Cellular-Automata-Based Simulation of the Settlement Development in Vienna

The motivation to deal with the topic simulation of the settlement development in a city in the past 120 years has been to acquire general methods for the analysis and simulation of settlement development processes on the one hand and to verify these methods on the example of the real development of the city of Vienna on the other hand. We follow the assumption that the underlying processes of the urban development can be reduced to various pronounced but always the same hidden driving forces. The objective is to validate the simulation model by the real settlement development and to provide a solid base for the simulation of possible development scenarios of the city of Vienna. The basis for the validation are digital cellular processed and statistical analysed data of the development of the technical infrastructure, the public transportation systems and the population density in Vienna between 1888 and 2001. The simulation method is based on the technique of Cellular Automata (CA) that permits the simulation of the interaction between a potential field and the development of individual areas. This modelling technique is well known as “reaction diffusion” or “dialectic breakdown”. The CA serves as representation of the examined space and divides this space into individual cells. Each of these cells can save certain information (population density, infrastructure facility, development quality) and exchange them locally with the neighbouring cells. The used model parameters permit the simulation of different spread patterns und spread speeds of a settlement structure. From the results methodological, structural, spatial and temporal regularities of urban development processes are derived

Computer-based methods for a socially sustainable urban and regional planning

Due to global restructuring and urbanization, urban and regional planning is presented with the great challenge of offering sustainable planning strategies. Through particular consideration of the interaction between spatial and social structures, this research project aims to provide a methodical instrument that helps to factor the social dimension of sustainability into planning. The project comprises three modules. In the first one, a method will be developed, which makes it possible to generate spatial structures with very different characteristics. In the framework of the second module, we first elaborate on graph-based methods for analyzing spatial structures, and secondly we develop an agent-based simulation model for residential segregation. The third module contains an empirical study of the interactions between built structures and socio-spatial organization in the partner city of Dresden. Through the comparison of simulation models and small-scale empirical data, one should be able to derive theoretical concepts which can in turn be used to evaluate specific built structures.Peer Reviewe

Concept of Interactive Machine Learning in Urban Design Problems

This work presents a concept of interactive machine learning in a human design process. An urban design problem is viewed as  a multiple-criteria optimization problem. The outlined feature  of an urban design problem is the dependence of a design  goal on a context of the problem. We model the design goal  as a randomized fitness measure that depends on the context.  In terms of multiple-criteria decision analysis (MCDA), the  defined measure corresponds to a subjective expected utility  of a user.  In the first stage of the proposed approach we let the algorithm  explore a design space using clustering techniques. The second  stage is an interactive design loop; the user makes a proposal,  then the program optimizes it, gets the user’s feedback and  returns back the control over the application interface

Comparing two evolutionary algorithm based methods for layout generation: Dense packing versus subdivision

We present and compare two evolutionary algorithm based methods for rectangular architectural layout generation: dense packing and subdivision algorithms. We analyze the characteristics of the two methods on the basis of three floor plan scenarios. Our analyses include the speed with which solutions are generated, the reliability with which optimal solutions can be found, and the number of different solutions that can be found overall. In a following step, we discuss the methods with respect to their different user interaction capabilities. In addition, we show that each method has the capability to generate more complex L-shaped layouts. Finally, we conclude that neither of the methods is superior but that each of them is suitable for use in distinct application scenarios because of its different propertie

Self-assessment and learning motivation in the second victim phenomenon

Introduction: The experience of a second victim phenomenon after an event plays a significant role in health care providers’ well-being. Untreated; it may lead to severe harm to victims and their families; other patients; hospitals; and society due to impairment or even loss of highly specialised employees. In order to manage the phenomenon, lifelong learning is inevitable but depends on learning motivation to attend training. This motivation may be impaired by overconfidence effects (e.g., over-placement and overestimation) that may suggest no demand for education. The aim of this study was to examine the interdependency of learning motivation and overconfidence concerning second victim effects. Methods: We assessed 176 physicians about overconfidence and learning motivation combined with a knowledge test. The nationwide online study took place in early 2022 and addressed about 3000 German physicians of internal medicine. Statistics included analytical and qualitative methods. Results: Of 176 participants, 83 completed the assessment. Analysis showed the presence of two overconfidence effects and in-group biases (clinical tribalism). None of the effects correlated directly with learning motivation, but cluster analysis revealed three different learning types: highly motivated, competent, and confident “experts”, motivated and overconfident “recruitables”, and unmotivated and overconfident “unawares”. Qualitative analysis revealed four main themes: “environmental factors”, “emotionality”, “violence and death”, and “missing qualifications” contributing to the phenomenon. Discussion: We confirmed the presence of overconfidence in second victim management competencies in about 3% of all persons addressed. Further, we could detect the same three learning motivation patterns compared to preceding studies on learning motivation in other medical competencies like life support and infection control. These findings considering overconfidence effects may be helpful for safety managers, medical teachers, curriculum developers and supervisors to create preventive educational curricula on second victim recognition and management

Computer-based methods for a socially sustainable urban and regional planning

Due to global restructuring and urbanization, urban and regional planning is presented with the great challenge of offering sustainable planning strategies. Through particular consideration of the interaction between spatial and social structures, this research project aims to provide a methodical instrument that helps to factor the social dimension of sustainability into planning. The project comprises three modules. In the first one, a method will be developed, which makes it possible to generate spatial structures with very different characteristics. In the framework of the second module, we first elaborate on graph-based methods for analyzing spatial structures, and secondly we develop an agent-based simulation model for residential segregation. The third module contains an empirical study of the interactions between built structures and socio-spatial organization in the partner city of Dresden. Through the comparison of simulation models and small-scale empirical data, one should be able to derive theoretical concepts which can in turn be used to evaluate specific built structures

Development of a patient journey map for people living with cervical dystonia

BACKGROUND: Patient journey maps are increasingly used as a tool that enables healthcare providers to refine their service provision to best meet patient needs. We developed a cervical dystonia patient journey map (CDPJM) that describes the holistic patient experience from pre-diagnosis through to long-term treatment. METHODS: The CDPJM was developed in 2 stages; a patient survey (open questions and multichoice) of 15 patients with CD was conducted to inform the design of the CDPJM, which was then refined and validated by an expert-patient focus group. RESULTS: Qualitative analysis of the patient survey supported five key stages of the patient journey: symptom onset, diagnosis and therapeutic relationship with healthcare professionals, initiation of care for CD, start of CD treatment, and living with treated CD. Following symptom onset, survey respondents described having multiple visits to their family doctor who prescribed strong pain killers and muscle relaxants and referred their patient to up to 10 different specialists for diagnosis. Over half (53.3%) of respondents had received ≥ 1 misdiagnosis. Respondents reported relief at having a diagnosis but a lack of understanding of the prognosis and treatment options; 46.7% said their neurologist did not spend enough time addressing their concerns. Survey respondents reported using a variety of alternative sources of information, including the internet (86.7%), self-help groups (66.7%) and information leaflets provided by health care professionals (60.0%). While botulinum toxin (BoNT) was consistently discussed as the main treatment option, some neurologists also mentioned physiotherapy, counselling, and other complementary approaches. However, patients were often left to seek complementary services themselves. Patients reported a ‘rollercoaster’ of relief with BoNT treatment with symptoms (and subsequent impact on daily life) returning towards the end of an injection cycle. “When BoNT works well I can return to an almost normal life … when the injections stop working so well, I have to rest more and avoid going to work and experience life restrictions.” CONCLUSIONS: We present the first patient journey map for CD that can be used to guide local service mapping and to compare current provision with what patients say they want and need

Empowering Urban Design Prototyping: A Case Study in Cape Town with Interactive Computational Synthesis Methods

Although Cape Town city in South Africa is generally regarded as the most stable and prosperous city in the region, there are still approximately 7.5 million people living in informal settlements and about 2.5 million housing units are needed. This motivates the so-called Empower Shack project, aiming to develop upgrading strategies for these informal settlements. To facilitate the fulfilment of this project, urban design prototyping tools are researched and developed with the capabilities for fast urban design synthesis. In this paper we present a computational method for fast interactive synthesis of urban planning prototypes. For the generation of mock-up urban layouts, one hierarchical slicing structure, namely, the slicing tree is introduced to abstractly represent the parcels, as an extension of the existing generative method for street network. It has been proved that our methods can interactively assist the urban planning process in practice. However, the slicing tree data structure has several limitations that hinder the further improvement of the generated urban layouts. In the future, the development of a new data structure is required to fulfil urban synthesis for urban layout generation with Evolutionary Multi-objective Optimisation methods and evaluation strategies should be developed to verify the generated results

The role of nucleon structure in finite nuclei

The quark-meson coupling model, based on a mean field description of non-overlapping nucleon bags bound by the self-consistent exchange of $\sigma$, $\omega$ and $\rho$ mesons, is extended to investigate the properties of finite nuclei. Using the Born-Oppenheimer approximation to describe the interacting quark-meson system, we derive the effective equation of motion for the nucleon, as well as the self-consistent equations for the meson mean fields. The model is first applied to nuclear matter, after which we show some initial results for finite nuclei.Comment: The revised version. This is tar, compressed and uuencoded (including 3 tables and 8 figures). 45 page

The High-Acceptance Dielectron Spectrometer HADES

HADES is a versatile magnetic spectrometer aimed at studying dielectron production in pion, proton and heavy-ion induced collisions. Its main features include a ring imaging gas Cherenkov detector for electron-hadron discrimination, a tracking system consisting of a set of 6 superconducting coils producing a toroidal field and drift chambers and a multiplicity and electron trigger array for additional electron-hadron discrimination and event characterization. A two-stage trigger system enhances events containing electrons. The physics program is focused on the investigation of hadron properties in nuclei and in the hot and dense hadronic matter. The detector system is characterized by an 85% azimuthal coverage over a polar angle interval from 18 to 85 degree, a single electron efficiency of 50% and a vector meson mass resolution of 2.5%. Identification of pions, kaons and protons is achieved combining time-of-flight and energy loss measurements over a large momentum range. This paper describes the main features and the performance of the detector system