Сontrol systems using mathematical models of technological objects in the control loop

The control problems for technological objects with distributed state variables and large dead times are discussed in the present article. The creation of control systems using the object model in the control loop is considered. It is shown that the most effective approach for thedevelopment of models of chemical-processing facilities is a method of heat flow calorimetry for the creation of kinetic models of processes in multiphase systems and the use of simplified hydrodynamics models to describe mass transport processes. The demonstration of the successful application of this approach for creating mathematical models and their use in control systems has been shown for two important industrial processes, namely, the sintering process in the preparation of cement clinker in tubular rotating kilns and the modification process for epoxy resins with 1,4-butanediol to obtain epoxy polymers with improved physical and mechanical properties. Such mathematical models make it possible to specify the optimal operating modes of the considered processes.Key words: the objects with delay, models for control, kinetics, heat flux calorimetry, cementclinker, epoxy resins

Culture and Cognition: In Search of a Non-reductionist Framework

This paper focuses on the analysis of contemporary theories of culture and cognition in cultural sociology. It identifies two major research traditions within cognitivist cultural sociology, based on micro-individualist and collectivist modes of sociological explanation respectively. Two prominent theoretical frameworks within the "micro-individualist" tradition are then critically examined: Stephen Vaisey's dual-process models of culture in action and Omar Lizardo's typology of cultural kinds. It is argued that both frameworks, although well-defined and theoretically insightful, are prone to unwarranted microfoundationalist reductionism. The paper then proceeds to evaluate the presuppositions of the explicitly "collectivist" Zeru-bavelian paradigm of cultural sociology, as well as a series of recent contributions to the field by scholars representing the neo-Durkheimian "strong program". Both are argued to contain problematic assumptions about the location and means of transmission of cultural content. It is concluded that neither "micro-individualist" nor "collectivist" theories of culture and cognition can provide an adequate account of how culture and cognition interrelate since both frameworks are based on explicitly reductionist social ontologies. The article then calls for the adoption of Tuukka Kaidesoja's "naturalized critical realist" social ontology that seeks to overcome these philosophical biases. The paper examines two major sources of Kaidesoja's ontological doctrine, namely Mario Bunge's systemic materialist ontology and the "distributed cognition" perspective. The article then seeks to outline a preliminary sketch of an alternative account of culture that involves the generation, transmission, and transformation of representational states across different media within distributed cognitive systems

Will Russia's Efforts to Prevent the Weaponization of Information Succeed?

In September, Russia made another effort to negotiate the nonmilitary use of cyberspace with the United States. Predictably, Washington rejected the proposal, despite admitting the urgency of the issue and the need to find a consensus solution with Moscow. The problem is not new: Russia has insisted on establishing common cyber norms in the United Nations for a long time, while the US has reserved the right to develop its own military cyber capabilities and blocked all Russian initiatives. With the stakes raised dramatically, Russia and the US have to find a way to agree on cybersecurity

Conditions for global minimum through abstract convexity

The theory of abstract convexity generalizes ideas of convex analysis by using the notion of global supports and the global definition of subdifferential. In order to apply this theory to optimization, we need to extend subdifferential calculus and separation properties into the area of abstract convexity.Doctor of Philosoph

Sociometric status and leisure media consumption

Background. In the context of mass communication research a special value is placed on the discussion of the connection between using various means of mass communication and their particular features. One of the important personal characteristics is the sociometric status of a person in a group. The Objective of the empirical research presented in the paper is to reveal whether there is a connection between leisure media consumption and the sociometric status of a person in small groups. If the assumption about the unified nature of communication processes in interpersonal and mass communication is deemed as the initial theoretical premise, it is reasonably assumed that sociometric characteristics of a person should correlate with the parameters of his address to the means of mass communication. Design The study involved 110 people aged 25 to 28 years old, employed with 10 departments of two companies. According to the results of a special questionnaire used together with a sociometric questionnaire, media consumption parameters are determined: preference of media channels (print media, radio, television, the Internet)), intensity of access to these media channels, functional orientations (e.g. information, entertainment, cultural and educational). Based on the data obtained, special indices are calculated: sociometric status index; four indices of media channels preferences (print media, radio, television, the Internet); four intensity indices of media consumption (reading print media, radio listening, television watching, using the Internet); three indexes of functional orientation (index of information function, index of entertainment function, index of cultural and educational function). Research Results. Popular respondents choose the print media much more often than others, while the unpopular ones choose television; more popular respondents use do print media and radio much more intensively, while unpopular respondents used television; with respect to the Internet, no significant differences were found; popular respondents are much more focused on cultural, educational and informational functions, and unpopular ones are focused on entertainment. For the sociometric status index, the following findings are true: strong direct relationship with the radio consumption index (R = 0.713) and with the print media consumption index (R = 0.693); mean value of television consumption index (R = -0.541); mean value of the Internet consumption index (R = 0.471). Conclusion. The obtained results correlate quite well with the results of the research conducted in the 1980s, although they were obtained in other socio-cultural and socio-economic conditions, as well as in a different social group. This proves the existence of a connection between sociometric status and media preferences, not only in high school students, but also in young adults. Hence it is logical to assume that such kind of connections should be observed in other social groups. At the theoretical level, there is an issue of developing an explanatory socio-psychological model that would organically link the interpersonal communication and mass communication patterns

Star-shaped separability with applications

We discuss the notion of a support collection to a star-shaped set at a certain boundary point and a weak separability of two star-shaped sets. Applications to some problems, including the minimization of a star-shaped distance, are given. © Heldermann Verlag.C

Проблемы возрастной маркировки на российских телеканалах

The article presents the results of an empirical study conducted in January-February 2018, aimed to reveal how Russian television channels are implementing the requirements of the law “On Protection of Children against Information Detrimental to Their Health and Development”. We conducted a review of more than 45,000 broadcasting elements (TV programs, movies, serials, cartoons, etc.), which were aired in early 2018. It turned out that more than half of them did not have any age rating information; also TV channels often used the “16+” mark, although broadcasting elements with it in the interval from 7 AM to 21 PM is a violation of the law; while broadcasting programs rated as “18+” was without any violations. The obtained results allow us to draw a conclusion that this law needs to be improved and the professional training should be held for its competent use in the broadcasting.В статье представлены результаты эмпирического исследования, проведенного в январе-феврале 2018 г., целью которого было выявить, как российские телеканалы выполняют предписания закона «О защите детей от информации, причиняющей вред их здоровью и развитию». Проанализировано более 45 тысяч эфирных элементов (телепрограмм, кинофильмов, сериалов, мультфильмов и др.), вышедших в эфир в начале 2018 г. Оказалось, что более половины из них не имели знаков возрастной маркировки. Зачастую телеканалы использовали маркировку «16+», хотя ее применение в интервале с 7 часов до 21 часа является нарушением закона; при этом размещение в эфире информационных программ с маркировкой «18+» проходило без нарушений. Полученные результаты позволяют сделать вывод о необходимости совершенствования указанного закона и о подготовке кадров для его грамотного использования в практике телевещания

Production of Aspergillus oryzae RCAM 01133 biomass with increased protein and polysaccharides content using by-products of food industry

The biomass of filamentous fungi is a promising source of protein and carbohydrate. It can be used as an unconventional substrate in technologies for obtaining food and feed ingredients. The studies show that the fungus Aspergillus oryzae synthesizes an insufficient level of protein in the process of solid-state fermentation. The aim of the research was to develop conditions for the production of fungal biomass with a high content of protein and polysaccharides on the basis of solid-state fermentation using by-products of food industry as inexpensive substrate for biomass production. Wheat bran, soybean meal, distilled dry grains with solubles, and brewer’s spent grain were used as raw material. Results of fermentation show that the protein content was 73.4% and 82.0%, which is more than 3 times higher than in fungus grown by submerged fermentation. The studies of the biosynthesis properties of the selected strain A. oryzae RCAM 01133 confirmed the high biological value of microbial biomass cultivated using food by-products. Fermentation of micromycete on culture media containing soybean meal and DDGS provided an increase of protein content by 1.45 times. Maximum increase of amino acids was observed for isoleucine, leucine, tryptophan, and glutamic acid. The increased content of synthesized polysaccharides related to media containing wheat bran and DDGS. The highest concentrations of polysaccharides were 27.9% and 32.9%, respectively