Conceptual approach to the classification and certifi cation of robots and complex automated information systems

Introduction.The development and spread of robots, artifi cial intelligence systems and complex automated information systems are associated with the problem of causing harm by their decisions and actions, as well as the problem of legal liability for this harm. Theoretical analysis. One of the main functions of legal liability is general and private prevention. When applied to robots, it requires them to be reprogrammed, retrained, or eliminated. Thus, the issue of the possibility, forms and conditions of their existence is directly related to the problem of legal responsibility of autonomous and sometimes unpredictable software and hardware mechanisms. A systemic legal structure aimed at ensuring safety and predictability in the creation and operation of robots can be built on the basis of a classifying standard, and each class will be associated with certain forms and models of responsibility. Empirical analysis.The basis of the legal classifi cation of robots and complex automated information systems will be the threats associated with causing harm as a result of their spontaneous actions and decisions, correlated with the forms of legal liability. The following threats can be identifi ed: causing the death of a person; unlawful change in the legal status of the subject; causing material harm; violation of the personal non-property rights of a person; information or other property of the owner (user), not related to causing harm to third parties; the threat of illegal behavior of robots. Results. The authors propose a classifi cation of robots and complex automated systems, as well as approaches to legal liability and security for each class, and indicate directions for promising development of legal and technical standards necessary to ensure this classifi cation and certifi cation

Будущее международного обмена статистическими данными и новые проблемы взаимодействия

The article deals with challenges and prospects of implementation of the Statistical Data and Metadata eXchange (SDMX) standard and using it in the international sharing of statistical data and metadata. The authors identified potential areas where this standard can be used, described a mechanism for data and metadata sharing according to SDMX standard. Major issues classified into three groups - general, statistical, information technology - were outlined by applying both domestic and foreign experience of implementation of the standard. These issues may arise at the national level (if the standard is implemented domestically), at the international level (when the standard is applied by international organizations), and at the national-international level (if the information is exchanged between national statistical data providers and international organizations). General issues arise at the regulatory level and are associated with establishing boundaries of responsibility of counterpart organizations at all three levels of interaction, as well as in terms of increasing the capacity to apply the SDMX standard. Issues of statistical nature are most often encountered due to the sharing of large amounts of data and metadata related to various thematic areas of statistics; there should be a unified structure of data and metadata generation and transmission. With the development of information sharing, arise challenges and issues associated with continuous monitoring and expanding SDMX code lists. At the same time, there is a lack of a universal data structure at the international level and, as a result, it is difficult to understand and apply at the national level the existing data structures developed by international organizations. Challenges of information technology are related to creating an IT infrastructure for data and metadata sharing using the SDMX standard. The IT infrastructure (depending on the participant status) includes the following elements: tools for the receiving organizations, tools for sending organization and the infrastructure for the IT professionals. For each of the outlined issues, the authors formulated some practical recommendations based on the complexity principle as applied to the implementation of the international SDMX standard for the exchange of data and metadata.Статья посвящена проблемам и перспективам внедрения международного стандарта обмена данными и метаданными (SDMX) и осуществления международного обмена статистическими данными и метаданными с применением данного стандарта. Определены возможные области использования стандарта, описан механизм реализации обмена данными и метаданными в соответствии со стандартом SDMX. На основе анализа отечественного и зарубежного опыта внедрения и использования стандарта выделены основные проблемы, которые могут быть классифицированы на три группы: общие, статистические, информационно-технологические. При этом они могут возникнуть на национальном уровне (при внедрении стандарта внутри страны), на международном уровне (при применении стандарта внутри международных организаций) и на национально-международном уровне (при осуществлении информационного взаимодействия между страновыми поставщиками статистических данных и международными организациями). Общие проблемы возникают на нормативно-правовом уровне и связаны с установлением границ ответственности организаций-контрагентов на всех трёх уровнях взаимодействия, а также в части наращивания потенциала применения стандарта SDMX. Проблемы чисто статистического характера встречаются наиболее часто по причине осуществления обмена большим количеством данных и метаданных, относящихся к различным тематическим областям статистики, структура формирования и передачи которых должна быть унифицирована. С развитием информационного обмена возникают проблемы постоянного мониторинга и расширения списков кодов, используемых в стандарте SDMX; при этом отмечается отсутствие универсальной структуры данных на международном уровне и, как следствие, сложность понимания и применения на национальном уровне существующих структур данных, разработанных международными организациями. Информационно-технологические вызовы связаны с построением ИТ-инфраструктуры для обмена данными и метаданными с использованием стандарта SDMX. ИТ-инфраструктура включает следующие элементы в зависимости от статуса участника процесса: инструменты, необходимые для принимающих организаций, инструменты для предоставляющих данные организаций и инфраструктура для ИТ-специалистов. По каждой из сформулированных проблем обоснованы авторские практические рекомендации на основе принципа комплексности применительно к внедрению международного стандарта обмена данными и метаданными SDMX

Herd Immunity to SARS-CoV-2 among the Population in Saint-Petersburg during the COVID-19 Epidemic

The first case of COVID-19 was diagnosed in St. Petersburg on March 2, 2020; the period of increase in the incidence lasted for 10 weeks, the maximum rates were recorded in mid-May, and subsequently there was a statistically significant decrease in the incidence.Objective: to determine the level and structure of community immunity to SARS-CoV-2 among the population of St. Petersburg during the period of intensive spread of COVID-19.Materials and methods. Selection of volunteers for the study was carried out through interviewing and randomization. The exclusion criterion was active COVID-19 infection at the time of the survey. 2713 people aged 1 to 70 years and above were  examined for the presence of specific antibodies to SARS-CoV-2. Antibodies were detected by enzyme immunoassay.Results and discussion. Studies have shown that in St. Petersburg, in the active phase of COVID-19 epidemic, there was a moderate seroprevalence to SARS-CoV-2, which amounted to 26 %, against the background of a high frequency (84.5 %) of asymptomatic infection in seropositive individuals who did not have a history of COVID-19 disease, positive PCR result and ARI symptoms on the day of examination. The maximum indicators of herd immunity were established in children 1–6 years old (31.1 %), 7–13 years old (37.7 %) and people over 70 years old (30.4 %). Differences in the level of seroprevalence in the age groups of 18–49 years are statistically significant. The highest level of seroprevalence was found among the unemployed (29.7 %), healthcare workers (27.1 %), education sector (26.4 %) and business sector personnel (25 %). In convalescents, COVID-19 antibodies are produced in 75 % of cases. In individuals with positive result of PCR analysis carried out earlier, antibodies are detected in 70 % of the cases. The results of the study of herd immunity to SARS-CoV-2 are essential to forecast the development of the epidemiological situation, as well as to plan measures for specific and non-specific prevention of COVID-19

Reagentless Polyol Detection by Conductivity Increase in the Course of Self-Doping of Boronate-Substituted Polyaniline

We report on the novel reagentless and label-free detection principle based on electroactive (conducting) polymers considering sensors for polyols, particularly, saccharides and hydroxy acids. Unlike the majority of impedimetric and conductometric (bio)­sensors, which specific and unspecific signals are directed in the same way (resistance increase), making doubtful their real applications, the response of the reported system results in resistance decrease, which is directed oppositely to the background. The mechanism of the resistance decrease is the polyaniline self-doping, i.e., as an alternative to proton doping, an appearance of the negatively charged aromatic ring substituents in polymer chain. Negative charge “freezing” at the boron atom is indeed a result of complex formation with di- and polyols, specific binding. Changes in Raman spectra of boronate-substituted polyaniline after addition of glucose are similar to those caused by proton doping of the polymer. Thermodynamic data on interaction of the electropolymerized 3-aminophenylboronic acid with saccharides and hydroxy acids also confirm that the observed resistance decrease is due to polymer interaction with polyols. The first reported conductivity increase as a specific signal opens new horizons for reagentless affinity sensors, allowing the discrimination of specific affinity bindings from nonspecific interactions