Physecology: A Conceptual Framework to Describe Data Physicalizations in their Real-World Context

The standard definition for “physicalizations” is “a physical artifact whose geometry or material properties encode data” [ 47 ]. While this working definition provides the fundamental groundwork for conceptualizing physicalization, in practice many physicalization systems go beyond the scope of this definition as they consist of distributed physical and digital elements that involve complex interaction mechanisms. In this article, we examine how “physicalization” is part of a broader ecology—the “physecology”—with properties that go beyond the scope of the working definition. Through analyzing 60 representative physicalization papers, we derived six design dimensions of a physecology: (i) represented data type, (ii) way of information communication, (iii) interaction mechanisms, (iv) spatial input–output coupling, (v) physical setup, and (vi) audiences involved. Our contribution is the extension of the definition of physicalization to the broader concept of “physecology,” to provide conceptual clarity on the design of physicalizations for future work.

On Modelling the Structural Quasiness of Complex Systems

Complex systems are usually represented by invariant models which at most admit only parametric variations. This approach assumes invariant idealized simplifications to model these systems. This standard approach is considered omitting crucial features of phenomenological interaction mechanisms related to processes of emergence of such systems. The quasiness of the structural dynamics that generate emergence of complex systems is considered as the main feature. Generation achieved through prevalently coherent sequences and combinations of interactions. Quasiness (dynamics of loss and recovery, equivalences, inhomogeneity, multiplicity, non-regularity, and partiality) represents the incompleteness of the interaction mechanisms, incompleteness necessary even if not sufficient for the establishment of processes of emergence. The emergence is extinguished by completeness. Complex systems possess local coherences corresponding to the phenomenological complexity. While quasi-systems are not necessarily complex systems, complex systems are considered quasi-systems, being not always systems, not always the same system, and not only systems. It is addressed the problem of representing the quasiness of coherence (quasicoherence), such as the ability to recover and tolerate temporary levels of incoherence. The main results of the study focus on research approaches to model quasicoherence through the changing of rules in models of emergence. It is presented a version of standard analytical approaches compatible with quasiness of systemic emergence and related mathematical issues. The same approach is considered for networks, artificial neural networks, and it is introduced the concept of quasification for fixed models. Finally, it is considered that suitable representations of structural dynamics and its quasiness are needed to model, simulate, and adopt effective interventions on emergence of complex systems.

Scientific and methodological support of pedagogical workers in the process of interaction of a pedagogical university and basic schools

The article considers the problem of including universities in the continuous development of pedagogical workers and proposes a model of a scientific and methodological center for supporting of pedagogical workers. The purpose of the article is to describe the model of the scientific and methodological center for supporting pedagogical workers in the process of interaction between a pedagogical university and basic schools, which allows the university to be included in the regional system of continuous development of pedagogical workers. The authors consider the scientific and methodological center for support of pedagogical workers, created on the basis of the university, as a system-forming element of the system of interaction between the university and basic schools, which makes it possible to ensure the coordination of actions of the pedagogical university, regional government bodies, professional associations (communities) of teachers and basic schools. The article reveals the main elements of the center model (principles, directions and lines of interaction, functions and interaction mechanisms) that determine its effectiveness. The proposed model was developed in the course of a study conducted on the basis of the Novosibirsk State Pedagogical University in 2021.

A State-of-the-Art Review on Suitability of Granite Dust as a Sustainable Additive for Geotechnical Applications

The increase in infrastructure requirement drives people to use all types of soils, including poor soils. These poor soils, which are weak at construction, must be improved using different techniques. The extinction of natural resources and the increase in cost of available materials require us to think of alternate resources. The usage of industry by-products and related methods for improving the properties of different soils has been studied for several years. Granite dust is an industrial by-product originating from the primary crushing of aggregates. The production of huge quantities of granite dust in the industry causes severe problems from the handling to the disposal stage. Accordingly, in the civil engineering field, the massive utilization of granite dust has been proposed for various applications to resolve these issues. In this context, the present review provides precise and valuable content on granite dust characterization, its effect as a stabilizer on the behavior of different soils, and its interaction mechanisms. The efficacy of the granite dust in replacing sand in concrete is explored followed by its ability to improve the geotechnical characteristics of clays of varying plasticity are explored. The review is even extended to study the effect of binary stabilization on clays with granite dust in the presence of calcium-based binders. The practical limitations encountered and its efficiency over other stabilizers are also assessed. This review is further extended to analyze the effect of the granite dust dosage for various field applications.