bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cobalt–metalloid alloys for electrochemical oxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural as an alternative anode reaction in lieu of oxygen evolution during water splitting
Authors: Weidner Jonas , Barwe Stefan , Sliozberg Kirill , Piontek Stefan , Masa Justus , Apfel Ulf-Peter , Schuhmann Wolfgang
Published: June 2018

The electrochemical water splitting commonly involves the cathodic hydrogen and anodic oxygen evolution reactions (OER). The oxygen evolution reaction is more energetically demanding and kinetically sluggish and represents the bottleneck for a commercial competitiveness of electrochemical hydrogen production from water. Moreover, oxygen is essentially a waste product of low commercial value since the primary interest is to convert electrical energy into hydrogen as a storable energy carrier. We report on the anodic oxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to afford the more valuable product 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) as a suitable alternative to the oxygen evolution reaction. Notably, HMF oxidation is thermodynamically more favorable than water oxidation and hence leads to an overall improved energy efficiency for H2 production. In addition, contrary to the “waste product O2”, FDCA can be further utilized, e.g., for production of polyethylene 2,5-furandicarboxylate (PEF), a sustainable polymer analog to polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and thus represents a valuable product for the chemical industry with potential large scale use. Various cobalt–metalloid alloys (CoX; X = B, Si, P, Te, As) were investigated as potential catalysts for HMF oxidation. In this series, CoB required 180 mV less overpotential to reach a current density of 55 mA cm−2 relative to OER with the same electrode. Electrolysis of HMF using a CoB modified nickel foam electrode at 1.45 V vs RHE achieved close to 100% selective conversion of HMF to FDCA at 100% faradaic efficiency.
An HST/WFC3 Thermal Emission Spectrum of the Hot Jupiter HAT-P-7b
Authors: Mansfield Megan , Bean Jacob L. , Line Michael R. , Parmentier Vivien , Kreidberg Laura , Désert Jean-Michel , Fortney Jonathan J. , Stevenson Kevin B. , Arcangeli Jacob , Dragomir Diana
Published: June 2018

Secondary eclipse observations of several of the hottest hot Jupiters show featureless, blackbody-like spectra or molecular emission features, which are consistent with thermal inversions being present in those atmospheres. Theory predicts a transition between warmer atmospheres with thermal inversions and cooler atmospheres without inversions, but the exact transition point is unknown. In order to further investigate this issue, we observed two secondary eclipses of the hot Jupiter HAT-P-7b with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) WFC3 instrument and combined these data with previous Spitzer and Kepler secondary eclipse observations. The HST and Spitzer data can be well fit by a blackbody with T = 2692 ± 14 K, and the Kepler data point constrains the geometric albedo to A

g
 = 0.077 ± 0.006. We modeled these data with a three-dimensional (3D) GCM and one-dimensional (1D) self-consistent forward models. The 1D models indicate that the atmosphere has a thermal inversion, weak heat redistribution, and water dissociation that limits the range of pressures probed. This result suggests that WFC3 observations of HAT-P-7b and possibly some other ultra-hot Jupiters appear blackbody-like because they probe a region near the tropopause where the atmospheric temperature changes slowly with pressure. Additionally, the 1D models constrain the atmospheric metallicity (

) and the carbon-to-oxygen ratio (C/O < 1 at 99% confidence). The solar composition 3D GCM matches the Spitzer data but generally underpredicts the flux in the WFC3 bandpass and cannot reproduce its featureless shape. This discrepancy could be explained by high atmospheric drag or nightside clouds and may be better understood through further observation with the James Webb Space Telescope.
Link between the VLBI and Gaia Reference Frames
Authors: Liu J.-C. , Zhu Z. , Liu N.
Published: June 2018

The link between the International Celestial Reference Frame at radio wavelength and the forthcoming Gaia optical reference frame is a mandatory task after the completion of the Gaia mission. Starting from the provisional reference frame in which Gaia astrometric solutions were obtained, we discuss the ways to correct the residual rotation and acceleration effects and investigate three potential options for linking the two frames realized by extragalactic sources. We have estimated the accuracy for the frame alignment assuming different astrometric models of quasar proper motions observed by very long baseline interferometry (VLBI). Using about 500,000 high-precision proper motions of extragalactic sources, the residual rotation of the Gaia reference frame is evaluated under 1 μas yr−1. In view of its favorable properties, Gaia should be given priority to be considered as the future fundamental reference frame that is consistent with the principle of the International Celestial Reference System. The VLBI reference frame can be linked to Gaia based on thousands of common quasars with an accuracy of 10 μas for each axis.
Associating Fast Radio Bursts with Extragalactic Radio Sources: General Methodology and a Search for a Counterpart to FRB 170107
Authors: Eftekhari T. , Berger E. , Williams P. K. G. , Blanchard P. K.
Published: June 2018

The discovery of a repeating fast radio burst (FRB) has led to the first precise localization, an association with a dwarf galaxy, and the identification of a coincident persistent radio source. However, further localizations are required to determine the nature of FRBs, the sources powering them, and the possibility of multiple populations. Here we investigate the use of associated persistent radio sources to establish FRB counterparts, taking into account the localization area and the source flux density. Due to the lower areal number density of radio sources compared to faint optical sources, robust associations can be achieved for less precise localizations as compared to direct optical host galaxy associations. For generally larger localizations that preclude robust associations, the number of candidate hosts can be reduced based on the ratio of radio-to-optical brightness. We find that confident associations with sources having a flux density of ∼0.01–1 mJy, comparable to the luminosity of the persistent source associated with FRB 121102 over the redshift range z ≈ 0.1–1, require FRB localizations of ≲20″. We demonstrate that even in the absence of a robust association, constraints can be placed on the luminosity of an associated radio source as a function of localization and dispersion measure (DM). For DM ≈1000 pc cm−3, an upper limit comparable to the luminosity of the FRB 121102 persistent source can be placed if the localization is ≲10″. We apply our analysis to the case of the ASKAP FRB 170107, using optical and radio observations of the localization region. We identify two candidate hosts based on a radio-to-optical brightness ratio of ≳100. We find that if one of these is indeed associated with FRB 170107, the resulting radio luminosity (1029− 4 × 1030 erg s−1 Hz−1, as constrained from the DM value) is comparable to the luminosity of the FRB 121102 persistent source.
The Origin of the Prompt Emission for Short GRB 170817A: Photosphere Emission or Synchrotron Emission?
Authors: Meng Yan-Zhi , Geng Jin-Jun , Zhang Bin-Bin , Wei Jun-Jie , Xiao Di , Liu Liang-Duan , Gao He , Wu Xue-Feng , Liang En-Wei , Huang Yong-Feng , Dai Zi-Gao , Zhang Bing
Published: June 2018

The first gravitational-wave event from the merger of a binary neutron star system (GW170817) was detected recently. The associated short gamma-ray burst (GRB 170817A) has a low isotropic luminosity (∼1047 erg s−1) and a peak energy E

p
 ∼ 145 keV during the initial main emission between −0.3 and 0.4 s. The origin of this short GRB is still under debate, but a plausible interpretation is that it is due to the off-axis emission from a structured jet. We consider two possibilities. First, since the best-fit spectral model for the main pulse of GRB 170817A is a cutoff power law with a hard low-energy photon index (

), we consider an off-axis photosphere model. We develop a theory of photosphere emission in a structured jet and find that such a model can reproduce a low-energy photon index that is softer than a blackbody through enhancing high-latitude emission. The model can naturally account for the observed spectrum. The best-fit Lorentz factor along the line of sight is ∼20, which demands that there is a significant delay between the merger and jet launching. Alternatively, we consider that the emission is produced via synchrotron radiation in an optically thin region in an expanding jet with decreasing magnetic fields. This model does not require a delay of jet launching but demands a larger bulk Lorentz factor along the line of sight. We perform Markov Chain Monte Carlo fitting to the data within the framework of both models and obtain good fitting results in both cases.
Making an Unstable World more Accessible: Using Universal Design to make Collections and Exhibits Memorable for People of all Abilities
Authors: Sullivan Steven M.
Published: June 2018

Make your collections memorable and accessible to audiences of all abilities by incorporating the principles of universal design (UD) in your museum exhibits. Universal design provides equitable access to resources, much the way that curb cuts improve access to roads and sidewalks. Museums spend considerable effort protecting specimens from agents of deterioration but this usually means that only one sense - vision - is employed in our exhibits. Providing greater accessibility may seem daunting, expensive, or dangerous for specimens but, by considering a few principles during exhibit development, UD is readily implemented and can make displays more effective than ever for people of all abilities, levels of understanding, and backgrounds. This is because UD goes beyond simple accessibility, it generates innovative solutions through the creative application of seven basic principles: equitable use, flexibility in use, simple and intuitive use, perceptible information, tolerance for error, low physical effort, and effective size and space for approach and use.

We will discuss how the principles of UD are fundamental to good exhibit design and can be especially effective in a natural history setting - both in the gallery as well as the classroom - because we can use authentic objects that are largely identical to the display specimens. Such authentic and multisensory products encourage empathy and biophilia, increase specimen and visitor safety, and improve overall quality of service. We will also show how our institution has incorporated students into the process of design, evaluation, and construction of UD exhibits as a way to both include diverse perspectives in the design process and as a way to train science communicators of all kinds.
Managing Data in the NIWA Invertebrate Collection: Past and Present Methodology
Authors: Macpherson Diana , Mills Sadie , Chin Caroline
Published: June 2018

The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) Invertebrate Collection is a Nationally Significant Collection consisting of around 300,000 marine invertebrate specimen jars housed at the NIWA Greta Point campus in Wellington, New Zealand. Our collection holdings include samples from New Zealand, Antarctic and Pacific waters and represent over 70 years of collecting and is still growing. We estimate approximately 40% of our collections are registered and digitally accessible (about 127,000 records since digital registering began in 2004), with most of our unregistered material being historical collections.

We are the repository for several important historical collections, one of the largest being the former New Zealand Oceanographic Institute (NZOI) collection, a taxonomically diverse and a geographically wide-ranging collection which occurred from the 1950’s to the early 1990’s. Associated specimen information such as station data and taxonomic identification for these historical collections are managed by NIWA staff and are in the form of Microsoft Excel and Access spreadsheets, NIWA and NZOI Biodiversity Memoirs, and online via the NIWA cruise and station database. These data are manually collated and registered into our Specify collections software specimen database which offers a unified and comprehensive data repository for our historical specimens, therefore greatly improving data accessibility.

To expedite the availability of data and improve access to specimens for our users we are focusing on the registration of both important historical and taxonomic collections, and streamlining the registration of specimens in the field onboard NIWA's research vessel Tangaroa. Our field registration and curation techniques have been fine-tuned over the years and now we are capturing data directly into a shipboard copy of Specify in the sorting lab on the ship, printing labels with a thermal printer, and importing data back to our home version following the end of the voyage using Specify's Workbench feature. This process reduces the time spent double-handling specimens and entering data off paper record sheets and allows the capture of data directly into our database immediately after collection and sorting onboard the ship.
Opening-up Crépin’s Rose Herbarium by New Technologies: a Pilot Project
Authors: Stoffelen Piet , Verdegem Ingrid , Hoste Ivan , Diagre Denis , Janssens Steven , De Smedt Sofie , Hanquart Nicole , Groom Quentin , Bogaerts Ann , Mergen Patricia , de Briey Henrianne
Published: June 2018

The collections of Meise Botanic Garden comprise extensive and varied documentation on the genus Rosa. The library collection contains valuable and often rare 19th century publications about the genus Rosa, frequently with annotations by François Crépin. In addition to this, the archives hold the unpublished manuscripts and thousands of letters from Crépin’s correspondents reflecting the extraordinary scientific network he built up to facilitate the exchange of herbarium collections together with erudite discussions on the taxonomy of the genus Rosa. Crépin exchanged letters with all the important rhodologists of his time, such as E. Burnat, H. Christ, P.A. Déséglise, P.E. Parmentier, H. Takashima, and W. Wirtgen, and also with horticulturists, such as J. Gravereaux.

This unique network and diversified patrimony of historical collections took shape over a period of several decades during which Crépin prepared a monograph of the genus Rosa that unfortunately was never finished. Crépin assembled a 19th century herbarium with ca. 40 000 specimens of the genus Rosa. In contrast to other important herbaria, the Crépin collection covers the whole natural area of distribution of Rosa and documents an unparalleled range of Rose taxa.

The combination of documentary sources of several different types makes the collections of Meise Botanic Garden extremely valuable. They offer great opportunities for multidisciplinary studies by taxonomists and historians with the aim of solving the still insufficiently understood relations between taxa in the genus Rosa. Linking this unique heritage of Meise Botanic Garden with present-day molecular techniques promises rewarding research in the near future. We can conclude that the collections related to Roses are major masterpieces of the Garden.

In 2016 the Piaget Foundation, the World Federation of Rose Societies and ‘De Vrienden van de Roos’, supported the Botanic Garden with a grant which allowed us to image 13 000 out of the 40 000 herbarium sheets. The public is invited to help us generate the label data on the Garden’s crowdsourcing platform (https://www.doedat.be/). In this project we tested also the quality of extracted DNA of 96 specimens of the Crépin Herbarium. 69% of the samples yielded with the Nanodrop technology good quality and quantity of DNA and for 29% of the samples it was even possible to amplify the rDNA gene marker ITS (with 650bp). These results are encouraging and illustrate that this historic herbarium could be a useful tool for research on roses.
The Arachnology Collection at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science
Authors: Stephenson Jeffrey
Published: June 2018

The Arachnology collection at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science (DMNS) was founded 20 years ago. We describe its inception and early growth from 0 to over 62,000 lots; DMNS volunteers and the key role they play as citizen scientists in the Colorado Spider Survey and collections work such as identification and databasing. We now have more than 40,000 databased and geocoded specimen vials available through Symbiota and GBIF. The collection's research focuses on the biodiversity of the region's spiders, scorpions, cave forms, and solifuge (camel spiders). DMNS is now one of the centers for research on solifuge.
Leveraging the Benefits of Open Data Services for Natural History Collection Management
Authors: Schermer Maarten , Duin Daphne
Published: June 2018

The value of data present in natural history collections for research and collection management cannot be overstated. Naturalis Biodiversity Center, home to one of the largest natural history collections in the world, completed a large-scale digitisation project resulting in the registration of more than 38 million objects, many of them annotated with descriptive metadata, such as geographic coordinates and multimedia content. While digitisation is ongoing, we are now also looking for ways to leverage our digital collection, both for the benefit of collection management and that of networking with other natural history collections.

To this end, we developed the Netherlands Biodiversity Data Services, providing centralized access to our collection data via state of the art, open access interfaces. Full, centralized access to the digital collection allows us to combine the data with other sources, such as collection scans focusing on the physical condition and accessibility of the collection. But also with data from external sources, such as the collection information of sister institutions, allowing for combining and comparing data, and exploring areas where collections can reinforce each other.

Focusing on availability and accessibility, the services were deliberately designed as a versatile, low-level API to allow the use of our data with a broad variety of applications and services. These applications range from scientific research and remote mobile access to collection information, to “mash ups” with other data sources, apps and application in our own museum. We will demonstrate this range of applications through several examples, including the embedding of data in websites (example, Dutch Caribbean Species Register: http://www.dutchcaribbeanspecies.org/linnaeus_ng/app/views/species/nsr_taxon.php?id=177968&cat=165), use in the development of deep learning models, thematic portals (example, Naturalis meteorite collection: http://bioportal.naturalis.nl/result?theme=meteorites&language=en) and the development of Java- and R-clients.

This presentation ties in with Max Caspers' presentation “Advancing collections management with the Netherlands Biodiversity Data Services“, in which he will demonstratie the potential of the services described in this presentation for the area of collections management, specifically.
The Ethics and Untoward Challenges of Exhibition Loans: An Alabama Extraterrestrial in Paris and the Return? of a Native American Relic
Authors: Prondzinski Mary
Published: June 2018

Every collection, no matter its size, contains some item of antiquity that is highly valued. Loaning these items for exhibition often raises questions of ethics and the dilemma of putting a valuable artifact at risk. Sharing these prized possessions for the enjoyment of a wider audience, exposes them to a variety of potential threats in an era when public vandalism has become almost routine. The Mona Lisa hangs behind bullet-proof glass, while soldiers with assault rifles guard the entrance to the Louvre.

Nothing quite so dramatic protects the collections of the University of Alabama; nonetheless, the recent request to loan our Sylacauga Meteorite to the Paris Museum of Natural History (MNHN) came out of the blue just like the meteorite. Once famous throughout the world because of its unique status of being the only meteorite documented to have struck a person, its notoriety has gradually receded in prominence, save for meteorite aficionados or roadside-curiosity seekers. Displayed at the Alabama Museum of Natural History next to the Philco radio it grazed on impact, it was in need of some good old-fashioned PR to restore it to its former notoriety. Loaned once a year to the town of Oak-Grove near Sylacauga, where the rock struck home, it seldom, if ever, was sought for exhibition elsewhere. Indeed, the meteorite seemed almost forlorn, overshadowed by the University of Alabama’s legendary football prowess and Walk of Champions.

The Moundville Duck Bowl, by comparison, is owned by the Smithsonian and housed in the National Museum of the American Indian. Like the Sylacauga Meteorite, it is an artifact of unique status, excavated from the mounds here in Alabama, and touted as our “finest representation of Native American craftsmanship.” In the early 1900’s under the auspice of the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences, an amateur archaeologist plundered Alabama’s Indian mounds and hauled away more than 200 artifacts from Moundville alone. Several years passed before Alabama put a stop to the looting, too late to prevent the loss of one of the most valuable discoveries in its territory.

Since 2010, the Duck Bowl has been on “indefinite loan” at the University of Alabama’s Moundville Archaeological Park after much lobbying and support from archaeological scholars and the Native American community; a hard-won agreement that was not without expense and a multitude of obstacles.

Two Alabama artifacts, both unique in their value and importance, have been made available for public appreciation. The challenge is to share them responsibly.
Data Enrichment Facilitated by Existing Inter-Disciplinary Expertise at Auckland War Memorial Museum.
Authors: Hannam Severine , Keen Elle
Published: June 2018

Tamaki Paenga Hira - Auckland War Memorial Museum cares for documentary heritage, human history and natural sciences collections. Diversity in our collections has facilitated significant collaboration across collection professionals, scientists and cultural knowledge holders. Human history objects from our Pacific nations are primarily made using natural resources which present commonality in terms of care and needs between the Pacific and the Natural Sciences stores. Auckland Museum’s Pacific Collection Access Project enriches records of Pacific objects by working with Cultural Knowledge Holders from Auckland’s Pacific communities. Information is shared online to enact a visible expression of “Teu Le Vā” (Pacific dimension of nurturing relationships).

Our project encourages collaboration between collection managers through the sharing of internal resources and expertise to enhance the Pacific collection’s data, for example by applying a Natural Science context to Human History objects. By adding the scientific name of naturally sourced materials of these objects we create a depth of knowledge about the collections. Marine sourced objects as a primary focus showed the frequent use of Gastropoda, Bivalvia and Marine mammal teeth. A significant challenge is identifying highly modified objects. By making this information available to the public we are welcoming discussions and input from the scientific community as well as the wider public. The significance of a Museum collection is closely related to its exposure and the interests it gets. Through Collections Online and Google Arts & Culture we are hoping to increase visibility of the links between our two collections and provide a wider search result using Linked Open Data. Future possibilities in curatorial research in Natural Sciences and Human History will follow on from this data enrichment.
A Case Study for Connecting Collections and Ecological Research
Authors: Levy Richard
Published: June 2018

Integration of ecological research and specimen collection has recently been a topic of focus in the literature (i.e. Morrison et al. 2017) and within organizing groups such as Integrated Digitized Biocollections (iDigBio). Pairing these two fields only stands to benefit biodiversity science, as one’s weakness is the other’s strength. For example, ecological studies often lack the verifiable proof of the taxonomy of its subjects, which is offered by voucher specimens. Conversely, museum collections are often lacking detailed site descriptions or are completely disjointed from plot sampling datasets. Researchers at the Denver Botanic Gardens are addressing this disconnect by conducting a case study that melds ecological plot sampling and floristic documentation. We center our study design and methods around the objective of producing a deliverable data package in the form of a Darwin Core Archive. Moreover, our aim is to use the Darwin Core to its full potential, ultimately publishing a package on the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) that includes extensive metadata, voucher specimens, genomic quality tissue samples, plot sampling data, in-situ, ex-situ, and habitat level images. Here I present an update on the ongoing field work, our intentions, any evaluation, and the overall workflow of the process.
Botanicalcollections.be: The New Virtual Herbarium of Meise Botanic Garden (BR)
Authors: De Smedt Sofie , Bogaerts Ann , Groom Quentin , Engledow Henry
Published: June 2018

The botanicalcollections.be website (http://www.botanicalcollections.be) is the culmination of the three year Digitale Ontsluiting Erfgoedcollecties (DOE!) project. Over this period we have digitally imaged 1.2 million African and Belgian herbarium specimens and much of their label data. All these data are freely available on our new virtual herbarium www.botanicalcollections.be. For this we have to thank a generous grant from the Flemish Government.

The site was officially launched on the 23rd March, 2018, at the Fourth Annual Meeting of Plant Ecology and Evolution held at Bouchout Castle in Meise Botanic Garden (https://sites.google.com/plantentuinmeise.be/ampee4/).

Before developing the website we conducted a user requirements analysis (Vissers et al. 2017. These requirements formed the basis for development from initial design to the finished product. Lots of features were incorporated to make the site as user-friendly and usable as possible; persistent URIs, zoomable and downloadable images and access to data. Each specimen can be annotated and is available in a machine readable format.

The goal of the botanicalcollections.be website is not only to make digitized specimens from the Botanic Garden available, but also to centralize and display the herbarium specimens from other Belgian herbaria. A cooperation agreement will make collaboration easy and transparent.

The benefits to herbaria of participating in this virtual herbarium include greater publicity, the ability to show how their specimens contribute to overall knowledge, and a mechanism for identifying where to focus future collecting efforts, all of which help validate their worth to institutional administrators. In addition, such cooperation helps build professional relationships who, because of disparate interests and obligations, might not normally connect with each other.
100 Years of Adhesives: Knowing What Sticks
Authors: Shapiro Julie
Published: June 2018

Can you distinguish glue dating from 1890, from another developed in 1940? What happens to glue as it ages? Why does glue for plant specimens need to be “archival”? What is the best way to use this seemingly unstable substance? How was glue invented, for what uses, and with what ingredients? Is it possible that each year 40 lb (18.2 kg) of glue are used for every person in America? What do we use it for? What do I use it for!

Julie McIntosh Shapiro, Curatorial assistant and plant specimen technician from the Harvard University Herbaria, will describe the qualities of adhesives, and how they are used to affix dried plant specimens to paper in order to keep them static, relevant, and preserved for at least a century. She will roll out the history of glues, show samples of adhesives used to glue plant to paper over time, and explain where botanists come into the picture. Knowledge in the composition of these ubiquitous adhesives will provide you with the tools to hold fast.
A Plant Based Artefact as a Document of War. Conservation and Preservation of a Wreath made of Yellow Everlasting and Purging Flax, Found on a Warsaw Insurgent’s Grave
Authors: Rakowska Dorota
Published: June 2018

Within the collection of the Warsaw Rising Museum there are thousands of historic objects relating to the Warsaw Uprising of 1944. Among ‘typical’ items such as weapons, archival documents and photographs, one can also find unusual souvenirs made of bread, horse hair, animal bones or plant material.

One extraordinary item is a wreath found on the Warsaw insurgent’s grave. The wreath was made using yellow everlasting (Helichrysum fulgidum var. nanum or Helichrysum aureum) and purging flax (Linum catharticum) on a frame of steel wire. In 2005 the object was to be exhibited in the Deutsches Historisches Museum (Berlin, Germany) and required conservation assessment.

The object required immediate intervention. The wreath was covered with dust and ingrained dirt. The flowers were friable and partially disintegrated. There were some loose fragments of flowers that had detached from the whole construction. The conservation treatment endeavoured to stabilise, consolidate and reinforce the weakened elements.

The wreath was dry cleaned with a delicate soft brush. Loose fragments served as samples to test the consolidation materials. Initial tests involved Paraloid B-72, frequently used to reinforce ethnographic plant-based artefacts, applied with brush. During application the solution formed clumps and would leave crystal-like residues. Moreover, the application with a brush turned out to be too invasive for the flower structure and risked disintegrating the plant material. Therefore further tests requiring the use of a brush were ruled out. It also excluded testing consolidants such as methyl cellulose. Given our capacity at that time, it was decided that a consolidant that may be applied as a sprayed solution would be used. At that time our conservation studio was not equipped with an ultrasonic nebuliser.

We used another detached flower fragment to test the fixative, commonly used for drawings, pastels and watercolours. The product, available as a spray solution, consists of ketonic resin, castor oil and alcohol. Tests gave satisfying results in the reinforcement of the flower and limited the accumulation of dirt. The fixative was then used to reinforce the whole wreath.

The wreath was placed in a purpose designed perspex box that served as both storage box and display case. The wreath was safely transported to Berlin where it was displayed for the next three years. After it was returned to the Warsaw Rising Museum, the condition assessment revealed that there were no changes in the artefact structure. Since then the wreath has been successfully exhibited in the permanent exhibition at the Warsaw Rising Museum.
Revising the Dead Art of Skeleton Preparation for Today’s Museum Collections
Authors: Streat Judith
Published: June 2018

Many museums have an eclectic mix of skeletons in their collections. These curiosities from across the globe were processed from the carcass using a variety of techniques with varying degrees of success. The details of how these animals have journeyed from death to collection item are scarce.

The old techniques and skill involved in constructing skeletons, from large down to the most delicate and tiny, can still be marveled at today. However some skeletons were poorly articulated, others incomplete or put together borrowing bones from another animal or bird. In the case of animals not known as live specimines ignorance may have been a factor in achieving an incorrect stance while other specimines were intentionally exaggerated to impress rather than appear true to nature.

A selection of methods for the preparation of skeletons have been used, such as carcinogenic chemicals, bleaches, detergents and solvents, fresh and seawater maceration, flesh-eating dermestid beetles, boiling bones to remove the oils and flesh, and composting. Skeletons were articulated for display by drilling and pinning the bones, sometimes using irreversible glues or ferrous wire that rusted over time.

Over the past 18 years I have prepared and articulated native bird and marine mammal skeletons for the Otago Museum collection. To ensure the bones are not contaminated by chemicals or physically damaged, methods and requirements have evolved over a relatively short time, as conservation has become an integral part of museum practice.

This presentation will provide an overview of the fresh water maceration process, some lessons learnt, the articulation method developed using an external stainless steel wire armature to hold each bone in position, and organizing bones with safety, articulation and transportation in mind. I will share the journey from corpse to collection item of Autahi the leopard seal and other skeletons I have worked with.
Rescue of a Large Orphaned Herbarium Collection: Addressing the Security, Accessibility, and Repatriation of the NLU Herbarium
Authors: Rehman Tiana , Best Jason , Fritsch Peter , Young Alyssa , Madrid Miranda , Bordelon Ashley
Published: June 2018

In March of 2018, the University of Louisiana at Monroe (ULM) chose to divest itself of the botanical, ichthyological, and herpetological collections that were part of the ULM Museum of Natural History. The Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT) was selected as the recipient of the herbarium specimens (herbarium acronym: NLU), consisting of approximately 472,000 herbarium sheets stored in 330 herbarium cabinets. Three categories of effort were identified for the process of acquiring and then accessioning the NLU herbarium: security, accessibility, and repatriation. Securing the collection involves the transfer of ownership and the physical move of the collection to the BRIT facility while applying Integrated Pest Management protocols to prevent further damage or the introduction of pests into the BRIT herbarium. Enabling access to the collection involves the organization of the cabinets, the specimens within them, and generating all necessary finding aides. Repatriation involves the deaccession of approximately 60,000 specimens of value for the state of Louisiana to be gifted to the Shirley C. Tucker Herbarium at Louisiana State University. We share here the details of our rescue procedures as a reference to the greater collections community.
Composting – Recent Investigations for Specimen Preparation
Authors: Teare Sheldon , McCormick Katrina
Published: June 2018

Preparators and taxidermists spend a great deal of time preparing osteological materials before these can enter collections. The different preparation methods can have variable results and even the type of specimen being prepared can impact on its overall finish after preparation.

This can often result in a lot of extra preparation work to finish or tidy up specimens. Common methods for preparation include maceration, dermestid beetles, burial and composting. Most techniques require initial preparation (flensing) and subsequent work that often introduces more chemicals or handling of the specimens.

Each method has uncontrolled elements and difficulties. Dermestids are sometimes temperamental in their preferences and require a lot of care to maintain. Maceration often involves additives like detergents or follow-up chemical treatments. Burial is often highly uncontrolled, leading to problems of drainage and the build-up of unwanted pH environments. Marine mammals or larger specimens present further challenges, being oily or too large to process onsite. When these types of specimens are buried they must often be further processed before entering the collections. All of these different processes can have an impact on the long-term preservation of the individual specimens, which is a concern for conservators.

A separate project was set up to investigate how illegally traded bones (tiger in this case) are affected by various environmental (“preparation”) conditions. A series of stations was set up simulating different environments, one being a compost. This started off further investigations into composting as a viable routine preparation technique.

We will contrast the recent recovery of three buried beaked whales with composting trials of a frozen unflensed beaked whale skull and a small whole dolphin. The composting techniques seem to allow greater control, and produced excellent results. Our visual results will be complemented with data from the compost site, such as temperature loggers. This is currently an ongoing investigation and it is hoped that further data will be collected over time, such as pH testing of soil samples from burial sites and compost sites.

Data from two trials at the Australian Museum – a larger outdoor controlled compost heap and smaller plastic tub composts – will be presented.

This project highlights the importance of data collection during specimen preparation. The pathways a specimen goes through before entering a collection have an impact on its long-term preservation and research potential. These data need to be retained.
The Biggest Museum Project in Czech History: The New Permanent Natural History Exhibitions in the National Museum Prague
Authors: Macek Ivo
Published: June 2018

In 2018 the National Museum Prague (NMP) is celebrating its 200th anniversary. Today the Museum is facing its most valuable development: brand new permanent exhibitions. Our monumental historic building was constructed in 1891 in the heart of Prague. After more than one hundred years we had to close the building and remove all exhibitions which were older than 40 years. The building has about 8,000m2 and is divided into two parts. One belongs to our Natural History Museum (NHM) collections with Zoology, Palaeontology, Mineralogy, Botany and Mycology exhibitions. Our new natural history galleries will open in autumn 2019. Housed all on one floor, the galleries will be full of animals like invertebrates, fishes, reptiles, birds and mammals. The second floor will focus on palaeontology spanning more than 500 million years of evolution covering the geographical area of the modern Czech Republic.

At the beginning we had to ask ourselves a few simple questions. How do we develop permanent exhibitions that will last for decades? Is excluding modern technology the right thing to do? Should we focus on a more informative/education style or should the interpretation be more populist? And what about the display cases? Should we use old repaired ones or modern cases?

It would be great to have answers to all these questions but we still have to deal with the vision and constraints of our curators, collections, budget, legislation, technology and construction of the building.

The project has no similar equivalent in the history of the Czech Republic so it was an extraordinary challenge to create our own process of developments with ongoing improvements. Through these developments we have formed new cooperation with technological partners and the creative industries. We are defining a new modern approach to the development and preparation of exhibitions in the Czech Republic. Now that we have reached the half way point towards our vision, it is a good time to report on progress.
Collaborative Kaitiakitanga - New Joint Pathways in Guardianship
Authors: Palavi Vasiti , Railton Nicola , Waitai Sheridan
Published: June 2018

Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi Engari, he toa takitini - Success is not the work of one, but the strength of many.

This metaphor encapsulates the collaborative sharing of knowledge, collections and aspirations held by communities and Museums to create new, mutually beneficial research pathway and community outcomes for all.

Ngāti Kurī is descended from the founding people of the northernmost peninsula of Aotearoa - Te Hiku o Te Ika. The mana and rangatiratanga of Ngāti Kurī extends into a number of ecological biogeographically significant sites on the whenua (the land) and moana (sea) - Rangitāhua (Kermadec Islands) an international marine reserve, Manawatawhi (Three Kings Islands) a nature reserve and Te Hiku o Te Ika (mainland) including Kapowairua .There are many unique species that have been found within their rohe (territorial lands) and are important centres of endemism. Ngāti Kurī settled their treaty claim in 2014 and was a key claimant in Waitangi Tribunal claim no. 262 (WAI 262) relating to Maori intellectual property rights particularly relating to flora and fauna. Ngāti Kurī aim to reclaim, restore (knowledge and practises), revitalise and rejuvenate themselves and the environments they have inherited in the sea and on land.

To realise this vision Ngāti Kurī partnered with a number of scientific partners on a "Pupuri Mauhanga o Ngāti Kurī " (species stocktake/inventory).The key objective of this project being to strengthen their kaitiakitanga - build community resilience, capacity and capability which are aligned to WAI 262 and integrated into their strategic vision - Ara Whanui (Many pathways) and Te Haumihi (ecological restoration plan) for their rohe. The resulting species lists will form the baseline data to develop strategies and tactics for the management and rejuvenation of taonga (treasured) species in their rohe.

In March 2018 Ngāti Kurī partnered with Tāmaki Paenga Hira Auckland Museum to undertake a BioBlitz (https://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/science/plants-animals-fungi/bioblitz) in their rohe (territorial lands).This was part of a larger programme of work documenting biodiversity combining both scientific and Mātauranga (Maori indigenous knowledge system) approaches. This unique model aims to empower intergenerational engagement and partnership with science in the natural environment, centred around tamariki (children) and instilling the responsibility of kaitiakitanga (guardianship). The results have been highly successful through this internationally significant approach. This approach will be described with highlights of the BioBlitz and larger biodiversity programme as an example of a successful bicultural relationship.
Betwixt and Between: Bridging the Gap Between Field and Repository
Authors: Grizzle Meghan
Published: June 2018

All too often, archaeologists have viewed curation as a process that manages, rather than investigates, archaeological and natural history collections. The curation crisis can be understood as the result of a serious imbalance between the continued generation of field collections and a corresponding lack of resources and facilities devoted to accessioning, analyzing, reporting, curating and otherwise caring for these collections. Researchers mistakenly prioritize ‘interpretation at the trowel’s edge’ with emphasis on excavation and field work, without considering the problem of how and where to store the objects they excavate.

While legislation, Curation of Federally Owned and Administered Archaeological Collections (36 C.F.R. Part 79), was intended to ensure the long-term management and care of these resources, the absence of funding at the institutional and federal levels, nonexistent enforcement of the legislation through the National Park Service, and lack of compliance from field archaeologists, have resulted in collections throughout the United States being at risk of loss through deterioration, mismanagement, and neglect. I will demonstrate that accessioning, inventorying, cataloguing, rehousing and conserving are meaningful generative encounters between scholars, objects and collections staff, not simply byproducts of research. The need for an online database specifically set up for archaeological collections is suggested as a way to address the curation crisis. Implementing digitization will enhance preservation by reducing damage to the artifacts caused by physical handling. Persons working within the field will gain a better understanding of collections care and the collections transition to the repository.
Can Lightning Strike Twice? The Reassembly of the Karnak Fulgurite at Museums Victoria
Authors: Measday Danielle , Babister Sarah , Mills Stuart
Published: June 2018

In 1959, the longest recorded specimen of fulgurite in Victoria was discovered in the sandhills of Karnak in Western Victoria, Australia. Measuring 1.5 metres in vertical length, the specimen was formed by a discharge of lightning penetrating and fusing the quartz sand along its path. Considering the high number of cloud-to-ground lightning strikes, it has been estimated that up to ten fulgurites may be formed globally per second Pasek and Block 2009. Despite this, fulgurites are a rare find, particularly ones of significant length.

The amorphous glass tubes created by lightning discharge are notoriously brittle and thin walled. Unequal contraction of the glass upon cooling produces fine cracks which weather over time, often resulting in the specimen breaking into segments. The Karnak fulgurite was systematically extracted from the ground segment by segment and reassembled for display in the museum, where it remained on exhibition from the early 1960s until 1990 Beasley 1964.

When removed from display, the Karnak fulgurite was accidentally fractured into hundreds of pieces. For nearly 30 years it has remained fragmented and spread across multiple vials in the collection. The level of detail provided in field notes, still images and archives from the time of its collection provide a complete record of its appearance prior to the damage. The conservation and mineralogy departments of the museum collaborated on a project to return the fulgurite to its original form. This poster will track the journey of its reassembly, including mapping the original shape and dimensions of the specimen, analysis and removal of aged adhesives, and designing a mounting system for future display and storage.
Coaching entrepreneurial : comment intégrer la passion ?
Authors: Barès Franck , Cova Bernard , Hombourger-Barès Sabrina
Published: June 2018

La passion de l’entrepreneur et ses différents types d’objet (passion d’entreprendre – passion professionnelle – passion dans le domaine des loisirs) viennent à la fois questionner les recherches classiques et renforcer les recherches récentes sur l’accompagnement. Notre recherche met en évidence les difficultés rencontrées dans les démarches de coaching des processus entrepreneuriaux quand ils sont mus par une passion intense et propose une approche renouvelée de l’accompagnement, capable d’intégrer les ressorts de la dynamique en vigueur.
Les pôles de compétitivité, un réseau particulier à l’usage des PME
Authors: Casanova Sophie , Messeghem Karim , Sammut Sylvie
Published: June 2018

Dans un contexte de rareté des fonds publics, les pôles de compétitivité doivent se remettre en question régulièrement, afin de prouver leur légitimité. Un rapport de la Cour de Compte (2016), mettait d’ailleurs l’accent sur la nécessité de repenser l’accompagnement des PME adhérentes. L’activité d’intermédiation constitue l’une des missions des pôles de compétitivité. Il s’agit de favoriser l’émergence de projets collaboratifs en permettant une meilleure compréhension entre les acteurs. L’hétérogénéité des membres constitue une force incontestable des pôles, ne serait-ce que par la richesse des échanges qu’elle procure. Toutefois, elle peut entraîner certains dysfonctionnements relationnels. Une étude qualitative, réalisée auprès de directeurs, salariés et de membres de pôles de compétitivité (dirigeants de PME, laboratoires de recherche, grands groupes), fait ressortir trois sources majeures de dysfonctionnements relationnels entre les structures membres : des différences en termes d’objectifs, de temporalité et de ressources.