Vital Interest Research Articles

Towards a new ontology of economics

The article attempts to look at the ontology of economic science from the standpoint of the dual nature of the human personality, which combines two principles – individualism and collectivism. The purpose of this study is to identify the true nature of man, who is not a one-dimensional individualist, but also has features of collectivism, i.e. the desire and ability to live in society. The author puts forward and seeks to prove the following hypothesis: individualism and collectivism are simultaneously inherent in the human personality and inevitably manifest themselves in its vital interests, including economic ones. The research methodology, based on taking into account the objective and subjective factors of economic life, allows us to identify the genesis of public interests as a continuation of the collectivist principle in man himself, as well as to characterize and typologize public goods in their combination with private goods. Based on the analysis, the one-sidedness of methodological individualism is shown, which takes into account only the egoistic nature of man and not his collectivist principle. The overwhelming majority of society, with the help of the state, forces the disobedient minority to obey the rules of community life, without which social life is impossible. As a result of the study, the main conclusion is made about the need to replace methodological individualism with the principle of methodological dualism, postulating a dialectical combination of individualistic and collectivist inclinations of people.

Automated Layout Design of Hydraulic Components With Constraints on Flow Channels

Abstract The lightweight design of hydraulic equipment has always been of vital interest. Additive manufacturing (AM) technology can meet the manufacturing requirements of heteroideus and lightweight hydraulic equipment. However, traditional layout optimization often cannot satisfy the functional constraints of hydraulic components. This article proposes a design method of function-based automatic layout optimization for hydraulic components to solve this problem. The proposed method combines multi-component layout optimization with flow-up channel path planning and uses the triangular mesh model of hydraulic components directly as layout units. The spatial pose of the layout unit is used as the gene sequence for a genetic algorithm (GA). To meet the functional constraints, this study also proposes a fast, accurate collision detection algorithm for irregular 3D models and the generating strategy for follow-up flow channels. Here, the volume of the layout units, the total centroid radius of the layout plan, the length of flow channels, and the pressure loss are taken as the objective functions, and an automatic layout optimization algorithm for hydraulic components is developed. By optimizing the initial layout plan of an aviation electro-hydrostatic actuator (EHA), the characteristic volume of the optimized layout is reduced by 30.68% and the total length of the flow channels is decreased by 39.53%, demonstrating the efficiency of this method for lightweight hydraulic equipment design.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of United Nations Peacebuilding Operations

The study addresses how to find legal solutions that are accepted by most countries in the world within the framework of maintaining international peace and security by ensuring the international public good, reflecting the dissemination of justice among all the peoples of the world. It also emphasizes equality for all individuals within a single nation under the concept of citizenship, away from discrimination. Recently, the intensity and violence of conflicts and armed disputes between countries have increased, along with the suffering of people everywhere on earth. These tragedies witnessed by millions of people have driven the need to think about mechanisms by which humans can resolve their disputes without resorting to the use of armed force to protect their vital and strategic interests. Attention has turned to what represents the international community, which is supposed to be impartial and objective, in addition to the expertise gained from exposure to many such difficult situations where the parties involved are suspicious of each other. The United Nations was the means to maintain international peace and security. However, over time, it became evident to everyone that this organization, despite its significant international standing, was unable to maintain peace and security in many regions around the world. This led to widespread calls for reforming the United Nations system, which revolves around the five major victorious countries of World War II, to become an organization that truly represents the international community and not just the five permanent members of the Security Council. The international community, through the United Nations General Assembly, should play an active role in compelling all parties in a dispute to resort to the International Court of Justice, whose rulings would be binding on all parties, at least in matters of a humanitarian nature. Considering the above, the research will demonstrate the significant shortcomings in the role of the United Nations in building peace and economic reconstruction of countries emerging from chaos and armed conflict. Therefore, it is necessary to activate the international system to consider the humanitarian aspects related to the post-armed conflict phase by amending the United Nations Charter to clearly include the roles to be undertaken by each member of the international.

Acute Adrenal Insufficiency in Childhood: Etiopathogenesis, Clinical Picture, and Intensive Care

Introduction. Acute adrenal insufficiency (AAI) is a severe endocrinopathy whose victims include children and adolescents and which can be life-threatening despite its low incidence. Analysis of issues associated with intensive care of children with this pathology is of vital interest for pediatric anesthesiology and critical care medicine. The aim of this work was to assess current views on the etiopathogenesis, clinical pathology and intensive treatment of pediatric AAI.Materials and methods. The topic was researched by analyzing publications found in the Cochrane Library, PubMed and Medscape using the following search terms: “acute adrenal insufficiency, children and adolescents, intensive therapy, fluid management”, with 65 published sources chosen.Results and discussion. In AAI, caused by a sharp deficiency of cortisol (and mineralocorticoids), which triggers an inflammatory reaction, electrolyte imbalance and hemodynamic disorders. AAI presents with dehydration, nausea and vomiting, feelings of pain, hypotension, tachycardia, seizures and impaired consciousness up to coma. Laboratory tests in children often reveal hyperkalemia, hyponatremia, hypoglycemia and hypercalcemia. Intensive management of AAI in the ICU relies on parenteral corticosteroids (preferably intravenous hydrocortisone). Two or three days later, when the child is stable, they are switched to oral hormones. Meanwhile, fluid management is performed over 2 to 3 days to increase the circulating blood volume and relieve dehydration with crystalloid fluids.Conclusion. A clearer understanding of the etiopathogenesis, clinical manifestations and diagnostic features of AAI, along with knowledge of emergency care algorithms, will improve the quality of intensive therapy of pediatric patients with this condition.

Field Performance Testing and Test Codes for Gas Compressors

Abstract Field testing of gas compressor packages requires the accurate determination of efficiency, capacity, head, and power in sometimes less than ideal working environments. The results of field tests have significant implications for the compressor manufacturers and their customers, as economic considerations demand that the performance and efficiency of an installation are verified to assure a project's return on investment. Thus, for the compressor manufacturers, as well as for the end-user, an accurate determination of the compressor performance in the field is of vital interest. While field performance tests have to be executed under conditions dictated by the situation at site, factory test codes like ASME PTC10 and ISO 5389 provide guidance. The former code was recently revised, so a discussion of this revised code in the context of site performance testing is appropriate. A key change in PTC10 is the method to calculate polytropic work, which affects data reduction. It also affirms a method to calculate error propagation and test uncertainties. The discussion includes the appropriate use of Equations of State, and the definition of steady state requirements. Different methods to define valid operating conditions for the test, based on similarity considerations are compared. However, field tests, unlike factory tests, are ultimately conducted based on the conditions at site which may or may not conform with test codes, Therefore, calculation of test uncertainties, and the use of observations not covered by the codes are emphasized. The paper attempts to provide guidance for the conduct of field performance tests.

NORTH MACEDONIA TOWARD THE EUROPEAN UNION THROUGH GOOD NEIGHBORLINESS

After declaring independence in January 1991, North Macedonia decided that its future would be in the family of democratic peoples of Europe. North Macedonia has clearly expressed its priority for membership in the European Union as one of its strategic and vital interests. With the realization of this determination, the Republic of North Macedonia was legitimized as a reliable partner and ally of the European Union, but it still went through a series of different stages in the development of relations, rapprochement, and integration in the EU. We all know that reforms are required within the states that seek and want to be members of the European Union. There are several important steps through which the state of North Macedonia, a candidate country, has shown its goodwill in the long path of integration and contribution. The key points and changes necessary to achieve the goal of being part of the European Union that have been realized so far are the following: the Prespa Agreement between North Macedonia and Greece, the Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighborliness, and the Union of Cooperation, between Macedonia North and Bulgaria. This paper analyzes North Macedonia's approach to the European Union, the transition, its difficulties and challenges on this path, and the Constitution's changes. In the end, conclusions and suggestions are given to make North Macedonia's path towards the European Union a little easier.

Exploring Historians' Critical Use of Generative AI Technologies for History Education

ABSTRACTThe newest editions of generative AI (GenAI) tools demonstrate profound capabilities that promise to reshape education. It is of vital interest to determine how these applications will modify how the public perceives and interacts with history, as well as how history education is delivered. In this poster, we investigated academic historians' practices and perceptions of integrating GenAI into their teaching. We conducted semi‐structured interviews with seven historians who teach university‐level courses. We identified the major concerns and perceived benefits of GenAI integration in history education, and some typical uses of GenAI in history classes. Our work contributes an important baseline assessment of attitudes and practices within the field so that we may better understand the existing gaps among academic historians and the extent of those gaps.

ОСНОВНЫЕ ПРОБЛЕМЫ ПЕНСИОННОЙ СИСТЕМЫ РОССИЙСКОЙ ФЕДЕРАЦИИ В АСПЕКТЕ ОБЕСПЕЧЕНИЯ ЭКОНОМИЧЕСКОЙ БЕЗОПАСНОСТИ

The article examines the main problems of the pension system in terms of ensuring economic security. The relevance of the topic is due to the lack of research on this topic from the side of ensuring the vital economic interests of the individual, the business entity and the state. In modern conditions of economic uncertainty and global challenges, ensuring economic security is becoming a priority for every country, including the Russian Federation. The study will analyze the existing pension system in Russia, assess its effectiveness and compliance with modern requirements. Further work will analyze the economic security of Russia, as well as develop the concept of the pension system through economic and mathematical modeling in order to balance the interests of all economic entities.

Sustainable ocean development policies in Indonesia: paving the pathways towards a maritime destiny

Maritime countries, including Indonesia, have indicated their interest in developing a national ocean policy and blue economy plan to boost economic growth while promoting sustainability in and from oceanic activities. In 2017, the Government of Indonesia published the Indonesian Ocean Policy (IOP), the first of its kind since independence, and subsequently developed a series of blue economy documents as an integral part of its national development agenda whilst also indicating its support for the global sustainability objectives stipulated in the 2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, development obstacles such as: declining ocean health; climate crises; fragmented ocean management; inadequate infrastructure and technology; limited data support; low sustainable investment; and the blurred definition of the blue economy, pose risks to successful outcomes of sustainable ocean development in Indonesia. When unaddressed, these challenges can inhibit the policy’s effectiveness in delivering its intended outcomes. This qualitative study explores Indonesia’s interests in sustainable ocean development and how it pursues them while advancing economic objectives and commitments towards SDGs and net zero emission targets. The study finds that maintaining ocean health and ensuring sustainable use of ocean resources are Indonesia’s most vital interests for sustainable ocean development. The national ocean policy and the blue economy have been employed as two successive and simultaneous avenues to pursue Indonesia’s maritime interests. Unfortunately, to date, both approaches have yet to obtain maturity and ocean affairs are overshadowed by other national development priorities. By focusing on ocean governance and its development in the contemporary context, this article sheds light on the important role of policymaking in modern-day ocean governance. A cautious approach to policy design is crucial to avoid common pitfalls in sustainable ocean development, such as weak implementation strategies and the consequent failure to meet core sustainability objectives.

Specifics of applying operational and combat measures and tools in counterintelligence operations under the conditions of the ongoing Russian military aggression

The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) has faced the challange to sophisticate actual and fundamentally new approaches, methods and means of countering threats to national security under conditions of the ongoing full-scale invasion of Russian troops and occupation the territory of Ukraine. The imposition of martial law in Ukraine has considerably expanded the range of practical tasks performed by the bodies and departments of the Security Service of Ukraine. The conditions of the intelligence activities, specific features of counterintelligence activities during the war have been forming new approaches of counterintelligence operations. These factors set and manage new operational and combat tasks for the Security Service of Ukraine. Moreover, SSU is an authorized body in the sphere of counterintelligence activities, that performs tasks of preventing, detecting and analyzing threats to the national security of Ukraine and make challenges to the vital interests of the state. The accomplishment of thesre tasks is plausible on the basis of efficient and prompt identification and threats prevention to the national security of Ukraine, identifying the sources of threats, origin and consequences in order to successfully select methods and means to counter them. The application peculiarities of the operational and combat methods and means by the counterintelligence units of the Security Service of Ukraine during the execution of operational and combat missions in the conditions of the ongoing Russian military aggression against Ukraine are considered in the study. It has been determined that under martial law the counterintelligence units have developed a set of measures to counteract the Russian special services activities as a result of the special tasks that are under provisions of the Security Service of Ukraine. This was accomplished due to the efficiency and enemy goals identification, thoroughly selected methods and forms to prevent intelligence and subversive activities, using appropriate means to overcome the enemy. Mainly, the Security Service of Ukraine adjusts to modern realities, changes, supplements and improves its methods of activity. The Security Service of Ukraine develops a far-sighted strategy, amends its skills with new tactical techniques, creates and uses cutting-edge operational and combat tools and methods, which are transformed and sophisticated in the conditions of war. All these measures prevent threats to national security posed by the enemy. These methods are successfully applied by the counterintelligence units of the Security Service of Ukraine during the execution of operational and combat tasks, and require further theoretical justification.

Revisiting Veto Power in the Context of Atrocity Crimes: the Syrian Conflict as a Case Study

The excessive, abusive use of veto power during the war in Syria has prompted the international community to seek ways to overcome this veto power, mainly when doing so is necessary to prevent atrocities. The use of veto power to advance the national or regional interests as well as the economic, political, or strategic interests of a Security Council’s permanent member state on a way that impair a vital humanitarian interest of a state under conflict or the international community as a whole, undermines the Security Council’s role to maintain the international peace and security. This usage may also affect other states’ compliance with the veto power. In other words, the veto system could eventually lose its effectiveness if the international community continues to find justifications to non-compliance with the veto. This paper sheds light on events that have occurred during the Syrian war that give rise to Grotian Moments, or have the potential to do so, to create new customary international law rules governing the use of the veto power. Furthermore, this paper sorts out the principles invoked during those events as legal justifications to restrict or overthrow the veto power. Moreover, this paper identifies legal circumstances to facilitate any discussions regarding setting limitations on or obstructions to veto power in the context of atrocities. This research stresses the importance of determining a proper environment to overcome the veto power. This environment consists of unified, clear, and fair circumstances acceptable to all states, regardless of whether they are permanent or non-permanent members of the Security Council. Therefore, this proposal seeks to advance the legal system governing the use of the veto power for fighting brutality. Keywords: International criminal law, human rights law, universal jurisdiction, veto, customary international law, international organizations.

Supplying the Lithuanian Army with Weapons in War Against Bolsheviks and Bermondt-Avalov Formations in 1919 at the Clash of Interests Between the Entente and Germany

Western political, social and economic support to Ukraine in face of Russian aggression has aroused discussion and actualized historical episodes of weapons supply and military assistance. Historical analysis of weapons supply during military conflicts and wars in the past provides a good opportunity to become more familiar with the problem and may give fruitful insights for understanding this phenomenon in its broader sense. After the collapse of Russian Empire and after the end of the World War I Lithuania fought in wars for independence, and received military assistance consisting of weapons, ammunition, clothes, and food from the two opposing parties and former enemies – Allies and Germany.In the current article, the author analyses the question of the weapons supply to Lithuania through the lens of foreign policy interests of England, France and Germany, and explores to what extent the supply of weapons depends on overlapping foreign policy interests of both appealing and providing country. During the War of Independence, Germany supplied armaments, when it needed to stop Bolsheviks and to counterweigh the influence of Poland in Lithuania, but refused to do that when Lithuania intended to promote its own foreign policy interests to capture Vilnius in 1919. The same happened with Allies, who refused to supply weapons to Lithuania despite its appeals in the first half of 1919, meanwhile, Lithuania received weapons from the Entente when it faced direct threat from the remaining units of German Army, which also became dangerous for the vital interests of France and England in Baltics.

Power distance, legal protection of intellectual property rights and corporate R&D human resources

Existing studies have mainly investigated the pairwise relationship between culture, intellectual property rights (IPR) protection, and enterprises' innovation input. This paper links culture and IPR law to study their joint impact on enterprises' innovation human input. Based on the panel data of Chinese listed companies in Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchange, studying a specific cultural dimension (i.e., power distance) and its influence with legal protection of IPR on corporate research and development (R&D) human resources (defined in terms of scale and efficiency). Power distance is negatively related to the R&D human resources scale and positively related to their efficiency. This is because power distance affects the R&D personnel's job satisfaction and turnover rate. Relaxed IPR legal environment is not conducive to expanding the scale of R&D human resources. Because the vital interests of R&D personnel are not legally protected, and the turnover cost is reduced. There is an interaction between Power Distance and Legal Protection of IPR, which can moderate relationship between Power Distance and R&D Human Resources Scale. Weak Legal Protection of IPR may enhance the positive correlation between Power Distance and R&D Efficiency. Enterprises should take corresponding measures to enhance their ability of independent innovation and R&D human resource management in culture, IPR protection, and human resources management.

Use Of Medical Tools In Gaining Vital Intelligence For National Security Purposes

The definition of Medical Intelligence is by all accounts a broad and complex scientific task that needs to encompass wider ramifications of using medical and biological data to advance national security interests. The paper focuses on examples of using the medical discipline in the form of an exhaustive collection of medical data in order to arrive at very specific results significant in the pursuit of national security or political stability, albeit only from the point of view of a particular actor – the state. The three representative cases are illustrated to arrive at a fundamental understanding of how the medical data – intelligence – can be used if the medical environment is burdened by the imperative to further strategic state-devised objectives. In the organization of a fictitious inoculation campaign in rural Pakistan by the Central Intelligence Agency in 2011 to track down the whereabouts of Osama bin Ladin through mapping the DNA pattern of purported bin Ladin’s relatives, the state actor focused specifically on collection of human biological samples while deploying covert tactics – both disregarding the purported motive of the “health campaign” as well as executing the operation on the foreign soil. In another example, perceiving the potential uncontrolled population growth as a direct threat to both vital national interests, as well as the country’s public image, Uzbekistan, on the state level, has engaged in mass forced sterilization programs to curb the national birth rate. In a similar perception, the treatment of the rare disease of leprosy in Uzbekistan historically encompassed methods incompatible with medical ethics and basic human rights.The precedents will be examined as part of the wider discourse on what constitutes Medical Intelligence, and what is permissible within the framework of national security concerns.

Enhancing Molecular Characterization of Dissolved Organic Matter by Integrative Direct Infusion and Liquid Chromatography Nontargeted Workflows.

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) in aquatic systems is a highly heterogeneous mixture of water-soluble organic compounds, acting as a major carbon reservoir driving biogeochemical cycles. Understanding DOM molecular composition is thus of vital interest for the health assessment of aquatic ecosystems, yet its characterization poses challenges due to its complex and dynamic chemical profile. Here, we performed a comprehensive chemical analysis of DOM from highly urbanized river and seawater sources and compared it to drinking water. Extensive analyses by nontargeted direct infusion (DI) and liquid chromatography (LC) high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) through Orbitrap were integrated with novel computational workflows to allow molecular- and structural-level characterization of DOM. Across all water samples, over 7000 molecular formulas were calculated using both methods (∼4200 in DI and ∼3600 in LC). While the DI approach was limited to molecular formula calculation, the downstream data processing of MS2 spectral information combining library matching and in silico predictions enabled a comprehensive structural-level characterization of 16% of the molecular space detected by LC-HRMS across all water samples. Both analytical methods proved complementary, covering a broad chemical space that includes more highly polar compounds with DI and more less polar ones with LC. The innovative integration of diverse analytical techniques and computational workflow introduces a robust and largely available framework in the field, providing a widely applicable approach that significantly contributes to understanding the complex molecular composition of DOM.

AI-deation: When the Teacher is a Transformer in Role-Playing to create Privacy Decision Serious Games

Understanding the synergistic potential of human collaboration with artificial intelligence (AI) in creative endeavours, such as ideating Serious Game (SG) concepts, is of vital interest in our era of digital transformation. This study probes two pivotal questions: First, how does the incorporation of a GPT-4 transformer AI, assuming the role of a teacher, influence support for student teams during the ideation and balancing of SG concepts? Second, what are the students' perceptions of AI integration when co-designing these concepts with an AI in the educator role? In a between-group research design, two distinct groups engaged in a collaborative role-playing activity with digital role-specific cards and a visualised board to ideate and balance Serious Games addressing privacy decision-making. The first group, engaging in a local setting, collaborated with an AI that played the teacher role. In contrast, the second group played the co-ideation activity in a remote setting, with a human playing the role of the teacher. The findings indicate that generative AI can successfully be sourced to play the teacher role in a collaborative role-playing activity. Crucially, the timing of AI intervention thereby emerged as an essential factor that can impair creative support. Scheduled AI interventions can offer fresh insights but may not align with immediate team needs. The insights underscore the requirement to determine the most effective timing for AI intervention in human-AI co-playing ideation sessions to foster the full potential of an AI filling a role in a collaborative design process. Implications synthesised from the analytical findings and practical insights on AI-suggested design propositions/conflicts are discussed conclusively.

Parenthood as the Natural and Socio-Legal Title to Raise Offspring in Accordance with the Norm of Canon 1136 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law

The article offers a description and characterization of the special right of parents to raise their offspring on two counts: from the act of becoming a parent and from the fact that arises from the relationship and bond of the parents and their offspring with society. This relationship exists in particular with the Church and the State, for which the family is a fundamental social component. Consequently, both institutions have a vital interest in educating the offspring, with the institutions of foster family and adoption playing a special role.

Toward the European Health Data Space: The IMPaCT-Data secure infrastructure for EHR-based precision medicine research

Background:Art. 50 of the proposal for a Regulation on the European Health Data Space (EHDS) states that “health data access bodies shall provide access to electronic health data only through a secure processing environment, with technical and organizational measures and security and interoperability requirements”. Objective:To identify specific security measures that nodes participating in health data spaces shall implement based on the results of the IMPaCT-Data project, whose goal is to facilitate the exchange of electronic health records (EHR) between public entities based in Spain and the secondary use of this information for precision medicine research in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Data and methods:This article presents an analysis of 24 out of a list of 72 security measures identified in the Spanish National Security Scheme (ENS) and adopted by members of the federated data infrastructure developed during the IMPaCT-Data project. Results:The IMPaCT-Data case helps clarify roles and responsibilities of entities willing to participate in the EHDS by reconciling technical system notions with the legal terminology. Most relevant security measures for Data Space Gatekeepers, Enablers and Prosumers are identified and explained. Conclusion:The EHDS can only be viable as long as the fiduciary duty of care of public health authorities is preserved; this implies that the secondary use of personal data shall contribute to the public interest and/or to protect the vital interests of the data subjects. This condition can only be met if all nodes participating in a health data space adopt the appropriate organizational and technical security measures necessary to fulfill their role.

Gapsan Incident 1967 and its impact on the establishment of an ideological regime in North Korea

The states internal crises are more dangerous on internal politics and vital interests of the state than other crises. These crises appear when a group of senior state officials, who control important positions in governance, challenge the policy of the state and its ruler. This negatively affect the security of the state and its internal and external interests. North Korea was known for its authoritarian policy and its interest in absolute submission to the North Korean president and his policy of focusing on heavy industrialization since the end of the Korean War in 1950-1953, with the aim of making his country an advanced military state with a people subject to it to the point of slavery, under the pretext of getting out of Soviet control, which was the reason for the spread of communism in North Korea. After 1953 the Soviet Union began moving towards reform and abandoning the Stalinist policy of submission to the ruler. This was rejected by the Korean government, which relied on the policy of “venerating the leader” since 1949, which led to the emergence of opponents to that policy since the forties of the twentieth century and culminated in the crisis of August 1956. Despite the purge of those who called for reform, the leaders continued to confront that policy until the Gapsan Incident in 1967, whose goals and effects on the North Korean regime will be explained.

Research on the Application of Criminal Law to Cross-Border Online Gambling in China

With the continuous deepening of globalization and the rapid development of internet technology, cross-border online gambling, as an emerging form of crime, has brought new challenges to social security and international cooperation. Based on the current criminal law in China and relevant research, this paper analyzes in depth the characteristics of cross-border online gambling and the loopholes and deficiencies in the current legal system, and puts forward corresponding improvement suggestions. Drawing on existing academic research results at home and abroad, combined with relevant cases in China and legal practices in other countries and regions, this paper believes that in dealing with cross-border online gambling crimes, it is necessary to adhere to legislation first, clarify relevant charges and sentencing standards, and ensure the completeness and applicability of the legal system. At the same time, law enforcement agencies should strengthen cooperation and information sharing, form a joint force to decisively cut off the interest chain of cross-border online gambling. In addition, international cooperation is also an indispensable part, and all countries should make joint efforts to establish an international law enforcement cooperation mechanism to jointly combat cross-border online gambling crimes. Through comprehensive measures and joint efforts, social harmony and stability can be maintained, and the vital interests of the people can be safeguarded.