World Situation Research Articles

Developing Reflex-Based Agent with Unity3D Game Engine

An agent is an autonomous entity that perceives its environments, and upon that input, responded with actions accordingly. A common trend in developing agent is through object - oriented programming (OOP). This study explores the possibility of developing agent with a game engine, namely Unity3D, which can navigate within a partially observable environment, with the purpose to enhance t he simulation of real - world situation, i.e. egress simulation. Testing and simulation of the model proves that the agent is capable enough to navigate such environment explicitly. This paper describes the development and the mechanism of the simulation model.

Sustainable Utilization of Sewage Sludge: Review of Technologies

Biological treatment of municipal and industrial wastewater becomes more common in EU countries. As a result, the amount of wastewater sludge increases. The political and economic situation in world is requiring new methods for recovery of non-renewable mineral resources. Sludge is great secondary source of many elements. The aim of this research is to summarize available techniques for sustainable utilization of industrial sludge and recovery of critical raw minerals (CRMs). The most common sustainable method is using treated sludge as fertilizer in agriculture due to high content of P, N, C and microelements. However, this method has many restrictions, e.g. it can contain toxic substances or lack of appropriate land. Thermal sludge treatment methods like pyrolysis have developed crucially in last decade and pyrolysis units for sludge treatment are commercially available now. Pyrolysis becomes the most sustainable method due to recovery of CRMs and better energy recovery comparing to incineration.

ДИСКУРС-АНАЛИЗ КОММУНИКАТИВНОГО ВОЗДЕЙСТВИЯ ПРЕДВЫБОРНОЙ РЕЧИ Д. ТРАМПА

Currently, due to the highly politically loaded situation in the modern world in general and in particular in Russia, a lot of research is devoted to political discourse, in which emotions are actively represented. There are many ways to induce a person to a certain action, among them verbal and non-verbal means aimed at the awakening of certain emotions - the basis of human behavior. In this article an attempt is made to analyze D. Trump’s election speech from the point of view of its communicative impact on the audience.

SYSTEMOMOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF THE CREATION OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES OF INTEGRATED MONITORING OF TECHNOGENIC SYSTEMS

Обґрунтовано концепцію створення систем моніторингу на підставі системних і інформаційних технологій синтезу структури, аналізу динаміки та інформаційних моделей у процедурах оброблення даних, як основи створення систем екологічного моніторингу. Описано ситуацію в сучасному світі щодо стану екології та охорони довкілля, яка потребує прийняття невідкладних заходів, розроблення нових методів контролю, управління, необхідних для забезпечення зменшення рівня ризиків і підвищення якості середовища. Розроблено комплекс систем контролю за станом екологічного середовища та оцінювання впливу техногенних структур на підставі використання інформаційних технологій відбору й опрацювання даних і інтелектуальних систем інтерпретації і представлення ситуації. Розроблено систему моніторингу: внутрішнього – для екоконтролю технологічного процесу та зовнішнього – для оцінювання стану екосередовища, яка забезпечить протиаварійну безпеку техногенних енергоактивних систем та можливого забруднення екологічного середовища, на підставі комплексного підходу з використанням системного аналізу та інформаційних технологій. Проаналізовано структуру системи моніторингу, розглянуто системні методи та інформаційні технології для створення засобів контролю моніторингу. Обґрунтовано концепції екосистем з використанням лазерної діагностики, а також метод кількісного аналізу екосередовища. Такий підхід забезпечить можливість мінімізувати ризики за рахунок достатності інформації і підвищення ефективності контролю. Інтеграція засобів системного аналізу та інформаційних технологій забезпечує вирішення проблем моніторингу та охорони довкілля на новому якісному рівні.

Mehar Method to Find the Fuzzy Optimal Solution of Bounded Fully Fuzzy Linear Programs with Symmetric Trapezoidal Fuzzy Numbers

A new method is proposed to find the fuzzy optimal solution of bounded fully fuzzy linear programs with symmetric trapezoidal fuzzy numbers. Comparative study of various existing methods on different cases is presented to validate the proposed method. A problem representing a real world situation is also solved by using the proposed method.

Электронные документы и электронные архивы в США

The current situation in the archival world, the legal basis for the functioning of the archive business, approaches to the theoretical concepts of the science of archives and archival documents, the methodological norms of archival practice, the organization of preservation and the use of documentary heritage, including on the newest media – all these issues represent a serious scientific and practical interest.Archives are a dynamic structure that varies according to the specific conditions of its functioning. At the same time, there are changes not only in functions, structure, storage modes of documents but mainly in the documentary array on traditional and non-traditional media.The article reveals the basic principles that guided the modern archival service of the United States when working with electronic documents and electronic archives. While disclosing the basic principles of this work, attention was focused on studying the experience of applying the latest methodological and technical means in the archives. In the context of this, the article details the problems of managing electronic documents, outlines the activities of NARA to create an electronic government and archive. The introduction of the latest archival technologies and standards when working with electronic documents  and archives, and simplifying access to them, can be used to create models and standards in the field ofarchival science and documentation of Kazakhstan.

Exploring structural capital from the business administration perspective: a general framework on the existing literature

Purpose of the paper : The aim of this paper is to identify the best way to manage and assess structural capital in the context of the current world situation and to define its profile in terms of management and evaluation aspects. In order for these intangible assets to be defined, structural capital is first analyzed and classified according to its relevance to a company’s core business. Methodology : The research approach follows a qualitative methodology, applying a single method approach. Secondary data were investigated through a research protocol. Findings : The findings of this research are based, first, on organizing international literature concerned with structural capital in order to identify its strong and weak points in terms of its management and economic evaluation. We have introduced a general approach to managing structural capital under specific circumstances with the objective of creating long-term value for companies. Research limitations : The limitations of the paper depend upon its theoretical format. The general framework used to describe the management and evaluation of structural capital originates from an updated understanding of the concept, derived from the literature on the topic. Research and management implications : The objective of categorizing structural capital is to associate a suitable management strategy to each structural capital category with the purpose of gaining strategic advantage and creating value. Originality of the paper : Structural capital encourages the circulation of knowledge within a company and stimulates the creation of long-term value. Strategic value and the unique nature of structural capital makes such a classification of structural capital possible, while defining the most appropriate management strategies that can be put into practice by managers.

Контуры современного религиоведа

Article is devoted to the study of religious education, the training of specialists in this field, their employment, formation and development of religious science in the fatherland. It is characterized by what qualities and competencies the graduate must possess. What are the requirements of the world situation. The article examines the role of the department in the history of the formation of the specialty of religious studies in Kazakhstan, the new goals and tasks that arise in front of the department, the difficult situation in the ethno-confessional sphere of Kazakhstan society. The globalization processes of the modern world that caused negative factors require the faculty to take new guidelines in the preparation of graduates. In this regard, at the department, based on the rich material that has been accumulated during the opening of the specialty of religious studies, a new educational program has been developed that is updated, adjusted to the needs of the present day, the demand of employers, is more demanded, results-oriented and combines interdisciplinary study of religions with philosophical preparation. This educational program of the specialty of religious studies is aimed at demonstrating graduates of such competences who more professionally organized the processes of interaction of religious organizations and society, religion and secular state, possessed the competence of analytical, consultative, coordinating and organizational and managerial activities.

Literature review on analysis of various components of IC engine

Dynamic stresses in the high speed machines are always subject of complexity. Stresses and forces induced in the key component of the system helps to predict their failure. Here in the paper, an endeavor has been made to study an inline four-cylinder engine and its parts. The engine has been studied under varying conditions and speed that replicated the real world situation. An attempt is made to cover all the possible subjects such as optimization, design considerations, failure analysis, etc. of components of an inline four-cylinder engine. The research papers are segregated in various criterions in the paper presented.

Numerical Simulation of lateral dike breaching due to overtopping

Dikes and levees are encountered very often along rivers. They are crucial as defence structures for flow channelization, protecting population and properties from floods as well as against lateral riverbed migration. However, the combination of their aging and increased exposition to extreme hydrological events may cause these structures to breach, and subsequently to fail. Understanding the dynamics of breaching is very important for developing adequate countermeasures, for civil protection initiatives and for land use planning. Recent literature shows many studies concerning, both from experimental and numerical point of views, frontal dike breaching. Based on several evidences, it is well assessed that depth-integrated numerical models can successfully reproduce this kind of phenomenon (e.g. Greco et al., 2012). Recently, Rifai et al. (2017) investigated a different setup in which the embankment is parallel to the main channel flow and thus a lateral breaching occurs. It is worth noting this scheme resembles real-world situation of levees breaching along a river. In present paper, the capability of depth-integrated approaches in reproducing such tests is investigated. Numerical results obtained with different models are compared against experiments from both the qualitative and quantitative point of views. Considerations about the applicability of depth-integrated models in real world situation of lateral breaching of dikes and levees are also drawn.

The Effect of Flipped Classroom on Students’ Engagement

This study investigated the effect of flipped classroom on computer science students’ engagement level among pre-university students. Computer science students were observed to be less engaged during the lecture of information system topic. Students fail to answer questions which need them to apply information system concepts into the real world situation. Hence, the flipped classroom approach is explored to solve the problem. With the increase in the usage of smart phones among students in higher learning institutions, cheaper prices of smart phones, mobile data plan and ready availability of instructional videos on the internet, the flipped classroom approach seems to be a perfect practice to be implemented. Therefore this research made use of the flipped classroom approach to gauge its efficacy on college students. Quasi experimental posttest only design was used in this research. Students were divided into two groups, namely a control group (didactic classroom) consisting of 41 students and an experimental group (flipped classroom) consisting of 43 students. These samples were chosen using purposive sampling. Students in the experimental group were required to watch a micro-lecture prior to coming to class and were involved in engaging activities in the classroom. After the intervention, both groups were measured in terms of their engagement level in class using a four-level Likert scale questionnaire which consisted of four engagement constructs namely behavioral, agentic, cognitive and emotional engagement constructs. Flipped classroom students’ behavioral mean was 3.04, agentic mean was 3.06, cognitive mean was 3.16 and emotional mean 3.42. Findings showed that from the questionnaire, it was clear that the students in the experimental group (flipped classroom) were highly engaged. However, there was not much difference in terms of student engagement in the flipped classroom when compared to the didactic classroom.

English lexical items in Egyptian Arabic. Code-switching or borrowing?

The study aims to answer the question of whether lone English items that occur in Arabic-English code-switching are borrowings or code-switches. This is based on empirical data collected at the American University in Cairo. The data were analyzed within the framework of the Matrix Language Frame model. 3443 bilingual projections of complementizer (CP) were investigated. They were divided into two types: (1) CPs with Arabic as the Matrix Language (ML) and (2) CPs with English as the ML. The analysis shows a clear discrepancy between categories of items used in the two types. In Arabic CPs, the most frequently switched category concerns English nouns related to the field of study and academic life as well as Standard Arabic in monolingual discourse. The interviews conducted with the participants in the study revealed that they were mostly used due to the lack of Arabic equivalents at the speakers’ disposal. In English CPs, mainly Arabic conjunctions and discourse markers appear. We claim that this categorial and functional variation between Arabic and English results from the linguistic situation in the Arab world. For bilingual speakers in Arabic diglossic communities, educated in schools with instruction in English and non-proficient in Standard Arabic, English items are the only means to communicate in many fields. Such items become part of their mental lexicon and thus should be considered as borrowings even if they are not established loans.

WHERE IS WISDOM TO BE FOUND – NOW THAT WE HAVE STOPPED LOOKING FOR IT?

Ancient scribal culture had two faces. After arduous and largely impractical training, scribes were admitted to an elite circle and became custodians of a cultural tradition. But scribal teachers were also credited with opening the eyes of their students and ‘ forming humanity ’ in them. Scribal writers created and challenged tradition. Both faces are still evident in modern ‘ scribal culture ’ . Nietzsche, who occupies an ambiguous position in this regard, is used to illuminate aspects of tension between the two ‘ faces ’ , which, given the world situation, seems relevant to the future of the academic enterprise. Finally, it is suggested that ancient wisdom still has something to tell us about these matters. The article is dedicated to Hendrik Bosman in view of his abiding interest in scribal culture, wisdom literature and יהוה יראת .

TOWARD A NEW GOVERNMENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM: ANALYSIS OF THE PROPOSAL OF POPE FRANCIS

In a sign of continuity with his predecessors, the first Latin American Pope pays attention to diplomacy and representative democracy. Thus, although he is sometimes not perceived in this way, Francis has not neglected traditional level of interaction that the Church has managed to maintain in its long history, generally alternating moments of conflict and cooperation, and not without taking it into account when defining their own models of authority: the link with states. If attention to the community of states, it is not in itself something new for the Vatican, it certainly is the approach and the agenda emphasis that every pontiff has made of international relations. Thus, the article seeks to answer a series of questions: What newness does Pope Bergoglio contribute to “diplomacy”? Is the Pontiff’s proposal for international governance comparable to a world state? Moreover, how does Francisco’s position on the international system articulate with the “reform of the papacy”? More concretely, how does the Pope conceive the mission of the central government of the Church and of papal diplomacy? Finally, what role does Latin America play in the planetary scheme of the Bishop of Rome? The article points out that Francisco proposes a new international political institution, and he understands that in the current critical world situation, diplomacy has a particular relevance. It is also stressed that for the Pope the central government of the Church and diplomacy must be at the service of building bridges for the promotion of justice and peace. In addition, the article says that the peoples and cultures of Latin America and the Caribbean have a potential that the Pontiff values positively.

Manipulative use ofriskas a stance in political communication

As in many other areas of life, the notion of risk has recently become central to discourses related to politics. This research article shows how political and media representatives use the notion of risk in their rhetoric, making it an important part of and a powerful resource for manipulation. It is demonstrated how stances taken by speakers on different political issues reflect their social, political and moral views, showing that risk has become a common construct around which a political situation in the modern world is described, organized and practiced. In most general terms, stance is understood here as the way of expressing one’s viewpoint concerning the object of interaction, which in this study is risk. The theoretical background of the research is situated within socially constructivist approaches to discourse analysis. We argue that risk has become one of the defining social and cultural characteristics of modern society. The research focuses on the ways stances on risks are constructed at the linguistic level by means of certain structural and formal qualities, and on how these linguistic features are related to social interaction under the conditions of political, moral, economic and social crisis in Ukraine.

『조선중앙일보』의 식민지 현실인식과 세계정세인식

『조선중앙일보』의 식민지 현실인식과 세계정세인식

A fuzzy inventory model with unit production cost, time depended holding cost, with-out shortages under a space constraint: a parametric geometric programming approach

In this paper, an Inventory model with unit production cost, time depended holding cost, with-out shortages is formulated and solved. We have considered a single objective structural optimization model. In most real world situation, the objective and constraint function of the decision makers are imprecise in nature. Hence the coefficients, indices, the objective function and constraint goals are imposed here in fuzzy environment. Geometric programming provides a powerful tool for solving a variety of imprecise optimization problems. Here we use nearest interval approximation method to convert a triangular fuzzy number to an interval number. In this paper, we transform this interval number to a parametric interval-valued functional form and then solve the parametric problem by geometric programming technique. Numerical example is given to illustrate the model through this Parametric Geometric-Programming method.

Human personality in the complex world: pluralism of identities and the problem of world-attitude

The article is dedicated to the philosophical consideration of the problem of constituting the world-attitude in the situation of the complex world that serves as one of the key factors of the Weltanschauung disorientation that in turn leads to the decline in global health. Using post-non-classical methodologies and referring to the cases of social and political life in a nation state, the authors focuses his attention on the analysis of plurality of human identities as a problem that could not be solve by classical methods of the Modernity but requires the development of each personality as the subject of one’s own life. The shortcomings of the proposed approach could be defined as a lack of analysis of empirical data that should form the subject of separate study. Practical and social meaning of the paper lies in the attempt to manifest the philosophical and Weltanschauung base of the process and structure of human identity in the present-day world.

Негативная гносеология в греческом аристотелизме XVII века

The article studies the project of critical epistemology on the periphery of Europe, which is considered as an alternative to the project of critical ontology in the center of Europe. It is proved that this critical, or negative epistemology was based on two presumptions: on the concept of power as not decision-making, but as making control over the variety of decisions, and on the representation of speech not as a statement but as an establishment of the boundaries of consciousness. These presumptions date back to the unique social and political situation in the Orthodox world, which transformed the conventions of classical rhetoric into epistemological tools. In the struggle of various political forces to master this instrumentation, the concept of power as internal speech or intellectual attitude in relation to the diversity of events was developed, and the realization of power was understood as negative epistemology, allowing facts to be established not as simple events but as true and right events. The classical concepts of Aristotle were turned into topoi, describing reality not as an aggregate of ontological statuses, but as a set of epistemological problems. The study of this phenomenon based on the works by Theophilos Corydalleus and Gerasimos Vlakhos allows to explain common origins of the key problems of Eastern European religious philosophy (such as iconicity, personalism, and philosophy of the Divine name), which are otherwise perceived as fragmented and anomalous.

Effects of Polar Bear and Killer Whale Derived Contaminant Cocktails on Marine Mammal Immunity.

Most controlled toxicity studies use single chemical exposures that do not represent the real world situation of complex mixtures of known and unknown natural and anthropogenic substances. In the present study, complex contaminant cocktails derived from the blubber of polar bears (PB; Ursus maritimus) and killer whales (KW; Orcinus orca) were used for in vitro concentration-response experiments with PB, cetacean and seal spp. immune cells to evaluate the effect of realistic contaminant mixtures on various immune functions. Cytotoxic effects of the PB cocktail occurred at lower concentrations than the KW cocktail (1 vs 16 μg/mL), likely due to differences in contaminant profiles in the mixtures derived from the adipose of each species. Similarly, significant reduction of lymphocyte proliferation occurred at much lower exposures in the PB cocktail (EC50: 0.94 vs 6.06 μg/mL; P < 0.01), whereas the KW cocktail caused a much faster decline in proliferation (slope: 2.9 vs 1.7; P = 0.04). Only the KW cocktail modulated natural killer (NK) cell activity and neutrophil and monocyte phagocytosis in a concentration- and species-dependent manner. No clear sensitivity differences emerged when comparing cetaceans, seals and PB. Our results showing lower effect levels for complex mixtures relative to single compounds suggest that previous risk assessments underestimate the effects of real world contaminant exposure on immunity. Our results using blubber-derived contaminant cocktails add realism to in vitro exposure experiments and confirm the immunotoxic risk marine mammals face from exposure to complex mixtures of environmental contaminants.