bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Document Дх-1403 from Khara-Khoto: an amnesty disposal or a fragment of a murder case?
Authors: Sidorovich S. V.
Published: December 2022

The article considers a hand-written fragment in Chinese obtained in Khara-Khoto during P. K. Kozlov’s expedition in 1907–1909 and now preserved in Institute of Oriental Manuscripts of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The document in scope was included by a mistake in the Dunhuang Collection (call number Дх-1403). Despite the document having been known to the scientific society for a long time, to this day there have been no publications in Russian proposing complete reading of the text and its translation, while the existent catalogue descriptions contained inaccuracies. The present article fills this gap: it suggests the text of the fragment, annotated translation and research, as well as the bibliographic references on its Russian and foreign publications.
“Daily Burnt-Offering” and “Financial Offering”: The Understanding of Service in the Hevrat Shomerim la-Boker
Authors: Zarubina E. D.
Published: December 2022

At first sight, the charter of Venetian Hevrat Shomerim la-Boker (active circa 16–17th century) mirrors the conflict between the religious aim of the fraternity’s creation and the attention its compilers gave to the procedural and administrative issues. However, the in-depth examination of the data presented in the charter reveals the deep connection between various payments and the religious character of the fraternity. This connection dwells on the range of dual meanings indicative of the payments imposed on the fraternity members. The present paper discusses the dual meanings, connotations, and symbolic dimensions of several aspects of the fraternity’s activities. Two fraternity charters accessed through its minute book (pinkas) provide the necessary data. The first section examines the terminology used to designate payments; the second highlights the connection between the charter and the “last days” before the coming of the Messiah; the third section analyzes the connotations of the “new moon evening” when one of the key fraternity procedures occurred. The data at hand suggests that the fraternity aimed to restore the Temple sacrifice in a symbolic form. The “new sacrifice” took the form of various payments, primarily the monthly payment – tamid, which corresponds to the daily Temple sacrifice. The other aspects of the fraternity’s activities have a symbolic dimension, too. For example, the afternoon prayer on the new moon day, which corresponds to the additional sacrifice in the Temple, turns into one of the central events in the fraternity’s life. Understanding the symbolic contexts of the association’s charter gives way to at least partial reconstruction of the worldviews, mentality, and identity of the fraternity’s members and broadly the early modern Venetian Jews.
Unpublished fragments of the Sanskrit manuscript SI 2093 of the Lotus Sūtra from the Serindia Collection of the IOM, RAS
Authors: Mesheznikov A. V.
Published: December 2022

The article continues to introduce into scientific circulation the newly discovered Sanskrit fragments of the Lotus Sutra (Saddharmapuṇḍarīka-sūtra) kept in the Serindia Collection of the IOM RAS, and also presents the intermediate results of the study of the Sanskrit manuscript heritage of Central Asia in general and texts of the Lotus Sūtra in particular within the work of the Serindica Laboratory – a recently formed subdivision of the IOM RAS. This publication includes five previously unpublished fragments of the Sanskrit Lotus Sūtra held in the Serindia Collection in the subcollection of N. F. Petrovsky under the call number SI 2093. The publication includes transliteration, translation into Russian and facsimile reproduction of these fragments. The article also outlines the physical features of the manuscripts, provides a brief analysis of the text of the fragments, and offers their comparison with the corresponding text from the largest existing Central Asian manuscript of the Sanskrit Lotus Sūtra which is well-known as so-called Kashgar manuscript of N. F. Petrovsky. The obtained results allow us to make significant progress in the study of the Buddhist manuscript heritage in Sanskrit outside India.
Exegesis on the feast day of Archangel Michael ascribed to Macarius of Tkow (М. 592 f. 27v–37r). Translation from Coptic into Russian, comments and introduction
Authors: Frangulian L. R. , Vinichenko A. V.
Published: December 2022

The Archangel Michael is the angel in charge of all the heavenly powers. He is mentioned by name only in the Book of Daniel (Old Testament), the Epistle of Jude (New Testament) and the Revelation written by John the Apostle (New Testament). The Archistratigus is highly revered in various Christian traditions. This article presents the first literary translation into Russian of a Coptic text known as ‘Exegesis on the feast day of Archangel Michael ascribed to Macarius of Tkow’. The Coptic text, published by G. Lafontaine with a Latin translation in 1979, was used for translation. The analysis of the ‘Exegesis’ in question is relevant from the point of view of Coptic peculiarities both in the veneration of the Archangel and in the construction of the sermon. All the more so because there is no serious reason to doubt the authenticity of the authorship. The Coptic tradition, through the translation of the ‘Exegesis’, offers opportunities for comparative studies of the image of the Archangel Michael.
Well Performance Following Matrix Acidizing Treatment: Case Study of the Mi4 Unit in Ahdeb Oil Field
Authors: ALAMEEDY Usama , Al-Haleem Ayad A. , Almalichy Abdulameer
Published: December 2022

The productivity of oil wells may be improved by determining the value of enhancing well productivity and the likely reasons or sources of formation damage after the well has been recognized as underperforming. Oil well productivity may be improved, but the economics of this gradual improvement may be compromised. It is important to analyze the influence of the skin effect on the recovery of the reserve.
   The acid treatment evaluated for the well AD-12, primarily for the zone Mi4;  using a license of Stimpro Stimulation Software to validate the experimental work to the field scale, this software is considered the most comprehensive instrument for planning and monitoring matrix acid treatments and utilizing actual data to provide a far better knowledge of the well's reaction, with methods that represent the reality of what is happening in the reservoir before, during, and after matrix acid treatments, through the post-treatment skin factor, which is the most frequently utilized statistic for analyzing stimulation treatments and relies on the geometry of the wormholed zone. Referring to the previous buildup tests for Ad-12, the skin value of -3.97 is approximately identical to or slightly larger than the skin value estimated by the acid treatment simulation using Stimpro. Moreover, when the simulator was performed, the invading fluid revealed two distinct depths of investigation inside the treated zone. While the fluid invasion in the bottom area has invaded deeply at a distance of 95 inches despite the top layer wormhole penetrating to a depth of 32 inches.
BIM-Lean relationship assessment framework: A conceptual establishment
Authors:   Faculty of Civil Engineering, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia, Rahman MA , Belayutham S
Published: December 2022

The construction industry is seeking ways to reduce waste (material and productionrelated process waste) to improve productivity and efficiency. Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Lean are two vital innovations for the Architecture, Engineering, Construction and Operation (AECO) industry used in the industry to improve aspects of productivity and efficiency. BIM has been used to generate and compare designs to ensure optimum use of resources, reduce design time, improve collaboration between stakeholders, and reduce errors in design and construction. On the other hand, the main agenda of Lean is to reduce (both material and production process) waste, increase value, and thrive for continuous improvement. In the construction industry, BIM and Lean have been mostly used in isolation. However, studies suggest that BIM and Lean have mutual relationships and are complementary to achieve each other’s objectives. To do so, it is very crucial to understand the mechanism behind the relationship and the interaction between BIM and Lean. Informed analysis and understanding of the mutual relationship would help construction management decision-makers to achieve the utmost benefits from the implementation of these two drivers. However, previous studies have explored BIM and Lean relationships, but limited studies were done to support construction management decision-makers in identifying relevant BIM functions to enable Lean or to identify relevant Lean principles to support BIM. Therefore, this paper aims to represent a conceptual BIM-Lean relationship assessment framework by using Design Science Research methodology to identify and measure the relationship between BIM and Lean to support construction management decision-makers.
Cultural basic assumptions of consultants and contractors during negotiations: The case of South Australian construction industry
Authors:   UniSA STEM, Sustainable Infrastructure and Resource Management (SIRM), University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia, Alankarage S , Samaraweera A , Royle J , Macolino A , Robertson S , Palihakkara AD
Published: December 2022

Negotiations are required in every stage of a construction project. The process of negotiation involves being able to understand the position and emotions of the other side of the negotiation. A reliable means for understanding cultural basic assumptions on negotiation tactics assist in better predicting how individuals may act in a negotiation. This research aims to analyse the effect of basic assumptions of consultants and contractors on negotiations in the South Australian construction industry. This was approached through a case study research strategy, utilising semi-structured interviews with two contractors and two consultants each from three large South Australian Road projects followed by a Content Analysis. Findings reveal that both the contractors and consultants believe the nature of human relationships as collaborative and therefore view negotiations as a mean of strengthening the partnership. They negotiate openly to reach win-win outcomes. They view the nature of human nature to be good, therefore more trust and more openness to creative new ideas in negotiation planning. Respondents mostly believe the nature of the human activity to be harmonizing and are more likely to use trade-offs in reaching mutually beneficial negotiation outcomes. The knowledge created in this research will be useful for anyone preparing to negotiate within the South Australian construction industry or similar cultural setups to understand and predict how contractors and consultants would react to different situations and issues within negotiation processes and to achieve effective outcomes. Further research can study the basic assumptions of sub-contractors about negotiations.
Drivers and barriers to implement green building practices in higher education institutes in Sri Lanka
Authors:   Department of Building Economics, University or Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, Illeperuma I.E. , Abeynayake M.D.T.E.
Published: December 2022

Higher education institutes have a vast variety of humans, processes, and activities with significant waste generation, transportation, water and material consumption, and energy and electricity consumption. They have the potential to disseminate and lead future generations in the transition towards sustainability. Green buildings are designed, constructed, and operated by efficiently utilizing resources to provide a healthy and comfortable built environment while minimizing the life cycle cost. Higher education institutes across the world are several steps ahead of Sri Lanka in implementing green building practices. Thus, this research aimed to find approaches to increase the implementation of green building practices in higher education institutes in Sri Lanka. The research aim was approached through a qualitative case study. Accordingly, three cases were studied by collecting data through nine semi-structured interviews. Collected data were coded by using the NVivo 11 software and analysed using the cross-case analysis. Findings revealed that benefits associated with green buildings, leadership, specialization of the institute, institutional policy, and imposed regulations drive Sri Lankan higher education institutes to implement the green building practices. Lack of awareness, professional knowledge, skilled labour, and funds, political regime changes, poor planning, and stakeholder management were identified as barriers. The research outcomes guide the policymakers and management of the Sri Lankan higher education institutes to effectively implement green building practices. Further, the research outcomes will help to make strategies to reinforce the drivers and mitigate the barriers.
Enhance the collaborative involvement of stakeholders through cloud-based BIM in the Sri Lankan construction industry
Authors:   Department of Building Economics, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, Mohanaraj R , Ganeshu P , Gowsiga M
Published: December 2022

The construction industry relies on the collaboration of stakeholders for a successful outcome, as most the stakeholders are from multidisciplinary organisation to achieve a particular goal. In addition, information in the construction industry must be more accurate and on time to increase the project performance. Even though cloud-based collaboration can be a useful tool for working with the stakeholder, is not being used widely yet. Therefore, it is required to analyse the feasibility of collaborative stakeholders’ participation on cloud-based Building Information Modelling. Hence, this paper outlines: the level of stakeholder collaborative involvement in cloud-based Building Information Modelling; the benefits of stakeholder collaborative involvement through cloud-based Building Information Modelling; limitation for the cloud-based Building Information Modelling; as well as strategies to overcome these limitations. Findings of the study indicated that even though, the benefits derived from the stakeholder collaboration are high, the collaborative involvement level in cloud-based Building Information Modelling is very low due to several limitations. therefore, this study propose some strategies to overcome the limitations such as: the government can provide training and awareness programmes; formulate regulations allowing for electronic-data processing to lower tax; develop Building Information Modelling execution plans with assistance from the Construction Industry Development Authority; and improve Building Information Modelling Execution plans with the technology.
Evaluation of construction workers mental health during COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria
Authors:   Construction Management, University Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia, Zaccheus OO , AbdulLateef O , Cheen KS , Folasade AB
Published: December 2022

The need to ensure construction workers have good mental health is imperative because poor mental health has an economic cost that impacts individuals, companies, and nations. The aim of this study is to evaluate construction workers' mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria. To achieve this aim, a survey questionnaire was developed and administered online to building environment professionals working on construction sites. The results show that stress, feeling overwhelmed, feeling unusually confused, fatigue, being unpredictable and anxiety were the top mental health challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. The result also revealed that training on mental health and the symptoms, awareness week activities, flexible working, and working from home policies were the top support provided by organisations for mental health wellbeing during COVID-19. The study concludes that difficulty in adapting to the challenges brought about by the deadly virus and its effect on the economy makes construction workers more susceptible to mental health challenges as it impaired their work life and thereby increasing their mental pressure.
Green roof as a technology towards sustainability: A perspective of benefits offered
Authors:   Department of Building Economics, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, Dasuni KAL , Ramachandra T , Zainudeen MN
Published: December 2022

Green roof is a building envelop embedded concept to compensate the consequences of green losses due to building constructions with its numerous benefits in all environmental, economic and social aspects. But the application of green roofs in Sri Lankan buildings is seemed to be limited due to the deficiency in comprehensive awareness of the benefits of the green roof concept among construction stakeholders. Though the global studies on green roof application are widespread among different green roof types, their results do not indicate any consistency between green roof application and climate. This warrants the current study to investigate the benefits offered by green roofs in the local context. A thorough literature synthesis had initially conducted to review the green roof concept, types of green roofs, and benefits offered. Subsequently, a preliminary investigation was performed to identify the green roofs available in Sri Lanka. Thereafter, the case study strategy was adopted to evaluate the benefits of intensive and semi-intensive green roof types through interviews. The collected data were analysed using manual content analysis. Analysis revealed that both intensive and semi-intensive type offers key benefits such as energy conservation, and stormwater run-off reduction in the Sri Lankan context. In addition, the intensive type offers benefits such as carbon emission control, and absorption of urbanized noise which can be aligned with the main criteria of sustainable sites, energy & atmosphere, and indoor environment quality of green rating systems. Therefore, the study suggests that an adequate recognition to green roof implementation in the green rating systems would enhance the green roof application and thereby contribute to achieving sustainability of buildings in terms of these criteria.
Implementing Safe Working Cycle (SWC) concept amidst the COVID- 19 crisis in Sri Lanka
Authors:   Department of Quantity Surveying, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, Sri Lanka, Rasanjana HP , Allis C
Published: December 2022

The phenomenon of COVID-19 has introduced critical challenges in the architecture, engineering, and the entire construction industry. A safe Working Cycle is a Japanese concept. It incorporates to enhances the effective implementation of safety management systems, thereby helping to prevent health and safety issues. This research mainly aims at identifying the strategies for overcoming barriers to implementing the Safe Working Cycle (SWC) concept during the COVID-19 pandemics in Sri Lanka. The research study focused more on reducing health-related illnesses caused by COVID-19 than on the other physical safety issues at the construction site. In such a critical health issue, the protection of human resources, an essential part of the construction industry, should be prioritized. The aim of the Study was reached through the sequential mixed method. The semi-structured expert interviews were initially conducted, and after that questionnaire survey was achieved among health and safety officers in construction projects in Sri Lanka. In the semi-structured interviews, data were analyzed using Nvivo thematic analysis software and questionnaire survey; M.S. Excel analyzed the collected data. Following the findings, several potential barriers were arisen to implementing the SWC concept in the Sri Lankan construction industry: including limited Budget allocation, poor safety attitude, limited land space, strict project schedules, and unawareness of workers. Further, this Study also indicated several potential practical strategies to overcome these barriers identified for SWC implementation. Such as; Implementing the COVID-19 bio bubble concept, Organizing regular toolbox meetings, demonstrating sign boards specific to this new concept, arranging separate systematic time slots, buildup a good communication network. The safe Working Cycle (SWC) is not currently practised in Sri Lankan construction culture. However, health and safety professionals are familiar with almost every aspect of the Safe Working Cycle (SWC); therefore, it is possible to put this into practice in the Sri Lankan construction industry.
Importance of a value assessment tool in regenerating a circular built environment in Sri Lanka
Authors:   Department of Building Economics, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, Atapattu AMDS , Chandanie H , Dilakshan R
Published: December 2022

Attribute to the rapid expansion of the built environment, excessive resource consumption and waste generation aligned with the corresponding linear economy practices have impacted the preservation of the ecosphere. In addressing the shortcomings of the linear economy, the circular economy concept was introduced by prioritising the circular value streams of the resources which minimises resource extraction and waste generation. However, environmental concerns are often disregarded in construction processes where the priority is given to the cost and economic return of construction applications. Simultaneously, the absence of a proper methodology in assessing the economic aspects of circular economy principles is apparent in the built environment sector. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the importance of a proper value assessment tool in shifting to a circular built environment in Sri Lanka. Instigating from a literature survey, the existing knowledge on the study area was synthesised. A qualitative approach was followed in the empirical study where semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten experts in the field of circular economy in Sri Lanka. The manual content analysis technique was followed in analysing the collected qualitative data. The findings revealed that the extremely low maturity of circular economy practices in the Sri Lankan construction sector is mainly caused by the absence of a proper value assessment tool. Therefore, the introduction of a proper value assessment tool is important for circular built environment experts to encourage the fellow construction community towards the transition to a circular built environment in Sri Lanka.
Industry 4.0 based sustainable manufacturing model for apparel industry in Sri Lanka
Authors:   Department of Building Economics, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, De Alwis AML , De Silva N
Published: December 2022

Global industrialisation creates many challenges in achieving the balance of sustainability pillars called social, economic and environmental. Manufacturing is the largest subsector of industrialisation. Hence the sustainability of manufacturing greatly affects the sustainability of industrialization. Thus, the research community and industry professionals give attention to the Sustainable Manufacturing (SM) concept. Further, they have realized the significance of technology when focusing on SM. Accordingly, they have aligned the path of achieving SM with the recent manufacturing technology called “Industry 4.0” (I4.0) for more innovative and efficient outcomes. The developed countries and some of the developing countries drive towards the I4.0 concept to achieve SM. However, in terms of the Sri Lankan context, there is no clear evidence to demonstrate the integration of the I4.0 and SM. But there are few studies based on implementing I4.0 for apparel manufacturing in Sri Lanka. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the present status of the application of the I4.0 concept towards achieving SM in apparel manufacturing in Sri Lanka by selecting three large scale apparel manufacturing case studies. This was tested using a model which links the I4.0 pillars and the key opportunities for three dimensions of SM from nine technology pillars observed through previous studies. The findings from the case studies proved that there is a huge gap in the application of I4.0 for SM in the Sri Lankan context
Investigating the sustainable use of energy on construction sites in Sri Lanka
Authors:   Department of Building Economics, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, Athukorala SAUM , Waidyasekara KGAS
Published: December 2022

The construction sector can be identified as one of the highest energy-consuming industries in the world. The energy usage of the construction, operation, and maintenance stages is significant due to the complex nature of the industry. However, energy is one of the most undervalued resources in terms of efficiency and conservation in the construction stage. Higher energy usage and energy wastage in construction sites can be identified as significant matters, and various energy efficiency measures have massive potential for saving energy during the construction stage. Accordingly, this paper aims to investigate the sustainable use of energy practices on construction sites in Sri Lanka. A comprehensive literature review was conducted to identify principles and practices of sustainable use of energy, energy-using activities, processes, and the most applicable energy efficiency measures. The research aim was achieved through a qualitative research approach, and four case studies on building construction projects were conducted within the Colombo district. The case boundary of the study is defined as high-rise building sites. Semi-structured interviews, site observation, and document reviews were carried out as data collection techniques within each case. The collected data were analysed using manual content analysis. Key findings revealed how to use energy sustainably, what are the current energy sources and alternative sources available, construction activities and equipment used in the construction process, and reduce energy wastage by using energy efficiency measures. Rework, and workers’ behaviour highly affects the energy wastage on the site. Lack of planning, lack of information, limited space, and poor responses from the construction organisation were identified as the most relevant barriers that influence sustainable energy use on construction sites. The proposed recommendations for improving the sustainable use of energy should be adopted at the project level. Measures exceeding the scope of site management, industry-level support, and policy intervention are required.
Knowledge management practices to minimize the impact of staff turnover
Authors:   Design and Estimations, Dutch Lanka Trailers Manufacturers Ltd, Karunanayake KPAN , Fernando MLSS , Kulatunga U
Published: December 2022

Skilled staff turnover plays a wide role in continuous knowledge loss in manufacturing organizations. The result of staff turnover impacts organizational performance, productivity, effectiveness, employee performance and knowledge. The importance of managing an organization’s knowledge is a need in organizations. This research identified the importance of knowledge management in the trailer manufacturing sector with high staff turnover. This enables project managers to take project knowledge management into practice within the organization. This study uses a qualitative research approach. The aim of the study was achieved by a case study research strategy along with 16 semi-structured interviews, which were performed as a data collection technique. Data were collected from the case study organisation, focusing on knowledge management methodologies used during the project phases and identifying the impact of staff turnover on organizational knowledge. The knowledge management techniques vary from one project phase to another project phase. Based on the outcome of this research, project managers can identify the most effective knowledge management techniques to be used at each phase. According to the study, the most frequently used KM techniques in the planning stage were “Learning & Idea Capturing” and “Refer Knowledge Base”. The most prominently used KM techniques in the designing stage were “Brainstorming” and “Learning & Idea Capturing”. While the most frequently used KM technique in the building, testing, and launching stages was found to be “Refer Knowledge Base”. From this research study, project managers can identify the critical areas affected by skilled staff turnover, how to prepare in advance and minimize knowledge loss.
Lean iceberg model for post disaster reconstruction projects
Authors:   Department of Building Economics, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, Eranga BAI , Ranadew KATO , Rathnasinghe AP , Rajini PAD
Published: December 2022

Post Disaster Reconstruction (PDR) projects are currently facing many issues. The highly demanding construction process of PDR projects that involves a number of different and well-coordinated courses of action can be simplified through integrating lean construction. Hence, Lean Iceberg Model (LIM) implementation for PDR projects will eventually minimise the issues in PDR projects. However, there is lack of research on implementation of lean construction to PDR projects. Therefore, this study aims to develop a framework to minimise PDR issues through LIM. This research adopted interpretivism stance and uses the qualitative survey strategy. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten experts, selected based on purposive sampling. The code-based content analysis was used to data analysis, which was supported by NVivo12. The findings of the study revealed that lack of quality, lack of budget and delays as the main issues in PDR projects. The essential part, therefore, was to identify invisible elements which were most of the times neglected rather than the visible elements of LIM. Finally, a framework was developed by systematically mapping the identified PDR issues for both visible and invisible elements of the LIM. In addition, the "LIM for PDR" mobile application has been developed as part of the framework which deals with educating and guiding users on a successful implementation of lean in a PDR project through LIM. The results of this research contribute to overcome the PDR issues which can be derived from the LIM. Hence, industry practitioners can use the outcomes to successfully implement lean in PDR projects.
Offsite construction skills prediction: A conceptual model
Authors:   Centre for Smart Modern Construction, School of Engineering, Design and Built Environment, Western Sydney University or Company, Australia, Ginigaddara B , Perera S , Feng Y , Rahnamayiezekavat P
Published: December 2022

Industry 4.0 driven technological advancements have accelerated the uptake of Offsite Construction (OSC), causing the need for re-skilling, up-skilling, and multi-skilling traditional onsite construction skills and competencies. The purpose of this paper is to develop a conceptual model that predicts OSC skills as a response to the OSC demand. The paper is a theoretical presentation of a skill profile prediction model which introduces the key concepts, OSC typology, OSC skill classification and their relationships. Components, panels, pods, modules, and complete buildings represent the OSC typology. Managers, professionals, technicians, and trade workers, clerical and administration workers, machine operators and drivers, and labourers constitute the OSC skill classification. The conceptual model takes the OSC project parameters: gross floor area, OSC value percentage and skill quantities as input and provides predicted skill variations as the output. The skills are quantified in “manhours/m2” under six skill categories, for five distinct OSC types. As such, the research presents a comprehensive conceptual model for the development of an OSC skills predictor to capture the skill variations and demand in a construction market moving towards rapid industrialisation. The research contributes to the existing body of knowledge by identifying the key concepts, parameters, and mutual relationships of those parameters that are needed to develop a realistic prediction of future trends of OSC skills.
Policy-level consideration on marginalised communities in the post-disaster context: A desk study
Authors:   Department of Building Economics, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, Mendis APKD , Disaratna V , Thayaparan M , Kaluarachchi Y
Published: December 2022

Natural disasters have a disproportionate influence on the lives of those impacted, with the most marginalised often bearing the brunt of the repercussions. As a result, marginalised communities should be expressly considered in post-disaster policy development. While the international community has adopted the concepts of resilience and inclusion, marginalised communities are frequently disregarded in post-disaster management. There is a dearth of literature on the engagement of marginalised communities in Sri Lanka's post-disaster context. Moreover, the policies to support the marginalised communities need to be reviewed to explore the extent to which such policies are implemented to benefit the disadvantaged groups in a disaster situation. Therefore, this paper aims to review the existing policies to improve the engagement of marginalised communities during the post-disaster context in Sri Lanka. To achieve the aim, a comprehensive desk study on significant global and national policies was carried out. Through the desk study, the policies and frameworks related to disaster management were explored in order to identify the inclusion of marginalised communities in the postdisaster context. The policies related to marginalised communities were further explored in order to identify the inclusion of them in post-disaster situations. Finally, the study confirmed that a refinement of the policies in the Sri Lankan context is crucial. Furthermore, as a way forward, the study suggested assessing the current level of implementation of existing policies as well as barriers to implementation in order to increase the inclusion of marginalised communities in Sri Lanka's post-disaster context.
The effect of orientation and plant type on the thermal behaviour of living wall systems in buildings
Authors:   Istanbul Technical University, Turkey, Erdener HMY , Edis E
Published: December 2022

Living wall systems are the vegetated wall systems where growth layer is located behind the plant and integrated onto the wall. They started to be used widely due to their many benefits such as increasing the energy efficiency of the building. Living wall can contribute to wall’s thermal performance by its shading, insulation and wind protection effects. However, there are limited studies which is done by simulation to investigate its insulation effect. In the previous studies, its shading effect is usually simulated, and evaporation and transpiration were not taken into account which are the major effect of being a live mechanism. In this study, it is aimed to see the effect of living wall’s orientation and the plant types on interior thermal conditions, by using a microclimate simulation program ENVI-met. ENVI-met provides a vegetation model that simulates evapotranspiration and interaction between the outdoor microclimate with indoor climate. In this context, the temperature differences that occur between the wall layers and interior surface temperature of the living walls are compared with those of bare wall for two cities in Turkey which are representatives of hot and humid climate and temperate climate. Thus, it has been seen especially the west and south facades of the building and also the plant types according to their leaf area index (LAI) affect the efficiency of the building depending on the climate.
The role of the quantity surveyor in achieving circular built environment at the design stage
Authors:   Department of Building Economics, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, Victar H.C. , Perera B.A.K.S. , Palihakkara A.D.
Published: December 2022

The construction industry is becoming more circular by reducing waste, reusing building materials, and embracing regenerative solutions for energy generation and biodiversity conservation. The ramifications of circularity on building operations are complicated, necessitating a comprehensive assessment of the consequences before deciding on the best course of action. In addition, professionals need to perform diversified services in achieving Circular Built Environment (CBE). Thus, the investigation of the involvement of Quantity Surveyors (QSs) with the CBE is important in achieving the CBE during the Design stage. Hence, the study aimed at investigating the role of QSs in achieving a CBE. The research apprehends a qualitative approach inclusive of two expert interview rounds adhering to the Delphi technique and manual content analysis for data analysis. The research findings revealed the important roles of QS in achieving CBE at the Design stage. Accordingly, cost control, cost planning, feasibility studies, measurement and quantification, risk management, value engineering and innovations and technologies were highly agreed upon by the majority of interviewees as important roles of QS during the Design stage.
An assessment of maintenance cost of residential apartments in Sri Lanka
Authors:   Department of Building Economics, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, Kajavathani P , Ramachandra T
Published: December 2022

Buildings require maintenance for their continuous operation at a higher level through their extended life. Early prediction of maintenance costs (MC) would enable efficient maintenance and smooth operations of the buildings and thereby ensure achieving value for the investment. The effects of factors on MC provide a chance to refine the design to ensure the optimisation of MC during early design development. Thus, this study aims to analyse the MC of high-rise residential apartments along with the effects of factors influencing MC in Sri Lanka. Initially, a questionnaire survey was conducted to assess the factors’ impact on the MC elements based on a 1-5 Likert scale. Then, a case study approach was employed using three high-rise residential apartments with above 30 floors located in Colombo to analyse the costs of MC elements. The data collected from semi-structured interviews and document review were analysed manually as a percentage of MC. The findings revealed that MC accounts for 30% of running costs (RC). According to Pareto analysis, 11 out of 29 sub-elements including lifts and escalators, maintenance management, repairs and replacement, and electric power and lighting contribute to 80% of MC. Further, most of the building design factors and technical factors highly affect the MC. The annual MC per GFA is about Rs. 350.00. It is expected that these findings would enable the designers to forecast the MC and focus on the relevant design and technical factors to optimise the maintenance costs of highrise residential buildings at the early design stages.
Tumor sound, auditory cues, and tissue pathology in glioma surgery: a proof-of-concept study
Authors: Catalino Michael P. , Buss Emily , Chamberlin Gregory , Trembath Dimitri , Morgan David , Krebs Madelyn , Ewend Matthew G. , Jaikumar Sivakumar
Published: December 2022

OBJECTIVE

Visual, tactile, and auditory cues are used during surgery to differentiate tissue type. Auditory cues in glioma surgery have not been studied previously. The objectives of this study were 1) to evaluate the feasibility of recording sound generated by the suction device during glioma surgery in matched tissue samples, and 2) to characterize the acoustic variation that occurs in different tissue samples.

METHODS

This was a prospective observational proof-of-concept study. Recordings were attempted in 20 patients in order meet the accrual target of 10 patients with matched sound and tissue data. For each patient, three 30- to 60-second recordings were made at these sites: normal white matter, infiltrative margin, and tumor. Tissue samples at each site were then reviewed by experienced neuropathologists, and agreement with surgical identification was estimated with the kappa statistic. Acoustic parameters were characterized for each sample.

RESULTS

Data from 20 patients were analyzed. Patient-related or technical issues resulted in missing data for 10 patients, but the final 10 patients had both audio and tissue data for analysis. Among all tissue samples, fair agreement was observed between surgeon identification and actual pathology (κ = 0.24, standard error 0.096, p = 0.006). Acoustic data suggested that 1) the acoustic stimulus is broadband, 2) acoustic features are somewhat consistent within cases, 3) high-entropy values indicate irregularity of sound over time, and 4) bimodal pitch distributions could differentially reflect cues of interest.

CONCLUSIONS

This study supports the feasibility of collecting intraoperative data on acoustic features during glioma surgery, and it provides an example of how an analysis could be performed to compare different types of tissues.
Prisustvo Anisakis spp. u Bosni i Hercegovini
Authors: Jažić Amina , Zuko Almedina , Jažić Adnan , Bartula Gustin Ivana
Published: December 2022

Anisakijaza je zoonotsko oboljenje ljudi, uzrokovano trećim larvalnim stadijem nematoda iz familije Anisakidae. Najznačajnije vrste koje uzrokuju zoonozu i zdravstvene probleme kod ljudi su Anisakis simplex, A. pegreffii i Pseudoterranova decipiens. Ove parazitske vrste su prisutne i raširene u morima cijeloga svijeta. U životnom ciklusu nematoda iz familije Anisakidae čovjek je slučajni domaćin. U posljednjih deset godina u BiH, ispitivanja na prisustvo L3 infektivnih larvi većinom su obavljena na Odjeljenju za akvakulturu Veterinarskog instituta, Veterinarskog fakulteta Univerziteta u Sarajevu. U odnosu na tržište BiH, broj analiziranih uzoraka nije velik, ali je trend pozitivnih uzoraka kontinuiran. Od ukupno 707 pregledanih uzoraka, 153 uzorka su bila pozitivna na prisustvo Anisakis spp. U istraživanjima je po prvi put registrirano prisustvo Anisakis simplex u morskoj ribi porijeklom iz uzgoja i iz otvorenog mora u Neumskom zaljevu u BiH. S javnozdravstvenog aspekta takva riba predstavlja zoonotski rizik od anisakijaze i smatra se zdravstveno neispravnom i štetnom po zdravlje ljudi, te se nikako ne bi smjela pronaći na tržištu i biti dostupna konzumentima.
A Case of Klebsiella pneumoniae Meningitis Associated with Brain Abscess and Endophthalmitis
Authors: Yoon Hyunsoo , Song Baeseoup , Yoon Sung Sang , Woo Ho Geol
Published: December 2022

Meningitis, brain abscess, and endophthalmitis are rare manifestations of K. pneumoniae infection. We present a case of Klebsiella meningitis associated with a brain abscess and endophthalmitis. A 58-year-old man with alcoholic liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma presented with fever, pain in the right eyeball, and vision loss. Endophthalmitis and urinary tract infections were identified through ophthalmologic examination and urine analysis, respectively, and empirical antibiotic therapy was administered. Approximately seven days after treatment, the patient presented with persistent headaches. In the cerebrospinal fluid study, the white blood cell count was 210/mm3, the protein level was 540 mg/dL, and the glucose level was 28.6 mg/ dL. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain revealed diffuse brain abscesses in both hemispheres. Klebsiella pneumoniae was isolated from the blood and urine cultures. After intravenous injection of antibiotics (vancomycin and ceftriaxone) for 2 months, the headache resolved and the results of the cerebrospinal fluid study were normal.
Klebsiella pneumoniae Cerebritis Masquerading as Hyperacute Middle Cerebral Artery Syndrome
Authors: Park Sangil , Oh Chi Hyuk , Lee Jin San
Published: December 2022

Several clinical syndromes can present with the symptoms or signs resembling an acute stroke. A 52-year-old woman with uncontrolled diabetes presented with symptoms of a hyperacute right middle cerebral artery (MCA) stroke. However, there was a discrepancy between the patient’s clinical symptoms and the multimodal neuroimaging findings. Further diagnostic workup confirmed bacteremia and cerebritis caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae and a liver abscess. Thus, we made a diagnosis of K. pneumoniae liver abscess syndrome (KLAS). Following appropriate antibiotic treatment, the patient recovered completely without any neurological deficits. This is a novel report on K. pneumoniae cerebritis in a patient with KLAS presenting with symptoms resembling a hyperacute MCA stroke. Clinicians should consider K. pneumoniae cerebritis as a tentative diagnosis upon observing liver abscess in patients with uncontrolled diabetes and hyperacute neurological deficits.
Une dialectique de la mémoire et de l’oubli : Hiroshima mon amour de Marguerite Duras
Authors: Ledwina Anna
Published: December 2022

Le scénario durassien Hiroshima mon amour (1960) met en évidence une relation étroite entre la mémoire et l’oubli, véhiculée à travers une quête d’identité. L’idée de cette article vise à prouver que l’auteure se sert d’une histoire amoureuse d’une femme dans un lieu de mémoire collective pour se pencher sur la mémoire individuelle d’un être qui par l’évocation des expériences du passé affronte son traumatisme personnel. Nous chercherons à démontrer que l’interpénétration des deux concepts, mise en scène par différentes temporalités, traduit également l’aliénation d’un individu qui, suite à un amour tragique, ne peut échapper ni au souvenir ni à l’oubli. Ainsi, cette étude nous amènera à constater que par la répétition de la même histoire la mémoire fait revivre des situations douloureuses pendant que l’oubli conserve sa valeur positive car, même s’il est associé à une vacuité, il permet de commencer une nouvelle vie et d’envisager un avenir prometteur.
Auto/bio/géo/graphies : les enjeux spatiaux de la mémoire dans les récits autobiographiques et testimoniaux du temps de la guerre chez Durocher, Langfus, Rawicz
Authors: Bodzińska-Bobkowska Jadwiga
Published: December 2022

L’objectif de l’article est de questionner, dans une approche comparative, le lien entre la mémoire et l’espace dans les récits autobiographiques et testimoniaux d’Anna Langfus, Bruno Durocher et Piotr Rawicz. Dans leurs textes, l’espace s’érige en un des moyens de faire travailler la mémoire et aborder le passé. Il s’agit d’un côté d’une dimension extérieure, dépendante des décisions épistémiques du sujet parlant. Avec ses frontières bien délimitées, l’espace prend soit la forme d’un refuge, d’un « chez moi », soit, au contraire, il devient hostile et menaçant. La deuxième dimension n’opère ni frontières, ni topologies, mais résulte de la découverte de l’animalité de l’homme. Poussée à l’extrême, elle aboutit à une symbiose parfaite ou à une « indiscernabilité » entre le sujet et le lieu. Ainsi, combinant les approches autobiographiques/testimoniales et les perspectives spatiales/territoriales, l’article démontre-t-il le caractère spatial de l’expérience humaine et de la mémoire.
Les collectionneurs chez Pascal Quignard – s’accrocher obstinément au passé
Authors: Preda Andreea-Maria
Published: December 2022

Le propos de cet article est de relever, dans une approche comparative, la versatilité du rôle des objets de collection dans le processus de remémoration chez les collectionneurs de certains romans de Pascal Quignard. L’analyse du discours mémoriel des collectionneurs relève deux aspects : un rapport différent à la valeur de l’objet (muséal ou intime) et le pouvoir de déclencher des émotions. Le discours balance entre une évocation impersonnelle, qui met l’accent sur l’importance matérielle, la dimension testimoniale et esthétique des objets d’art d’époques anciennes et une description passionnée et subjective de petits objets banals, mais chargés de significations psychologiques. L’article démontre que se rapporter excessivement aux objets-temps/trace en vertu de leur valeur documentaire ou commémorative débouchera sur un échec de la démarche mémorielle. Paradoxalement, le collectionneur reste toujours à la recherche de la mémoire perdue, malgré l’excès de preuves matérielles qu’il détient.