State Of Conservation Research Articles

Accessible Non-Invasive Techniques for Museums: Extending Sustainability to Resource-Limited Institutions

This work provides a synthesis of an initial experience in the development of accessible imaging techniques and their implementation on a real case: the analysis of colonial Hispano-American paintings at the Complejo Museográfico Provincial “Enrique Udaondo” (Luján, Buenos Aires). It discusses different aspects related to the possibilities of obtaining, using, and reusing equipment and materials locally, as well as details of the ways of acquiring images for photography on site. It also provides information about the composition and conservation state of selected artworks, complementing image analysis with portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) data, and reflects on articulated/collaborative work in situ as a methodology for transferring knowledge and skills. The project aims to contribute to strengthening Latin American sustainability by creating accessible non-invasive tools for heritage conservation institutions, highlighting the value of regional capacities to approach heritage studies from collaborative and ethical proposals that promote sovereignty and reduce dependence on external inputs.

X-CT Reconstruction as a Tool for Monitoring the Conservation State and Decay Processes of Works of Art and in Support of Restoration and Conservation Strategies

X-ray Computed Tomography (X-CT) is now an established technique for the investigation and diagnostics of Cultural Heritage. Its advantages include non-invasiveness, non-destructiveness, and the possibility of exploring the inner parts of an object without any modification. X-CT is often employed to investigate the construction methods of complex artifacts made with different parts or materials, but it is also able to support the analysis, intervention, monitoring and enhancement processes of artworks, creating digital models that can aid in the conservation and restoration procedures. In this work, several case studies are presented in which the CT technique has been decisive in identifying the effects of time and the events that occurred during the object’s life influencing its state of conservation. These range from large objects, such as an 18th century CE writing cabinet or an ancient Egyptian wooden coffin, to very small artifacts, like Mesopotamian lapis lazuli beads or fragments of Roman colored glass. Additionally, the results obtained by µ-CT investigations on the conservation state of a bronze arrowhead uncovered from the Urama-chausuyama mounded tomb (Japan, Kofun period, end of the 3rd century CE) are presented here for the first time. Lastly, the versatility of the technique when applied with different setups is highlighted.

Is the endemic Phoenix canariensis H. Wildpret an orthodox species? Implications for its conservation

ABSTRACT Seed banks (gene banks) have become essential for the conservation of genetic biodiversity in natural ecosystems. Seed preservation is especially important for threatened species, since seeds are the primary genetic material used to reintroduce plant species. Knowledge of the desiccation tolerance of each species is relevant for selecting the best method for ex situ conservation, but it is not always available. Currently, the categorisation of the seed storage behaviour of the Phoenix species as orthodox, recalcitrant or intermediate, remains uncertain. This study uses four accessions of the endemic species from Canary Island Phoenix canariensis H. Wildpret, with storage times ranging between 2 and 28 years. Germination tests were carried out to measure seed viability over time, desiccation tolerance and the possible impact of seed storage on viability. The germination results differed for seeds after 192 days in a greenhouse. Accessions stored in the seed bank at −20°C and 15%RH for 17 years showed a high germination percentage (72%). In contrast, accessions stored under unsuitable conditions showed a 0% germination. These results indicate the orthodox seed storage behaviour of P. canariensis. In addition, it supports the good state of conservation of the material stored in the Seed Bank of the Botanical Garden Viera y Clavijo and the reliability of the temperature and humidity conditions in which the seeds of P. canariensis have been stored. In addition, the results are relevant in order to manage the conservation of this endemic species from the Canary Islands.

Diversity patterns and knowledge gaps of Atlantic Forest epiphyllous bryophytes: a highly neglected group.

Epiphyllous bryophytes are a group of plants with complex adaptations to colonize the leaves of vascular plants and are considered one of the most specialized and sensitive groups to environmental changes. Despite their specificity and ecological importance, these plants represent a largely neglected group in relation to scientific research and ecological data. This lack of information directly affects our understanding of biodiversity patterns and compromises the conservation of this group in threatened ecosystems. Based on the compilation of data from a systematic review and virtual herbarium databases, we provide the first biogeographic assessment of diversity patterns of epiphyllous bryophytes in the Atlantic Forest hotspot. We also identify their phorophytes and assess sampling bias, knowledge gaps, and the current conservation state of epiphyllous bryophytes. The state of knowledge about epiphyllous bryophytes in the Atlantic Forest is still incipient and taxonomic and geographically biased. Sampling effort and climate variation highly influenced species richness patterns. Notably, Bromeliophila natans, a threatened and endemic species, has not been recorded in the past 20 years, possibly indicating extinction due to anthropogenic activities such as habitat loss. We found that the occurrence information, distributed across the domain, was positively influenced by the presence of protected areas, forest cover and density of cities, whereas it was negatively influenced by distance to access roads and research centers. More fieldwork and taxonomic and molecular studies are urgently needed to uncover biodiversity patterns and conservation priorities of this sensitive group. Without an increased collection effort, we may lose important species and their contributions to people.

Vernacular Wooden Architecture in the City of Puntarenas: First Steps Towards Its Recognition

In Puntarenas City, a historic and tourist port of Costa Rica, several vernacular buildings constructed in wood can be observed. Despite the prevalence of this architectural type in the area, there is an absence of comprehensive studies aimed at documenting this significant heritage. This article seeks to identify the vernacular architecture in this city through the architectural characterization, quantification, and geolocation of existing buildings, as well as the preliminary recognition of the state of conservation of the group of buildings. The methodological process proposed a four-stage approach. The initial stage involved an examination of documentary sources to verify existing information and obtain a preliminary profile of architectural characteristics. A participatory workshop with the community enabled the validation of this profile. The second stage comprised fieldwork, which yielded a starting list of properties. In the third stage, a detailed examination of the listed properties enabled the verification of the profile of characteristics, the delimitation of the architectural typologies, and the selection of buildings that did not fulfill the preliminary profile or possessed significant modifications that affected their architectural legibility. The fourth stage comprised the development of an inventory of vernacular architecture buildings and the systematic data transference to a Geographic Information System. This study mainly obtained the following results: an initial list of 172 wooden buildings in Puntarenas City and a geolocated inventory of 75 vernacular wooden architecture buildings that exhibit considerable architectural legibility. Moreover, identifying the uses and architectural features of the inventoried buildings permitted their categorization into ten distinct typologies.

Solubility study of aerosols and vinyl paint on stone surfaces

Due to the existing needs, presented by the current state of conservation of the stone surfaces in ashlars of historic buildings in the city of Zacatecas, the conservation area of the INAH Zacatecas center will receive trained personnel to carry out the study of elements used in the removal of paint on stone surfaces, specifically pink quarry. This analysis seeks to provide solutions that allow the safeguarding of materials in conservation processes, facilitating the work to compensate for damages that are generated after anthropogenic activities of any kind. In the study, solutions were found that facilitate the elimination of products manufactured from alkenyl functional groups and acrylic functional groups, establishing the elimination parameters from pure substances and the elimination from specific colloidal systems.

Métodos e ferramentas para mapeamento de danos de edificações históricas em BIM: uma revisão sistemática da literatura

The intervention design in heritage buildings requires recognition of the object in various spheres: historic, artistic, architectural and diagnostic. It is in this last stage that the damage map is produced, a documentation that summarizes in graphic form, the conservation state of architectural surfaces. Mostly, the damage map is produced in drawing editors through orthographic views of the building, in a method that is not very automated nor systematized, allowing errors and ambiguity of information. In consonance with the emergence of many studies, experiments have been conducted to apply Building Information Modeling (BIM) in damage mapping for historical buildings, which can contribute to the visualization, accessibility, and consistency of information related to damage. In this sense, this article presents a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) with the objective of gathering, classifying and discussing the methods and tools that have been used for damage mapping in the BIM context, considering articles available in specific databases, from 2012 to 2023. It can be concluded that even with the gaps identified in the experiments analyzed, such as the complexity of processes and long duration of the execution stages, the discussion on this subject has been growing in recent years, in search of more efficient and accurate methods, associated with optimized workflows.

Whole genome sequence-based association analysis of African American individuals with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

In studies of individuals of primarily European genetic ancestry, common and low-frequency variants and rare coding variants have been found to be associated with the risk of bipolar disorder (BD) and schizophrenia (SZ). However, less is known for individuals of other genetic ancestries or the role of rare non-coding variants in BD and SZ risk. We performed whole genome sequencing of African American individuals: 1,598 with BD, 3,295 with SZ, and 2,651 unaffected controls (InPSYght study). We increased power by incorporating 14,812 jointly called psychiatrically unscreened ancestry-matched controls from the Trans-Omics for Precision Medicine (TOPMed) Program for a total of 17,463 controls. To identify variants and sets of variants associated with BD and/or SZ, we performed single-variant tests, gene-based tests for singleton protein truncating variants, and rare and low-frequency variant annotation-based tests with conservation and universal chromatin states and sliding windows. We found suggestive evidence of BD association with single-variants on chromosome 18 and of lower BD risk associated with rare and low-frequency variants on chromosome 11 in a region with multiple BD GWAS loci, using a sliding window approach. We also found that chromatin and conservation state tests can be used to detect differential calling of variants in controls sequenced at different centers and to assess the effectiveness of sequencing metric covariate adjustments. Our findings reinforce the need for continued whole genome sequencing in additional samples of African American individuals and more comprehensive functional annotation of non-coding variants.

Il fondo Adelaide Ristori al Museo Biblioteca dell’Attore di Genova

The Adelaide Ristori Archive has been kept at the Museo Biblioteca dell’Attore in Genoa since 1967, after the donation of Irma Castren Capranica del Grillo. In the same year this archival collection was officially acknowledged as cultural heritage for its great historical interest and therefore subjected to a bond of protection. This essay begins with a brief history of the previous archival organization attempts, none of which was completed nor conducted following scientific and consistent basis. Donatella Mezzani, who supervised the archival interventions (including its reorganization and filing, currently available online), supported by the Archival and Bibliographic Superintendence of Liguria, goes on to describe the methodology and criteria adopted. The archival series in which the documentary heritage is currently structured are then briefly outlined, indicating the consistency, dating and state of conservation of the material supports. Some particularly interesting papers are also mentioned and related to the biography and professional path of the great Italian actress. The Adelaide Ristori Archive is extremely rich in terms of volume and completeness of information: Besides, it is a valuable source for different research perspectives and has both some of the specific characteristics of business records and the hybrid and individual ones of family and personal archives. It is undoubtedly a privileged ‘witness’ of Adelaide Ristori’s life, of her family and her entourage: a unique parable, always divided between life and art.

New evidence confirms the presence of the diamond stingray Hypanus dipterurus (Jordan & Gilbert 1880) in Chile and extends its southern range.

The diamond stingray (Hypanus dipterurus) is a species of cartilaginous fish that, according to the IUCN, is globally in a vulnerable state of conservation and its populations show a decline. New records of this ray species in southern Peru and northern Chile have expanded their known range. The species is distributed in the Eastern Central Pacific, from southern California to San Andres, on the central coast of Peru, but is poorly known in Chile. Angler records mined from social media and historical data confirmed the presence of H. dipterurus along southern Peru and northern Chile, extending southward over 1250 km. A species distribution model (SDM) based on previous global occurrences combined with oceanographic layers was built to identify areas of potential and undocumented presence of H. dipterurus. The SDM showed high accuracy (area under the curve = 0.95) and predicted the potential presence of H. dipterurus along vast areas of the Peruvian and Chilean coasts, where the presence of the species was poorly documented. Comprehensive surveys are required to understand the distribution, population dynamics, habitat requirements, and threats to effective conservation efforts in the southern region of its distribution range.

Conserving the Albani Lectionary-Menologion (Vat. gr. 2144)

Abstract The Museum of the Bible in Washington, DC, financed the conservation and digitization of Vat. gr. 2144, an eighth-century Greek Lectionary of Gospel readings. The manuscript was in a bad state of conservation when it arrived to the Vatican Library about two hundred years ago. Gelatin was used for the repair of its damaged folios, and its loose leaves were sewn into a structure which did not correspond to the original one. It became apparent that the manuscript deserved a more careful approach to its conservation than originally planned. With close collaboration between the conservation and manuscript departments of the Vatican Library, a compromise was found to conserve and consolidate this significant manuscript for future generations. In addition to the conservation treatment, information concerning the manuscript is briefly presented. It is mostly known from Morcelli’s publication of 1788 when it was already a part of Cardinal Alessandro Albani’s collection in Rome.

HERITAGE CONSERVATION THROUGH LEARNING. CASE-STUDY OF AN INTERNATIONAL MULTIDISCIPLINARY SUMMER SCHOOL

Education in the field of architecture represents an important but difficult task for the way in which we perceive the cities and the buildings in which we live. As a vocational profession, architecture must be taught and learnt through various applied methods, such as the case study method, which allow the students to deeply understand and properly apply the theoretical investigation procedures. This paper presents the results obtained after a multidisciplinary summer school, which was organised in Timișoara, the European Capital of Culture 2023, for a period of two weeks. The students involved were mainly architecture students from the Faculty of Architecture and Town Planning of Timișoara, but also there were several German students from sociology, anthropology, and town planning. The participation of the German students was possible due to a partnership with the German Academic Exchange Service D.A.A.D., based on a scholarship within the framework of the Go East Summer School program. The activities were based on a multidisciplinary investigation of a case study area, consisting of a group of historical buildings, in Timișoara. The students were organised in teams, and they did a detailed architectural-artistic, urbanistic, and socio-economic analysis of the area, which allowed them to determine the multicriterial vulnerability of the investigated buildings. The vulnerability assessment was based on a procedure that was previously developed and published by the same author. Moreover, complete surveys and 3D models, both digital and physical, were obtained. The results indicate a medium vulnerability of the case-study historical buildings, but the general conclusions of the study were that the area is very valuable from an architectural-cultural point of view. The students were able to investigate the history of the buildings, the nowadays functions, and the conservation state, to talk with the inhabitants, and to better understand the entire process of assessment of vulnerability. The teaching and working methods that were used during the summer school were the lecture, the case-study assignment, the teamwork, and the brainstorm method.

PARTICIPATORY APPROACH FOR THE EVALUATION OF THE TYPE OF PROTECTION OF MARITIME HERITAGE IN URBAN REGENERATION PROJECTS OF WATERFRONTS - CASE OF THE PORT OF ALGIERS

Coastlines are closely linked to the development of civilizations, as essential places for anchoring commercial and military activities, and for innovation in the forms and techniques of appropriation of the sea, which has produced throughout history a stratification of maritime heritage in the coastal area, today threatened with degradation and disappearance mainly due to natural and climatic conditions and the accelerated urbanization of the coastline, at a time when this heritage can constitute a powerful lever for revitalizing the waterfronts. The historic port of Algiers, the subject of this research, bears witness to a great historical and typological wealth in terms of maritime heritage. Being an integral part of the major regeneration project of the Bay of Algiers, major socio-cultural and economic issues are linked to the choice of the degree of protection of the site's buildings. The objective of this research is to propose a participatory and sustainable approach for the classification of maritime legacies according to their type of protection in the urban regeneration process of the waterfront of the Bay of Algiers, in order to identify development strategies that respect both the spirit of the place and allow the social and economic development of the urban space. To achieve the objective, the Delphi method. This made it possible to structure the evaluation tool and weight the criteria. The established tool is composed of 24 criteria classified according to 5 aspects; architectural quality, historical interest, social role, economic impact and state of conservation. The approach chosen in this study has the advantage of being global, transferable and adaptable to similar decision-making contexts.

‘The Humble Condom’: The Rise of Condom Culture and HIV/AIDS in Queensland

Summary This article traces the rise in popularity of condom usage during the 1980s HIV/AIDS epidemic in Australia’s most conservative state, Queensland. This research demonstrates the efficacy of grassroots activism and organisation in promoting condom use as a life-saving measure, despite government inaction. Centring the role of the condom, this article is the first history of policy surrounding condoms in 1980s Queensland, illustrating the moral and social anxieties that coalesced at state level around the condom, which came into conflict with federal, medical, community and (particularly notably) religious perspectives. With AIDS, the condom itself became a site of acute anxiety in that it simultaneously represented a medical act of prevention and a socially fraught sexual risk. Acceptance of the condom was fostered through educational campaigns by and for targeted communities and in direct opposition to abstinence advocacy espoused by the state government.

Primera aproximación a los artefactos de molienda del sudeste del lago del Colhué Huapi (Chubut, Argentina)

The Sarmiento Basin (Chubut, Argentina) has offered a privileged environment for the development of human life over the Holocene. For decades it was considered that the groups that inhabited this area based their economy on the hunting of terrestrial mammals, mainly Lama guanicoe. However, the new evidence suggests a diversification in the economy at particular times, adding new resources, technologies and/or ways of processing them. Within this framework, the goal of this work was to carry out a first characterization of grinding artifacts found at the southeast of the Colhué Huapi lake. For this purpose, distributional and spatial arrangement were analyzed, as well as dimensional, state of conservation and general techno-morphological variables. The results warn of a high number of active and passive artifacts made with local raw materials, whose diversity of shapes, weights, and states of conservation suggest a heavy equipment of space. Added to other technologies —such as ceramics and specific artifacts for fishing—, they would indicate an intensification in the use of resources towards the end of the late Holocene, suggesting as well an important place for grinding practices in the life of the hunter-gatherers who inhabited this area.

User Perceptions and Conservation Practices: A Case Study of Maintenance Strategies at S. Bento Railway Station

Located in the heart of Porto, Portugal, the S. Bento train station is renowned worldwide for its architectural splendour and historical significance. Inaugurated in 1916, this UNESCO World Heritage Site presents stunning ceramic tile panels and architecture influenced by contemporary French design. This study presents a comprehensive historical analysis of the conservation state of S. Bento station, detailing observed anomalies, their origins, probable causes, and the maintenance and rehabilitation techniques employed over the years. Moreover, it explores the relationship between conservation practices and tourist perceptions of the station, focusing on how rehabilitation efforts influence user satisfaction. This analysis was carried out through a comprehensive sentiment analysis of over 4000 tourist reviews between 2011 and 2023, and data from the station management entity, providing insights into the effectiveness of these interventions. The research contributes to the broader discussion on heritage conservation, offering recommendations for future maintenance strategies that integrate user expectations and sentiment.

“Platformed post-feminist negotiation:” decoding gender politics in Chinese female-orientated love simulation games

ABSTRACT Adopting a walkthrough of the game application, participant observation of online fan communities, and a narrative analysis of storylines, this study seeks to understand how local female-orientated love simulation games re-calibrate Western feminist ideologies with/through constructions of romantic love. This study argues that with the development and backlash of feminist ideologies and neo-liberal economic restructuring in post-socialist China, female-oriented love simulation games now present what I coin “Platformed Post-Feminist Negotiation” (hereafter PPN). First, the PRP transplants Western post-feminism to veil the latent and toxic consumerism with the rhetoric of women’s empowerment. Second, the PPN inherits Chinese feminism’s dynamic negotiation with Confucian ideals and the conservative state ideology. While compromising with dominant ideologies to escape from China’s stringent digital censorship, game developers have aligned with players to carry out micro, covert, and indirect resistance to protecting female sexual freedom. Third, the PPN refers to how digital games are platformed as technical tools to manufacture a variant post-feminism that can be defined as empowering women, ignoring structural gender inequalities, and negotiating with state censorship. This study contributes to Chinese digital games’ post-feminist narrative patterns and how contemporary post-feminism appropriates technological affordances in an increasingly platformed society.

The Ketone-Based Varnish Removal from an Oil Painting by Wassily Kandinsky: Comparison and Assessment of Cleaning Methods Through Preliminary Test on Mock-Ups and Multi-Analytical Investigation

This paper presents the removal of a non-original varnish from the surface of a painting by Wassily Kandinsky based on prior experimentation carried out on mock-ups, which were made according to the original artistic technique and painting stratigraphy. Due to a generally serious state of conservation, the artwork underwent several treatments over the years that have changed its original appearance. This work focused on the study and characterization of the ketone-based varnish present on the surface to outline how this non-original film layer interacted with paint layers and increased deterioration phenomena. Aiming to identify the most suitable approach for the artwork, some preliminary cleaning tests were made on artificially aged mock-ups. A multi-analytical investigation was carried out through non-invasive and invasive techniques to support all steps of the conservation treatment. By comparing cleaning results on mock-ups, a suitable protocol was developed and applied to the original painting. The best results were obtained by using the Nanorestore Gel® Dry MWR (Medium Water Retention) with ethanol. The project has shown that the dissolving power of the solvent can effectively be controlled and limited at the surface by confining it to the nanostructure of the gel, thus minimizing the risk of interaction with the original paint layers.

Applied Terminology in Geodiversity and Geotourism Activity: a Sustainable Conceptual Exercise

Objective: Promoting environmental geoconservation, geodiversity and local culture, namely through tours and research on these natural environments. Theoretical Framework:t is based on modern scientific definitions used in geology, geomorphology, paleontology, culture, and for educational and geotourism purposes. Method:The literature review significantly contextualizes knowledge and broad understanding, as well as advances in the terminology most used in geotourism activity, adopted in Brazil and European references in the area.It is representativeness: relational: the suitability of the geosite to illustrate a geological process or quality, which contributes significantly to the understanding of the theme, process, characteristic or (i) representation: geological context, (ii) integrity: related to the state of conservation of the geosite, (iii) rarity: number of geosites in the geological study area, (iv) scientific knowledge. Results and Discussion:The results obtained revealed that review studies of specialized terminology applied in geodiversity and geotourism activity play a significant role in interpreting unique places where most geosites occur, attracting tourists who are increasingly surprised by geosites. Research Implications:The implications of geosite terminology do not involve universal consensus, and there are several ways to scientifically describe a geosite in the context of a type of terrestrial relief, geological structure and minerals. This interpretation should be carried out by a specialist or by experienced people who are knowledgeable about the local specificities. Originality/Value: This study contributes to the literature by addressing the terminology applied in geoscience that encompasses geodiversity and geotourism. The relevance and potential of geosites for education, scientific interpretation of geological characteristics in the central region of the North Amazon.

The hydromorphological quality of the basin of Mexico: A proposal of its indicator value of the ecological state in the riparian ecosystem

The characterization of hydromorphological quality is the evaluation of the physical structure and the flow regime associated with fluvial ecosystems. Its value indicates the state of ecosystem conservation, as well as the anthropogenic pressures that disturb it. The present study proposes an hydromorphological quality (HYQI) index that aims to establish reference conditions in the preserved rivers and springs in the Basin of Mexico, through: (i) the basin quality associated with the riparian zone’s state, including the vegetation’s naturalness, level of erosion, and land use in 13 sub-basins (63 sites); (ii) hydrology, related to natural or disturbance conditions in the channel; (iii) anthropogenic alterations in the riparian zone, and (iv) the characterization of the trophic level. The final evaluation is divided into five classes: high (> 100), good (76-99), moderate (51-75), bad (26-50), and poor (< 25). The HQYI evaluation showed that 44 sites have a high rating (120 to 100 points), where potential reference conditions for the Mexico Basin can be recognized. The remaining 19 sites have good to poor quality conditions. The vegetation cover was represented by 70% of native species in one of three types of forest: Pinus, Abies, and mixed forest dominated by Quercus. Modifications in the canal structure, extraction and retention of water, and introduced plant species were the causes that confirmed the moderate quality value in the middle and lower portions. The HQYI value was found to be significantly correlated with nutrient water enrichments with soluble reactive phosphorus and dissolved inorganic nitrogen. Therefore, this index is recommended for monitoring the Basin of Mexico and registering multiple environmental stressors.