Level Of Detail Research Articles

The potential of Future Event Specificity Training (FEST) to decrease anhedonia and dampening of positive emotions: A randomised controlled trial.

Impaired episodic future thinking (EFT), as reflected in reduced specificity, low levels of detail and less use of mental imagery, has been associated with depressive symptomatology. The beneficial impact of Future Event Specificity Training (FEST) on impaired EFT has recently been demonstrated, as well as on anhedonia, the core symptom of depression reflecting low positive affect. The current study aimed to replicate these previous findings. In addition, this study is the first to examine the potential of FEST to reduce engagement in dampening, a maladaptive response style characterised by reducing the intensity and/or frequency of positive emotional states, which is linked to depressive symptoms and anhedonia. An RCT (FEST vs. waitlist control) was conducted in a large sample of Dutch-speaking undergraduate students (N = 155). In line with prior research, FEST resulted in significant improvements in EFT features. However, likely related to limited room for change detection, no significant changes were found in anhedonia and dampening. In the light of the positive impact of FEST on several EFT features, future studies should address methodological issues to create optimal conditions for potential change detection. Finally, further examination of the proposed theoretical change mechanisms aimed to reduce anhedonia and dampening is warranted.

Connect with care: informal knowledge protection practices to enhance knowledge sharing in networks of organizations

Purpose This paper aims to clarify how organizations manage their participation in networks to share and jointly create knowledge but also risk unwanted knowledge spillovers at the same time. As formal governance, trust and observation are less applicable in informal networks, the authors need to understand how members address the need to protect knowledge by informal practices. The study aims to investigate how the application of knowledge protection practices affects knowledge sharing in networks. The insights are relevant for organizational and network management to control knowledge risks but harvest the benefits of network engagement. Design/methodology/approach The authors opted for an exploratory study based on 60 semi-structured interviews with members of 10 networks. In two rounds, network managers, representatives and members of the networks were interviewed. The second round of interviews was used to validate the intermediate findings. The data were complemented by documentary analysis, including network descriptions. Findings Through analyzing and building on the theory of psychological contracts, two informal practices of knowledge protection were found in networks of organizations: exclude crucial topics and share on selected topics and exclude details and share a selected level of detail. The authors explored how these two practices are enacted in networks of organizations with psychological contracts. Originality/value Counter to intuition that the protection of knowledge can be strengthened only at the expense of knowledge sharing and vice versa, networks benefitted from more focused and increased knowledge sharing while reducing the risk of losing competitive knowledge by performing these knowledge protection practices.

Cyber insurance risk analysis framework considerations

PurposeIn recent years, the frequency and severity of cybersecurity incidents have prompted customers to seek out specialized insurance products. However, this has also presented insurers with operational challenges and increased costs. The assessment of risks for health systems and cyber–physical systems (CPS) necessitates a heightened degree of attention. The significant values of potential damages and claims request a solid insurance system, part of cyber-resilience. This research paper focuses on the emerging cyber insurance market that is currently in the process of standardizing and improving its risk analysis concerning the potential insured entity.Design/methodology/approachThe authors' approach involves a quantitative analysis utilizing a Likert-style questionnaire designed to survey cyber insurance professionals. The authors' aim is to identify the current methods used in gathering information from potential clients, as well as the manner in which this information is analyzed by the insurers. Additionally, the authors gather insights on potential improvements that could be made to this process.FindingsThe study the authors elaborated it has a particularly important cyber and risk components for insurance area, because it addresses a “niche” area not yet proper addressed in specialized literature – cyber insurance. Cyber risk management approaches are not uniform at the international level, nor at the insurer level. Also, not all insurers can perform solid assessments, especially since their companies should first prove that they are fully compliant with international cyber security standards.Research limitations/implicationsThis research has concentrated on analyzing the current practices in terms of gathering information about the insured entity before issuing the cyber insurance policy, level of details concerning the cyber security posture of the insured entity and way such information should be analyzed in a standardized and useful manner. The novelty of this research resides in the analysis performed as detailed above and the proposals in terms of information gathered, depth of analysis and standardization of approach made. Future work on the topic can focus on the standardization process for analyzing cyber risk for insurance clients, to improve the proposal based also on historical elements and trends in the market. Thus, future research can further refine the standardization process to analyze in more depth the way this can be implemented and included in relevant legislation at the EU level.Practical implicationsProposed improvements include proposals in terms of the level of detail and the usefulness of an independent centralized approach for information gathering and analysis, especially given the re-insurance and brokerage activities. The authors also propose a common practical procedural approach in risk management, with the involvement of insurance companies and certification institutions of cyber security auditors.Originality/valueThe study investigates the information gathered by insurers from potential clients of cyber insurance and the way this is analyzed and updated for issuance of the insurance policy.

Abstract A066: A novel approach for exocrine pancreas transcriptomics reveals the cellular landscape of the pancreas

Abstract Pancreatic acinar cells are responsible for producing large amounts of digestive enzymes, which are essential for nutrient breakdown but make it difficult to capture the transcriptome of individual cells. To address this challenge, we use a reversible fixative that is compatible with 10X Genomics, thereby preserving the acinar transcriptome and capturing cell composition more faithful to histology. Using this method, we transcriptionally characterize all cell types in the healthy mouse pancreas, and track how these populations change during acute pancreatitis and subsequent recovery. We identify immune cells in the healthy and inflamed pancreas at a level of detail previously unappreciated, characterizing T cell subsets including Th2, γδT, and regulatory T cells. Pancreatitis elicits an influx of neutrophils along with activation and proliferation of macrophages and dendritic cells. Observing significant transcriptional changes in acinar cells after pancreatitis, we define an Acinar to Ductal Metaplasia Index (ADMI), a gene signature that can be used to measure deviation from normal acinar identity in bulk or single cell RNA datasets. We corroborate ADMI using orthogonal GeoMx data, and validate its utility in independent published datasets. We are now expanding our study to perform transcriptomics using our fixation method on pancreatic cancer precursor lesions. Together, we aim to characterize cell types in the mouse pancreas under healthy, inflamed, and precursor conditions to establish a reference atlas for future research on the exocrine pancreas in healthy and diseased states. Citation Format: Katherine J. Aney, Woo-Jeong Jeong, Andres F. Vallejo, Ethan Chen, Austin Wang, Stephanie K. Dougan, Kellie Wise, Kirk Jensen, Luciano Martelotto, Sahar Nissim. A novel approach for exocrine pancreas transcriptomics reveals the cellular landscape of the pancreas [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference in Cancer Research: Pancreatic Cancer; 2023 Sep 27-30; Boston, Massachusetts. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(2 Suppl):Abstract nr A066.

Advancing the assessment of pacifier effects with a novel computational method.

Numerous studies have demonstrated a high likelihood of malocclusions resulting from non-nutritive sucking. Consequently, quantifying the impact of pacifiers can potentially aid in preventing the development or exacerbation of malocclusions and guide the design of improved performance pacifiers. This work proposes and assesses a computational methodology that can effectively gather crucial information and provide more precise data regarding the consequences of non-nutritive pacifier sucking. The computational framework utilized is based on solids4Foam [1, 2], a collection of numerical solvers developed within the OpenFOAM® computational library [3]. The computational model focuses on the palate of a six-month-old baby and incorporates various components such as palate tissues, pacifier and tongue, and considers the negative intraoral pressure generated and the tongue displacement. Different models were tested, each offering varying levels of detail in representing the palate structure. These models range from a simplified approach, with one tissue, to a more intricate representation, involving up to five different tissues, offering a more comprehensive palate model compared to existing literature. The analysis of results involved examining the distribution of stress on the palate surface, as well as the displacement and forces exerted on the dental crowns. By comparing the obtained results, it was possible to evaluate the precision of the approaches previously described in the literature. The findings revealed that the predictions were less accurate when using the simplified model with a single tissue for the palate, which is the most common approach proposed in the literature. In contrast, the results demonstrated that the palate model with the most intricate structure, incorporating five different tissues, yielded distinct outcomes compared to all other combinations. The computational methodology proposed, employing the most detailed palate model, has demonstrated its effectiveness and necessity in obtaining accurate data on the impact of non-nutritive sucking habits, which are recognized as a primary contributor to the development of dental malocclusions. In the future, this approach could be extended to conduct similar studies encompassing diverse pacifier designs, sizes, and age groups. This would foster the design of innovative pacifiers that mitigate the adverse effects of non-nutritive sucking on orofacial structures.

Exploring Variational Auto-encoder Architectures, Configurations, and Datasets for Generative Music Explainable AI

Generative AI models for music and the arts in general are increasingly complex and hard to understand. The field of explainable AI (XAI) seeks to make complex and opaque AI models such as neural networks more understandable to people. One approach to making generative AI models more understandable is to impose a small number of semantically meaningful attributes on generative AI models. This paper contributes a systematic examination of the impact that different combinations of variational auto-encoder models (measureVAE and adversarialVAE), configurations of latent space in the AI model (from 4 to 256 latent dimensions), and training datasets (Irish folk, Turkish folk, classical, and pop) have on music generation performance when 2 or 4 meaningful musical attributes are imposed on the generative model. To date, there have been no systematic comparisons of such models at this level of combinatorial detail. Our findings show that measureVAE has better reconstruction performance than adversarialVAE which has better musical attribute independence. Results demonstrate that measureVAE was able to generate music across music genres with interpretable musical dimensions of control, and performs best with low complexity music such as pop and rock. We recommend that a 32 or 64 latent dimensional space is optimal for 4 regularised dimensions when using measureVAE to generate music across genres. Our results are the first detailed comparisons of configurations of state-of-the-art generative AI models for music and can be used to help select and configure AI models, musical features, and datasets for more understandable generation of music.

Producing accessible intersection maps for people with visual impairments: an initial evaluation of a semi-automated approach

ABSTRACT Street intersections are challenging for people with visual impairments. While tactile maps are an important support in both mobility training and independent journeys, the caseload of manual map production has made them less accessible. This paper explores the possibility of (semi-) automatically producing tactile maps for street intersections at large scales, with an initial evaluation focused on the graphic aspect of the produced maps. The automation attempts to identify acceptable default parameters and values and proposes an exploration of possible choices for potentially open decisions. It adapts the classic map production process with parameters to present the information tactilely at the intersection scale, and produces representation meaningful for PVIs and realistic for an automatic procedure, resulting in ready-to-print maps in two scales of three sizes, with different levels of details and styles. The resulting maps are evaluated by professionals involved in tactile graphics through a questionnaire to evaluate the defaults and discuss the possibility of open choices. The professionals validated the maps, and their evaluation emphasized the need to have an acceptable default while keeping some options open to cater to the diversity in the visually impaired audience.

From White to Black-Box Models: A Review of Simulation Tools for Building Energy Management and Their Application in Consulting Practices

Buildings consume significant energy worldwide and account for a substantial proportion of greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, building energy management has become critical with the increasing demand for sustainable buildings and energy-efficient systems. Simulation tools have become crucial in assessing the effectiveness of buildings and their energy systems, and they are widely used in building energy management. These simulation tools can be categorized into white-box and black-box models based on the level of detail and transparency of the model’s inputs and outputs. This review publication comprehensively analyzes the white-box, black-box, and web tool models for building energy simulation tools. We also examine the different simulation scales, ranging from single-family homes to districts and cities, and the various modelling approaches, such as steady-state, quasi-steady-state, and dynamic. This review aims to pinpoint the advantages and drawbacks of various simulation tools, offering guidance for upcoming research in the field of building energy management. We aim to help researchers, building designers, and engineers better understand the available simulation tools and make informed decisions when selecting and using them.

A finely segmented semi-monolithic detector tailored for high-resolution PET.

Preclinical research and organ-dedicated applications use and require high (spatial-)resolution positron emission tomography (PET) detectors to visualize small structures (early) and understand biological processes at a finer level of detail. Researchers seeking to improve detector and image spatial resolution have explored various detector designs. Current commercial high-resolution systems often employ finely pixelated or monolithic scintillators, each with its limitations. We present a semi-monolithic detector, tailored for high-resolution PET applications with a spatial resolution in the range of 1mm or better, merging concepts of monolithic and pixelated crystals. The detector features LYSO slabs measuring (24×10×1)mm3, coupled to a 12×12 readout channel photosensor with 4mm pitch. The slabs are grouped in two arrays of 44 slabs each to achieve a higher optical photon density despite the fine segmentation. We employ a fan beam collimator for fast calibration to train machine-learning-based positioning models for all three dimensions, including slab identification and depth-of-interaction (DOI), utilizing gradient tree boosting (GTB). The data for all dimensions was acquired in less than 2h. Energy calculation was based on a position-dependent energy calibration. Using an analytical timing calibration, time skews were corrected for coincidence timing resolution (CTR) estimation. Leveraging machine-learning-based calibration in all three dimensions, we achieved high detector spatial resolution: down to 1.18mm full width at half maximum (FWHM) detector spatial resolution and 0.75mm mean absolute error (MAE) in the planar-monolithic direction, and 2.14mm FWHM and 1.03mm MAE for DOI at an energy window of (435-585)keV. Correct slab interaction identification in planar-segmented direction exceeded 80%, alongside an energy resolution of 12.7% and a CTR of 450ps FWHM. The introduced finely segmented, high-resolution slab detector demonstrates appealing performance characteristics suitable for high-resolution PET applications. The current benchtop-based detector calibration routine allows these detectors to be used in PET systems.

Mapping and Geomorphic Characterization of the Vast Cold-Water Coral Mounds of the Blake Plateau

A coordinated multi-year ocean exploration campaign on the Blake Plateau offshore of the southeastern U.S. has mapped what appears to be the most expansive cold-water coral (CWC) mound province thus far discovered. Nearly continuous CWC mound features span an area up to 500 km long and 110 km wide, with a core area of high-density mounds up to 254 km long by 42 km wide. This study synthesized bathymetric data from 31 multibeam sonar mapping surveys and generated a standardized geomorphic classification of the region in order to delineate and quantify CWC mound habitats and compare mound morphologies among subregions of the coral province. Based on the multibeam bathymetry, a total of 83,908 individual peak features were delineated, providing the first estimate of the overall number of potential CWC mounds mapped in the region to date. Five geomorphic landform classes were mapped and quantified: peaks (411 km2), valleys (3598 km2), ridges (3642 km2), slopes (23,082 km2), and flats (102,848 km2). The complex geomorphology of eight subregions was described qualitatively with geomorphic “fingerprints” (spatial patterns) and quantitatively by measurements of mound density and vertical relief. This study demonstrated the value of applying an objective automated terrain segmentation and classification approach to geomorphic characterization of a highly complex CWC mound province. Manual delineation of these features in a consistent repeatable way with a comparable level of detail would not have been possible.

Longitudinal Effects of Employees’ Big Five Personality Traits on Internal Promotions Differentiated by Job Level in a Multinational Company

AbstractPromotions are central to individual career success. For organisations, it is crucial to identify and develop employees capable of higher-level responsibility. Previous research has shown that personality traits as inter-individual differences predict promotions. However, effects have mostly been examined on a broad factor level. This study investigated longitudinal effects of Big Five personality traits on both factor (neuroticism, extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness, conscientiousness) and more detailed facet levels on promotions in employees of a multinational wholesale company (N = 1774, n = 343 promoted). We also explored how personality differentially impacts promotional likelihood as a matter of target job level (individual contributor vs. first- or senior-level manager roles). Overall, associations with promotions were detected for neuroticism (negative) and conscientiousness (positive). At the more nuanced facet level, all Big Five factors had at least one personality facet that was significantly related to promotions. Additionally, personality-promotion relationships were generally stronger for lower- rather than higher-level promotions. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that employee personality traits have a meaningful impact on who will be promoted and should hence be considered in organisational personnel selection, personnel development, and performance management practices.

Membrane computing simulation of sexually transmitted bacterial infections in hotspots of individuals with various risk behaviors.

The epidemiology of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is complex due to the coexistence of various pathogens, the variety of transmission modes derived from sexual orientations and behaviors at different ages and genders, and sexual contact hotspots resulting in network transmission. There is also a growing proportion of recreational drug users engaged in high-risk sexual activities, as well as pharmacological self-protection routines fostering non-condom practices. The frequency of asymptomatic patients makes it difficult to develop a comprehensive approach to STI epidemiology. Modeling approaches are required to deal with such complexity. Membrane computing is a natural computing methodology for the virtual reproduction of epidemics under the influence of deterministic and stochastic events with an unprecedented level of granularity. The application of the LOIMOS program to STI epidemiology illustrates the possibility of using it to shape appropriate interventions. Under the conditions of our basic landscape, including sexual hotspots of individuals with various risk behaviors, an increase in condom use reduces STIs in a larger proportion of heterosexuals than in same-gender sexual contacts and is much more efficient for reducing Neisseria gonorrhoeae than Chlamydia and lymphogranuloma venereum infections. Amelioration from diagnostic STI screening could be instrumental in reducing N. gonorrhoeae infections, particularly in men having sex with men (MSM), and Chlamydia trachomatis infections in the heterosexual population; however, screening was less effective in decreasing lymphogranuloma venereum infections in MSM. The influence of STI epidemiology of sexual contacts between different age groups (<35 and ≥35 years) and in bisexual populations was also submitted for simulation.IMPORTANCEThe epidemiology of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is complex and significantly influences sexual and reproductive health worldwide. Gender, age, sexual orientation, sexual behavior (including recreational drug use and physical and pharmacological protection practices), the structure of sexual contact networks, and the limited application or efficiency of diagnostic screening procedures create variable landscapes in different countries. Modeling techniques are required to deal with such complexity. We propose the use of a simulation technology based on membrane computing, mimicking in silico STI epidemics under various local conditions with an unprecedented level of detail. This approach allows us to evaluate the relative weight of the various epidemic drivers in various populations at risk and the possible outcomes of interventions in particular epidemiological landscapes.

Prediction accuracy of fatigue-relevant load effects in an orthotropic deck

The accuracy of stress estimates in Orthotropic Bridge Decks (OBD) may be negatively impacted by the complex load transfer and asphalt properties. Yet, accurate stress estimates are crucial for optimal fatigue verifications. A field measurement and modelling study has been conducted to evaluate the accuracy of finite element (FE) models. The level of detail of the FE model resembled engineering practice. Measurements comprised of strains caused by normal flowing traffic and by single vehicles with known load. The study gave insight into the distribution of the transverse vehicle location, dynamic vehicle–bridge deck interaction, and the asphalt influence. Comparing with international guidelines, the prediction error of FE models of OBDs is on the edge of acceptable.

High Resolution 3D Model of Heritage Landscapes Using UAS LiDAR: The Tajos de Alhama de Granada, Spain

The Tajos de Alhama de Granada, which since ancient times have inspired and surprised locals and strangers, especially foreign travelers, constituted a unique landscape, cultural and ethnological heritage of Spain, linked to water and its old flour mills. And, they are currently at serious risk of degradation. The aim of this research is to obtain a high-resolution 3D model capable of documenting this historical heritage environment with a high level of detail, using a methodology that includes small light weight LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) system for UAS (Unmanned Aircraft System). The model obtained should serve, on the one hand, as a valuable tool for knowledge and analysis of all the elements (river, lake, ditches, dams, mills, aqueducts, and paths) that made up this place, registered as a picturesque landscape for its extraordinary beauty and uniqueness, and on the other hand, as a basis for the development of rehabilitation and architectural restoration projects that would have to be undertaken to preserve this cultural and landscape legacy.

Intrinsic functional clustering of the macaque insular cortex.

The functional organization of the primate insula has been studied using a variety of techniques focussing on regional differences in either architecture, connectivity, or function. These complementary methods offered insights into the complex organization of the insula and proposed distinct parcellation schemes at varying levels of detail and complexity. The advent of imaging techniques that allow non-invasive assessment of structural and functional connectivity, has popularized data-driven connectivity-based parcellation methods to investigate the organization of the human insula. Yet, it remains unclear if the subdivisions derived from these data-driven clustering methods reflect meaningful descriptions of the functional specialization of the insula. In this study, we employed hierarchical clustering to examine the cluster parcellations of the macaque insula. As our aim was exploratory, we examined parcellations consisting of two up to ten clusters. Three different cluster validation methods (fingerprinting, silhouette, elbow) converged on a four-cluster solution as the most optimal representation of our data. Examining functional response properties of these clusters, in addition to their brain-wide functional connectivity suggested a functional specialization related to processing gustatory, somato-motor, vestibular and social visual cues. However, a more detailed functional differentiation aligning with previous functional investigations of insula subfields became evident at higher cluster numbers beyond the proposed optimal four clusters. Overall, our findings demonstrate that resting-state-based hierarchical clustering can provide a meaningful description of the insula's functional organization at some level of detail. Nonetheless, cluster parcellations derived from this method are best combined with data obtained through other modalities, to provide a more comprehensive and detailed account of the insula's complex functional organization.

Geometric-based approach for linking various building measurement data to a 3D city model.

Currently, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism (Japan) is in the process of developing an open 3D city model known as PLATEAU. Abundant measurement data related to buildings, including maps produced by private companies and mobile mapping system point clouds, have been collected to enhance the value of the 3D city model. To achieve this, it is necessary to identify the buildings for which measurement data is available. In this study, we propose and evaluate an efficient matching method for various building measurement data, primarily using geometric properties. In Numazu city, PLATEAU IDs were assigned to 88,525 Zenrin buildings as part of a private map. The results indicate that 90.6% of the polygons were matched. For aerial images, 93.6% of the extracted buildings matched the PLATEAU buildings, although only 70.9% of the PLATEAU data was extracted from the images. Using the level of detail 1 and 2 models, 46 textured building files were created from the mobile mapping system point cloud. In addition, the cover ratio for the laser profiling point cloud was mostly greater than 40%, which was higher than that of the mobile mapping system.

Development and implementation of a stand-level satellite-based forest inventory for Canada

Abstract Satellite data are increasingly used to provide information to support forest monitoring and reporting at varying levels of detail and for a range of attributes and spatial extents. Forests are dynamic environments and benefit from regular assessments to capture status and changes both locally and over large areas. Satellite data can provide products relevant to forest science and management on a regular basis (e.g. annually) for land cover, disturbance (i.e. date, extent, severity, and type), forest recovery (e.g. quantification of return of trees following disturbance), and forest structure (e.g. volume, biomass, canopy cover, stand height), with products generated over large areas in a systematic, transparent, and repeatable fashion. While pixel-based outcomes are typical based upon satellite data inputs, many end users continue to require polygon-based forest inventory information. To meet this information need and have a spatial context for forest inventory attributes such as tree species assemblages, we present a new work-flow to produce a novel spatially explicit, stand-level satellite-based forest inventory (SBFI) in Canada applying image segmentation approaches to generate spatially unique forest stands (polygons), which are the fundamental spatial unit of management-level inventories. Thus, SBFI offers spatial context to aggregate and generalize other pixel-based forest data sets. Canada has developed a National Terrestrial Ecosystem Monitoring System (NTEMS) that utilizes medium spatial resolution imagery, chiefly from Landsat, to annually characterize Canada’s forests at a pixel level from 1984 until present. These NTEMS datasets are used to populate SBFI polygons with information regarding status (e.g. current land cover type, dominant tree species, or total biomass) as well as information on dynamics (e.g. has this polygon been subject to change, when, by what, and if so, how is the forest recovering). Here, we outline the information drivers for forest monitoring, present a set of products aimed at meeting these information needs, and follow to demonstrate the SBFI concept over the 650-Mha extent of Canada’s forest-dominated ecosystems. In so doing, the entirety of Canada’s forest ecosystems (managed and unmanaged) were mapped using the same data, attributes, and temporal representation. Moreover, the use of polygons allows for the generation of attributes such as tree species composition, and total biomass and wood volume in a stand-scale format familiar to landscape managers and suitable for strategic planning. The data, methods, and outcomes presented here are portable to other regions and input data sources, and the national SBFI outcomes for Canada are available via open access.

Timber supply through time – Copenhagen waterfronts under scrutiny

Dendrochronology is not a new method for attaining high-precision dates for archaeological and historic remains of timber. But the extent to which dendrochronology is utilized to attain detailed precision of the dating of complex wooden structures can suffer from the fact that the method is often applied in commercial archaeology, where the extent of analysis is severely limited by cost constraints. Instead of lamenting the potentially lost levels of detail that might have slipped through over the years, it is hoped that by presenting the potential of high chronological precision, that necessitates extensive sampling of timber and wood remains on archaeological sites, a new future will be promoted, in which new wide-ranging sampling strategies will become a more normal practice in archaeology, in both the research and commercial spheres. In this paper, I present some case studies where extensive tree-ring analysis of well-preserved wood remains have resulted in annual chronological detail, allowing an insight into the processes of building, and into the duration of structures that comprised the built environment of past peoples’ lives. In addition, we should not discuss precision dating for urban archaeological study without also touching on the subject of timber trade and timber provenance. Tree-ring studies are increasingly providing us with high precision provenance identification, not just for shipwrecks, barrels and other ‘portable’ objects. It is also allowing us to map trade in bulk structural timber. These analyses are providing us with insights into links between territories.

Increasing realism in modelling energy losses in railway vehicles and their impact to energy-efficient train control

AbstractThe reduction of energy consumption is an increasingly important topic of the railway system. Energy-efficient train control (EETC) is one solution, which refers to mathematically computing when to accelerate, which cruising speed to hold, how long one should coast over a suitable space, and when to brake. Most approaches in literature and industry greatly simplify a lot of nonlinear effects, such that they ignore mostly the losses due to energy conversion in traction components and auxiliaries. To fill this research gap, a series of increasingly detailed nonlinear losses is described and modelled. We categorize an increasing detail in this representation as four levels. We study the impact of those levels of detail on the energy optimal speed trajectory. To do this, a standard approach based on dynamic programming is used, given constraints on total travel time. This evaluation of multiple test cases highlights the influence of the dynamic losses and the power consumption of auxiliary components on railway trajectories, also compared to multiple benchmarks. The results show how the losses can make up 50% of the total energy consumption for an exemplary trip. Ignoring them would though result in consistent but limited errors in the optimal trajectory. Overall, more complex trajectories can result in less energy consumption when including the complexity of nonlinear losses than when a simpler model is considered. Those effects are stronger when the trajectory includes many acceleration and braking phases.

Removal or preservation in place? A review of the conservation management options for asbestos cement sheeting in heritage properties

PurposeInvented in late 1890s, asbestos cement sheeting rose to prominence during the post-Second World War period as a building material for low-cost housing by state housing commissions and low-income families (“fibro homes”). The adverse health effects of asbestos fibres in the building industry and home renovation activities are well documented. Fibro homes of the 1950s and 1960s are increasingly coming under the gaze of heritage studies, which brings to the fore the question of how to deal with the asbestos cement sheeting most are clad with.Design/methodology/approachThis paper provides the first systematic review to assess the literature (126 papers were identified in Google Scholar and scanned for content) on the conservation management of asbestos cement sheeting in heritage properties.FindingsOverall, engagement with the conservation management of asbestos cement sheeting in heritage properties was low, with only two sources dealing with asbestos cement sheeting in any level of detail. The studies note that if asbestos cement sheeting is in good condition, it should be left alone. Numerous conservation and repair options do exist, in particular the application of (coloured) sealants that extend the life of asbestos cement sheets and asbestos cement roofing.Originality/valueThis paper represents the first systematic review to assess conservation management options for asbestos cement sheeting in heritage properties.