Evaluating and Expanding Hillier's Mean Local Choice: The Need for a New Measure of Quantitative Spatial Description

This paper critically evaluates the ‘mean local choice’, a newly introduced spatial measurement by Hillier in his keynote speech presented in Beijing (2019). Different from the well-discussed mathematical ‘betweenness centrality’ in syntactic studies, Hillier’s proposed measure looks at the step-by-step alternatives (choices) regarding the all-to-all visit from each space in a spatial environment to all others by the simplest route. He argues that different levels of mean local choice values entail ‘consequent functional effects on spatial layout’ (Hillier, 2019, p.14). This paper identifies methodological deficits in Hillier’s explanations, arguing that the calculations of mean local choice in different structure types are not mathematically consistent. Moreover, the social significance stemming from differential functional effects varied by mean local choice in spatial layouts remains undefined, limiting the theoretical and practical applicability of this new measure. Building on this observation, this paper provides two possible evaluations of the theoretical definition of mean local choice, deriving from Hillier’s original work. Comparing this measure with the measures of ‘betweenness centrality’ and syntactic choice, it raises the following questions: How does mean local choice differ from existing spatial measures? How do varying levels of mean local choice correspond to diverse functional effects in spatial layouts? We argue that mean local choice, as an independent spatial variable, provides a new perspective on the relationship between spatial attributes and human behavioural patterns. Furthermore, this paper introduces a third approach to defining and calculating mean local choice, diverging from Hillier's original methods. We suggest that this approach more accurately captures the theoretical essence of the new measure. Consequently, we provide comprehensive evaluations of mean local choice for theoretical models with different node counts and present a Python-based program designed for analysing real-world configurations, which enables the practical application of mean local choice, enhancing its utility in spatial analysis

Traversability in Spatial Configuration: Some Theoretical and Practical Aspects

Traversability, a relatively new concept in the field of space syntax study, was introduced by Hillier (2019) in his last paper, measuring the ease with which a layout can be traversed as a whole without crossing the same space twice. In his preliminary comparison of the traversability value of four structure types (a-. b-. c- and d-structures), Hillier argued that the understanding of traversability in graph structures, regarding its functional effects and social meanings, will contribute to the enrichment of space syntax theory. Taking Hillier’s work as a starting point, this paper provides a more in-depth exploration of traversability in four dimensions. a. providing mathematical evaluations of the traversability value in a-, b-, c- and d-structure with the number of nodes ranging from four (the minimum number of nodes to form a d-structure) to n; b. conducting experiments with how changes in local spatial relationships may affect the global value of traversability in a configuration, thereby illustrating the architectural implications of the measure; c. classifying distinctions in social meanings between spatial configurations with high and low traversability values. This analytic is based on comparing traversability values with established classifications of layouts in space syntax research using the conceptual/analytical pairs of high/low integration and strong/weak programmes (Hillier 1996); d. measuring and comparing traversability values of real-world layouts using a python programme developed for this study. We argue that these four dimensions of analysis highlight the significance of this new measure; we also explain what they add to existing applications of space syntax analysis. The paper concludes with directions for the future exploration of this new measure and possible applications in practical fields

Skin Topography Analysis for Forensic Application

Skin topography analysis, especially fingerprinting, has been used with high levels of success in forensic studies to identify individuals. Since fingerprints are not always left at crime scenes, we investigate the potential utility of prints left from other anatomical sites as a means of identifying their subject. An image processing and pattern recognition code is used to identify key features in images of skin topography of the mid-anterior forearms, back of the hands, and underneath the wrists over a 1-2 month period. These features are then analyzed to determine if topographical features in skin other than fingerprints remain the same over time. Preliminary evidence indicates skin topography, not just fingerprints, stays consistent over time, suggesting that topographical skin prints from multiple regions of the body can be useful for forensic identification of individuals at crime scenes. A larger study including multiple subjects, however, is needed to verify these findings.https://orb.binghamton.edu/research_days_posters_2023/1083/thumbnail.jp

The mountains are impure: the semantics of lexical plurality

This paper is concerned with the semantics of so-called plurals of extension, a class of lexical plurals such as mountains, cliffs, skies, Hebrides, and Pyrenees. While similar on the surface to regular plural nouns, they behave differently in certain regards, including their compatibility with determiners, interpretation in half of the N partitives and possibility to occur as weak definites. We will argue that plurals of extension denote predicates over impure atoms, predicting that theybehave as singulars from a semantic point of view and as plurals from a morphological point of view. The analysis will be extended to temporal plurals of extension and plural mass nouns

Agroecological Symbiosis

Food systems present a nexus of challenges and potential solutions to the unsustainable global crises of the Anthropocene. Most of humanity interacts with multiple food systems as a result of being involved in our highly globalized, extractivist, and productivist paradigm. This chapter explores Agroecological Symbiosis as a situated example of a food-system (re)design aimed at fostering sustainable interactions from environmental, economic, and sociocultural perspectives. This chapter contributes to our understanding of sustainability through the many emergent and interconnected elements of food systems. We ground the theoretical enquiry in lived experience by drawing parallels to the real world case example of Agroecological Symbiosis. In light of the complexity and interconnectedness of food systems, careful contextualization is needed to enact meaningful sustainable transitions in food systems. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to food systems (re)design, and a variety of actions along the whole food system are required.Peer reviewe

What’s fappening? : Eine Untersuchung zur Selbstbefriedigung im 21. Jahrhundert

»What’s fappening?«, fragt Hanna Rose – eine Anspielung auf den Neologismus fap, der auf zumeist humoristischen Internet-Plattformen als lautmalerischer Ausdruck für Selbstbefriedigung verbreitet wird. Der Begriff steht hier sinnbildlich für die Entpathologisierung der Selbstbefriedigung in der Spätmoderne: Einstmals verpönt und als krankhaft angesehen, gilt sie nun als wichtiger Bestandteil sexueller Gesundheit. Ausgehend von historischen Diskursen, modernen Entwicklungen und Forschungsergebnissen widmet sich die Autorin der Untersuchung qualitativer Interviews mit Männern und Frauen über ihre Masturbationsbiografie. Im Fokus steht damit die Frage nach der konkreten Einbettung in das (Sexual-)Leben und dem subjektiven Erleben von Selbstbefriedigung, die aus soziologischer und sexualwissenschaftlicher Perspektive bisher nur selten als eigenständiger Forschungsgegenstand behandelt wurde

Association between dementia parental family history and mid-life modifiable risk factors for dementia:a cross-sectional study using propensity score matching within the Lifelines cohort

OBJECTIVE: Individuals with a parental family history (PFH) of dementia have an increased risk to develop dementia, regardless of genetic risks. The aim of this study is to investigate the association between a PFH of dementia and currently known modifiable risk factors for dementia among middle-aged individuals using propensity score matching (PSM). DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: A subsample of Lifelines (35–65 years), a prospective population-based cohort study in the Netherlands was used. OUTCOME MEASURES: Fourteen modifiable risk factors for dementia and the overall Lifestyle for Brain Health (LIBRA) score, indicating someone’s potential for dementia risk reduction (DRR). RESULTS: The study population included 89 869 participants of which 10 940 (12.2%) had a PFH of dementia (mean (SD) age=52.95 (7.2)) and 36 389 (40.5%) without a PFH of dementia (mean (SD) age=43.19 (5.5)). Of 42 540 participants (47.3%), PFH of dementia was imputed. After PSM, potential confounding variables were balanced between individuals with and without PFH of dementia. Individuals with a PFH of dementia had more often hypertension (OR=1.19; 95% CI 1.14 to 1.24), high cholesterol (OR=1.24; 95% CI 1.18 to 1.30), diabetes (OR=1.26; 95% CI 1.11 to 1.42), cardiovascular diseases (OR=1.49; 95% CI 1.18 to 1.88), depression (OR=1.23; 95% CI 1.08 to 1.41), obesity (OR=1.14; 95% CI 1.08 to 1.20) and overweight (OR=1.10; 95% CI 1.05 to 1.17), and were more often current smokers (OR=1.20; 95% CI 1.14 to 1.27) and ex-smokers (OR=1.21; 95% CI 1.16 to 1.27). However, they were less often low/moderate alcohol consumers (OR=0.87; 95% CI 0.83 to 0.91), excessive alcohol consumers (OR=0.93; 95% CI 0.89 to 0.98), socially inactive (OR=0.84; 95% CI 0.78 to 0.90) and physically inactive (OR=0.93; 95% CI 0.91 to 0.97). Having a PFH of dementia resulted in a higher LIBRA score (RC=0.15; 95% CI 0.11 to 0.19). CONCLUSION: We found that having a PFH of dementia was associated with several modifiable risk factors. This suggests that middle-aged individuals with a PFH of dementia are a group at risk and could benefit from DRR. Further research should explore their knowledge, beliefs and attitudes towards DRR, and whether they are willing to assess their risk and change their lifestyle to reduce dementia risk

Identification of high-risk subgroups in very elderly intensive care unit patients

INTRODUCTION: Current prognostic models for intensive care unit (ICU) patients have not been specifically developed or validated in the very elderly. The aim of this study was to develop a prognostic model for ICU patients 80 years old or older to predict in-hospital mortality by means of data obtained within 24 hours after ICU admission. Aside from having good overall performance, the model was designed to reliably and specifically identify subgroups at very high risk of dying. METHODS: A total of 6,867 consecutive patients 80 years old or older from 21 Dutch ICUs were studied. Data necessary to calculate the Glasgow Coma Scale, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II, Simplified Acute Physiology Score II (SAPS II), Mortality Probability Models II scores, and ICU and hospital survival were recorded. Data were randomly divided into a developmental (n = 4,587) and a validation (n = 2,289) set. By means of recursive partitioning analysis, a classification tree predicting in-hospital mortality was developed. This model was compared with the original SAPS II model and with the SAPS II model after recalibration for very elderly ICU patients in the Netherlands. RESULTS: Overall performance measured by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve and by the Brier score was similar for the classification tree, the original SAPS II model, and the recalibrated SAPS II model. The tree identified most patients with very high risk of mortality (9.2% of patients versus 8.9% for the original SAPS II and 5.9% for the recalibrated SAPS II had a risk of more than 80%). With a cut-point at a risk of 80%, the positive predictive values were 0.88 for the tree, 0.83 for the original SAPS II, and 0.87 for the recalibrated SAPS II. CONCLUSION: Prognostic models with good overall performance may also reliably identify subgroups of very elderly ICU patients who have a very high risk of dying before hospital discharge. The classification tree has the advantage of identifying the separate factors contributing to bad outcome and of using few variables. Up to 9.5% of patients were found to have a risk to die of more than 85

Factors that predict outcome of intensive care treatment in very elderly patients: a review

INTRODUCTION: Advanced age is thought to be associated with increased mortality in critically ill patients. This report reviews available data on factors that determine outcome, on the value of prognostic models, and on preferences regarding life-sustaining treatments in (very) elderly intensive care unit (ICU) patients. METHODS: We searched the Medline database (January 1966 to January 2005) for English language articles. Selected articles were cross-checked for other relevant publications. RESULTS: Mortality rates are higher in elderly ICU patients than in younger patients. However, it is not age per se but associated factors, such as severity of illness and premorbid functional status, that appear to be responsible for the poorer prognosis. Patients' preferences regarding life-sustaining treatments are importantly influenced by the likelihood of a beneficial outcome. Commonly used prognostic models have not been calibrated for use in the very elderly. Furthermore, they do not address long-term survival and functional outcome. CONCLUSION: We advocate the development of new prognostic models, validated in elderly ICU patients, that predict not only survival but also functional and cognitive status after discharge. Such a model may support informed decision making with respect to patients' preferences