bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Taming Extinct Beasts: Strategies, Projects, and Metrics for Managing the World’s Largest Fossil Collection, the United States National Fossil Collection at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
Authors: Hollis Kathy 
Published: June 2018

The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) Department of Paleobiology (Paleo) is the steward of the world’s largest fossil collection. The collection is made of 40 million objects housed in 11,000 cases plus 2,600 square meters in oversized housing, all spread over four separate facilities. The collection contains fossil representatives of the entire history of life. The Smithsonian has been accessioning fossils since the late 1880s, and the collection is actively growing through field research of museum scientists as well as through the acquisition of sizeable orphaned collections. The collection database (Axiell EMu) contains about 660,000 specimen catalog records of the estimated 14,000,000 records required to digitally database the entire collection. NMNH Paleo strives to care for and manage the collection in a way that meets the highest standards for collections accessibility and accountability. Our collections management priorities are:
ensuring the collections are physically preserved, housed, and arranged to ensure long-term preservation and accessibility;
making the collections holdings and associated data digitally discoverable and accessible through Smithsonian data-management systems and global data-sharing utilities;
establishing and implementing best-practice systems for managing research-quality specimen data and data-lifecycle management;
implementing sustainable workflows for mass-digitization specimen databasing, 2D and 3D imaging, georeferencing, and transcription of relevant collections labels and analog records;
requiring all registration activities including acquisitions, loans, borrows, disposals, shipments, permits, and repository agreements meet the highest ethical and legal standards for documentation;
leveraging our professional expertise in collections management to train students and avocational collectors in fossil collections care; and
to actively collaborate with paleobiologists and other museum researchers and stakeholders to advance the discipline of paleobiology and collections-based research.
Addressing these priorities at the scale of the NMNH Paleo collection requires a deliberate strategy and disciplined project management, especially given that staff and resources are limited. The NMNH and the overarching Smithsonian organizational structure use several museum- and institution-wide metrics and reporting systems for evaluating the collections against its strategic goals. Within NMNH Paleo, these metrics are applied to and enhanced by projects that address the priorities listed above. The projects presented here were developed as part of a strategy to meet departmental, museum, and institutional goals. They are integrated across the department and include surveys, assessments, and the development of data standards and workflows. The success of the projects is most dependent on strong communication and teamwork among the department staff.
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.
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.
La Turquie embourbée dans la crise syrienne
Authors: Yégavian Tigrane 
Published: June 2018

Tendues depuis la fin de la Première Guerre mondiale, les relations turco-syriennes ont connu un spectaculaire rapprochement entre 1998-2011. Mais l’aventure syrienne voulue par le président Erdoğan a ravivé les profondes lignes de fractures de la société turque. Enlisée dans le conflit, la Turquie s’est retrouvée affaiblie et en proie à des tensions lancinantes face à deux acteurs principaux : les forces jihadistes et les Kurdes du PYD soutenus par le PKK.
B7-H4 Modulates Regulatory CD4+ T Cell Induction and Function via Ligation of a Semaphorin 3a/Plexin A4/Neuropilin-1 Complex
Authors: Podojil Joseph R. , Chiang Ming-Yi , Ifergan Igal , Copeland Ronald , Liu Linda N. , Maloveste Sebastien , Langermann Solomon , Liebenson David , Balabanov Roumen , Chi Hongbo , Chen Lieping , Vignali Dario A. A. , Miller Stephen D. 
Published: June 2018

Abstract
The potent immune regulatory function of an agonistic B7-H4-Ig fusion protein (B7-H4Ig) has been demonstrated in multiple experimental autoimmune models; however, the identity of a functional B7-H4 receptor remained unknown. The biological activity of B7-H4 is associated with decreased inflammatory CD4+ T cell responses as supported by a correlation between B7-H4–expressing tumor-associated macrophages and Foxp3+ T cells within the tumor microenvironment. Recent data indicate that members of the semaphorin (Sema)/plexin/neuropilin (Nrp) family of proteins both positively and negatively modulate immune cell function. In this study, we show that B7-H4 binds the soluble Sema family member Sema3a. Additionally, B7-H4Ig–induced inhibition of inflammatory CD4+ T cell responses is lost in both Sema3a functional mutant mice and mice lacking Nrp-1 expression in Foxp3+ T cells. These findings indicate that B7-H4Ig binds to Sema3a, which acts as a functional bridge to stimulate an Nrp-1/Plexin A4 heterodimer to form a functional immunoregulatory receptor complex resulting in increased levels of phosphorylated PTEN and enhanced regulatory CD4+ T cell number and function.