The complexities of managing historic buildings with BIM

Purpose The adoption of building information modelling (BIM) in managing built heritage is an exciting prospect, but one that presents complexities additional to those of modern buildings. If challenges can be identified and overcome, the adoption of historic BIM (HBIM) could offer efficiencies in how heritage buildings are managed. Design/methodology/approach Using Durham Cathedral as a case study, we present the workflows applied to create an asset information model to improve the way this unique UNESCO World Heritage Site is managed, and in doing so, set out the challenges and complexities in achieving an HBIM solution. Findings This study identifies the need for a better understanding of the distinct needs and context for managing historic assets, and the need for heritage information requirements (HIR) that reflect this. Originality/value This study presents first-hand findings based on a unique application of BIM at Durham Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The study provides a better understanding of the challenges and drivers of HBIM adoption across the heritage sector and underlines the need for information requirements that are unique to historical buildings/assets to deliver a coherent and relevant HBIM approach

Agreement Between HEDIS Performance Assessments in the VA and Medicare Advantage: Is Quality in the Eye of the Beholder?

Medicare Advantage (MA) plans and the Veterans Affairs (VA) health care system assess quality of care using standardized Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) performance measures. Little is known, however, about the relative accuracy of quality indicators for persons receiving care in more than one health care system. Among Veterans dually enrolled in an MA plan, we examined the agreement between MA and VA HEDIS assessments. Our study tested the hypothesis that private health plans underreport quality of care relative to a fully integrated delivery system utilizing a comprehensive electronic health record. Despite assessing the same individuals using identical measure specifications, reported VA performance was significantly better than reported MA performance for all 12 HEDIS measures. The VAs performance advantage ranged from 9.8% (glycosylated hemoglobin [HbA1c] < 7.0% in diabetes) to 54.7% (blood pressure < 140/90 mm Hg in diabetes). The overall agreement between VA and MA HEDIS assessments ranged from 38.5% to 62.6%. Performance rates derived from VA and MA aggregate data were 1.6% to 14.3% higher than those reported by VA alone. This analysis suggests that neither MA plans nor the VA fully capture quality of care information for dually enrolled persons. However, the VAs system-wide electronic health record may allow for more complete capture of quality information across multiple providers and settings

An octree solution to conservation laws over arbitrary regions (OSCAR)

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/76239/1/AIAA-1997-198-271.pd

Understanding the complexities of managing historic buildings through heritage BIM: a case study of Durham Cathedral

The adoption of Building Information Modelling (BIM) in the management of built heritage is an exciting prospect, but one that presents some unknowns and complexities additional to those of modern buildings. If challenges can be identified and overcome, the adoption of Historic Building Information Modelling (HBIM), could offer a number of advantages, including: more efficient and effective archiving, monitoring, inspection and surveying of sites; better evaluation of conditions and historical development; and more informed procurement, estimating and scheduling of interventions, particularly those that are outsourced. HBIM offers a new approach of visualising and managing historic building and estates by offering efficiency and effectiveness in the conservation, long-term management and presentation of historic built assets. The key factors are (1) the ‘parametric’ and ‘intelligent’ potential of BIM; (2) the capacity of BIM to embed non-geometric information (specifications, material properties, reports, etc. along with unique theoretical and heritage information associated with heritage buildings); and (3) the accessibility and flexibility to access and utilise the data, both graphical and non-graphical. However, despite this potential, and growth in interest, there has, to date, been little research into what Maxwell’s (2014) COTAC BIM4Conservation report highlights as ‘a specific HBIM approach that is coherent and relevant, whilst also taking fully into account the wide diversity of issues that affect the heritage’. It is from this challenge, that the research discussed in this paper aims to contribute. Using Durham Cathedral as a case study, this paper presents an overview of BIM-based workflow processes and technologies applied to improve the way this UNESCO world heritage site is managed. The paper sets out the challenges and complexities in managing the estate and provides an insight into the approach taken to capture and visualise a HBIM solution that provides functionalities that improves efficiencies compared with traditional pre-BIM workflows. In doing so, the research provides an underpinning narrative for understanding the potential advantages, disadvantages, challenges and drivers of HBIM adoption for facilities management across the heritage sector. The paper draws conclusions and areas of future research that identify the need for a stronger understanding of the culture within heritage building for managing historic assets, and identification of Heritage Information Requirements (HIR) and the unique theoretical and heritage information associated with heritage buildings, in order to deliver a coherent and relevant HBIM approach

An Intrinsic Absorption Complex Toward RXJ1230.8+0115: Geometry and Photoionization Conditions

We present HST/STIS and FUSE spectra of the quasar RXJ1230.8+0115 (V=14.4, z=0.117). In addition to Galactic, Virgo, and intervening absorption, this quasar is host to a remarkable intrinsic absorption complex. Four narrow absorption line systems, strong in CIV, NV, and OVI, lie within 5000 km/s of the QSO redshift. Three of the systems appear to be line-locked, two in NV, and two in OVI, with the common system residing in between the other two (in velocity). All three systems show signs of an intrinsic origin -- smooth wind-like profiles, high ionization, and partial coverage of the central engine. The fourth system, which appears at the systemic redshift of the QSO, may originate from host galaxy or intervening gas. Photoionization analyses imply column densities in the range 19.1<log N(H)<21 and ionization parameters in the range -1.3<log U<0.3. Revisiting the issue of line-locking, we discuss a possible model in the context of the accretion-disk/wind scenario and point out several issues that remain for future simulations and observations.Comment: 16 pages using emulateapj latex document class, including 6 color figures, to appear in ApJ v598 n

The Diagnosis and Management of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Practice Guidance from the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases

This guidance provides a data-supported approach to the diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventive aspects of NAFLD care. A “Guidance” document is different from a “Guideline.” Guidelines are developed by a multidisciplinary panel of experts and rate the quality (level) of the evidence and the strength of each recommendation using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system. A guidance document is developed by a panel of experts in the topic, and guidance statements, not recommendations, are put forward to help clinicians understand and implement the most recent evidence

Archaeological bone lipids as palaeodietary markers

Rationale Stable isotope analysis of archaeological and fossil bone samples can provide important insights into past environments, ecologies and diets. Previous studies have focused on stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes in bone collagen, or carbon isotopes in bone mineral (bioapatite). Carbon isotope analysis of lipids from archaeological bone has received much less attention, partly due to the lack of suitable methodologies allowing sufficient recovery of compounds for structural and isotopic characterisation. Here we show that lipids can be easily and reliably recovered from archaeological bone using a modified protocol, and that these provide complementary dietary information to other bone components. Methods Human and animal bones were obtained from a variety of archaeological contexts. Lipids were sequentially extracted using solvent extraction (dichloromethane/methanol), followed by acidified methanol extraction (methanol/H2SO4). The lipids were then analysed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and gas chromatography/combustion/isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC/C/IRMS). Results Appreciable amounts of endogenous lipid were recovered from archaeological bone. Importantly, a comparison between compound-specific and bulk collagen isotopic data shows that archaeological bone lipids reflect dietary input and can be used to distinguish between marine and terrestrial consumers, as well as between C3 and C4 plant consumers. Furthermore, the presence of essential fatty acids directly incorporated from diet to bone may provide additional palaeodietary information. Conclusions Our findings suggest that archaeological bone lipids are a hitherto untapped resource of dietary information that offer additional insights to those gained from other isotopic analyses of bone

The recovery of North Atlantic right whales, Eubalaena glacialis, has been constrained by human-caused mortality

North Atlantic right whales (NARW), Eubalaena glacialis, were nearly exterminated by historical whaling. Their abundance slowly increased up until 2010, to a maximum of fewer than 500 whales, and since then they have been in decline. We assessed the extent to which the relatively slow increase demonstrated by NARW was intrinsic, and how much could be due to anthropogenic impacts. In order to do so, we first compared calf counts of three populations of Southern right whales (SRW), E. australis, with that of NARW, over the period 1992–2016. By this index, the annual rate of increase of NARW was approximately one-third of that of SRW. Next we constructed a population projection model for female NARW, using the highest annual survival estimates available from recent mark–resight analysis, and assuming a four-year calving interval. The model results indicated an intrinsic rate of increase of 4% per year, approximately twice that observed, and that adult female mortality is the main factor influencing this rate. Necropsy records demonstrate that anthropogenic mortality is the primary cause of known mortality of NARW. Anthropogenic mortality and morbidity has limited the recovery of NARW, and baseline conditions prior to their recent decline were already jeopardizing NARW recovery.The North Atlantic Right Whale Catalog is maintained with support from ongoing contracts from NOAA Fisheries. J.B. has been funded since at least 1993 by various Australian Government Environment Agencies, since 2015 the National Environment Marine Sciences Program, Marine Diversity Hub. K.F. thanks the Island Foundation for support during the collection of the South African aerial survey data between 2012 and 2015. Various institutions funded the South African aerial surveys over the data collection period, including Moby Dick Rum, Exclusive Trust, the Island Foundation, the National Research Foundation, members of the Offshore Petroleum Association of South Africa and the International Whaling Commission. The Brazilian Right Whale Catalog have been supported by several companies through funding to Projeto Baleia Franca, in particular PETROBRAS Brazilian Oil Company and Santos Brasil Company. V.R. thanks the many individuals and non-profit organizations who funded the 47 years of aerial surveys of the Argentine right whales, in particular Sarah Haney for her support in many of our lean years. V.R.’s research permits were issued annually by the Direccio´n de Fauna y Flora Silvestre and the Subsecretarı´a de Turismo y A ´ reas Protegidas of Chubut Province, Argentina.http://rsos.royalsocietypublishing.orgam2019Mammal Research InstituteZoology and Entomolog