bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Application of probabilistic and stochastic models and data mining for forecasting the contingent of old age pension recipients in the context of systemic uncertainty
Authors: Zarudnyi Oleksii , Koval Roman
Published: November 2024

The object of the research is mathematical models for forecasting the contingent of pension recipients in conditions of uncertainty caused by both the reform of the pension system and the impact of armed aggression. Based on the study of statistical information on the structure and dynamics of the contingent of pension recipients, an approach to uncovering systemic uncertainty in the task of forecasting the contingent of pensioners is proposed. This work is part of a study of the application of data mining methods of intellectual data analysis and mathematical modeling in information technology intended for use in the pension system. The main focus of this work is on forecasting the dynamics of the contingent of pension recipients by age, in particular, forecasting the number of newly appointed pensions. The difficulty of forecasting the contingent of pension recipients, in particular by age, is connected with the fact that it is necessary to ensure the representativeness and variability of data sets. In addition, it should be taken into account that a significant number of factors must be included in the model in accordance with the requirements of regulatory documents. Another problematic issue is that the time series of the investigated indicators, such as data on the insurance experience of insured persons (based on the results of a sample survey), may contain significant (more than 40 %) gaps that can be filled only on the basis of primary (paper) documents. Therefore, the input data sets are formed with assumptions about the probability of the accumulation of insurance experience in various groups of insured persons. The paper proposes an analytical toolkit based on the use of probabilistic and statistical models in the form of Bayesian networks, intended for use in specialized decision-making support systems of the Ukrainian pension system. In the course of the study, a number of numerical experiments were carried out, in which the correctness of the proposed method was investigated. The proposals presented in the paper will improve the stability of the pension system of Ukraine, including through a more accurate definition of the dynamics of the contingent of pension recipients and, accordingly, the costs of pension payments. The proposed models and methods can be used as part of decision-making support systems of state and public administration bodies to analyze the results of reforming the pension system.
Distribution of heavy metals in core sediments of Southern Iraq Waterways
Authors: Al-Imarah Faris , Al-Najare Ghasan , Al-Faiz Nawras , Younis Kadhim
Published: November 2024

The object of the study is heavy metals in the Shatt Al-Arab River. Shatt Al-Arab River is considered one of the most important internal rivers in Iraq due to its multiple economic and social importance. In addition, this river has an important strategic location. Despite its importance mentioned above, the Shatt Al-Arab River suffers from various wastes from many and varied sources, which have directly affected the quality of its water and consequently the quality of the community of living organisms that live in it. Levels and distribution of certain heavy metals, Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, and Pb, were determined in core sediments from Southern Iraq Waterways. Six sites were investigated, two in the lower reaches of Al-Hammar Marsh, 1) El-Barka, 2) El-Garmah, and four sites along Shatt Al-Arab River, 3) Al-Ashar, 4) Abu Al-Khaseeb, 5) Abu Floos Port, and 6) Al-Faw. The results indicate that Al-Faw station was distinguished by the fact that the highest values of heavy elements were obtained at this station and all depths, except Cd at Al-Ashar station at a depth of 25 cm (26.1375 μ/gm), Cu at a core depth of 50 cm (4.9635 μ/gm), Ni at a core depth of 25 cm (5.2483 μ/gm), and surface water (2.9021 μ/gm) and Pb in surface water at Abu Floos Port station (3.5001 μ/gm). The lowest concentrations of heavy elements for Cu, Mn, and Ni are in all depths of core sediments. Other elements, Cd, Pb, and Fe, were higher; on the other hand, higher levels of concentrations for all studied heavy metals were recorded at a depth of 100 cm. Iron was the highest in all depths of core sediments.
Development of the model and improvement of the method of automated control of steam turbine parameters to minimize the power imbalance in the energy system to increase its efficiency
Authors: Kryvda Viktoriia , Maksymov Maksym , Zubak Viktor , Ivaneiev Andrii , Ryaboshapka Ruslan
Published: November 2024

The object of research is the process of regulating power imbalances due to automated control of steam turbine parameters. The work solves the problem of minimizing power imbalances in the electric power system by developing a model of automated control of steam turbine parameters. This will ensure high-quality regulation of frequency and power, increase the efficiency and stability of the electric power system, and provide a new management method for reliable power supply to consumers.
The paper analyzes existing models and methods of power imbalance regulation, develops a dynamic model of automated control of K-300-240 steam turbines, which includes a mechanical-hydraulic system, a steam boiler and a steam superheater. As a result of the study, an improved power regulation method was proposed, which ensures efficient operation of the electric power system. The evaluation of the effectiveness of the regulation of imbalances was carried out on the basis of the proposed criterion of the efficiency of electricity supply and consumption, which is based on the convolution of partial criteria into the general criterion of the efficiency of electricity supply. The following criteria were proposed as partial criteria for electricity supply and consumption: volume criterion, quality criterion, and electricity supply efficiency criterion. The research results indicate the need for a reserve on each steam turbine in the amount of 10 % of its nominal power, which is explained by the assessment of the efficiency of electricity supply among the considered modes of operation of the systems. The presence of a power reserve on each steam turbine in the amount of 10 % of their nominal power ensures the most efficient power supply within the considered modes of operation of the power system, taking into account disturbances and as an imbalance of power generation and power consumption. The obtained research results can be applied in the strategy of primary regulation of power imbalances in the electric power system, thanks to the creation of a power reserve in the amount of 10 % of the nominal power on each steam turbine, and the organization of automated control of steam turbine parameters.
Substantiation of safety and quality indicators of natural mineral and spring waters in Ukraine for the preparation of food for infants
Authors: Kysylevska Alona , Prokopovych Ihor , Kokhan Svitlana
Published: November 2024

The object of the research is regulatory support for the use of natural mineral waters and spring waters for the preparation of food for infants. Along with drinking water, natural mineral water is used for the preparation of food for infants, which is more protected from contamination. Currently, there are no approved safety parameters for natural mineral waters and spring waters in Ukraine, as well as requirements for markings on packaging or labeling that relate to the suitability of these waters for feeding infants. In this work, based on the results of the analysis of the current legal documents of European countries (Poland, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, France, Germany) on the use of natural mineral waters in the preparation of food for infants, the indicators of the safety and quality of natural mineral and spring waters in Ukraine in the preparation of food are substantiated food for infants. Because of the specific physiological needs of children at an early age, water for cooking is an important factor in their normal psychophysical development. Water for preparing infant food must meet stricter criteria for total mineralization (suggested: ≤500 mg/l), the content of certain macro-components, nitrites (suggested: ≤0.1 mg/l), nitrates (suggested: ≤10 mg/l), ammonium (suggested: ≤0.1 mg/l), fluorides (suggested: ≤0.7 mg/l), sanitary and microbiological indicators (suggested normalization of the indicator of the total microbial number in the finished product). The peculiarities of the technology of industrial packaging of natural mineral waters and spring waters for the preparation of infant food are outlined. These waters are packaged only non-carbonated, without the addition of any preservatives or disinfectants. Packaging of these waters should take place near water points, which should be reliably protected from biological and chemical contamination. The obtained results can be used for the development and approval of a normative legal act in Ukraine on the regulation of the use of natural mineral waters and spring waters for the preparation of infant food.
Formation of leadership competences in the context of emergent development of the IT industry
Authors: Zhylinska Oksana , Tyshchenko Anzhela
Published: November 2024

The object of research is processes and approaches to the development of leadership competencies of personnel in IT organizations.
The research is devoted to the analysis of the features of the formation of leadership competencies in the context of the emergent development of the IT industry. The work examines the evolution of concepts of corporate training and their adaptation to the specifics of the IT sphere, which is characterized by a high rate of technological changes and innovation. Traditional and innovative forms of personnel development are analyzed, with a special emphasis on their effectiveness in the context of the IT industry.
A survey was conducted among employees of IT companies, which revealed high leadership potential and willingness to accept responsibility among industry specialists. At the same time, certain gaps in the development of certain competencies have been identified, in particular, regarding the ability to effectively delegate tasks and make risky decisions. The results of the study emphasize the need to adapt traditional leadership models to the unique requirements of the IT industry, with a focus on the development of technical competence, innovative thinking and adaptability.
The paper offers recommendations for improving leadership development programs in IT companies. These recommendations include the implementation of flexible learning formats that combine online and offline components, as well as the use of modern technologies, such as virtual and augmented reality, to develop leadership skills. Special attention is paid to the development of such competencies as managing virtual teams and cross-cultural leadership, which are becoming more and more relevant in the context of the globalization of the IT industry.
The paper outlines directions for further research, in particular the study of the impact of artificial intelligence and machine learning on the formation of leadership competencies in the IT sphere. The results of the study have both theoretical and practical value for the development of effective strategies for the development of leadership potential in IT companies, which will contribute to increasing their competitiveness on the global market.
Entropy as a factor of influence on energy security management of enterprises
Authors: Prokhorova Viktoriia , Budanov Mykola
Published: November 2024

Energy security management of the enterprise in conditions of entropy is an important aspect that includes adaptation to changes in the external environment and internal processes. The object of research is entropy, as a measure of uncertainty and chaos in energy systems, which affects the energy security management of enterprises. The problem of a comprehensive approach to the study and implementation of methods for calculating entropy indicators, which would take into account entropy in the energy security management, is solved.
The conducted analysis shows how the level of entropy in the supply of energy resources, in particular coal, electricity and alternative sources, affects the stability, sustainability and adaptability of management strategies aimed at ensuring energy security management.
The essence of the obtained results is that the study shows the importance of energy security management of enterprises in the conditions of entropy, which is a measure of uncertainty in energy systems. Entropy acts as a key factor influencing the energy security management, as it reflects the level of chaos and uncertainty in the supply of energy resources.
It is shown that the level of entropy directly affects the stability and adaptability of management strategies, which allows enterprises to better respond to external challenges and internal risks. The use of mathematical models, in particular Shannon's formulas, makes it possible to quantitatively assess the level of entropy and identify potential risks arising in energy systems. Awareness of the impact of entropy on management decisions helps enterprises to optimize processes, predict threats and reduce negative consequences.
The research results reflect the complex interplay between entropy, management strategies and external challenges, emphasizing the importance of an adaptive approach in energy security management.
The research focuses on practical aspects. From a practical point of view, awareness of the impact of entropy on management decisions allows enterprises to optimize management processes, predict potential threats, and reduce the negative consequences of external and internal risks.
The results of this research can become the basis for the formation of new management strategies capable of effectively responding to the modern challenges of the energy sector.
Multiple employment relationships, precariousness and psychosocial suffering in the daily life of a university hospital
Authors: Bastos Juliano Almeida
Published: November 2024

Abstract Introduction in a university hospital, multiple employment relationships are adopted, implying distinct contract regimes and also distinct employers. In this context, there are four types of employment relationships: civil servants, employees, outsourced workers, and public hired employees, who, working side by side, coexist with differences such as salaries, working hours, union representation, among others. Objective to understand the psychosocial demands faced by workers in the daily work environment of a university hospital. Methods Ethnographic study based on the framework of Social Psychology of Work. The following procedures were used: observation, field diary, interviews, and document analysis. The material produced was subjected to thematic analysis. Results: the different forms of employment relationships between workers and the studied hospital impose unequal relationships, giving rise to experiences of competition, hostility, individualization, uncertainty, insecurity, anguish, and injustice, shaping a work routine in which psychosocial suffering becomes an attribute of the job. Conclusion multiple employment relationships weaken the collective organization of workers, undermine rights, and establish a scenario of constant tension with repercussions on mental health.
Validação de recurso educacional para fonoaudiólogos sobre o uso do videofeedback na capacitação de famílias de crianças com deficiência auditiva
Authors: Martins Gabrielly de Souza , Santos Ingrid Rafaella Dantas dos , Brazorotto Joseli Soares
Published: November 2024

RESUMO Objetivo desenvolver e validar um recurso educacional direcionado aos fonoaudiólogos para a aplicação do videofeedback na capacitação de famílias de crianças com deficiência auditiva. Métodos estudo metodológico de validação. O recurso educacional desenvolvido consistiu em um manual que aborda os fundamentos do videofeedback e fornece um guia passo a passo para sua aplicação adaptada à capacitação de famílias de crianças com deficiência auditiva, com tutorial em vídeo para revisão do conteúdo, além de uma seção especial com dois vídeos de interação família-criança e um formulário de análise para estudo de caso. Participaram da pesquisa sete fonoaudiólogos de um serviço de reabilitação auditiva do Sistema Único de Saúde, que julgaram o manual e o tutorial em vídeo por meio de uma adaptação do Instrumento de Validação de Conteúdo Educativo em Saúde. Resultados o recurso educacional foi considerado válido em termos de relevância e adequação de conteúdo e apresentação, com Índice de Validade de Conteúdo superior a 0,80, incorporando sugestões dos fonoaudiólogos avaliadores. O produto final deste estudo pode ser acessado e está disponível como Recurso Educacional Aberto em site institucional. Conclusão o recurso educacional foi validado e contribuirá para a formação contínua de fonoaudiólogos sobre o procedimento de videofeedback aplicado na capacitação de famílias de crianças com deficiência auditiva, com potencial de melhoria nos resultados terapêuticos dessa população e aperfeiçoamento da interação família-criança.
Polymeric Nanoparticles Revolutionizing Brain Cancer Therapy: A Comprehensive Review of Strategies and Advances
Authors: Wahengbam Gilchrist Singh , Nirmal Sakshi , Nandwana Jai , Kar Swatileena , Kumari Vandana , Mishra Rajeev , Singh Abhijeet
Published: November 2024

Brain cancer continues to be one of the most formidable malignancies to manage, mainly attributable to the presence of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) limiting the permeability of drugs and the diverse characteristics of brain tumors complicating treatment. The management of brain tumors has been hampered by many different factors, including the impermeability of the BBB, which restricts the delivery of chemotherapeutic agents to the tumor site, as well as intertumoral heterogeneity and the influence of brain tumor stem cells. In addition, small molecular weight drugs cannot specifically accumulate in malignant cells and have a limited circulation half-life. Nanoparticles (NPs) can be engineered to traverse the BBB and transport therapeutic medications directly into the brain, enhancing their efficacy compared with the conventional delivery of unbound drugs. Surface modifications of NPs can boost their efficiency by increasing their selectivity towards tumor receptors. This review covers treatment methods for malignant gliomas, associated risk factors, and improvements in brain drug administration, emphasizing the future potential of polymeric NPs and their mechanism for crossing the BBB. To surmount these obstacles, the newly formulated drug-delivery approach utilizing NPs, particularly those coated with cell membranes, has demonstrated potential in treating brain cancer. These NPs provide targeted tumor specificity, biocompatibility, extended circulation, enhanced BBB penetration, and immune evasion. This review focuses on coating strategies for PLGA NPs, particularly dual-targeting methods, to enhance BBB permeability and tumor-targeted delivery of drugs in brain cancer.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TOCILIZUMAB USE AND EOSINOPHIL COUNT IN PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS: A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY
Authors: Yorulmaz Elem , Geler Külcü Duygu
Published: November 2024

Objective: This study aimed to determine the relationship between tosilizumab use and eosinophil counts
in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
Material and Methods: Thirty five patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) receiving either synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) or tocilizumab treatment were included in this
study. Patient age and disease duration, disease activity parameters and eosinophil values were recorded.
Results: Comparing the eosinophil counts and percentages of the DMARD group with the Tocilizumab
group, any statistically significant differences were found. There was no significant difference in eosinophil counts and percentages in the DMARD group in repeated measurements. However, in the Tocilizumab
group, there was a significant difference in both parameters.
Conclusion: A significant increase in eosinophil counts was observed in the group receiving tocilizumab
therapy at the 1st month. Therefore, during treatment monitoring, especially in the early stages, attention
should also be paid to eosinophil values.
Deliberative Democracy in Practice: Handbooks on Commissioning, Facilitating, and Evaluating Deliberative Processes
Authors: Massie Joanna
Published: November 2024

Governments seeking to address declining trust, increasing polarisation, and greater complexity in government policy have increasingly turned to democratic innovations to engage citizens. For practitioners and academics alike, the term ‘deliberative wave’ has become shorthand to describe the increased popularity of these tools and the emergence of a field of study that has the potential to revitalise citizen-state relationships. The practical handbooks reviewed here present a mosaic of tools, resources, and lessons from experience to ensure the successful commissioning, organisation, and facilitation of deliberative mini-publics (DMPs). They each provide valuable insights based on years of expertise developed running processes with publics (Enabling National Initiatives, Facilitating Deliberation) or consolidating a vast array of international experience (Assembling an Assembly, Innovative Citizen Participation, EvaluationGuidelines, Eight Ways to Institutionalise). In this review I reflect on definitions of deliberation; why these guides argue DMPs are important; and the connection between deliberative democracy theory and practice.
Técnicas Baseadas em Refatoração para resolver Requirements Smells
Authors:   Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Nascimento Rafael , Neto Francisco ,   Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, Alencar Fernada ,   Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Ramos Ricardo ,   Universidade Federal do Vale do São Francisco, Aranha Eduardo , Lucena Márcia ,   Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte
Published: November 2024

A Especificação de Requisitos de Linguagem Natural é a tipo mais comum de documentação usada no desenvolvimento de sistemas. No entanto, a Linguagem Natural, devido à má escrita, pode geram ambiguidade e outros defeitos que acabam comprometendo os critérios de qualidade de requisitos como compreensão, clareza, completude e outros. Requirements Smells são problemas de escrita na especificação de requisitos de linguagem natural. No entanto, não existem estudos sobre formas sistemáticas de corrigir Requirements Smells e garantir a Qualidade dos Requisitos. O objetivo deste trabalho consiste no desenvolvimento de Técnicas de Refatoração para corrigir Requirements Smells e garantir os Critérios de Qualidade. As técnicas de refatoração foram desenvolvidas seguindo o modelo proposto por Martin Fowler para refatoração de código. Espera-se que as aplicações das técnicas possam ser eficazes, trazendo diversos benefícios como a melhoria da qualidade.
Projeto e Análise de um Sistema para Aquecimento de Lagos Artificiais para Criação de Carpas-Koi
Authors: Muller Gustavo Henrique , Kuffel Júlia , Carvalho Priscila Tanno Nogueira de , Pfitscher Ricardo Jose , Storch Siméia Paula
Published: November 2024

O controle da temperatura em lagos para criação de carpas-koi é essencial para o bom desenvolvimento dos animais. Normalmente, a manutenção da temperatura em níveis ideais requer a utilização de aquecedores elétricos, que implicam em custos excessivos aos criadores. Neste trabalho é proposto um sistema de Internet of Things (IoT) que utiliza a combinação de resistências elétricas com canos pretos expostos ao sol para auxiliar no aquecimento da água a mantê-la entre 20 °C e 30 °C. O monitoramento da temperatura da água e do funcionamento do sistema foi feito através de sensores conectados à internet utilizando um micro controlador. Após modelagem matemática da perda de calor e quantidade de energia necessária, chegou-se à conclusão de que com uma resistência de 10KW, o sistema levará cerca de 24 horas para elevar a temperatura de 20 °C para 30 °C sem o auxílio da energia solar e 21 horas com o uso da energia solar, um ganho de 10%.
Cyclic tests of viscoelastic highly elastic materials according to the ‘Nested cycles’ program
Authors:   Institute of Continuous Media Mechanics UB RAS, Garishin Oleg K. , Shadrin Vladimir V. ,   Institute of Continuous Media Mechanics UB RAS,   Perm State University, Voznyakovskii Alexander P. ,   S.V. Lebedev Institute of Synthetic Rubber, Neverovskaya Anna Yu. ,   S.V. Lebedev Institute of Synthetic Rubber
Published: November 2024

Experimental studies of the viscoelastic properties of elastomeric nanocomposites based on styrene-butadiene rubber and binary filler (carbon black and detonation nanodiamonds) were carried out. In order to most effectively identify the features of the viscoelastic behavior of these materials (which depend not only on the deformation but also on its rate), we used a special test program with ‘nested cycles’ developed at the Institute of Continuous Media Mechanics of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. During testing, the sample is subjected to uniaxial cyclic loading with the amplitude and rate of deformation decreasing at each step. At the beginning and end of the cycle (i.e., at minimum and maximum cyclic deformations), the grips of the tensile testing machine are stopped for a fixed period of time to measure relaxation dependences. Such an approach allows obtaining the maximum amount of information about both viscous and elastic properties of the tested material in one experiment. The mass content of nanodiamond particles in all samples was the same (7 parts by mass), the proportion of carbon black varied (23, 33 and 43 parts by mass). The equilibrium stress-strain curves (which are very important for theorists for constructing the governing rheological equations) were calculated based on experimental relaxation dependences (stress versus time). An analysis of stress-strain loading curves made it possible to obtain concentration dependences of mechanical characteristics such as maximum and minimum cyclic stresses, initial, minimum and maximum moduli for the first loading curve (elastic properties), hysteresis of cyclic losses (viscous properties at different loading rates). The Mullins softening effect (a drop in elastomer stiffness after the first loading cycle) was also studied.
‘I’m a historian by training…’. History in the Scientific, Journalistic and Literary Discourses of Vladimir Sharov
Authors:   Perm State University, Abasheva Marina P. ,   Perm State Humanitarian-Pedagogical University, Kiose Oksana A. ,   Perm National Research Polytechnic University,   Perm State Humanitarian-Pedagogical University
Published: November 2024

The article deals with the historiosophic concept of Russian novelist Vladimir Sharov, namely with the origins of its formation. Discourse and narratological analyses of Sharov’s texts reveal the evolution of his historical and philosophical concept and its variation depending on the type of discourse. The study identifies the principles of processing and representation of historical material in Sharov’s scientific works (this paper is the first to examine his PhD thesis in detail), in his journalistic works and novels. Sharov’s views as a thinker and his techniques as a writer begin to form in his academic historiographical study of historian S. F. Platonov’s legacy: the author focuses on the problems of the Time of Troubles and adopts the approach of using private testimonies and literary texts as sources. Sharov’s journalistic articles conceptualize and scale up the experience of his scientific historical research: the Time of Troubles is seen as an invariant of other instances of Russian turmoil; revolutions and changes of power are treated as recurring patterns; historical events are comprehended in the logic of religious, social, and political constants of Russian mentality. In the novels, these concepts become the background and the starting point for the unfolding of literary metaphors, fantasy assumptions and, eventually, the writer’s profound insights. The study of Sharov’s fictional texts leads to a conclusion that his prose is dominated by the metanarratives of messianism, eschatology, providentiality of Russia’s path, and the cyclical nature of history. The conclusion is made about the decisive role of Sharov’s historical research experience in the formation of his artistic method, about the mechanisms of transformation of historical discourse into fictional discourse, about the nature of Sharov’s historiosophic concept, rooted in domestic culture, but having its own specificity.
Allegory and Allusion in the Fairy Tale ‘Dried Vobla’ by Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin
Authors:   North-West Institute of Management of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, Alyakrinskaya Marina A.
Published: November 2024

The article explores M. E. Saltykov-Shchedrin’s fairy tale Dried Vobla, which is traditionally considered as a manifesto against liberalism and philosophy of ‘moderation and accuracy’. According to Vladimir Lenin’s estimation, the main character of the fairy tale represents the cultural and historical context of the ‘small deeds’ theory used by the right Narodniks as well as ‘liberalism betrayals’ of the 1880s. The author of the paper regards existing estimations as speculative in their nature due to the complexity of the text of the fairy tale: it uses allegories and Aesopian language, has a complicated composition structure. The paper considers the fairy tale as an allegory of the history of the political and literary newspaper Golos (Saint Petersburg, 1863–1884) as well as of the biography of its publisher and editor Andrey Krayevsky. This theory is proved by the closeness of the main character’s views to the policy of the newspaper as well as by the plot of the tale (where the vobla, though firstly being successful, is eventually eaten by ‘slanderers’) that replicates the history of the newspaper (which was a semi-official organ of press of the Loris-Melnikov’s government, closed after the assassination of Alexander II due to the conservative media persecution headed by Mikhail Katkov’s Moskovskie Vedomosti). The historico-philosophical concept of the tale is mainly explained in digressions (which are contextually similar to the writer’s journalist series, mainly Poshehonsky Stories, Unfinished Talks, and Motley Letters, where is discussed the danger of public indifference, the ‘motley man’ (‘weathervane man’), and the features of national sobering, inevitably resulting in a bloodbath. The study of the tale in the cultural and historical context of the time and through the lens of the writer’s journalist series of the 1880s makes it possible to regard the tale not only as ‘condemning’ some certain ideological trends (movements) but also as a complex story covering social, historical, and existentialism problems.
The Artist-Spy in V. Nabokov’s Short Story ‘The Assistant Producer’: the Representation of Sensorial and Aesthetic Experience
Authors:   University of Tyumen, Drozdova Anastasiia O.
Published: November 2024

he article is devoted to the analysis of The Assistant Producer, Vladimir Nabokov’s first short story in English. The study explores how V. Nabokov interprets the problem of the author’s identity in foreign readers’ audience. The structural-semiotic and intertextual methods are used in the paper to identify the narrative techniques organizing the intrigue in the short story: the exposure of the character as a triple agent and the narrator as an artist. The narrator focuses on the optical and sound effects of cinema as well as on the foreign accent in other characters’ speech. These peculiarities of the narrator’s perception show his perceptive and language sensitiveness inherent in an artist. The pseudo-documental cinema world includes the legends of Stepan Razin, portraits by impressionists and post-impressionists, and emigre literature. The artistic world is constructed through the images conveying the aberrations of perception, smells and the senses of touch, which are difficult to verbalize, unmotivated alliterations, allusions that are hard to interpret for foreign readers. Perceptive images and literary allusions construct the plot about the communicative mistake: from the narrator’s point of view, the cinema shows the world of Russian emigre inaccurately, but it reveals the banality of the intentions of the character-executioner. V. Nabokov assesses incompleteness as a key characteristic of intercultural communication, motivated by the differences in recipients’ sensorial and reading experience. V. Nabokov’s strategy is to highlight the inexpressible characteristics of his sensorial and creative (reading and writing) experience. Communicative mistakes inspire co-creative reading. At the beginning of his American career, V. Nabokov develops the idea that a genius writer can convey his sensorial, aesthetic, and language experience despite the communicative borders.
The Philosophical Ideas of Søren Kierkegaard and Gabriel Marcel in Walker Percy’s Novel ‘The Moviegoer’
Authors:   Bashkir State Pedagogical University named after M. Akmulla, Nikulina Alla K.
Published: November 2024

The article analyzes the philosophical aspect of Walker Percy’s novel The Moviegoer, created under the influence of European existentialist ideas. The formal aspects of the text organization were borrowed by the writer from Sartre and Camus, while the idea of the novel was shaped under the influence of Kierkegaard’s and Marcel’s philosophy. The central theme of the novel is the overcoming of despair and discovery of faith as a source of both personal happiness and social well-being. Kierkegaard’s concept of freedom as the necessary basis for spiritual self-realization is contrasted in the novel with Sartre’s atheistic perception of freedom, demonstrating the impossibility of discovering one’s own identity in a godless world. The image of the central character in the novel is consciously based by the writer on Kierkegaard’s philosophical ideas, his interpretation of the main stages of human life, the opposition between faith and despair. But while Kierkegaard’s attention is focused on the act of gaining faith through the irrational leap, Percy is more attracted to the idea of a path that helps the character to move from one spiritual level of existence to another as a result of reflection and deliberate moral choice. This fact demonstrates the affinity between Percy’s and Marcel’s philosophical views. Percy also shares Marcel’s belief that the discovery of God cannot take place prior to the acknowledgement of a human person’s significance. Unlike Kierkegaard, the knight of faith in Percy’s and Marcel’s writings gains both the inner peace of mind and the ability to interact with the outside world quite successfully. The research demonstrates that while Kierkegaard’s ideas largely determine the initial situation in the novel, Marcel’s views eventually turn out to be dominant in Percy’s literary creation.
General Designations of Weeds in Russian Dialects of the Perm Region: A Motivational Aspect (based on dialect dictionaries)
Authors:   Perm State University, Granova Mariia A.
Published: November 2024

The article examines lexical units being general designations of weeds in Russian dialects of the Perm region. Data from dialect dictionaries of the region were used as research material. The aim was to study the motivational semantics of these lexemes. In the course of research, the motivational characteristics underlying the general names of weeds were identified, motivational models according to which these lexemes are formed were constructed, the general principles of designating weeds in Perm dialects were determined. It has been proven that phytonyms in Perm dialects can have multiple motivations. The study explores the ideas of Russian residents of the region about weeds reflected in dialect phytonyms. The main one is the idea of the uselessness of weeds on the farm (pustaya trava, sornyak, sornaya trava, sor, khlam, dudora, shelobon', batarma, chashcha, durnina, durnotrav'e, durnyak, durman; in this case the semantics often develops according to the model ‘waste, garbage, trash, rubbish’ → ‘weeds’; this is the most frequent semantic-motivational model in the considered group of vocabulary); designations reflecting objective characteristics of plants (features of the structure of the stem and leaves (dubinnik, batozh'e, dudka), properties of weeds (deryuga, deryaga, deryazhka, lipuchaya trava, suvolotka, suvoloka)) are less frequent in the study area and are of a concrete nature (trail along the ground, stick to other objects, etc.); in a single case, the name of a weed reflected ideas about the quality of a person leading to its appearance (bab'ya len', which can be roughly translated as a woman’s laziness; with this method of naming, not only the plants themselves but also this personal quality, through association with the plants, receive a negative cultural assessment). The obtained conclusions testify in favor of the anthropocentric, evaluative, concrete-sensual nature of the dialect speakers’ worldview.
‘Crisante’ (1639) by J. de Rotrou, a Play Based on a Historical Plot: The Search for a New Tragedy
Authors:   A. S. Pushkin Library, Simonova Larisa A.
Published: November 2024

The article deals with the features of the tragic conflict and the nature of the construction of the discursive-rhetorical structure of Crisante, Rotrou’s first play on a historical plot, while determining the place of this play in the genesis of the French classic tragedy. The main problem is identifying the paradigm of dramatic thinking of classicism, which is understood as the principle of building a conflict picture of the historical world in the tragedy. The structural-semiotic approach is used in the study as the major one: it helps trace the functioning of the sign-semantic structure, the organizing role in which belongs to the absolute meaning – Power (associated with the figure of the ruler, the image of the state, political interest, laws, behavior being determined by official roles, etc.). Despite the archaic features, primarily related to the understanding of the tragic as terrible, bloody (violence, a series of suicides), Rotrou, through turning to the historical theme and highlighting the contradiction between the rational system of the general and individual arbitrariness, raises political issues, thereby opening the way to Corneille’s theater. Among the authors writing for the theater of the first half of the 17th century, Rotrou was one of the first to discover the productivity of dramatizing the problem of power due to the semantically activated image of Rome as an example of ideal statehood and a person included in this order and comprehending himself in relation to it, as well as to make the problem of the ‘Roman’ the driver of a dramatic statement. The crime caused by passion and the retribution for it discursively and rhetorically unfold as the undermining and as subsequent restoration of a reasonably justified order. However, Rotrou could not extend this new principle of tragic conflict to the entire action of the play: the figure of Antiochus, the king of Corinth (acts IV and V), falls out of the historical and political context, explicitly contradicts the heroic semantics of the first three acts, so the finale affirms the triumph of violence, cruelty, and arbitrariness. Rotrou returns to the individual tragedy of passions, determined by the influence of the aesthetics of the 16th-century theater, which assigns everyone the role of victim or executioner. All this indicates the impossibility for Rotrou to create a political tragedy without the influence of Corneille.
Comparative Analysis of the Geoconcepts ‘Beijing’ and ‘Shanghai’ in the ‘Naïve’ Geography of China
Authors:   Perm State University, Duan Jinzhi
Published: November 2024

This article focuses on the reconstruction and comparative analysis of the geocognitive concepts ‘Beijing’ and ‘Shanghai’ in the ‘naïve’ geography of China. The study is conducted within the framework of geocognitive studies developed by the Perm School of Computer Linguistics. Geocognitive studies, as a science of conceptualizing mental representations of space, enable a better understanding of people's mental maps, their perceptions of the world and adaptation in the surrounding space, which can be valuable in the development of urban projects, tourist routes, marketing strategies, and many other areas where geographic aspects are important. The method of material collection employed in the study is geocognitive mapping – an experiment aimed at creating ‘naïve’ maps conducted using the vector graphics web editor Creative Maps Studio. The research material consists of 96 ‘naïve’ maps of China created by student informants from universities in China representing 45 regions. The informants were asked to draw a map of China using the web editor and supplement the drawn objects with associations or representations related to them. The processing of the textual layer of all collected maps, necessary for subsequent modeling of geocognitive concepts, was carried out in the information system Semograph, and graphical explication of graphosemantic models of the geocognitive concepts was performed using the SciVi program. In the informants’ perceptions, the geocognitive concept ‘Beijing’ is a more complex semantic formation, based on the political role of the capital, linking the country in social, cultural, and historical aspects. The geocognitive concept ‘Shanghai’ encapsulates perceptions of an economic and commercial metropolis – the ‘Magic City’ of the modern global world. During the analysis of the cities, it was found that historical, sociocultural components, and personal experience significantly influence the associations and/or representations of informants.
The Functions of the Tokens of the Thematic Group ‘Water’ in the Lyrics of Mandelstam
Authors:   Perm State University, Dukhnova Mariia A. , Erofeeva Elena V. ,   Perm State University
Published: November 2024

The paper describes lexical units related to the hydrological subjects in Mandelstam’slyrics. The image of water and its perception by the language speakers and culture bearers occupies an important place in the worldviews, and its study in works of art helps to reveal and broaden the author’s outlook. The paper analyzes the main sources of metaphors; the focus is on the analysis of nouns as the main sources of metaphors with images of water. The material for the study included 120 poems written by Mandelstam in different periods of his creative life. From these, by continuous sampling, were selected 318 contexts containing vocabulary that names water, its properties and forms, etc., as well as objects associated with water, such as ships, vessels, marine animals. In the course of the study, thematic subgroups of such vocabulary in Mandelstam’s poetic works were identified and the qualitative functions of the lexical units of these subgroups were analyzed. The functions of lexical units are understood in the paper as indirect meanings that are expressed associatively in the text and help to reveal the multilayering and the deep meaning behind the author’s image. In the course of the work, lexical subgroups of two levels of hierarchy were determined; it is shown that the functions of lexical units are manifested and specified at the second, lower, level. The most active in Mandelstam’s lyrics are lexemes of the thematic subgroups ‘oceans/seas’, ‘ships’, ‘form’, ‘physiological fluids’. The most frequently realized functions of the vocabulary of the thematic group ‘water’ are the expression of the lyrical hero’s feelings, reference to the instability of the world, and the understanding of water as an element, as primordial chaos. These functions are implemented using the vocabulary of different thematic subgroups, but they are united by the subgroup ‘form’, which is important for Mandelstam and shows the opposition between order and chaos. The vocabulary of each thematic subgroup usually performs several functions at once, while at the same time each function can be expressed by vocabulary of several subgroups. Thus, there is formed a network of interrelations of the thematic subgroups and the functions of their lexical units, which characterizes a single system of images related to the vocabulary of the thematic group ‘water’.
Spanish Colonization as a Cultural Trauma: Legitimation of the Traumatic Event in the Spanish Press
Authors:   Siberian Federal University, Gornostaeva Yulia A.
Published: November 2024

The article examines the process of legitimation of the conquest in the Spanish mass media political discourse. The study appears to be relevant due to the recent intensification of controversy surrounding the justification of Spanish colonization, as well as the process of delegitimization of this historical event in the Latin American media. The scientific novelty of the paper lies in that it provides an analysis of cultural traumatization and legitimation as interconnected sociological processes that are linguistically represented in the Spanish political media discourse. The study is carried out on the basis of written and oral discourse of Spanish politicians and public figures legitimizing this traumatic event. In the course of the work, it was established that the process of legitimation of the conquest is most clearly manifested at the stage of theorization of the object of legitimation aiming to objectify its adequacy and is implemented through the strategy of moral assessment and the substrategy of analogy: the unpleasant facts of Aztec imperialism are described, there are references to the British, Arab and Dutch conquests, the expediency of which is not questioned by society. Where the Conquest is rationalized with the use of a predictive substrategy and a result-oriented substrategy, there are indicated potential negative consequences of the absence of Spanish conquest as well as the benefits of civilization that appeared in the conquered territory after the arrival of the colonizers. At the promotion stage, a strategy of appeal to authority is implemented – there are presented opinions of authoritative political and public figures and historical figures legitimizing the conquest and denying all accusations as well as the need to apologize to the former colonies. At the stage of final rooting, the conquest becomes a habitual social context.
The Value Aspect of the Meaning of a Lexical Unit in the Language Consciousness of Chinese Students (with the lexeme ‘courtesy’ as an example)
Authors:   Perm State University, Li Yongnuo , Erofeeva Tamara I. ,   Perm State University
Published: November 2024

The results obtained can be used in the field of semantics, lexicology, and stylistics of the Chinese language, as well as in methodological recommendations for students carrying out research on lexical semantics. In addition, the analysis of the value aspect of the meaning of a lexical unit gives us the opportunity to better understand the national culture of China.