Transparent Figures: Researching and Preserving Objects of Plastic

Die Gläsernen Figuren sind die bekanntesten Ausstellungsobjekte des Deutschen Hygiene-Museums, die im 20. Jahrhundert in unterschiedlichsten Ausstellungsformaten einem Millionenpublikum präsentiert wurden. Die transparenten Modelle wurden vorwiegend aus dem Kunststoff Celluloseacetat gefertigt, der starken Alterungsprozessen unterworfen ist. Im konservierungswissenschaftlichen Forschungsprojekt »Gläserne Figuren – Ausstellungsikonen des 20. Jahrhunderts« wurden die Körpermodelle untersucht und ein Konzept für ihren langfristigen Erhalt erstellt. Die gewonnenen Erkenntnisse zur Produktions- und Materialgeschichte sowie zu den Alterungsprozessen und Konservierungsmöglichkeiten werden in dieser Publikation vorgestellt. Empfehlungen zum Umgang mit dreidimensionalen Celluloseacetatobjekten in Museen und Sammlungen schließen sich an. Darüber hinaus werden mehr als 60 historische Objekte aus dem Sammlungskonvolut »Gläserne Figuren« vorgestellt. Im Mittelpunkt stehen dabei die Lebensläufe der im Deutschen Hygiene-Museum befindlichen zwölf Ganzfiguren, die zwischen 1935 und 2000 hergestellt wurden und alle die Transformation vom Anschauungsmodell zum historisch bedeutsamen Objekt durchlaufen haben. Zudem werden die Auswertungspotenziale weiterer Objektgruppen zur Herstellungstechnik und Ausstellungsgeschichte der Figuren sowie zu den Präsentations- und Werbestrategien beleuchtet.The Transparent Figures are the most well-known exhibition objects of the Deutsches Hygiene-Museum and were presented to millions of people in the 20th century in the most varied exhibition formats. The transparent models were primarily made of the plastic cellulose acetate, which is subject to pronounced ageing processes. The body models were examined and a concept for their long-term preservation was created in the conservation science research project “Transparent Figures – Exhibition Icons of the 20th Century”. The knowledge concerning the production and material history acquired, as well as of ageing processes and possibilities for conservation are presented in this publication. This is joined by recommendations for dealing with three-dimensional cellulose acetate objects in museums and collections. In addition to this, more than 60 historical objects from the “Transparent Figures” collection set will be presented. The focus is thereby on the curricula vitae of the twelve complete figures found in the Deutsches Hygiene-Museum, which were manufactured between 1935 and 2000 and have all undergone the transformation from the display model to the historically important object. The evaluation potential of other object groups with regard to manufacturing technology and the exhibition history of the figures, as well as to the presentation and advertising strategies are also illuminated

Advanced flight control system study

The architecture, requirements, and system elements of an ultrareliable, advanced flight control system are described. The basic criteria are functional reliability of 10 to the minus 10 power/hour of flight and only 6 month scheduled maintenance. A distributed system architecture is described, including a multiplexed communication system, reliable bus controller, the use of skewed sensor arrays, and actuator interfaces. Test bed and flight evaluation program are proposed

Designing the Phytoremediation Landscape: Exploring phytoremediation of urban brownfields as a system and stage in designed and managed successional processes

The present day challenges facing the post-industrial city are economic reinvention, social equity, and environmental recovery. The urban mosaic of these places is vague and broken, and demands new and innovative solutions for the reclamation of vacant, abandoned, and contaminated landscapes that create a unification of economic, environmental, and cultural healing. A multi-scalar approach is proposed as a strategy for the integration of multiple components in multiple contexts. Particular focus is on the synthesis of community engagement and environmental remediation of these spoiled, derelict lands. Specifically, phytoremediation is explored as a solution for land reclamation, ecological and social recovery of parcel-scale urban open spaces. Discussion of how design intervention at multiple scales can be synthesized, the temporal dynamic of remediation, and the potential for integrating ecological natural attenuation and land-use activation simultaneously as a component of a staged and managed urban land succession, are explored. The problems and opportunities associated with the resurrection of the post-industrial city are vast and multifaceted. This project will propose strategies through design that attempt to merge the elements of sustainability into a new and replicable cultural, environmental and urban cleansing initiative

A Model For Improving Ethics In Construction Materials And Products Supply Chain Using Blockchain

There are countless materials and products that make up a building, including cladding, glazing, roofing, floors, ceilings, systems, etc., and the hidden and fragmented structure of the supply chain makes it highly vulnerable to several forms of ethical breaches at different tiers. Consumers also are increasingly concerned about where the products they are buying come from, highlighting important areas of concern that include the ethical, environmental, and social issues. Whereas current research identifies digitalization as a key part of providing transparency and increasing fairness in supply chains, and blockchain technology is lauded as having the potential to deliver this. However, while there has been a growing emphasis on ethics in construction in recent years, and an increase in studies around blockchain, there remains a paucity of studies related to how blockchain may help to improve the environmental and social dimensions of ethics in construction supply chains. A gap that this study fills through a holistic triple bottom line (TBL) approach. To achieve this, the study aims to develop and validate a model for improving ethics in construction materials and products supply chains (CMPSC) following the TBL construct using blockchain technology. The study also explores the current state of ethics in the CMPSC and the implementations of blockchain for ethics and applies the learnings to develop a conceptual model to improve environmental, social and business ethics in the CMPSC using blockchain. The model was then refined and validated via a dual-phase validation protocol consisting of expert interviews and focus group discussions. A total of 30 participants participated in this study, this comprised of 16 construction industry supply chain professionals, 10 professionals in the ethics/ sustainability in construction and 4 blockchain technology experts. NVivo 12 was utilised to thematically analyse both the interviews and the focus group data. This approach was utilised to investigate the data from both a data-driven perspective (a perspective based on coding in an inductive way); and from the research question perspective (to check if the data is consistent with the research questions and if it provides sufficient information). The 30 interviews resulted in 4 high-level themes, 15 mid-level themes and 28 low-level themes, with the total number of codes within the themes being 721. The analysis of the focus group data resulted in 3 high-level themes and 10 mid-level themes, bringing the total number of codes within all themes to 74. Results from this study revealed that the effectiveness of current ethical measures in the CMPSC has been limited due to weak implementation and compliance, the inability of the government to play its role, and the outright denial of unethical practises within supply chains. Results also show that even though greater emphasis is placed on the business component of ethics while the environmental or social component may only receive as much attention if it can be monetised or if it is demanded; nonetheless, the current state of ethics in the CMPSC remains weak across the three dimensions examined. Further results show that while blockchain may help improve ethics in the CMPSC, in addition to the transparency and digitization that technology provides, the need for education and the upholding of personal ethical values by supply chain players are key to the success of both current and new ethical supply chain initiatives. Individuals must first be made ethically aware in order to act ethically; only then may the implementation of a technological tool prosper. The main contribution of this study to knowledge is the development of a model for improving ethics in the CMPSC within the TBL construct through blockchain technology. The model developed in this study provides practical clarity on how blockchain may be implemented within fragmented supply chains and a significant understanding of a socio-technical approach to addressing the issue of ethics within construction supply chains. It also has a vital role in helping the intended users and actors improve their knowledge of the technology and how blockchain can help to improve ethics in the CMPSC and also understand their roles and responsibilities on the network, thereby providing a framework and prerequisite guidance for the Blockchain-as-a-Service (BaaS) providers in the development of the computer model (blockchain network). The findings of this thesis demonstrate new insights and contribute to the existing body of knowledge by further advancing the discussion on the role of the blockchain in the construction industry

Colour coded

This 300 word publication to be published by the Society of Dyers and Colourists (SDC) is a collection of the best papers from a 4-year European project that has considered colour from the perspective of both the arts and sciences.The notion of art and science and the crossovers between the two resulted in application and funding for cross disciplinary research to host a series of training events between 2006 and 2010 Marie Curie Conferences & Training Courses (SCF) Call Identifier: FP6-Mobility-4, Euros 532,363.80 CREATE – Colour Research for European Advanced Technology Employment. The research crossovers between the fields of art, science and technology was also a subject that was initiated through Bristol’s Festival if Ideas events in May 2009. The author coordinated and chaired an event during which the C.P Snow lecture “On Two Cultures’ (1959) was re-presented by Actor Simon Cook and then a lecture made by Raymond Tallis on the notion of the Polymath. The CREATE project has a worldwide impact for researchers, academics and scientists. Between January and October 2009, the site has received 221, 414 visits. The most popular route into the site is via the welcome page. The main groups of visitors originate in the UK (including Northern Ireland), Italy, France, Finland, Norway, Hungary, USA, Finland and Spain. A basic percentage breakdown of the traffic over ten months indicates: USA -15%; UK - 16%; Italy - 13%; France -12%; Hungary - 10%; Spain - 6%; Finland - 9%; Norway - 5%. The remaining approximate 14% of visitors are from other countries including Belgium, The Netherlands and Germany (approx 3%). A discussion group has been initiated by the author as part of the CREATE project to facilitate an ongoing dialogue between artists and scientists. http://createcolour.ning.com/group/artandscience www.create.uwe.ac.uk.Related papers to this research: A report on the CREATE Italian event: Colour in cultural heritage.C. Parraman, A. Rizzi, ‘Developing the CREATE network in Europe’, in Colour in Art, Design and Nature, Edinburgh, 24 October 2008.C. Parraman, “Mixing and describing colour”. CREATE (Training event 1), France, 2008

The safety and sustainability of mining at diverse scales: Placing health and safety at the core of responsibility

Mining plays a major role in meeting global resource demands with Europe hosting extensive mineral potential. However, few of these prospects are feasible for conventional exploitation due to their small size & ore grade, proximity to dense populations and tenement constraints. Hence, a significant paradigm shift towards switch-on, switch off small-scale mining (SOSO SSM) is needed in order to increase the viability of small, complex, high-grade deposits. The IMP@CT project developed mobile, modularised solutions to facilitate rapid deployment and in-situ extraction & processing, which necessitates the translation and extension of best practice safety and sustainability from established national regulations and industry standards. Despite decades of accumulated safety regulation, knowledge and experience, workplace errors and violations still lead to fatal accidents, particularly if immature safety attitudes and behaviours pervade an organisation. The presence of a mature safety culture is vital for mitigating the occurrence of injuries and fatalities, through a collective commitment to safety improvement. This study has aimed to consolidate safety and sustainability best practice that is tailored to SSM by identifying the critical safety considerations and applying safety culture maturity principles to the specific challenges associated with a semi-automated SOSO SSM system. Criteria-driven maturity modelling, informed by existing responsible mining initiatives and safety and socio-environmental culture perspectives from site personnel at all hierarchical levels, is developed to assess the environmental and social factors associated with small- to medium-scale regulated mining. The role of agile management for rapid adaptation and continuous improvement of safety and sustainability performance in SOSO SSM is discussed. This research has demonstrated that for SOSO SSM to effectively integrate a mature safety and socio-environmental culture within a flexible, containerised mining paradigm, managerial and technical agility, and human initiative must be encouraged to continuously drive progress in occupational health and safety and generate wider societal benefit

Parliament Buildings: The architecture of politics in Europe

As political polarisation undermines confidence in the shared values and established constitutional orders of many nations, it is imperative that we explore how parliaments are to stay relevant and accessible to the citizens whom they serve. The rise of modern democracies is thought to have found physical expression in the staged unity of the parliamentary seating plan. However, the built forms alone cannot give sufficient testimony to the exercise of power in political life. Parliament Buildings brings together architecture, history, art history, history of political thought, sociology, behavioural psychology, anthropology and political science to raise a host of challenging questions. How do parliament buildings give physical form to norms and practices, to behaviours, rituals, identities and imaginaries? How are their spatial forms influenced by the political cultures they accommodate? What kinds of histories, politics and morphologies do the diverse European parliaments share, and how do their political trajectories intersect? This volume offers an eclectic exploration of the complex nexus between architecture and politics in Europe. Including contributions from architects who have designed or remodelled four parliament buildings in Europe, it provides the first comparative, multi-disciplinary study of parliament buildings across Europe and across history

Accountability and the Law

"This book discusses contemporary accountability and transparency mechanisms by presenting a selection of case studies. The authors deal with various problems connected to controlling public institutions and incumbents’ responsibility in state bodies. The work is divided into three parts. Part I: Law examines the institutional and objective approach. Part II: Fairness and Rights considers the subject approach, referring to a recipient of rights. Part III: Authority looks at the functional approach, referring to the executors of law. Providing insights into increasing understanding of various concepts, principles, and institutions characteristic of the modern state, the book makes a valuable contribution to the area of comparative constitutional change. It will be a valuable resource for academics, researchers, and policy-makers working in the areas of constitutional law and politics.

BlogForever: D3.1 Preservation Strategy Report

This report describes preservation planning approaches and strategies recommended by the BlogForever project as a core component of a weblog repository design. More specifically, we start by discussing why we would want to preserve weblogs in the first place and what it is exactly that we are trying to preserve. We further present a review of past and present work and highlight why current practices in web archiving do not address the needs of weblog preservation adequately. We make three distinctive contributions in this volume: a) we propose transferable practical workflows for applying a combination of established metadata and repository standards in developing a weblog repository, b) we provide an automated approach to identifying significant properties of weblog content that uses the notion of communities and how this affects previous strategies, c) we propose a sustainability plan that draws upon community knowledge through innovative repository design