performance and portability, technicality and security, and visual design. The system is able to support interviews during the ENNS and receive positive feedback – garnering visual design the highest, whereas technicality and security the lowest acceptability rating – thereby proving this division useful. Overall, the system is capable of supporting the ENNS and will continue its improvement through the continual user feedback received.

Enabling FuSE Security Objectives by Leveraging Cyber Survivability Methods

AbstractThe importance of system security continues to grow as systems become more complex, more connected, and more vulnerable. The INCOSE Vision 2035 sets goals for systems engineering (SE) as a discipline in enabling engineering solutions for a better world: “By 2035, cybersecurity will be as foundational a perspective in systems design as system performance and safety are today” (INCOSE, 2024). A key objective of the INCOSE Future of Systems Engineering (FuSE) Security Foundations Roadmap is to recognize system security as a fundamental part of the mission, integrated into the system architecture, and not “bolted‐on” as a separate subsystem or set of features in the detailed design. To achieve this, systems engineering must address system security early in the system lifecycle, during the mission analysis and concept development phase and ensure it is addressed as a functional requirement throughout the systems engineering lifecycle. System security needs must be treated as fundamental system capability.The INCOSE FuSE Security foundations roadmap identifies six (6) objectives and eleven (11) foundational concepts necessary to achieve the FuSE vision for system security (Dove, et al., 2021). Five of the objectives and five of the foundational concepts are directly related to systems acquisition and engineering lifecycle processes. The five key foundational concepts are: Stakeholder Alignment, Security as a Capability, Security as a Functional Requirement, Loss Driven Engineering and Modeled Trustworthiness.The Operational Test and Evaluation (OT&E) community has extensive cyber assessment and execution processes mandated through numerous Department of Defense (DoD) and individual service policies, directives and guidebooks. This paper studies several of the cybersecurity assessment and process guidebooks, analyzing the processes and methods to identify areas where systems engineering should be responsible, and which SE activities and outputs are needed to enable the requirements of each guidebook.This paper examines six OT&E cyber security guidebooks, and the methods and processes they describe to achieve system security in relation to the five foundation concepts. In addition to their test and evaluation processes, each describes systems engineering processes, activities and outputs that could be used to form the initial foundation of a system security technical process.While the original INCOSE vision statement uses the term “cybersecurity,” the FuSE Security initiative is adopting the term “system security” to emphasize that this is a system engineering responsibility as opposed to software engineering or information technology task. As a result, the analysis of the cybersecurity guidebooks will be in the context of “system security.”

A study on multi-channel active sound profiling algorithm for hybrid control of broadband and narrowband noise inside vehicles

The vehicle interior noise consists of both broadband road noise and narrowband engine order noise. Currently, the road noise control (RNC) system and engine noise control (EOC) system operate independently in engineering applications. This paper introduces a novel multi-channel hybrid broadband and narrowband active noise control (HBNANC) algorithm, designed to simultaneously attenuate road noise and engine order noise inside vehicles. On this basis, by integrating an error signal design (ESD) subsystem and a sinusoidal error separation (SES) subsystem, a multi-channel hybrid broadband and narrowband active sound profiling (HBNASP) algorithm is further proposed, enabling specific attenuation or amplification of individual narrowband components to meet subjective acoustic comfort requirements. The paper validates the algorithms’ effectiveness and robustness through simulations, and real vehicle experimental measurements under various conditions. The research offers a comprehensive approach to enhancing the auditory experience inside vehicles, contributing to the advancement of active noise control technology.

Lieb-Robinson correlation function for the quantum transverse-field Ising model

The Lieb-Robinson correlation function is the norm of a commutator between local operators acting on separate subsystems at different times. This provides a useful state-independent measure for characterizing the specifically quantum interaction between spatially separated qubits. The finite propagation velocity for this correlator defines a “light cone” of quantum influence. We calculate the Lieb-Robinson correlation function for one-dimensional qubit arrays described by the transverse-field Ising model. Direct calculations of this correlation function have been limited by the exponential increase in the size of the state space with the number of qubits. We introduce a technique that avoids this barrier by transforming the calculation to a sum over Pauli walks which results in linear scaling with system size. We can then explore propagation in arrays of hundreds of qubits and observe the effects of the quantum phase transition in the system. We observe the emergence of two distinct velocities of propagation: a correlation front velocity, which is affected by the phase transition, and the Lieb-Robinson velocity which is not. The correlation front velocity is equal to the maximum group velocity of single quasiparticle excitations. The Lieb-Robinson velocity describes the extreme leading edge of correlations when the value of the correlation function itself is still very small. For the semi-infinite chain of qubits at the quantum critical point, we derive an analytical result for the correlation function. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

50 years of research on working memory

Exactly 50 years ago, Allan Baddeley and Graham Hitch's (1974) working memory model fascinated academics and diagnosticians dealing with human cognition and fundamentally transformed the landscape of memory research. Working memory is the ability of the human mind that enables the creation and reception of messages, mental arithmetic, decision-making and other complex cognitive activities that require the temporary storage of necessary information and manipulation of it in order to perform current tasks (e.g. following the flow of a conversation). It is therefore one of the most dynamically developed areas of mind research in cognitive psychology, cognitive science, neuropsychology and the psychology of individual differences (especially in the diagnosis of intellect). The research dispute concerns many aspects of the construct of working memory described in detail: its structure, functions, capacity limitations, connection with consciousness, long-term memory, attention, etc. (cf. Logie, Belletier et al., 2021). The proposed solutions are so detailed that people who do not closely follow the literature on the subject may have difficulty understanding their essence. The origins of this creative confusion date back to the proposals of Baddeley and Hitch (1974), who carefully analyzed data on temporary memory and recognized it as a system composed of many interacting components, that is, separate subsystems storing information in different formats (e.g., visual or auditory), and from their superior subsystem, which manages the flow and use of the collected information. This article presents the context in which Baddeley and Hitch's (1974) multi-component model of working memory was developed, describes the milestones marking the dynamic changes it underwent, and lists the research projects that prompted a more detailed description of the individual components of the model. Although an influential part of contemporary competing approaches to working memory abandons many of Baddeley's theses (Cowan, 2017; Oberauer, 2019), each of them follows the conceptual paths forged by this author and must specify their positions in the questions asked during the fifty-year journey of working memory researchers.

A Separation Modeling Method for Morphing QUAV: Analytical Solutions for Constraint Forces Under Deformation

Abstract A morphing quadrotor unmanned aerial vehicle (QUAV) possesses the remarkable ability to alter its shape, enabling it to navigate through gaps smaller than its wingspan. However, these deformations result in changes to the system's center of gravity and moment of inertia, necessitating real-time computation of each state's variations. To address this challenge, we propose a dynamic modeling approach based on the Udwadia−Kalaba (U-K) method. The morphing QUAV is divided into three separate subsystems, with the dynamic modeling for each subsystem conducted independently. Subsequently, the QUAV's deformation states and inherent structure are introduced in the form of constraints, and the constrained forces are derived using the U-K equation. By combining these analytical solutions, the model of the QUAV under continuous deformation is obtained. This approach effectively simplifies the modeling computations caused by changes in the system's center of gravity and moment of inertia during deformation. A control approach is proposed to achieve attitude stabilization and altitude control for the morphing QUAV. Ultimately, the stable motion of the morphing QUAV is validated through numerical simulations.

DOCUMENTATION OF PERSONNEL MOVEMENT AT THE ENTERPRISE AS A COMPONENT OF THE MODERN MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Modern society faces a complex of problems related to the effective use of information. The combination of document studies with theoretical and applied management tasks makes it possible to talk about the existence of a separate document category that provides management processes. Documents are the basis for making and implementing management decisions and at the same time are their reflection. The level of management documentation, or record keeping, is an important factor in the effectiveness of any enterprise, institution, or organization. Management documentation covers several documentation systems. They, solving general issues, reflect the regularities and peculiarities of one or another sphere of activity. One of such systems is personnel documentation. Highlighting the specifics of personnel administration is important for understanding its place in the management system. In this connection, the problem arises of determining the personnel documentation role in the management processes of the organization, its analysis from the point of view of the performed functions. The study of personnel records as a separate subsystem in the documentation support of management processes is the basis of this work. The relevance of the problems discussed in the work is due to the modern development of Ukraine’s economy. Objectively, personnel administration acts as a mediator between two areas that do not entirely coincide: between labor legislation and the personnel management system. Today, issues of organizing an effective system of work with personnel at enterprises, institutions and organizations are becoming more and more important. In this regard, the role of personnel administration is growing, and the analysis and improvement of the work organization for the personnel service is gaining special relevance.

Mode decomposed passivity-based speed control of DC drive with bidirectional Zeta-SEPIC DC-DC converter for light electric vehicles

Currently, light electric vehicles are rapidly developing in various kinds. To power these vehicles with batteries, the simplest electric drive system is a DC motor controlled by a DC-DC converter. This work utilizes a bidirectional Zeta-SEPIC DC-DC converter with an integrated DC motor. This implementation enables control of motor speed and torque in traction and regenerative braking modes. Additionally, it allows for the use of a lower voltage battery compared to the motor's rated voltage, reducing battery weight and increasing safety. In this work, a decomposition approach is applied. Two separate port-controlled Hamiltonian subsystems are obtained to adjust the motor angular velocity in the traction (Zeta) and braking (SEPIC) modes of the DC-DC converter. The Passivity-Based Control (PBC) method is used to synthesize the drive control subsystems in these modes. This method is based on the energy laws of processes in systems and provides asymptotic stability of nonlinear systems, in this case, two fourth-order subsystems for speed control. Two third-order current control subsystems synthesized by the PBC were used to limit the motor current at a given level. The synthesis resulted in sets of possible structures of control influence formers (CIFs) for all PBC subsystems using Zeta and SEPIC DC-DC converters. The study analyzed the operation of the obtained structures of the CIFs, selected the most effective ones, and determined the laws of adaptation of their parameters to the value of the motor angular velocity through computer simulation in Matlab/Simulink. The results of the simulation showed that the drive operated well in both static and dynamic modes.

Investigation of Processes in the Traction Capacitor Circuit of the Model of High-Speed Magnetolevitation Transport

Purpose. High-speed magnetolevitation transport (maglev), based on the principle of electrodynamic suspension, has features in the form of large sections of the windings of the track coils. Therefore, there is a need to study electrical processes in the circuits of these coils to improve the efficiency of the energy performance of this type of transport. The study of electrical processes in the circuits of a track power plant makes it possible to substantiate the prerequisites for the creation of a distributed energy storage and transmission system. The power plant consists of separate subsystems, including a primary energy storage unit, an energy distribution unit, and a traction module. The main purpose of this study is to determine the nature of transients in the energy distribution unit and to obtain the characteristics of the traction capacitor discharge process. Methodology. We modeled an electrical circuit that would meet the needs of the corresponding energy distribution unit of the track structure for the required operating conditions of the maglev motion system – control pulses with different combinatorics. In the course of the study, computer modeling of physical systems in the Scilab software environment was used. Findings. A review of existing studies has been carried out and the relevance of the study of the track power plant for high-speed magnetolevitation transport has been substantiated. The basic mathematical dependences of electrical circuits with capacitive and inductive elements are given. A structural representation of the inductive section of the maglev motion system with a traction module is created: traction coils and a capacitor, as well as a converter-pulse signal unit. An effective tool for analyzing transient processes has been created. Originality. For the first time, the structural and elemental realization of the power distribution unit for the road power plant of high-speed land transport is proposed. The time dependencies describing the processes in the proposed system during the implementation of the principles of pulse control of traction coils are obtained. Based on the analysis of the nature of transients in the traction capacitor circuit, the directions of further development of this power plant are proposed. Practical value. The results of the work create the basis for further research and development of experimental research models (test bench) of the maglev in order to obtain new ratios and characteristics that will confirm the effectiveness and efficiency of the new control principle of the proposed system.

Лингво- и социокультурное своеобразие диалектной фразеологии немецкого языка Швейцарии

The study aims to identify and typologize the distinctive features of the dialect phraseology of Swiss German in accordance with the factors of their linguistic and socio-cultural conditionality. The main factors considered are: the specificity of the socio-cultural “background” of a dialect; the identifying and connotative properties of a dialect; formation of special “phraseological symbols” in a dialect; concreteness of dialect images and a dialect’s “aversion” to abstraction; the desire to update figurative foundations; special phraseological creativity of dialect speakers. Scientific novelty of the study lies in the following: the paper is the first to show and substantiate that dialectal phraseology in Switzerland is a separate phraseological subsystem that has significant differences from the phraseology of the literary level due to the special nature of the socio-cultural context of Swiss German dialects. As a result of the study, it has been found that the formation and preservation of an original phraseological subsystem is ensured by the fact that dialectal phraseology draws its images and metaphors from a special conceptual sphere the basis of which is formed by the features of life and worldview that are relevant for speakers of the dialects.

Conceptual Design of Experimental Test Rig for Research on Thermo-Flow Processes During Direct Contact Condensation in the Two-Phase Spray-Ejector Condenser

Abstract The paper presents the conceptual design of a prototype experimental facility for mixing jet-type flow condensers investigations when the steam in exhaust gases is condensed on the water jet in the presence of CO2. The proposed experimental test rig was designed to give abilities to investigate the effectiveness of jet condensers experimentally as part of the CO2 capture phase and especially to investigate Spray-Ejector Condensers (SEC) developed as the combination of ejector and condenser devices. The paper presents the design and key features of the prototype installation components. The basic design was developed based on the simulation results, and for this purpose, model of installation, including characteristics of individual components, was built. The developed model helps to evaluate the main performances of the conceptual test rig and supports the test-rig design process. The main components and the features of the steam generation unit, CO2 supply and mixing with steam, process water preparation, and H2O and CO2 separation subsystem are discussed. The measuring system was designed to test the efficiency of compression and condensation processes of the SEC fed by the CO2/H2O gas mixture. The performances of the two-phase jet condensers can be analyzed by experimental investigation and calculation of heat transferred to the cooling water during direct contact condensation with the presence of CO2. The paper presents the results of heat flowrates and their uncertainties for the selected period of the experimental test, confirming the application of the novel developed test rig.

Формування конкурентних переваг і конкурентного потенціалу компаній зі страхування життя

The article defines the competitive advantages and competitive potential of life insurance companies (LICs). It is noted that the insurance business is an important part of the financial and credit system, and the insurance market is an ideal place for the development of this industry. Attention is focused on the fact that the life insurance market in Ukraine is at the stage of formation. The current unstable socioeconomic situation, the military aggression of the russian federation, and the peculiarities of the cultural and historical traditions of Ukrainians are the main obstacles and problems for its development. Based on the carried out SWOT analysis, it is concluded that there are certain problems in the activities of LICs. Along with the spread of global trends in globalization and integration of national markets, automation of operational processes, increased competition, trends that are characteristic features of the Ukrainian insurance market are manifested. It is determined that the management of the competitive potential of LICs depends on the adoption of the right managerial decisions in the formation and use of its competitive advantages. The measures are presented in the form of program-target blocks that will provide the basis for creating a mechanism for managing the competitive potential of LICs. In addition, each of the blocks can be considered as a separate subsystem that consists of different components. The components of management of the competitive potential of LICs are defined. It is determined that the assessment of the insurer’s competitive advantages and competitive potential will be possible only with the help of a systematic assessment, which has a clear basis of comparison. This assessment should take into account not only the financial aspect, but also the results of management, the effectiveness of the use of marketing tools, the quality of insurance services and the service of the insured. Measures to increase the competitive potential of insurance services are presented. It is concluded that one of the important conditions for effective management of the competitiveness of life insurance companies is to determine the competitive advantages and competitive potential of LICs, which in the long run allows to assess the level of competitiveness of an insurance company and develop certain measures to adapt to the needs of the insurance market at all stages of operational activities and management links for a quick and prompt response to external threats.

Using desirable urban states to understand key linkages between resilience subsystems

Interdisciplinary research is called for to model integrated urban resilience across separate urban subsystems (infrastructure, governance, resources, socio-economic), and for chartering pathways toward an urban ‘desirable state’. A core challenge is to determine the linkages between the subsystems. In this work, we demonstrate a novel approach by first constructing profiles of a desirable state, based on human shared values obtained empirically, and then use those to identify linkages naturally occurring between associated subsystems. We demonstrate the approach in two contrasting cities, Shanghai and Vienna, using WeValue InSitu methods to crystallize shared values and explore perspectives of urban disruption. The Desirable States of both cities provide elements with intrinsic strong linkages between urban subsystems, which can be represented with system dynamics mapping. These results reveal that this values-based approach contributes to modeling and studies of integrated urban resilience, for theory building and for applications.

Peculiarities of justification of a representative set of requirements for intelligent vehicles

Introduction (problem statement and relevance). The key task of ensuring confidence in motor vehicles with elements of artificial intelligence (AI vehicles) is forming of a representative set of requirements compliance with which ensures the necessary guarantees of AI vehicle functionality and safety.Absence of generally accepted and statutory approaches to justification of the requirements content constrains application of artificial intelligence technologies in motor vehicles and, respectively, impedes creation and improvement of highly automated vehicles. The purpose of the study is to analyze the principles of forming of a representative set of requirements for AI vehicles. Methodology and research methods. The paper uses the principles of qualimetry adapted for the information systems based on machine learning algorithms, it also uses the methods of system analysis, mathematical statistics, combinatorics, set theory and propositional calculus principles. Scientific novelty and results. The approach is formulated to justify the statistically representative set of requirements for AI vehicles, and that allows adequate and accurate assessment of compliance of these systems with the expectations of the customers, developers, suppliers, regulatory authorities and other stakeholders. The structure of such expectations and priorities has been considered taking into account creation and application of AI systems. It is shown that stakeholder requirements apply to both the AI vehicle life cycle processes and the systems per se taking into account particular (given) conditions of their operation. Different significant factors, which variability sets the intended operating conditions, have been considered and conditions of representativeness of test data sets used for AI vehicle trials have been formulated. It is shown that, in order to reduce the dimensionality of space of the intended operating conditions, AI vehicles can be decomposed into separate functional subsystems and then into individual AI algorithms. The ways to perform such functional decomposition have been suggested. Practical significance.The principles of justification of the requirements content offered in the paper can be used in certification testing of artificial intelligence algorithms that are used in highly automated vehicles.

Trends and problems of e-justice enforcement in Ukraine

The paper aims to explain the trends and problems of the electronic justice development in Ukraine. Within the research the tasks include an analysis of the regulatory documents and organizational features of the implementation the certain measures of court digitalization.
 The methodological basis of the study. The main scientific method used in the article is deductive. In the study conditions, a gradual transition is made from the general problems of e-justice implementation to the peculiarities of functioning of its individual subsystems. After that, several proposals are substantiated for its improvement in the future.
 The structure of the article is formed in accordance with theoretical and analytical tasks. It also reflects the use of certain methods of scientific research and scientific materials.
 The theoretical method is used during the study of the regulatory documents and problems of electronic justice implementation. The materials for the method application are legislative acts, regulations, strategy and scientific literature.
 The tabular, analytical and generalization methods were used to study the dynamics of applying the video conference mode for the trial and trials recording by technical tools. The materials for applying the method are data from the Ukrainian Judicial Authority Portal.
 Results. In the article, the legal norms of the Unified Judicial Information and Telecommunication System Modules’ functioning have been studied. The main reasons for the low number of applications submitted through the e-court were determined, and the participation of a third party (Center of the Provision of Administrative Services) was justified to increase the use of digital court services and their popularization. The necessity of clarifying the norm of the Regulation on the procedure of functioning the separate subsystems (modules) of the Unified Judicial Information Telecommunication System regarding the mandatory duplication the digital version of documents with a paper one for trial parties, if the other party does not use e-judicial methods, is substantiated. The dynamics video conferencing mode and technical tools use in the trial were carried out, and the reasons for the identified trends were substantiated. Specific features and problems of using electronic evidence in digital justice are outlined.
 Conclusions. Solving the organizational problems and eliminating legal inaccuracies will allow achieving the goal of implementing e-justice.

Psychological predictors of asubjectivity

Based on the psychology of subjectivity, the article considers the problem of asubjectivity in the context of the metasystem approach. In this regard, interrelated and specific psychological determinants, factors and interpretive content as separate subsystems explain the phenomenon of asubjectivity. As a result of theoretical analysis, it is shown that the concepts of subjectivity and asubjectivity represent an integrated personality structure. Their polar nature is also defined. The main negative personality traits are labelled as opportunities for the study of asubjectivity. Non-clinical negative personality traits, their multiplicity in the phenomenology of asubjectivity reveal negative influences not only on other people, but also on a person’s own life, activity and spheres of communication. All psychological predictors of asubjectivity are described by generalised dispositional qualities of personality. According to the theoretical analysis, it is concluded that all symptom-complexes of asubjectivity are interrelated; and its core is personality dishonesty and tendency to extreme cynicism. It is argued that only within the framework of the psychology of subjectivity are the socio-psychological problems of asubjectivity resolved. The conclusions of the theoretical study are formulated and prospects for further research in this area are indicated. Conceptualisation of psychological predictors of asubjectivity is a theoretical and methodological basis for prevention and correction of clinical mental disorders of personality.

A handy model for the dynamic thermal response of the building-plant system

This paper presents a novel approach for predicting the unsteady indoor room temperature as resulting from the interrelation among the characteristics of the thermal plant, the temperature regulation system, and the envelope, allowing an easy-to-handle but meaningful description. A finite element model is built by dividing the analysis domain into two separate sub-systems suitably coupled. The former represents the 1D unsteady composite wall, the latter describes the inner ambient regarded as a lumped thermal system. The development of optimal thermal regulation strategies in terms of comfort and energy savings is made easier. Simulation results revealed that a good level of comfort can be ensured by adopting different thermal regulation strategies for ‘light’ and ‘massive’ envelopes.