bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Challenging Ingrained Thoughts? The Joint Effect of Stereotypes and Awareness of Related Information on Pro-Environmental Behavior in China
Authors: Ghorbani Majid , Xuan Liyan
Published: June 2018

This research applies a positive stereotype perspective to test the effect of individuals’ choices between pro-environmental versus pro-safety behavior, while considering the role of media exposure. We test our hypotheses in China, where both food-safety and environment are major issues and are widely covered by the media and government reports. Based on a quasi-experiments and survey questionnaires focused on attitudes towards disposable chopsticks, we find that individuals form cognitive perceptions in ways that either have stronger positive environmental or safety stereotypes. Based on these stereotypes, they either believe that reusable chopsticks are more environmentally friendly or that disposable chopsticks are safer, each impacting individuals’ choices differently. In addition, awareness of information related to the environment augments the link between environmental stereotypes and pro-environmental behavior, while having no influence on the effect of safety stereotypes on pro-safety behavior. On the other hand, while awareness of safety-related information accentuates the link between safety-related stereotypes and pro-safety behavior, it has no impact on the effect of environmental stereotypes on pro-environmental behavior.
Spatio-Temporal Evolution Analysis of the Urban Heat Island: A Case Study of Zhengzhou City, China
Authors: Min Min , Zhao Hongbo , Miao Changhong
Published: June 2018

During the progress of urbanization in China, a large number of natural landscapes have been replaced by impervious surfaces. The strong interference from human activities has led to the intensification of urban heat island (UHI) effects and has had a negative influence on the health of residents. Zhengzhou, as a new representative city of rapid urbanization, can be used as a case study for UHI. This study built an inversion model of the land surface temperature (LST) of Zhengzhou in 1996, 2000, 2006, 2010 and 2014. On this foundation, the four indicators of land use/land cover (LULC), density of the population, urban construction, and industrial development were chosen to establish a quantitative analysis model between them and the LST. The conclusions were as follows: (1) From 1996–2014, the average LST in Zhengzhou increased by 2.939 °C, and the standard deviation decreased from 4.08 to 2.64. (2) Since 2006, the development zone far from the center of city has become a new urban high temperature zone. The distribution characteristics of the UHI have changed from “centralization in downtown” to “downtown and suburban distribution”. (3) Construction land and vegetation had the most significant impacts on the UHI effect. The construction land was positively correlated with LST, and the vegetation showed the opposite effect. The population density, urban construction and industrial development have strong driving effects on the UHI effect, of which the driving force of industrial development is the most intense.
A Comparative Approach to Artificial and Natural Green Walls According to Ecological Sustainability
Authors: Meral Alperen , Başaran Nermin , Yalçınalp Emrah , Doğan Ezgi , Ak Mehmet Kıvanç , Eroğlu Engin
Published: June 2018

Together with the rapid industrialization of the world, urbanization is also uncontrollably increasing. Such an increase in urbanization exerts the greatest pressure on natural resources, obligating people to live in intense structural spaces and increasing the need for green spaces in cities. Because of the expensive costs of horizontal surfaces being “green”, urban places are faced with serious green-infrastructure problems. In recent years, alternatives have been searched for to eliminate such deficiencies. These alternatives, such as rain gardens, green walls (GWs), ecological designs, and green roofs, are commonly included in urban landscape designs. Besides rocky or steep-slope natural green walls (NGWs), natural green covers over buildings, walls, and so forth, structural members are also encountered in urban or rural places. On the other hand, artificial green walls (AGWs) have recently been used as a significant component of urban design. Although the AGWs are able to address various functional needs, they have not yet gained the desired popularity because of construction costs, static loads, constructional damages, and maintenance costs. In addition, such sites are largely left to exotic species with limited ecological requirements; these species are far from meeting ecological functions and resistance to extreme conditions. This study was conducted for a benchmarking assessment of artificial and natural green walls (A&NGWs) with a high potential in urban landscape design not only for esthetics, but also for ecological and economical purposes. Plant species, initial establishment, maintenance costs, and some other parameters of selected GWs were assessed. The study was considered as pioneering research for low-cost minimum-maintenance AGWs to be included in urban landscape designs. It was concluded, on the basis of the present findings, that the GW systems established with natural plant species, rock, and other materials already existing in natural landscapes could be constructed at fairly low costs, and such wall systems could have great ecological contributions.
Unintended Side Effects of the Digital Transition: European Scientists’ Messages from a Proposition-Based Expert Round Table
Authors: Scholz Roland W. , Bartelsman Eric J. , Diefenbach Sarah , Franke Lude , Grunwald Arnim , Helbing Dirk , Hill Richard , Hilty Lorenz , Höjer Mattias , Klauser Stefan , Montag Christian , Parycek Peter , Prote Jan Philipp , Renn Ortwin , Reichel André , Schuh Günther , Steiner Gerald , Viale Pereira Gabriela
Published: June 2018

We present the main messages of a European Expert Round Table (ERT) on the unintended side effects (unseens) of the digital transition. Seventeen experts provided 42 propositions from ten different perspectives as input for the ERT. A full-day ERT deliberated communalities and relationships among these unseens and provided suggestions on (i) what the major unseens are; (ii) how rebound effects of digital transitioning may become the subject of overarching research; and (iii) what unseens should become subjects of transdisciplinary theory and practice processes for developing socially robust orientations. With respect to the latter, the experts suggested that the “ownership, economic value, use and access of data” and, related to this, algorithmic decision-making call for transdisciplinary processes that may provide guidelines for key stakeholder groups on how the responsible use of digital data can be developed. A cluster-based content analysis of the propositions, the discussion and inputs of the ERT, and a theoretical analysis of major changes to levels of human systems and the human–environment relationship resulted in the following greater picture: The digital transition calls for redefining economy, labor, democracy, and humanity. Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based machines may take over major domains of human labor, reorganize supply chains, induce platform economics, and reshape the participation of economic actors in the value chain. (Digital) Knowledge and data supplement capital, labor, and natural resources as major economic variables. Digital data and technologies lead to a post-fuel industry (post-) capitalism. Traditional democratic processes can be (intentionally or unintentionally) altered by digital technologies. The unseens in this field call for special attention, research and management. Related to the conditions of ontogenetic and phylogenetic development (humanity), the ubiquitous, global, increasingly AI-shaped interlinkage of almost every human personal, social, and economic activity and the exposure to indirect, digital, artificial, fragmented, electronically mediated data affect behavioral, cognitive, psycho-neuro-endocrinological processes on the level of the individual and thus social relations (of groups and families) and culture, and thereby, the essential quality and character of the human being (i.e., humanity). The findings suggest a need for a new field of research, i.e., focusing on sustainable digital societies and environments, in which the identification, analysis, and management of vulnerabilities and unseens emerging in the sociotechnical digital transition play an important role.
Decision-Making via Neutrosophic Support Soft Topological Spaces
Authors: Mani Parimala , Muthusamy Karthika , Jafari Saeid , Smarandache Florentin , Ramalingam Udhayakumar
Published: June 2018

The concept of interval neutrosophic sets has been studied and the introduction of a new kind of set in topological spaces called the interval valued neutrosophic support soft set has been suggested. We study some of its basic properties. The main purpose of this paper is to give the optimum solution to decision-making in real life problems the using interval valued neutrosophic support soft set.
Monocyte Response to Different Campylobacter jejuni Lysates Involves Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress and the Lysosomal–Mitochondrial Axis: When Cell Death Is Better Than Cell Survival
Authors: Canonico Barbara , Di Sario Gianna , Cesarini Erica , Campana Raffaella , Luchetti Francesca , Zamai Loris , Ortolani Claudio , Nasoni Maria Gemma , Baffone Wally , Papa Stefano
Published: June 2018

Campylobacter jejuni is a Gram-negative spiral-shaped bacterium, commonly associated with gastroenteritis in humans. It explicates its virulence also by the cytolethal distending toxin (CDT), able to cause irreversible cell cycle arrest. Infection by C. jejuni may result in the development of the Guillain–Barré Syndrome, an acute peripheral neuropathy. Symptoms of this disease could be caused by CDT-induced cell death and a subsequent inflammatory response. We tested C. jejuni lysates from different strains on donor monocytes: in fact, monocytes are potent producers of both pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, playing a major role in innate immunity and in non-specific host responses. We found, by cytometric and confocal analyses, that mitochondria and lysosomes were differently targeted: The C. jejuni strain that induced the most relevant mitochondrial alterations was the ATCC 33291, confirming an intrinsic apoptotic pathway, whereas the C. jejuni ISS 1 wild-type strain mostly induced lysosomal alterations. Lysates from all strains induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in monocytes, suggesting that ER stress was not associated with CDT but to other C. jejuni virulence factors. The ER data were consistent with an increase in cytosolic Ca2+ content induced by the lysates. On the contrary, the changes in lysosomal acidic compartments and p53 expression (occurring together from time 0, T0, to 24 h) were mainly due to CDT. The loss of p53 may prevent or impede cell death and it was not observable with the mutant strain. CDT not only was responsible for specific death effects but also seemed to promote an apoptotic stimuli-resisting pathway.
Methodological Challenges in Urban Food Systems Research: Case Study of Local Food Institutions in South Africa
Authors: Warshawsky Daniel N.
Published: June 2018

This paper examines how institutional power dynamics in South Africa’s urban food system have restricted the quantity, quality, and type of data collected on food institutions and limited the range of research and policy as a result. In particular, while non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and local institutions speak openly with researchers or share data, key governing institutions such as the state and agri-businesses often refuse to work with scholars. This has not only limited access to data on food system flows and operations, but it has also resulted in a significant research gap about the principal institutions in food systems, as scholars and policy makers tend to disproportionately focus on alternative food movements or localized players. Given the number, scope, and creativity of informal livelihood strategies that residents utilize to access food, this paper suggests that new methods are needed to understand how people navigate complex pathways to food in Southern African cities.
Brightening and Dimming Aftereffects at Low and High Luminance
Authors: Hassan Omar , Georgeson Mark A. , Hammett Stephen T.
Published: June 2018

Adaptation to a spatially uniform field that increases or decreases in luminance over time yields a “ramp aftereffect”, whereby a steady, uniform luminance appears to dim or brighten, and an appropriate non-uniform test field appears to move. We measured the duration of this aftereffect of adaptation to ascending and descending luminance for a wide range of temporal frequencies and luminance amplitudes. Three types of luminance ramp profiles were used: linear, logarithmic, and exponential. The duration of the motion aftereffect increased as amplitude increased, regardless of the frequency, slope, or ramp profile of the adapting pattern. At low luminance, this result held for ascending luminance adaptation, but the duration of the aftereffect was significantly reduced for descending luminance adaptation. This reduction in the duration of the aftereffect at low luminance is consistent with differential recruitment of temporally tuned cells of the ON and OFF pathways, but the relative independence of the effect from temporal frequency is not.
Direct Comparison of the Thioacetamide and Azoxymethane Models of Type A Hepatic Encephalopathy in Mice
Authors: Grant Stephanie , McMillin Matthew , Frampton Gabriel , Petrescu Anca D. , Williams Elaina , Jaeger Victoria , Kain Jessica , DeMorrow Sharon
Published: June 2018

Acute liver failure is a devastating consequence of hepatotoxic liver injury that can lead to the development of hepatic encephalopathy. There is no consensus on the best model to represent these syndromes in mice, and therefore the aim of this study was to classify hepatic and neurological
consequences of azoxymethane- and thioacetamide-induced liver injury. Azoxymethane-treated mice were euthanized at time points representing absence of minor and significant stages of neurological decline. Thioacetamide-treated mice had tissue collected at up to 3 days following daily injections.
Liver histology, serum chemistry, bile acids, and cytokine levels were measured. Reflexes, grip strength measurement, and ataxia were calculated for all groups. Brain ammonia, bile acid levels, cerebral edema, and neuroinflammation were measured. Finally, in vitro and in vivo assessments of
blood‐brain barrier function were performed. Serum transaminases and liver histology demonstrate that both models generated hepatotoxic liver injury. Serum proinflammatory cytokine levels were significantly elevated in both models. Azoxymethane-treated mice had progressive neurological
deficits, while thioacetamide-treated mice had inconsistent neurological deficits. Bile acids and cerebral edema were increased to a higher degree in azoxymethane-treated mice, while cerebral ammonia and neuroinflammation were greater in thioacetamide-treated mice. Blood‐brain barrier
permeability exists in both models but was likely not due to direct toxicity of azoxymethane or thioacetamide on brain endothelial cells. In conclusion, both models generate acute liver injury and hepatic encephalopathy, but the requirement of a single injection and the more consistent neurological
decline make azoxymethane treatment a better model for acute liver failure with hepatic encephalopathy.
Light-curve Instabilities of β Lyrae Observed by the BRITE Satellites
Authors: Rucinski Slavek M. , Pigulski Andrzej , Popowicz Adam , Kuschnig Rainer , Kozłowski Szymon , Moffat Anthony F. J. , Pavlovski Krešimir , Handler Gerald , Pablo H. , Wade G. A. , Weiss Werner W. , Zwintz Konstanze
Published: June 2018

Photometric instabilities of β Lyrae (β Lyr) were observed in 2016 by two red-filter BRITE satellites over more than 10 revolutions of the binary, with ∼100 minute sampling. Analysis of the time series shows that flares or fading events take place typically three to five times per binary orbit. The amplitudes of the disturbances (relative to the mean light curve, in units of the maximum out-of-eclipse light flux, f.u.) are characterized by a Gaussian distribution with σ = 0.0130 ± 0.0004 f.u. Most of the disturbances appear to be random, with a tendency to remain for one or a few orbital revolutions, sometimes changing from brightening to fading or the reverse. Phases just preceding the center of the deeper eclipse showed the most scatter while phases around the secondary eclipse were the quietest. This implies that the invisible companion is the most likely source of the instabilities. Wavelet transform analysis showed the domination of the variability scales at phase intervals 0.05–0.3 (0.65–4 days), with the shorter (longer) scales dominating in numbers (variability power) in this range. The series can be well described as a stochastic Gaussian process with the signal at short timescales showing a slightly stronger correlation than red noise. The signal decorrelation timescale, τ = (0.068 ± 0.018) in phase or (0.88 ± 0.23) days, appears to follow the same dependence on the accretor mass as that observed for active galactic nucleus and quasi-stellar object masses five to nine orders of magnitude larger than the β Lyr torus-hidden component.
Basalt or Not? Near-infrared Spectra, Surface Mineralogical Estimates, and Meteorite Analogs for 33 Vp-type Asteroids
Authors: Hardersen Paul S. , Reddy Vishnu , Cloutis Edward , Nowinski Matt , Dievendorf Margaret , Genet Russell M. , Becker Savan , Roberts Rachel
Published: June 2018

Investigations of the main asteroid belt and efforts to constrain that population’s physical characteristics involve the daunting task of studying hundreds of thousands of small bodies. Taxonomic systems are routinely employed to study the large-scale nature of the asteroid belt because they utilize common observational parameters, but asteroid taxonomies only define broadly observable properties and are not compositionally diagnostic. This work builds upon the results of work by Hardersen et al., which has the goal of constraining the abundance and distribution of basaltic asteroids throughout the main asteroid belt. We report on the near-infrared (NIR: 0.7 to 2.5 μm) reflectance spectra, surface mineralogical characterizations, analysis of spectral band parameters, and meteorite analogs for 33 Vp asteroids. NIR reflectance spectroscopy is an effective remote sensing technique to detect most pyroxene group minerals, which are spectrally distinct with two very broad spectral absorptions at ∼0.9 and ∼1.9 μm. Combined with the results from Hardersen et al., we identify basaltic asteroids for ∼95% (39/41) of our inner-belt Vp sample, but only ∼25% (2/8) of the outer-belt Vp sample. Inner-belt basaltic asteroids are most likely associated with (4) Vesta and represent impact fragments ejected from previous collisions. Outer-belt Vp asteroids exhibit disparate spectral, mineralogical, and meteorite analog characteristics and likely originate from diverse parent bodies. The discovery of two additional likely basaltic asteroids provides additional evidence for an outer-belt basaltic asteroid population.
The Redshift Evolution of Rest-UV Spectroscopic Properties in Lyman-break Galaxies at z ∼ 2–4
Authors: Du 杜 Xinnan 辛楠 , Shapley Alice E. , Reddy Naveen A. , Jones Tucker , Stark Daniel P. , Steidel Charles C. , Strom Allison L. , Rudie Gwen C. , Erb Dawn K. , Ellis Richard S. , Pettini Max
Published: June 2018

We present the first comprehensive evolutionary analysis of the rest-frame UV spectroscopic properties of star-forming galaxies at z ∼ 2–4. We match samples at different redshifts in UV luminosity and stellar mass, and perform systematic measurements of spectral features and stellar population modeling. By creating composite spectra grouped according to Lyα equivalent width (EW) and various galaxy properties, we study the evolutionary trends among Lyα, low- and high-ionization interstellar (LIS and HIS) absorption features, and integrated galaxy properties. We also examine the redshift evolution of Lyα and LIS absorption kinematics, and fine-structure emission EWs. The connections among the strengths of Lyα, LIS lines, and dust extinction are redshift independent, as is the decoupling of the Lyα and HIS line strengths, and the bulk outflow kinematics as traced by the LIS lines. Stronger Lyα emission is observed at higher redshift at fixed UV luminosity, stellar mass, SFR, and age. Much of this variation in the average Lyα strength with redshift, and the variation in Lyα strength at fixed redshift, can be explained in terms of variations in the neutral gas covering fraction and/or dust content in the ISM and CGM. However, based on the connection between Lyα and C iii] emission strengths, we additionally find evidence for variations in the intrinsic production rate of Lyα photons at the highest Lyα EWs. The challenge now is to understand the observed evolution of the neutral gas covering fraction and dust extinction within a coherent model for galaxy formation, and make robust predictions for the escape of ionizing radiation at z > 6.
The Type IIn Supernova SN 2010bt: The Explosion of a Star in Outburst
Authors: Elias-Rosa Nancy , Van Dyk Schuyler D. , Benetti Stefano , Cappellaro Enrico , Smith Nathan , Kotak Rubina , Turatto Massimo , Filippenko Alexei V. , Pignata Giuliano , Fox Ori D. , Galbany Lluis , González-Gaitán Santiago , Miluzio Matteo , Monard L. A. G. , Ergon Mattias
Published: June 2018

It is well known that massive stars (M > 8 M
☉) evolve up to the collapse of the stellar core, resulting in most cases in a supernova (SN) explosion. Their heterogeneity is related mainly to different configurations of the progenitor star at the moment of the explosion and to their immediate environments. We present photometry and spectroscopy of SN 2010bt, which was classified as a Type IIn SN from a spectrum obtained soon after discovery and was observed extensively for about 2 months. After the seasonal interruption owing to its proximity to the Sun, the SN was below the detection threshold, indicative of a rapid luminosity decline. We can identify the likely progenitor with a very luminous star (log L/L
☉ ≈ 7) through comparison of Hubble Space Telescope images of the host galaxy prior to explosion with those of the SN obtained after maximum light. Such a luminosity is not expected for a quiescent star, but rather for a massive star in an active phase. This progenitor candidate was later confirmed via images taken in 2015 (∼5 yr post-discovery), in which no bright point source was detected at the SN position. Given these results and the SN behavior, we conclude that SN 2010bt was likely a Type IIn SN and that its progenitor was a massive star that experienced an outburst shortly before the final explosion, leading to a dense H-rich circumstellar environment around the SN progenitor.
All Our Eggs In One Basket: Challenges of High Resolution X-Ray Micro-Computed Tomography of Great Auk Pinguinus impennis Eggshell
Authors: Russell Douglas , Bernucci Arianna , Scott-Murray Amy , Jackson Duncan , Ahmed Farah , Garbout Amin , Birkhead Tim
Published: June 2018

High resolution X-ray micro-computed tomography gives the ability to research objects in unprecedented detail in 3D without damaging them but applying these new techniques to specimens can be complex. In 2017 the Natural History Museum (NHM), London embarked on a ground-breaking project with University of Sheffield to compare extinct Great Auk Pinguinus impennis eggshell microstructure to that of their extant relatives to gain new insight into their breeding ecology.

NHM has a ZEISS Xradia 520 Versa X-ray microscope capable of submicron X-ray imaging in 3D but using it required supporting and moving complete eggshells within the confined, potentially harsh, mechanised environment of the microscope without risk. Ensuring the correct position and orientation of each egg to image nine distinct areas on the eggshell was also a challenge. Collaboration with colleagues in the NHM Conservation and Imaging & Analysis Centres developed a bespoke solution to hold and protect the eggs during scanning. All six NHM Great Auk eggshells and the inside of the microscope were surface scanned using a handheld structured light scanner. Scan data produced 3D models from which accurate 3D printed plastic replicas were made of the three Great Auk eggs prioritised for research. Each replica was used to mould a two-part, custom-built, case for each egg constructed from conservation grade epoxy putty and lined with polyethylene foam. This provided close-fitting, durable cases which could be used for the 6-month duration of the project. Each case enclosed its matching Great Auk egg entirely and had the advantage of being rock-hard, electrically insulating and water, heat and chemical resistant. A system of three, interchangeable, tailor-made mounting brackets were designed that married with the cases and held them safely and precisely inside the microscope at the correct angles and positions for imaging. The structured light scan of the inside of the microscope was used to model the necessary rotational movements of the cases and brackets inside the scanner, ensuring that all movements had sufficient clearance to avoid risk of impact. This system successfully protected the fragile c. 200 year old eggs throughout 70 scanning sessions. This provides a methodology for high resolution X-ray micro-computed tomography imaging of any similarly sized, fragile, object.
Looking Back for the Future: Utilizing Sawfish Saws from Natural History Collections to Conserve the Critically Endangered Largetooth Sawfish (Pristis pristis)
Authors: Fearing Annmarie , Smith Kelcee , Wiley Tonya , Whitty Jeff , Feldheim Kevin , Kyne Peter , Phillips Nicole
Published: June 2018

The Critically Endangered (International Union for Conservation of Nature) largetooth sawfish, Pristispristis, was historically distributed in the tropical Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Today, ‘viable’ populations are largely limited to northern Australia. Populations that have suffered from drastic declines in abundance, such as those experienced by P.pristis, are typically at risk of having reduced, or low, levels of genetic diversity. Previous research found that P.pristis in Australia have experienced a genetic bottleneck, but it is unclear whether this bottleneck is the result of contemporary declines over the last century, or if it is the result of historic processes. A direct way to assess whether this genetic bottleneck occurred relatively recently is to compare levels of genetic diversity in contemporary and historic populations.

Sawfish saws that were taken as trophies over the past century can now be found in natural history collections around the world and can provide DNA from past sawfish populations. We collected tissue samples from 150 dried P.pristis saws found in both private and public natural history collections. Because DNA from natural history specimens tends to be highly degraded, we targeted ten small DNA fragments, ~150 base pairs each, to amplify and sequence the entire mitochondrial control region. These data will provide important baseline information about P.pristis that can be used to quantify any loss of genetic diversity over the past ~100 years and assess their long-term survival potential. If the levels of genetic diversity in contemporary populations are severely reduced from those of past populations, protecting remaining genetic diversity within and between viable populations should be a priority in conservation plans.
A Workflow for the Semantic Annotation of Field Books and Specimen Labels
Authors: Stork Lise , Weber Andreas , Miracle Eulàlia , Wolstencroft Katherine
Published: June 2018

Geographical and taxonomical referencing of specimens and documented species observations from within and across natural history collections is vital for ongoing species research. However, much of the historical data such as field books, diaries and specimens, are challenging to work with. They are computationally inaccessable, refer to historical place names and taxonomies, and are written in a variety of languages.

In order to address these challenges and elucidate historical species observation data, we developed a workflow to

(i) crowd-source semantic annotations from handwritten species observations,

(ii) transform them into RDF (Resource Description Framework) and

(iii) store and link them in a knowledge base.

Instead of full-transcription we directly annotate digital field books scans with key concepts that are based on Darwin Core standards. Our workflow stresses the importance of verbatim annotation. The interpretation of the historical content, such a resolving a historical taxon to a current one, can be done by individual researchers after the content is published as linked open data. Through the storage of annotion provenance, who created the annotation and when, we allow multiple interpretations of the content to exist in parallel, stimulating scientific discourse.

The semantic annotation process is supported by a web application, the Semantic Field Book (SFB)-Annotator, driven by an application ontology. The ontology formally describes the content and meta-data required to semantically annotate species observations. It is based on the Darwin Core standard (DwC), Uberon and the Geonames ontology. The provenance of annotations is stored using the Web Annotation Data Model. Adhering to the principles of FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable & Reusable) and Linked Open Data, the content of the specimen collections can be interpreted homogeneously and aggregated across datasets. This work is part of the Making Sense project: makingsenseproject.org. The project aims to disclose the content of a natural history collection: a 17,000 page account of the exploration of the Indonesian Archipelago between 1820 and 1850 (Natuurkundige Commissie voor Nederlands-Indie)

With a knowledge base, researchers are given easy access to the primary sources of natural history collections. For their research, they can aggregate species observations, construct rich queries to browse through the data and add their own interpretations regarding the meaning of the historical content.
Collections Support Services (CSS) - 25 Years of Improving Access and Care to our Nation’s Collections
Authors: Schuhmann Leslie , Chagnon Christine
Published: June 2018

Originally formed in the early 1980s as the Move Crew to move museum collections to the newly opened state of the art Smithsonian Institution’s Museum Support Center, Collections Support Services has evolved into a team of highly skilled museum professionals recognized as trusted experts, innovators, project managers, and problem solvers in all aspects of collections stewardship. We have packed, moved, and stored MILLIONS of objects across Smithsonian museums including the National Museum of Natural History and several of our art museums; the Freer Sackler Gallery, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, and National Museum of African Art.

Our vast experience with Natural History collections has been with objects ranging from microscopic invertebrates, fragile bird eggs, 40’ war canoes, whale skulls, giant squids and EVERYTHING in between! Many of these collections came from overcrowded and dusty attics, basements, and warehouses prone to flooding, pest infestation, and poor climate control. We have spent the last 25 years moving these collections into our climate controlled storage pods furnished with new metal cabinets designed for long term preservation. Some of the unique packing and transportation methods we will highlight in this presentation are “airbags” that encompass fragile bird skeletons and uniform shipping containers made of ethafoam planks and old wooden drawers. In addition, we have designed and constructed aluminum pallets for oversized collections, specialized elephant skull pallets, and plaster jackets for paleo fossil specimens. These storage solutions have greatly improved access to collections by allowing researchers to study specimens with minimal handling necessary. This presentation will specifically demonstrate these and other dramatic improvements that we have made as well as highlight innovative solutions we developed to safely transport, store, and provide better access to our Natural History collections for future generations.
Bringing Sternberg Museum Fossils into the 21st Century
Authors: Byrd Christina
Published: June 2018

The Sternberg Museum of Natural History (FHSM) has a rich paleontology history extending back to the late 1800s and early 1900s. From the 1902 to 1992, the museum was housed on the Fort Hays State University campus. FHSM outgrew the campus capacity and moved to a new location that afforded the museum significant space for collections and exhibits. Just as the museum had to change locations with its growing collections, so too must the means of care for the collections change and be updated. In order to improve the state of the paleontology collections and make them more accessible, the FHSM’s Chief Curator pursued grants to achieve these goals. Two grants later, FHSM is well on its way to a digitized paleontology collection.

One National Science Foundation (NSF) grant focuses on basic collections improvement: transcription of hand-written records, cataloging the specimen backlog, and imaging specimens. One of the most important updates is the addition of the relational database, CollectiveAccess. This database enables FHSM to have a public-facing, searchable database that can show not only specimen data but also images and 3D scans of fossils. The second grant is an NSF funded Integrated Digitized Biocollection (iDigBio) collaborative research project. This grant focuses on fossils collected from the Late Cretaceous Western Interior Seaway fossils. The digitization goals of the collections improvement grant work synergistically with the iDigBio grant. When preparing to start work on these two projects, workflows and how-to guides were developed to fit the needs of both grants. This synergy increased efficiency for training student workers and aided quality control. In regards to the new relational database, many considerations had to be made: what is the nature of the data, with whom are we sharing data, what are the data standards, what controls need to be in place to increase ease of use. Digitization of the collection started with transcription of hand-written records into a spreadsheet. The data from those record books and ledgers was cross referenced with the specimen cards to check for accuracy. Between the two grants, FHSM has two photography stations, four undergraduate students, and two graduate students. This small army of students, along with the Collections Manager, have succeeded in digitizing the invertebrate paleontology collection and have made significant progress on the vertebrate collection. Once the database is finalized, the images produced by these students will be uploaded and shared with aggregators such as iDigBio and accessible via the FHSM website.
Practical use of aggregator data quality metrics in a collection scenario
Authors: Bentley Andrew
Published: June 2018

The recent incorporation of standardized data quality metrics into the GBIF, iDigBio, and ALA portal infrastructures enables data providers with useful information they can use to clean or augment Darwin Core data at the source based on these recommendations. Numerous taxonomic and geographic based metrics provide useful information on the quality of various Darwin Core fields in this realm, while also providing input on Darwin Core compliance for others. As a provider/data manager for the Biodiversity Institute, University of Kansas, and having spent some time evaluating their efficacy and reliability, this presentation will highlight some of the positive and negative aspects of my experience with specific examples while highlighting concerns regarding the user experience and standardization of these metrics across the aggregator landscape. These metrics have indicated both data and publishing issues that have increased the utility and cleanliness of our data while also highlighting batch processing challenges and issues with the process of inferring "bad" data. The integration of these metrics into source database infrastructure will also be postulated, with Specify Software as an example.
Size Doesn’t Matter: Fundamental Requirements in Relocating a Herbarium.
Authors: Knight Karina , Hemmings Frank , Jobson Peter , Bruhl Jeremy
Published: June 2018

Relocating a natural history collection is a daunting prospect. Underpinning successful relocation is getting the fundamentals right. From the moment the seed of an idea for a new facility is planted, a raft of detailed planning and preparation issues emerge. Meticulous planning and management is essential, from initial design through to the last specimen being housed in its new location.

Herbaria are complex organisms each with a core collection of specimen sheets and associated infrastructure to house them; ancillary collections such as ‘spirit’ and ‘DNA’, a library, databasing, mounting, materials, imaging, loans and exchange, facilities for environmental control, biosecurity, space for staff, volunteers, research students, and class or public access and outreach. All these elements require careful consideration for relocation regardless of the size of the collection.

Timelines for relocations from initial decisions to commencement of the move vary widely. Early involvement of core herbarium staff is critical to managing risks to the integrity of the collection during a move. Success of the operation can be gauged immediately after the move and again, much later, based on feedback on the operation of the facility and whether planned expansion will meet future needs. All these considerations are important and essentially the same, irrespective of distance of relocation or size of the collection.

We will discuss the fundamental issues of herbarium relocation based on two recent case studies.The Western Australian Herbarium moved from its 1970s home to a modern, purpose-built, best practice facility incorporating innovative design features in 2011 with c. 800,000 specimens. The John T. Waterhouse Herbarium at UNSW Sydney (The University of New South Wales) moved c. 66,000 specimens in October 2017 from within a 1962 departmental building, to a modern, purpose-built facility, incorporating significant improvements, as part of a much larger relocation of its School. We will provide a guide to assist future relocations, both imminent (such as the N.C.W. Beadle Herbarium at the University of New England (>100,000 specmens), and the National Herbarium of New South Wales, >1,400,000 specimens) and for those yet to be considered.

This will be a presentation on behalf of the Managers of Australasian Herbarium Collections (MAHC), a network of herbarium Collection Managers in Australia and New Zealand.
Integrating Data Quality Feedback: a Data Provider's Perspective
Authors: Nazaire Mare
Published: June 2018

The Herbarium of Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden [RSA-POM] is the third largest herbarium in California and consists of >1.2 million specimens, of which ~50% are digitized. As a data provider, RSA-POM publishes its data with several aggregators, including the Consortium of California Herbaria, JSTOR, Symbiota (which is subsequently pulled into iDigBio and GBIF), as well as its own local webportal. Each submission of data needs to be prepared and formatted according to the aggregator’s specifications for publication. Feedback on data quality (DQ) ranges from an individual user (often only a few records at a time) to large aggregators (frequently in large batches). While some DQ items are easy fixes with little time and effort to correct, others can be more challenging and often require expertise beyond the skillset of curatorial staff. In other instances, there are issues concerning an aggregator’s ability to provide updated data for repatriation. This talk will discuss the efforts of the RSA-POM Herbarium to provide data to various aggregators as well as perspectives on the challenges, limitations, and constraints when integrating DQ items from an aggregator back into the local database.
Kōhatu Mauri: An Exercise in Practice across Cultures
Authors: Wesley Rachel , Burns Emma
Published: June 2018

The 2017 redevelopment of Otago Museum’s Discovery World into Tūhura, a bi-cultural science centre that reflected an indigenous Kāi Tahu understanding of the universe alongside a western scientific paradigm, was a bold move into new territory for museum staff, who had to become familiar with not only new forms of knowledge, but also to work comfortably with Kāi Tahu tikanga (values-based practice) and cultural beliefs.

An integral component of the creation of a space reflective of a Māori worldview is the placement of a Kōhatu Mauri - a small boulder or rock loaded with symbolism that encapsulates the mauri, or 'lifeforce' of a space. In order to enhance its value as a receptacle for the mauri of such a space, a Kōhatu Mauri must be touched, thus increasing the actual mauri it contains. If a Kōhatu Mauri is treated as a typical museum object, isolated and untouched, the result is culturally akin to death and is symbolic of a lack of life and perceived value of its wider space.

To fit with Kāi Tahu notions of value, a Kōhatu Mauri is usually selected according to aesthetic, historic, and whakapapa (genealogy) values. It must be firmly rooted in its cultural context, regardless of the space it inhabits.

When the need for a Kōhatu Mauri for Tūhura was identified, short timeframes and recognition of the need to select a boulder that captured the above cultural values resulted in the selection of a sarsen stone that had recently been acquired for the geological collections of the Otago Museum. The transition of the sarsen stone into a Kōhatu Mauri highlighted an anomaly in how collection items are valued. When objects that hold a special cultural value for a community come into a museum environment, they tend to lose that value by being removed from their cultural context. This paper will explore how the opposite happened in the case of the sarsen stone transitioning into a Kōhatu Mauri. The contradictions and confusion around understanding multiple layers of meaning and value in a collection item resulted in the Kōhatu Mauri ultimately losing its museum value while in the process of regaining its cultural value.
Who Has Time for Biological Collections Data Quality Feedback? Maybe a Community Can Help
Authors: Mayfield Teresa
Published: June 2018

At an institution without a permanent collections manager or curators, who has time to publish data or research issues on that data? Collections with little or no institutional support often benefit from passionate volunteers who continually seek ways to keep them relevant. The University of Texas at El Paso Biodiversity Collections (UTEP-BC) has been cared for in this manner by a small group of dedicated faculty and emeritus curators who have managed with no budget to care for the specimens, perform and publish research about them, and publish a good portion of the collections data. An IMLS grant allowed these dedicated volunteers to hire a Collections Manager who would migrate the already published data from the collections and add unpublished specimen records from the in-house developed FileMaker Pro database to a new collection management system (Arctos) that would allow for better records management and ease of publication. Arctos is a publicly searchable web-based system, but most collections also see the benefit of participation with biodiversity data aggregators such as the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), iDigBio, and a multitude of discipline-specific aggregators. Publication of biodiversity data to aggregators is loaded with hidden pathways, acronyms, and tech-speak with which a curator, registrar, or collections manager may not be familiar. After navigating the process to publish the data the reward is feedback! Now data can be improved, and everyone wins, right? In the case of UTEP-BC data, the feedback sits idle as the requirements of the grant under which the Collection Manager was hired take precedence. It will likely remain buried until long after the grant has run its course. Fortunately, the selection of Arctos as a collection management system allowed the UTEP-BC Collection Manager to confer with others publishing biodiversity data to the data aggregators. Members of the Arctos Community have carried on multiple conversations about publishing to aggregators and how to handle the resulting data quality flags. These conversations provide a synthesis of the challenges experienced by collections in over 20 institutions when publishing biodiversity data to aggregators and responding (or not) to their data quality flags. This presentation will cover the experiences and concerns of one Collection Manager as well as those of the Arctos Community related to publishing data to aggregators, deciphering their data quality flags, and development of appropriate responses to those flags.
Scanning Electron Microscopy as a Tool to Observe the Effects of Simulated Conservation Treatment on Herbarium Specimens
Authors: Grenda-Kurmanow Magdalena
Published: June 2018

This paper presents the Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) observations conducted for the project "Heritage preservation and ethnobotany. Analysis of the influence of conservation treatment on genetic material comprised in historic herbaria“ (project no. 2014/13/N/HS2/03118) funded by the National Science Centre in Poland.

The main aim of the project is to establish if treatment methods used by herbarium conservators and mounters in different countries are harmful for the DNA material comprised in herbarium specimens. In order to analyse this problem the author conducted an international survey among specialists with documented experience in herbarium treatment. The next step was the evaluation of the results and the choice of materials. The chosen materials were then applied to samples of herbarium specimens, artificially aged in the climatic chamber, and subjected to DNA analysis.

The results of the survey illustrated the variety of the materials used to treat and mount specimens. Some of them, such as methyl cellulose, were used in different concentrations and different degrees of polymerization. The project limitations determined the selection of materials for further testing, particularly when it comes to the concentration of a particular adhesive/consolidant. At the same time the main assumption was to identify versions of the material that can effectively penetrate the specimen in order to intensify the potential influence on its DNA.

Dessicated plant specimens are not a common material in conservation research because their structure is highly heterogenic, fragile and brittle. Moreover, the materials used for mounting and conservation treatment are most often adapted from bookbinding and paper conservation disciplines. They are not always suitable for the treatment of botanic material and may cause damage. When observations of stratigraphic samples under a traditional microscope proved unsatisfactory, the potential of SEM imaging was examined.

SEM turned out to be a very useful tool to observe the effects of simulated conservation treatments conducted on herbarium specimen samples, but only when samples were coated with gold. The conclusions from these observations informed decisions about what versions of the conservation and mounting materials should be used for further testing. Additionally, some samples were observed after artificial aging in aclimatic chamber. It enabled us to observe the degradation of the layers of materials applied onto the specimens. The analysis focussed on the leaves of two species, Fragaria vesca (wild strawberry) and Arabidopsis thaliana (thale cress).