Software Support for Team Engineering: Educational Case for IT Students

Every scientific project is a result of efforts of professionals from different working areas on the basis of their combined knowledge implementation. In the view of a team work significance for IT professionals, team work was proposed for one course from IT educational programme as the main active learning method. To engineer effective teams, SNA-methodology was implemented. The results of this implementation were discussed in the classes as an example of information technology and corresponding software tool usage for a real problem solution. A comparative analysis of two different tools was carried out, which has yielded in one more educational effect. This example of integrated learning which involve students both into professional and scientific activity was proved to be useful for educating real IT specialists

Economic communication model set

This paper details findings from the research work targeted at economic communications investigation with agent-based models usage. The agent-based model set was engineered to simulate economic communications. Money in the form of internal and external currencies was introduced into the models to support exchanges in communications. Every model, being based on the general concept, has its own peculiarities in algorithm and input data set since it was engineered to solve the specific problem. Several and different origin data sets were used in experiments: theoretic sets were estimated on the basis of static Leontief's equilibrium equation and the real set was constructed on the basis of statistical data. While simulation experiments, communication process was observed in dynamics, and system macroparameters were estimated. This research approved that combination of an agent-based and mathematical model can cause a synergetic effect. © 2017 Author(s)

Increase housing provision of citizens as a priority direction of social and economic development of the region

Set out the results of the study provide citizens with housing as a priority direction of social and economic development of the market; showed the causes of low housing provision of citizens of the Belgorod region, made conclusions and identified measures to increase housing provision in the cities of RussiayesBelgorod State National Research Universit

From the Economic Union to the Harmonisation of Higher Education in the BRICS Countries: The Experience of RUDN University

Since 2009 when Brazil, Russia, India, and China (South Africa since 2011) joined in the international organisation aimed at the economic development of the countries, and gain financial stability, the relations between the countries too boosted via political and cultural cooperation. The new economic, political and social environment has a high demand for competent specialists ready to work in various national agendas and interrelated frameworks of the BRICS. In this context, it is argued that professional training in the countries under discussion should be correlated as it provides grounds for quality assurance in education that contributes to the nations’ sustainable development, safety, and human rights provision. This situation determines the topicality of the issue. The objective of this research is to study the higher educational environment in the BRICS countries and to compare some aspects of professional training. In doing so, the study aims to present the experience of RUDN University as one of the BRICS university network members. The hypothesis states that the harmonisation of higher education systems within regional organisations can contribute to the enhancement of both international standards and individual learning paths, thus fostering youth rights for education in line with quality standards and individual preferences. To accomplish the objectives of the study, it uses the following methods - the review of the current research, formal document and online resources on higher education in the BRICS countries; the survey of the undergraduates, graduates, and postgraduates on their motivation to academic mobility, and collaboration in the frameworks of BRICS higher education. The data has been analysed employing the methods of statistical processing, qualitative and quantitative methods. The findings of the current research include the outcomes and findings on the harmonisation of higher education in the frameworks of BRICS higher education. The study will contribute to further development of BRICS countries education and the harmonisation of higher education. &nbsp

Biases in studies of spatial patterns in insect herbivory

The properties of the human mind are responsible for a number of biases that affect the quality of scientific research. However, scientists working in the fields of ecology and environmental science rarely take these biases into account. We conducted a meta‐analysis of data extracted from 125 publications comparing woody plant damage by defoliating insects in different environments in order to understand the extent to which our knowledge on spatial patterns in herbivory is affected by various biases. We asked which research methods are most prone to biases and whether these biases lead to overestimation of the effects under study. The effect sizes (ESs) decreased with increases in the numbers of plant species involved in the study, with 61% lower ESs for herbivory estimated on all plants growing in study plots compared to herbivory on selected species. ESs also depended on the leaf sampling procedure: when all leaves from a tree or branch were sampled for measurements of herbivory or when random or systematic selection protocols were applied, ESs were 74% smaller than in cases of more subjective haphazard selection. In addition, ESs were 97% and 135% greater when the person conducting sampling and measuring was aware of the research hypothesis or sample origin, when compared with situations when the observer was blinded to these factors. The impacts of cognitive biases on the study outcomes significantly decreased with the increase in publication year; however, this pattern emerged mostly due to high‐ranked journals and was non‐significant for other journals. Using the studies of spatial patterns in herbivory as an example, we showed that our ecological and environmental knowledge is considerably biased due to an unconscious tendency of researchers to find support for their hypotheses and expectations, which generally leads to overestimation of the effects under study. Cognitive biases can be avoided by using different methods, such as applying randomization procedures in sampling and blinding of research hypotheses and sample origins. These measures should be seen as obligatory; otherwise, accumulation of the biased results in primary studies may ultimately lead to false general conclusions in subsequent research synthesis.</p

Latitudinal pattern in community-wide herbivory does not match the pattern in herbivory averaged across common plant species

The latitudinal herbivory hypothesis (LHH) predicts that plant losses to herbivores decrease from low to high latitudes. Although the LHH is a community-level hypothesis, it has been rarely tested with data on community-wide herbivory, i.e. the percentage of annual production of foliar biomass consumed by insects from all plant species at a given site. Therefore, we asked whether community-wide leaf herbivory follows the same latitudinal pattern as observed for an unweighted average of herbivory across common plant species. We selected 10 study sites in boreal forests from 60 to 69 degrees N along a 1,000-km long latitudinal gradient in NW Russia. We measured relative foliar losses to insect herbivores in seven woody plant species (jointly comprising over 95% of the community-wide above-ground biomass) and estimated their current-year foliar biomass. We averaged leaf herbivory for all seven species and calculated community-wide leaf herbivory by weighting the relative foliar losses of each plant species against the contribution of that species to the annual foliar biomass production. Leaf herbivory was five-fold higher in deciduous species than in conifers. Latitudinal patterns in herbivory varied from a significant poleward decrease in all deciduous species to a significant poleward increase in Norway spruce. Herbivory values, averaged across seven plant species, decreased with latitude and followed the pattern observed in deciduous plants due to their higher foliar losses compared with conifers. By contrast, community-wide herbivory did not change with latitude. This discrepancy emerged because the proportion of deciduous plant foliage in the community increased with increasing latitude, and this increase counterbalanced the simultaneous poleward decrease in losses of these species to insects. Synthesis. The herbivory measured by averaging relative losses of individual plant species and community-wide herbivory is likely to show different latitudinal patterns in various plant communities. The contributions of plant species to the total foliar biomass production should be taken into account in studies of spatial patterns of herbivory which test community-level hypotheses. This approach may provide new insight into macroecological research on biotic interactions and improve our understanding of the role of insect herbivores in ecosystem-level processes

Orbitally induced hierarchy of exchange interactions in zigzag antiferromagnetic state of honeycomb silver delafossite Ag3Co2SbO6

We report the revised crystal structure, static and dynamic magnetic properties of quasi-two dimensional honeycomb-lattice silver delafossite Ag3Co2SbO6. The magnetic susceptibility and specific heat data are consistent with the onset of antiferromagnetic long range order at low temperatures with N\'eel temperature TN ~ 21.2 K. In addition, the magnetization curves revealed a field-induced (spin-flop type) transition below TN in moderate magnetic fields. The GGA+U calculations show the importance of the orbital degrees of freedom, which maintain a hierarchy of exchange interaction in the system. The strongest antiferromagnetic exchange coupling was found in the shortest Co-Co pairs and is due to direct and superexchange interactions between the half-filled xz+yz orbitals pointing directly to each other. The other four out of six nearest neighbor exchanges within the cobalt hexagon are suppressed, since for these bonds active half-filled orbitals turned out to be parallel and do not overlap. The electron spin resonance (ESR) spectra reveal a Gaussian shape line attributed to Co2+ ion in octahedral coordination with average effective g-factor g=2.3+/-0.1 at room temperature and shows strong divergence of ESR parameters below 120 K, which imply an extended region of short-range correlations. Based on the results of magnetic and thermodynamic studies in applied fields, we propose the magnetic phase diagram for the new honeycomb-lattice delafossite

Communication agent-based model usage for imbalance detection in a manufacturing system

This article contains the results of the research dealt with interactions between agents in an economic manufacturing system. The computer agent-based model which simulates the life cycle of a manufacturing system has been developed. The life cycle process consists of two cyclically repeated stages: the communication stage and the production stage. Data in the model corresponds to the Leontief’s static equilibrium. Experiments have identified dependencies between the manufacturing system life cycle interval and conditions of the equilibrium violation. The research results can be used to determine the methods of the negative influence on manufacturing system compensation.В статье приведены результаты исследования взаимодействия между агентами экономической производственной системы. Для изучения процесса была разработана имитационная агент-ориентированная компьютерная модель, имитирующая жизненный цикл производственной системы, состоящий из двух циклически повторяющихся этапов: коммуникационного и производственного. Данные в модели соответствуют уравнениям статического баланса Леонтьева. В ходе экспериментов были определены зависимости между длительностью жизненного цикла производственной системы и возникающими нарушениями баланса. Результаты исследования могут быть использованы при определении методов компенсации негативных воздействий на производственные системы

Triadic method for structural balance evaluation

За глобальными социальными сетями стали почти не видны малые социальные сети – малые группы. Однако большинство из нас участвуют в производственной деятельности, становясь членом малой производственной группы, учатся, становясь при этом членом другой малой группы – академической группы в университете. Методология анализа социальных сетей (SNA-методология) предлагает методы и информационные инструменты для изучения социальных групп, в том числе и малых. В ходе исследования, проведенного в одном из департаментов Уральского федерального университета, были накоплены данные, позволяющие оценить коммуникационные связи между студентами отдельных академических групп. На основе этих данных был проведен анализ устойчивости одной из академических групп, для которой был сгенерирован триадный вектор. Существующие теории структурного баланса ограничивают вид триад, которые обеспечивают баланс в сети. Проведенный анализ показал, что рассмотренная академическая группа достаточно сбалансирована по структуре и отличается повышенной степенью транзитивности.In comparison to global social networks small networks are paid less research attention. But most of us are involved in manufacturing activity,thus becoming a member of a small manufacturing group or study at the University entering an academic group.SNA-methodolgy (SNA – Social Network Analysis) proposes special methods and information instruments for social groups including small groups study.In the ranks of the research work held in the Ural Federal University department data about communications between students from different academic groups was collected. This data becomes the base for these communications evaluating.Using this data for triadic vector estimation the analysis of the appropriate academic group sustainability was conducted. Comprehensive theories of sustainability restrict the set of possible triad types which support structural balance in a network.The analysis showed that the group under discussion may be considered as a sustainable one and it has the increased level of transitivity as compared to the estimated value