bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Cancer and non‐cancer risks in humans exposed to trace elements in drinking water from a crater lake (Bosumtwi/Bosomtwe)
Authors: Amankwaa Gordon , Yin Xifeng , Akyeampong Stephen , Zhang Liming , Huang Weihong , Cao Yunfei , Ni Xiaoni , Gyimah Eric 
Published: January 2021

AbstractThe total and dissolved lead, cadmium, mercury, nickel, chromium, cobalt, and arsenic in 30 water samples collected from Bosomtwe Lake were analyzed. Arsenic bioavailability was also determined using the ARSOlux test system. Except for chromium, their mean values in the study results exceeded the WHO permissible limit for potability. Cancer and non‐cancer effects associated with exposure to dissolved and total metals by a child and an adult via oral and dermal routes were estimated. The hazard quotient (HQ) values obtained (except adult exposure to total arsenic of 1.71 × 1000) were less than unity. Between child and adult, the recorded hazard index (HI) was 0.82 and 1.75, respectively. The HI results indicate that the adult population is at risk for non‐cancer health effects. Arsenic was the element of concern, and it remained biologically available for uptake by target groups. For child and adult, respectively, arsenic contributed 96.39% and 97.29% to HI values. The risk values for cancer in a child and an adult with oral and dermal exposure to dissolved and total arsenic were lower than the USEPA range. Principal component and cluster analysis identified atmospheric deposition, geogenic, and unregulated application of agrochemicals as plausible sources of water pollution in Bosomtwe Lake.Practitioner points

The hazard quotient (HQ) values obtained for adult exposure to total arsenic was 1.71 × 1000.
Arsenic remained biologically available for uptake by target groups.
The calculated health index (HI) indicated that the adult population is at risk for non‐cancer health effects.
Arsenic contributed 96.39% and 97.29% to HI values for a child and an adult.
Atmospheric deposition, geogenic, and unregulated application of agrochemicals were the plausible sources of water pollution in Bosomtwe Lake.
Administrative Procedures and Processes
Authors: Ziekow Jan 
Published: January 2021

AbstractA process-oriented approach sees public administration as an interconnection of information, communications, interactions and decisions. It establishes the process organisation that shows the state ‘in action’ and complements the administrative and personnel side of public administration. While the term administrative processes can be understood as a generic term for this procedural side of the administration, according to the German understanding, procedures are processes with which the administration works towards citizens and companies and in which these face the administration with their own rights. Characteristic of these procedures vis-à-vis persons outside the administration is a high degree of juridification by administrative procedure law. The legal status of the citizen vis-à-vis the administration is very strong in Germany. In recent years, also influenced by New Public Management thought, great efforts have been made to optimise the procedural side of public administration. The chapter presents significant tools and approaches of this process thinking.
Administrative Reforms in the Multilevel System: Reshuffling Tasks and Territories
Authors: Kuhlmann Sabine , Bogumil Jörg 
Published: January 2021

AbstractThe chapter analyses recent reforms in the multilevel system of the Länder, specifically territorial, functional and structural reforms, which represent three of the most crucial and closely interconnected reform trajectories at the subnational level. It sheds light on the variety of reform approaches pursued in the different Länder and also highlights some factors that account for these differences. The transfer of state functions to local governments is addressed as well as the restructuring of Länder administrations (e.g. abolishment of the meso level of the Länder administration and of single-purpose state agencies) and the rescaling of territorial boundaries at county and municipal levels, including a brief review of the recently failed (territorial) reforms in Eastern Germany.
Participatory Administration and Co-production
Authors: Grohs Stephan 
Published: January 2021

AbstractThe German administrative system is well known for its time-honoured subsidiarity principle regarding the delivery of social and welfare services, especially at the local level. The public (municipal) sector is only allowed to provide these welfare services if the civil society, welfare organisations and citizens’ initiatives are not able to do it on their own. Against this background, the co-production of public services is deeply rooted in the German administrative culture. However, in more recent times, often prompted by fiscal problems, but also triggered by an increasing demand for more citizen participation, the co-production of services and the involvement of multiple actors have gained increasing importance. Against this backdrop, the chapter outlines these shifts from ‘traditional’ modes of service delivery and decision-making to co-producing features and participatory elements. It also addresses some of the resulting key problems and pitfalls, such as accountability, transparency and legitimacy.
Constitutional State and Public Administration
Authors: Sommermann Karl-Peter 
Published: January 2021

AbstractGerman public administration is rooted in the tradition of the Rechtsstaat, which aims at the protection of human dignity and individual freedom by providing rules, principles and institutions that ensure the prevention of arbitrary state action and the protection of individual rights. At supranational and international levels, the principle of the Rechtsstaat has been merging with the common law concept of the rule of law. A dynamic interpretation of the Basic Law (the German constitution) of 1949 by the Federal Constitutional Court has constantly specified and extended the normative scope of the fundamental rights, which are directly binding on the legislative, executive and judicial powers. The constitutional principle of the social state (Sozialstaat) has enhanced not only the dynamic evolution of the law, but also the creation of largely equivalent levels of infrastructure and services in the different territories of the German state.
Human Resource Management in German Public Administration
Authors: Siegel John , Proeller Isabella 
Published: January 2021

AbstractHuman resource management (HRM) reform has not been the focus of attention in Germany despite its obvious relevance for effective policy implementation. Although there is a general trend worldwide towards convergence between public and private HRM strategies and practices, management of the workforce in German public administration still remains largely traditional and bureaucratic. This chapter describes and analyses German practices regarding the central functions and elements of HRM such as planning, recruitment, training and leadership. Furthermore, it explores the importance and contribution of public service motivation, performance-related pay and diversity management in the context of German practices. The chapter concludes by highlighting some of the major paradoxes of German public HRM in light of current challenges, such as demographic change, digital transformation and organisational development capabilities.
Public Management Reforms in Germany: New Steering Model and Financial Management Reforms
Authors: Proeller Isabella , Siegel John 
Published: January 2021

AbstractThis chapter describes the most prominent public management reform trajectories in German public administration over the past decades since unification. In the 1990s, the New Steering Model emerged as a German variant of the NPM. Since the mid-2000s, local governments in Germany have been subjected to a mandatory reform of their budgeting and accounting system known as the New Municipal Financial Management reforms. Both reforms have led to a substantial change in terms of internal decentralisation, customer orientation, transparency in resource use and the financial situation of administrative bodies. But the emerging reform patterns and their impacts have not replaced the dominance of a strong legalist culture with hierarchical, centralised control. However, in the course of the reforms, a citizen-customer perspective, more participation of citizens and limited application of new management instruments have been accommodated within the persisting bureaucratic system.
The Peculiarities of the Social Security Systems (Indirect State Administration)
Authors: Schimanke Dieter 
Published: January 2021

AbstractThe welfare state comprises—besides other parts of social policy—the social security systems which provide insurance cover for the five risks of illness, long-term care, occupational accidents, old age (pension) and unemployment. The social security budgets equate to 17.7% of GDP or some 45% of public budget expenditure. The social security systems have had a unique status in the German public sector since their foundation in the late nineteenth century. On the one hand, as legally independent institutions, they enjoy a certain degree of autonomy and therefore constitute the ‘indirect state administration’. On the other hand, the steering by federal legislation (direct state administration) is quite intensive. However, in implementing this legislation, the institutions are only subject to limited state supervision, which is restricted to legal supervision (Rechtsaufsicht). Moreover, the social security institutions can appeal to the social courts against the orders of the supervising state administration.
The Roles of Universities in Development
Authors: Al-Youbi Abdulrahman Obaid , Zahed Adnan Hamza Mohammad , Nahas Mahmoud Nadim , Hegazy Ahmad Abousree 
Published: January 2021

AbstractSince the last decades of the twentieth century, most countries, including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, have been seeking to transform their economies from depending on primary natural resources to a knowledge-based one, providing a permanent source for economic growth, and thus achieving sustainable development, and helping in diversifying the national economic framework, and multiplying income and wealth resources of the country other than primary resources, mainly crude oil.
European Most Innovative Universities
Authors: Al-Youbi Abdulrahman Obaid , Zahed Adnan Hamza Mohammad , Nahas Mahmoud Nadim , Hegazy Ahmad Abousree 
Published: January 2021

AbstractIn ranking of 2018 European Most Innovative Universities for the year 2018, Belgian University of KU Leuven topped the list, becoming the first innovative university in Europe for the third year in a row, among the universities that work on the advancement of science, development of modern technologies, and support of industries and markets. It should be noted that this University, established in 1425, offers its programs in Dutch. Then comes Imperial College London in the second place and Cambridge University in the third, maintaining their ranking for the third year in a row. However, the ranks of some other universities have changed in 2017 and 2018 lists.
Suggestive Site Planning with Conditional GAN and Urban GIS Data
Authors: Tian Runjia 
Published: January 2021

AbstractIn architecture, landscape architecture, and urban design, site planning refers to the organizational process of site layout. A fundamental step for site planning is the design of building layout across the site. This process is hard to automate due to its multi-modal nature: it takes multiple constraints such as street block shape, orientation, program, density, and plantation. The paper proposes a prototypical and extensive framework to generate building footprints as masterplan references for architects, landscape architects, and urban designers by learning from the existing built environment with Artificial Neural Networks. Pix2PixHD Conditional Generative Adversarial Neural Network is used to learn the mapping from a site boundary geometry represented with a pixelized image to that of an image containing building footprint color-coded to various programs. A dataset containing necessary information is collected from open source GIS (Geographic Information System) portals from the city of Boston, wrangled with geospatial analysis libraries in python, trained with the TensorFlow framework. The result is visualized in Rhinoceros and Grasshopper, for generating site plans interactively.
Sensing the Environmental Neighborhoods
Authors: Llaguno-Munitxa Maider , Bou-Zeid Elie 
Published: January 2021

AbstractGiven the benefits of fine mapping of large urban areas affordably, mobile environmental sensing technologies are becoming increasingly popular to complement the traditional stationary weather and air quality sensing stations. However the reliability and accuracy of low-cost mobile urban technologies is often questioned. This paper presents the design of a fast-response, autonomous and affordable Mobile Urban Sensing Technology (MUST) for the acquisition of high spatial resolution environmental data. Only when accurate neighborhood scale environmental data is affordable and accessible for architects, urban planners and policy makers, can design strategies to enhance urban health be effectively implemented. The results of an experimental air quality sensing campaign developed within Princeton University Campus is presented.
Exploration of Campus Layout Based on Generative Adversarial Network
Authors: Liu Yubo , Luo Yihua , Deng Qiaoming , Zhou Xuanxing 
Published: January 2021

AbstractThis paper aims to explore the idea and method of using deep learning with a small amount sample to realize campus layout generation. From the perspective of the architect, we construct two small amount sample campus layout data sets through artificial screening with the preference of the specific architects. These data sets are used to train the ability of Pix2Pix model to automatically generate the campus layout under the condition of the given campus boundary and surrounding roads. Through the analysis of the experimental results, this paper finds that under the premise of effective screening of the collected samples, even using a small amount sample data set for deep learning can achieve a good result.
Artificial Intuitions of Generative Design: An Approach Based on Reinforcement Learning
Authors: Wang Dasong , Snooks Roland 
Published: January 2021

AbstractThis paper proposes a Reinforcement Learning (RL) based design approach that augments existing algorithmic generative processes through the emergence of a form of artificial design intuition. The research presented in the paper is embedded within a highly speculative research project, Artificial Agency, exploring the operation of Machine Learning (ML) in generative design and digital fabrication. After describing the inherent limitations of contemporary generative design processes, the paper compares the three fundamental types of machine learning frameworks in terms of their characteristics and potential impact on generative design. A theoretical framework is defined to demonstrate the methodology of integrating RL with existing generative design procedures, which is further explained with a Random Walk based experimental design example. The paper includes detailed RL definitions as well as critical reflections on its impact and the effects of its implementation. The proposed artificial intuition within this generative approach is currently being further developed through a series of ongoing and proposed research trajectories noted in the conclusion. The ambition of this research is to deepen the integration of intention with machine learning in generative design.
embedGAN: A Method to Embed Images in GAN Latent Space
Authors: Chen Zhijia , Huang Weixin , Luo Ziniu 
Published: January 2021

AbstractGAN is an efficient generative model. By performing a latent walk in GAN, the generation result can be adjusted. However, the latent walk cannot start from a selected image. The embedGAN is proposed to embed selected images into GAN and remain the generation effect. It contains an embedded network and a generative network. Application cases of residential interior design are given in the article. With advantages of a low computing cost and short training time, embedGAN shows its potential. The embedGAN algorithm framework can be applied to various GANs.
A Generative Material System of Clay Components-The Porosity Language
Authors: Liang Dan 
Published: January 2021

AbstractCompared with the pre-determined architecture design based on standard elements, the underlying structure of nature is more like a complex system. Porosity language, for example, which is inspired by nature, has been widely applied in the architecture context. Through the analysis of the underlying methodologies of topology in each case, the strategy is to illustrate how clay components can achieve this natural porosity language. With the help of parametric topology, the report will clearly show how the innovative language of clay components is inspired, optimized and applied. As the background of the literature, natural porosity and examples of existing cavity wall made by clay components will be compared and analyzed in Sect. 1. In Sect. 2, Steven Hall’s porous methodology will be considered as the primary topological reference. The parametric iteration topology will be stated explicitly in Sect. 3, which will direct the randomness of porosity form to the balance between structural stability and the aesthetic value. In the last chapter, different architecture applications will be studied through the supporting of micro-climate simulation.
Adaptable Tool-Path Planning Method for 3D Concrete Printing Based on the Mapping Method
Authors: Wan Qian , Wang Li , Ma Guowei 
Published: January 2021

Abstract3D concrete printing (3DCP) has been successfully and widely applied in the fields of civil structure, infrastructure, architectural decoration etc.,due to its unique advantages of automation and flexibility, and has shown great potential for development. One of the key steps in the execution of 3DCP is the tool-path planning process. However, 3DCP typically utilize the flowable composite materials which changes with time, and it is easy to induce interface joints or filling defects due to uneven path distribution when constructing the irregular-shaped construction. To solve the problem of printing path planning in 3DCP, this paper proposes tool-path planning based on mapping method, which integrates the rheology and necessary continuity of concrete materials into the printing process parameters, improves the mutual adaptability of printing process and material characteristics, improves the continuity of printing, the compactness of filling, and then ensures the stability and durability of printing structure.
Working with Uncertainties: An Adaptive Fabrication Workflow for Bamboo Structures
Authors: Qi Yue , Zhong Ruqing , Kaiser Benjamin , Nguyen Long , Wagner Hans Jakob , Verl Alexander , Menges Achim 
Published: January 2021

AbstractThis paper presents and investigates a cyber-physical fabrication workflow, which can respond to the deviations between built- and designed form in real-time with vision augmentation. We apply this method for large scale structures built from natural bamboo poles. Raw bamboo poles obtain evolutionarily optimized fibrous layouts ideally suitable for lightweight and sustainable building construction. Nevertheless, their intrinsically imprecise geometries pose a challenge for reliable, automated construction processes. Despite recent digital advancements, building with bamboo poles is still a labor-intensive task and restricted to building typologies where accuracy is of minor importance. The integration of structural bamboo poles with other building layers is often limited by tolerance issues at the interfaces, especially for large scale structures where deviations accumulate incrementally. To address these challenges, an adaptive fabrication process is developed, in which existing deviations can be compensated by changing the geometry of subsequent joints to iteratively correct the pose of further elements. A vision-based sensing system is employed to three-dimensionally scan the bamboo elements before and during construction. Computer vision algorithms are used to process and interpret the sensory data. The updated conditions are streamed to the computational model which computes tailor-made bending stiff joint geometries that can then be directly fabricated on-the-fly. In this paper, we contextualize our research and investigate the performance domains of the proposed workflow through initial fabrication tests. Several application scenarios are further proposed for full scale vision-augmented bamboo construction systems.
Recycling Construction Waste Material with the Use of AR
Authors: Parry Caitlyn , Guy Sean 
Published: January 2021

AbstractThis paper aims to present a methodology for reusing and recycling scrap timber from building sites using augmented reality and flexible digital models. The project we present describes a process that enables existing material to be reused and repurposed such that the designed model is updated by the digital inventory of digitised offcuts/waste elements.
A Large-Scale Measurement and Quantitative Analysis Method of Façade Color in the Urban Street Using Deep Learning
Authors: Zhang Jiaxin , Fukuda Tomohiro , Yabuki Nobuyoshi 
Published: January 2021

AbstractColor planning has become a significant issue in urban development, and an overall cognition of the urban color identities will help to design a better urban environment. However, the previous measurement and analysis methods for the facade color in the urban street are limited to manual collection, which is challenging to carry out on a city scale. Recent emerging dataset street view image and deep learning have revealed the possibility to overcome the previous limits, thus bringing forward a research paradigm shift. In the experimental part, we disassemble the goal into three steps: firstly, capturing the street view images with coordinate information through the API provided by the street view service; then extracting facade images and cleaning up invalid data by using the deep-learning segmentation method; finally, calculating the dominant color based on the data on the Munsell Color System. Results can show whether the color status satisfies the requirements of its urban plan for façade color in the street. This method can help to realize the refined measurement of façade color using open source data, and has good universality in practice.
Conformal correlators as simplex integrals in momentum space
Authors: Bzowski Adam , McFadden Paul , Skenderis Kostas 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
We find the general solution of the conformal Ward identities for scalar n-point functions in momentum space and in general dimension. The solution is given in terms of integrals over (n − 1)-simplices in momentum space. The n operators are inserted at the n vertices of the simplex, and the momenta running between any two vertices of the simplex are the integration variables. The integrand involves an arbitrary function of momentum-space cross ratios constructed from the integration variables, while the external momenta enter only via momentum conservation at each vertex. Correlators where the function of cross ratios is a monomial exhibit a remarkable recursive structure where n-point functions are built in terms of (n − 1)-point functions. To illustrate our discussion, we derive the simplex representation of n-point contact Witten diagrams in a holographic conformal field theory. This can be achieved through both a recursive method, as well as an approach based on the star-mesh transformation of electrical circuit theory. The resulting expression for the function of cross ratios involves (n − 2) integrations, which is an improvement (when n > 4) relative to the Mellin representation that involves n(n − 3)/2 integrations.