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Xuan paper is one of the most famous handmade papers in China and is an important paper for conservation. However, the evenness of Xuan paper has not yet received much attention. In this study, the distribution of the in-plane grammage and mechanical properties of Xuan paper are measured. It is found that the distribution of the in-plane grammage and mechanical properties of Xuan paper is uneven. In the handmade direction, the grammage and mechanical properties of Xuan paper are overall largest in the lower area, followed by the upper and middle areas. The sheet forming process of Xuan paper has an important effect on the distribution of in-plane grammage, mechanical properties, and fiber orientation of Xuan paper. The folded state has a negative effect on the mechanical properties of the folded area of Xuan paper. This study will help raise awareness of the unevenness in physical properties of Xuan paper, which is important in both conservation and research applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the need for accurate and objective safety assessments of bridges in Brazil taking into account the increase in traffic load and limited funding for infrastructure. In Brazil, the usual method of ensuring bridge safety involves strengthening based on design codes using deterministic analysis and partial safety factors. This method leads to an increase in the maintenance cost of the bridges. Structural reliability assessment, a higher-tier assessment method, is recommended globally for assessing the safety of existing bridges beyond current deterministic methods. This paper presents a study that evaluates the structural safety of existing road bridges in Brazil using the semi-probabilistic method defined in Brazilian standards and the full probabilistic method. The study selected six case studies of existing reinforced and prestressed concrete bridges to evaluate their structural safety concerning current normative loads. The results suggest that the partial safety factors defined in the Brazilian standards are consistent with international standards. The reliability analysis can guarantee the bridges' safety, even with increased traffic loads, without additional costs for structural strengthening. Therefore, the paper highlights the importance of promoting reliability analysis in Brazil to ensure the safety of existing bridges and promote cost-effective and objective safety assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to discuss the mobility of skilled labour within small and specialised guilds in peripheral Europe during the mid-seventeenth century. Based on archival records for passementerie makers and embroiderers in Stockholm, Sweden and Copenhagen, Denmark, the paper highlights conflicts brought on by labour mobility. What can these conflicts tell us about the situation within two small and specialised trades in Scandinavia, and how were they handled? The study examines examples of the actual implementation of both regulations and traditions associated with the crafts. This illuminates historical strategies for human resource management as well as economic relations between Scandinavia and the Continent. The results suggest a balancing act of negotiations between the needs of journeymen and masters respectively, paired with a pronounced need to align with their German counterparts. It also becomes clear that conditions differed between Stockholm and Copenhagen. Not only was the number of native artisans higher within the Danish guilds concerned, there was also substantial re-growth by apprenticeship. In contrast, Sweden was heavily dependent on immigration of skilled labour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the caterer problem, which deals with finding the optimal policy for caterers who choose between purchasing new napkins or laundry using either express or regular laundry service. Multi-index caterer problem deals with the need for laundry or the purchase of different types of napkins daily. This paper presents a formulation of a multi-index caterer problem into a multi-index transportation problem with axial constraints by adding a source, a destination, and a commodity to the original problem and providing its solution method. The solution method for the cases, when the total number of required napkins are impaired or enhanced to a known flow, for a given caterer problem are also studied by formulating the given problems into three-dimensional transportation problem with axial constraints as introduced by Haley (1963). The formulation of various problems and their solution procedures are explained with the help of numerical examples and the equivalency of corresponding formulations is also proved. Various test problems are solved with the help of GAMS software. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides an overview of the trade in artists' materials in Canton between 1750 and 1842. Through an investigation of China's foreign trade archives and records, this study gives a picture of international trade in artists' materials, particularly pigments, during this period in Canton. Furthermore, it reveals a close trade in Western modern pigments between the West and China. The results of this research may be helpful to conservators and conservation scientists conducting treatments or technical studies on Chinese export paintings of this period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stroke education materials are crucial for the recovery of stroke patients, but their effectiveness depends on their readability. The American Medical Association (AMA) recommends patient education materials be written at a sixth-grade level. Studies show existing paper and online materials exceed patients' reading levels and undermine their health literacy. Low health literacy among stroke patients is associated with worse health outcomes and decreased efficacy of stroke rehabilitation. We reviewed the readability of paper (i.e brochures, factsheets, posters) and online (i.e American Stroke Association, Google, Yahoo!) stroke patient education materials, reading level of stroke patients, accessibility of online health information, patients' perceptions on gaps in stroke information, and provided recommendations for improving readability. A PRISMA-guided systematic literature review was conducted using PUBMED, Google Scholar, and EbscoHost databases and "stroke", "readability of stroke patient education", and "stroke readability" search terms to discover English-language articles. A total of 12 articles were reviewed. SMOG scores for paper and online material ranged from 11.0 - 12.0 grade level and 7.8 - 13.95 grade level respectively. Reading level of stroke patients ranged from 3rd grade to 9th grade level or above. Accessibility of online stroke information was high. Structured patient interviews illustrated gaps in patient education materials and difficulty with comprehension. Paper and online patient education materials exceed the reading level of stroke patients and the AMA recommended 6th grade level. Due to limitations in readability, stroke patients are not being adequately educated about their condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study offers a comprehensive and detailed analysis of the activity of HeChalutz HaLochem's members, Szimszon Dränger and his wife, Gusta Dawidsohn-Dränger, in the area of Nowy Wiśnicz in the second half of 1943. Using critical readings of primary sources, new documents, and geographical research, this paper offers a more accurate picture and visualizes the activities of these Jewish resisters. The study found sites that served Szimszon Dränger's group, emphasizing its limited resources and poor infrastructure and operational readiness. This paper addresses the conflict between Szimszon Dränger and local Jews who rejected his effort to renew the armed resistance against the Germans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing Internet of Things (IoT) landscape requires robust security; traditional rule-based systems are insufficient, driving the integration of machine learning (ML) for effective intrusion detection. This paper provides an inclusive overview of research efforts focused on harnessing ML methodologies to fortify intrusion detection within IoT. Tailored feature extraction techniques are pivotal for achieving high detection accuracy while minimizing false positives. The study employs the IoT23 dataset from Kaggle and incorporates four optimization algorithms – Particle Swarm Optimizer, Whale-Pearson optimization algorithm, Harris-Hawks Optimizer, and Support Vector Machine with Particle Swarm optimization algorithm (SVM-PSO) – for feature extraction and selection. A comparison with ML algorithms such as logistic regression, decision tree and naïve Bayes classifier highlights Harris-Hawks Optimizer as the most effective. Furthermore, ensemble methods, particularly the fusion of random forest with HHO optimization, yield an impressive accuracy of 99.97%, surpassing AdaBoost and XGBoost approaches. This paper underscores the application of diverse ensemble learning techniques to enhance intrusion detection precision and efficiency within the intricate IoT landscape, effectively tackling the challenges posed by its complex and ever-changing nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Westinghouse is developing a lead-cooled fast reactor (LFR) as its next-generation utility-scale nuclear power plant. To support its development, Westinghouse and its partners are building 10 test facilities to demonstrate key LFR phenomena, materials, and components in liquid lead. These test infrastructures are distributed across several institutions, and this paper focuses on those located within Westinghouse. It describes three state-of-the-art test rigs being installed in the Westinghouse facility in Springfields, United Kingdom, to test materials in liquid lead and to investigate key LFR phenomena, which will also be used to validate modeling and simulation tools. These facilities address material corrosion/erosion testing (MELECOR), lead freezing and under-lead viewing testing (LEFREEZ), and primary heat exchanger failure testing (LEWIN). This paper also describes the first liquid-lead test system to become operational at Westinghouse at the company's site in Churchill, Pennsylvania, i.e., a test rig named HELMET to conduct tensile tests in a molten-lead environment to investigate the potential susceptibility of LFR candidate materials to liquid-metal embrittlement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an assessment aimed at evaluating primary heat exchanger (PHE) failure of the Westinghouse Electric Company Lead-cooled Fast Reactor (LFR) and at designing a facility for testing phenomena involved in such failure. The system thermal-hydraulic code RELAP5/MOD3.3 was used to develop a transient analysis simulation at reactor scale. Because of RELAP5/MOD3.3's inability to mix working fluids, the steam injection effect was evaluated using the SIMMER-III code. The limits and strengths of both codes are highlighted throughout the paper. The reactor-scale steady-state results are in good agreement with the nominal operating condition. The transient results show that lead pool surface level variation and primary system pressurization during the PHE failure event are limited. The PHE failure testing facility was characterized, and a preliminary layout was developed. A separate-effects transient inside the vessel was analyzed with SIMMER-III and RELAP5/MOD3.3 runs. The simulation outcomes have provided useful data to inform subsequent design stages for the test facility. Different configurations of the facility have been assessed, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of each design. The most important issue was identified to be lead pool swelling, reaching the vessel's lid and blocking the pressure relief vent. This poses a safety hazard that must be addressed and has been raised for resolution in subsequent design stages. The so-called V4 configuration is suggested as a starting point for further improvement of the facility. Furthermore, a smaller failure opening and lower lead level in the vessel are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the movie The Bucket List was released in 2007, the practice of compiling a list of things that people wish to achieve during their lifetime – a bucket list – has become increasingly popular amongst not only those who have received a terminal diagnosis (as in the movie) but also the wider population. Moreover, predominant in such lists are tourism-related goals. Surprisingly, however, little academic attention has been paid to the role and significance of the bucket list. The purpose of this paper is to address this gap in the literature. Drawing on the outcomes of an exploratory survey framed within terror management theory (TMT), it considers the relationship between the bucket list and existential anxieties and, in particular, the extent to which a fear of death motivates the compilation of such a list. The research reveals that the compiling a bucket list has become a contemporary cultural practice which, though evidently a means of managing existential anxieties, is also an explicit manifestation of consumption directed towards the creation of identity and self-esteem. The paper concludes by identifying future areas of research in the context of the bucket list. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores online brand advocacy (OBA) in a tourism destination context. Through a Social Influence Theory lens, it explores the ways in which residents and overseas tourists discuss Australia as a destination brand on social media. By analyzing a big dataset of social media user-generated content (UGC), this study sought to identify the key dimensions evident in positively valenced social media UGC, to see whether these dimensions varied between residents and overseas tourists, and to see whether the dimensions reflected OBA. The analyses found online destination brand advocacy (ODBA) had five dimensions: Destination Acknowledgement (hashtags), Destination Insights, Destination Positivity and Experience Sharing, Destination Brand Defence and Positive Virtual Visual Cues. The results have implications for the ways destination management organisations (DMOs) use social media. Suggestions for DMOs about incorporating ODBA in their marketing and branding strategies, are given at the conclusion of this paper. Some theoretical implications, specifically the need to further investigate ODBA, are also outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to raise awareness of how design methods can significantly influence the visual perception and contextual relationship of contemporary extensions and historical buildings. This study focuses on assessing the design elements that affect visual perception and contextual relationship in 15 contemporary extensions designed by different architects. First, the authors reviewed the literature on restoration, conservation and contemporary extensions, and then generated a questionnaire. The authors surveyed 223 respondents. A mixed qualitative and quantitative evaluation model was established. SPSS was used to evaluate and analyze the 15 selected contemporary extensions and 223 survey samples. The results indicated that contemporary extensions are considered successful when designed using a method compatible with the historical buildings in congruence with related literature and hypothesis. For the buildings examined within this research, no examples were found that copied historical buildings within the scope of visual perception. Despite rich variety, contemporary extensions have been rarely investigated within the scope of visual perception and context relationship. This paper is among the few works that investigate contemporary extensions using approaches of visual perception and context relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lack of accessibility to the information associated with European built heritage is a significant factor of exclusion that precludes many European citizens from appropriating a shared cultural heritage. Nowadays, three-dimensional scanning, modelling, and rendering technologies provide many highly effective tools to virtually access the available digital heritage of many European buildings in different historical periods through images, videos, texts, libraries, or specific databases of information associated with historical-scientific knowledge. However, several factors, such as the availability of human, economic, and technical resources, the heterogeneity of the standards and the lack of regulations, still hinder the possibility of translating data into usable content for a wider audience and the chances of creating collaboration between professional experts and scholars. Considering that, the paper focuses on defining the User Experience (UX) of INCEPTION's web platform, a European-funded multidisciplinary research project that has adopted new web technologies to develop open-source three-dimensional models of cultural heritage buildings for digital architectural conservation. The paper evaluates the importance of adopting a User-Centred Design (UCD) approach and involving stakeholders and end-users throughout the design development process, as they actively contributed to fostering more accessibility and inclusiveness for the final INCEPTION's web configuration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There continues to be much debate as to whether to preserve buildings, and this is particularly pertinent to post-war architecture, especially in the UK. This paper further explores the issue by concentrating on the acquisition of a fragment of Robin Hood Gardens by the Victoria and Albert Museum. The Smithsons' key work was deemed a failed social experiment in its listing verdict, and the acquisition of the fragment during demolition sparked controversy when exhibited at the 2018 Venice Biennale. Devoid of its context in an exhibition setting, the fragment of building questions the applicability of traditional conservation values, particularly those relating to age or architectural value. This paper aims to demonstrate the value of taking a more sociological approach to this dilemma. It uses theories of collective memory, specifically Halbwachs and Bachelard's variations, to explore multiple interpretations of the fragment's physicality. Three frameworks have been chosen for analysis: the changing social housing rhetoric, its listing campaign, and finally the present, a speculative section on what the current interpretations of the past indicate for the future. Through this chronological analysis it is concluded that the Estate's physicality is reduced to a semantic contribution, representative of our current crisis of collective memory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre appeared in 1795–96, two decades after the publication of Bertuch's translation of Cervantes' Don Quijote and three years before Tieck's seminal translation of the same. Both novels famously feature errant protagonists with complex lives and problematic love interests. This comparative paper offers a detailed exploration of the potential links. The initial focus is contextual, with a discussion of Goethe's reception of Cervantes's work and the critical responses of Goetheforschung to this meeting of great minds. The paper then explores parallels between the texts, building on the work of Barry Ife on Quijote in relation to the use of voice (especially song) and dissembling (ventriloquy) in the Lehrjahre. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low serotonin is one factor implicated in the development of depression. 17β-estradiol (E2) has been shown to modulate gene expression regulating the neurotransmission of serotonin. Sex hormone levels fluctuate dramatically during the menopausal transition, coinciding with a 14-fold increased risk of depression. This review aimed to examine the effect of soy isoflavones to support decreased and variable E2 levels before and after menopause, linked to an investigation of the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the protective influence of E2 on the serotonin pathway. The overall aim of this review is to assess the potential of soy isoflavones to reduce depression in middle-aged women. A systematic literature search was performed in three stages. 1,421 papers were screened for relevance to the research aims and objectives. 63 papers were selected based on pre-defined inclusion/exclusion criteria (13 reviews, 24 mechanistic and 26 intervention studies) and critically appraised. Available research supported the hypotheses that E2 increases serotonin synthesis and availability through stimulation of tryptophan hydroxylase-2 (TPH-2) and decreased degradation by monoamine oxidase-A (MAO-A). There was less scientific agreement on the effects of E2 on serotonin transporter (SERT) and serotonin receptors 1 A and 2 A. Studies varied widely on the effectiveness of soy isoflavones in reducing depressive symptoms in (peri)menopausal women. Animal and human studies acknowledge women's increased risk of depression linked to fluctuating E2 rather than absolute levels. However, mechanisms linking E2 variability with depression remain an underrepresented area of research. Study limitations and heterogeneity may contribute to varying results for soy isoflavones and some effects of E2 on the serotonin pathway. 17β-estradiol increases serotonin synthesis and availability through its effects on tryptophan hydroxylase-2, monoamine oxidase-A, serotonin transporter and serotonin receptors 1A and 2A. Soy isoflavones may ameliorate depressive symptoms around the menopausal transition by replicating the effect of 17β-estradiol on serotonin. Combining research on the mechanistic pathway of soy isoflavones with the effectiveness of outcomes can enhance clinical decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change discourse ranges from an acknowledgement of ancestral prophecy to the most urgent crisis of our time. If the terminology – words, concepts, and expressions – of discourse is understood to reflect a writer's values, perspectives, and ways of knowing, then it is important to compare the terminology used by various writers to understand key value differences. This paper provides an initial exploration into the explicit and implicit differences in terminology surrounding climate adaptation planning from the perspective of federal agencies and Tribal Nations as represented in two climate adaptation guides. As the act of utilising the same words but in different ways will likely result in conflict, we also explored the links between the values-based differences in terminology with three policies – one written from a Tribal perspective and two that govern federal agencies' stewardship of cultural resources – to assess the implications for climate adaptation of ancestral heritage located on federal lands. It is important to note that the space to compare terminology between federal and Tribal perspectives is vast; though this paper represents only an introductory step into this space, the results demonstrate a clear need to develop a process of co-constructing a shared climate adaptation terminology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Foreign Policy Journal (CFPJ) is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Foreign Policy Journal (CFPJ) is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The Thrifty Food Plan emerged from the Economy Food Plan in 1975 as a mathematical program that represented a nutritious diet for low-income Americans. Calculated last in 2021 by the US Department of Agriculture's Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, the Thrifty Food Plan determines the maximum amount of food assistance for households participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Drawing on national archives, interviews, congressional discourse analysis, literature review, and mathematical modeling, this paper traces a genealogy of the Thrifty Food Plan from 1975 to the present along six themes. This genealogy tells a story of changing consumption patterns, dietary standards, and the ways in which the USDA defines food, people, and the basic food needs of the poorest Americans. This paper highlights avenues for further research into the various aspects of the Thrifty Food Plan that can elucidate the historical framing of hunger and poverty in the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The licensed serving of alcoholic beverages is an important institutional aspect of food culture. In Sweden, the Government's policies to battle the Covid-19 pandemic meant further restrictions, including a temporary law, to mitigate contagion at licensed restaurants, bars, producers' tasting events, etc. This paper inquiries into the "art" exercised by managers of such businesses, already used to strict governance, of "being governed" when faced with these new and sudden policies. The study draws on Swedish Covid-19 policy and interviews with managers of licensed premises and a municipal auditor during the three months of the most far-reaching restrictions. By analyzing these materials through anthropological theories of state governance, the paper shows how Covid-19 restrictions were enacted in practice, including their discontents. The study's findings contribute to further insights into the role of alcohol policy in food culture and opens up for further bridging of food studies, service studies, and alcohol research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2005, a team of Polish archaeologists discovered three Coptic codices, two on papyrus and one on parchment, in the rubbish dump of a hermitage at Sheik Abd el-Gurna, Egypt. While the parchment codex and the remains of the bindings of the papyrus ones have been conserved, the text blocks of the papyrus codices were opened and disassembled and after being disinfected remained untouched for nearly 15 years, until the current project started. Currently, all three books are stored in the collection of the Coptic Museum in Cairo. Our team undertook the conservation of and archaeometric research on the papyrus codices. The first of the books contains the Canons of Pseudo-Basil, while the second is an Encomium of St. Pisenthios. Both codices have been palaeographically dated to the seventh-eighth centuries CE. In this paper, we describe our project and present the results of the work carried out on the Canons of Pseudo-Basil. Our work involved photography in transmitted light, measurements of the thickness of the papyrus leaves, and digital microscopy under three-light illumination. These measurements allowed us to determine the types of the inks and characterize the papyrus writing substrate. For conservation, we used a novel method developed in the Egyptian Museum in Berlin that comprises suspending papyrus folios on a translucent, extremely thin Japanese paper inside glass frames without the use of adhesives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces the timber gridshell designed and fabricated as smooth poly-hypar surface structure, a new type of doubly curved freeform shell which is combined smoothly (G1 degree) from hyperbolic paraboloids (hypars). It is locally ruled, while globally appears to be a doubly curved freeform. Compared to the elastic timber gridshell designed through form-finding method, smooth poly-hypar timber gridshells have more advantages in terms of structural behaviour and construction method. Structurally, smooth poly-hypar gridshells are able to resist different loading cases with mainly membrane actions. In terms of construction, as a locally ruled surface, it can be prefabricated in modules with straight components, which effectively reduces the construction cost. In this paper, an open theatre, Hypar Wave, is presented as a case study to show the structural and constructional advantages of smooth poly-hypar gridshell in timber. Advances made in this research have added to the knowledge of gridshell behaviour and construction, thereby making the design and construction of future timber gridshells a more viable option. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inherent randomness in economic factors causes complex and irregular behaviour that affects financial system stability and economic growth. Such chaotic behaviour can make it difficult to synchronize financial systems. The chaotic finance system synchronization precision maintains financial stability and economic growth. In this paper, the controller design procedure assumes that the financial system is exposed to unknown bounded exogenous disturbances and model uncertainties. This research proposes a novel direct adaptive control strategy that achieves robust synchronization of two identical four-dimensional finance chaotic (FDFC) systems. The proposed controller establishes a faster, smoother synchronization error vector convergence to zero. The controller design procedure does not eliminate the closed-loop's nonlinear terms and is independent of the financial system parameters. These controller's attributes accomplish the closed-loop robust performance. Further, this controller uses real-time estimates of unknown model uncertainties and bounds to compensate for unknown exogenous disturbances. Computer simulation results and proofs of theoretical analysis based on the Lyapunov stability theory confirm that the proposed control technique compels the error vector trajectories to the origin in a short transient time with less active oscillations for all signals. The paper includes comparative computer simulations for verifying the theoretical findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To refine knowledge about pressurized water reactor fuel melting, the Power to Melt and Maneuverability (P2M) project in the Framework for Irradiation Experiments II (FIDES-II) managed by the Nuclear Energy Agency of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development aims to perform two irradiation tests to reach fuel centerline partial melting using instrumented experimental fuel rodlets irradiated in a pressurized water capsule (PWC) of the Belgian Reactor 2 (BR2) [Studiecentrum voor Kernenergie (SCK CEN), Belgium]. Prior to these experiments, two preliminary tests will be performed in the PWC for qualification purpose toward safety. The experimental rodlets will be instrumented with a fuel centerline thermocouple in the lower part of the fuel and a pressure sensor (PS) in the upper part. An objective of the P2M experiments is to determine the amount of fission gas released from the fuel thanks to the PS measurement. The plenum pressure evolution is known from the measurement, and knowledge of the gas plenum temperature is required to determine the amount of fission gas released from the fuel to the plenum. The gas plenum temperature will depend on natural convection of the PWC coolant, and no temperature measurement will be possible within this gap during the test. This paper describes the setting up of a model of the BR2 PWC equipped with the P2M rodlets based on the coupled NEPTUNE_CFD (multiphase fluid calculation code) and SYRTHES (solid thermal module) simulation tools. Simulations performed thanks to this model allow assessment of the thermal-hydraulic (TH) behavior of the pressurized water in the capsule and the thermal behavior of the rodlet, in particular, regarding the temperature of the gas located in the plenum. For consistency of the results, computations presented in this paper were performed using a single and consistent set of TH models. A mesh sensitivity analysis was carried out for all the studied cases. Simulation results related to the water capsule behavior were found to be in good agreement with the available experimental data. The gas plenum temperature results obtained from this study will be used to assess the fission gas release during the test from the plenum pressure measurements. Overall experimental validation of fission gas release during the test will be possible after the transient test in BR2 based on the postirradiation examination program foreseen on the rodlets at the LECA-STAR facility [Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA) Cadarache, France]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents simulations of the xM3 power ramp with the fuel performance code ALCYONE performed during an international simulation exercise organized within the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development/Nuclear Energy Agency Power to Melt and Maneuverability project. The xM3 test involved a large-grain UO2 fuel from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries cladded with Zirlo and pre-irradiated in a Spanish pressurized water reactor up to an average burnup of 27 GWd/tU−1. It was then submitted to a staircase ramp protocol in the R2 reactor at Studsvik (Sweden) with 10 successive steps of 5 kW·m−1 up to a ramp terminal level of 70 kW·m−1. The fuel rodlet did not fail, and detailed post irradiation examinations performed during the Studsvik Cladding Integrity Project II evidenced recrystallization of the pellet center around a central hole, interpreted as signs of fuel melting. In this paper, simulations with ALCYONE of the xM3 power ramp, including an advanced model for fuel melting based on thermodynamic equilibrium calculations, are detailed. The model relies on the determination of the liquid fuel fraction evolution with temperature that is used to obtain a continuous description of the material properties during phase change. In consequence of the incorporation of rare earths and actinides in the bulk of the fuel, distinct solidus and liquidus temperatures are estimated. It is shown that the observed central hole and recrystallized central part of the pellet could be the consequence of totally melted fuel (liquidus is reached), partially melted fuel (solidus is reached), or pore migration only. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents simulation results of earlier fuel melting tests (xM3 and HBC4) performed under the power-to-melt-and-maneuverability (P2M) simulation exercise organized within the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)/Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) framework for irradiation experiments. The simulations were performed using the single-rod performance analysis code FRAPCON/FRAPTRAN as a contribution of the Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry (CRIEPI) to the P2M simulation exercise. To this end, the base irradiation of each sample was simulated using FRAPCON software, and the calculated result was used to define the initial state of the transient simulations; the xM3 and HBC4 ramp tests were simulated using FRAPTRAN. Fuel melting was not predicted for xM3, and the melting radius was underestimated for HBC4 using the original version of FRAPTRAN. The value of the fuel/cladding gap conductance was modified to obtain results that satisfy the experimental measurement of the melting radius. In this paper, the simulation results are compared with experimental results, and the causes for discrepancy between the simulation and experiment results are discussed. The necessary improvements for FRAPTRAN to achieve a better simulation of fuel melting are also discussed. These results can help calibrate codes against high-temperature behavior and improve fuel melting modeling toward the planned P2M power ramp tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the fuel performance simulation of two past experiments that are concerned with partial fuel melting. The activity is conducted in the framework of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development/Nuclear Energy Agency Power to Melt and Maneuverability (P2M) – Second Framework for Irradiation Experiments (FIDES-II) Joint ExpErimental Programme (JEEP). The xM3 transient experiment involved uranium oxide (UO2) fuel with a ZIRconium Low Oxidation alloy (ZIRLO) cladding base irradiated up to 27 MWd/kg U, followed a ramp test up to 70 kW/m leading to inception of melting. The High Burnup Chemistry Experiment 4 (HBC4) transient was performed according to a rapid power ramp, on a UO2 fuel with a Zircaloy-4 cladding base irradiated up to 47 MWd/kg U. The linear heat generation rate reached 66.3 kW/m at the end of the transient leading to inception of melting and rodlet failure. Three main cases per each of the two transients were modeled with the TRANSURANUS code version 2015 in agreement with the benchmark specifications to consider uncertainty on the power during the ramping phases. The paper presents and discusses the analysis of these tests and provides an in-depth sensitivity analysis to assess the capabilities of the code as well as the effect of user choices in simulating the base irradiation and the inception of melting in light water reactor fuel rods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of the Power To Melt and Maneuverability (P2M) Simulation Exercise on past fuel melting irradiation experiments, organized within the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development/Nuclear Energy Agency Framework for IrraDiation ExperimentS (FIDES) framework by the Core Group (CEA, EDF, and SCK‧CEN) and open to all FIDES members. The exercise consisted in simulating two past power ramps where fuel melting was detected: (1) the xM3 staircase power transient [ramp terminal level (RTL) 70 kW‧m−1, average burnup 27 GWd‧tU−1], carried out in 2005 in the R2 reactor at Studsvik (Sweden), where the rodlet maintained its integrity, and (2) the HBC4 fast power transient (RTL 66 kW‧m−1, average burnup 48 GWd‧tU−1), carried out in 1987 in the BR2 reactor at SCK‧CEN (Belgium), where the cladding failed during the experiment. The exercise was joined by 13 organizations from 9 countries using 11 different fuel performance codes. In this paper, the main results of the Simulation Exercise are presented and compared to available postirradiation examinations (PIE) or on-line measurements during the power ramps (fuel and clad diameters, rod elongation, pellet-clad gap, and fission gas release). Since the focus of the Simulation Exercise is on fuel melting assessment, determination of the boundary between melted/nonmelted fuel and the consequent definition of a melting radius from PIE are first discussed. During the HBC4 ramp, fuel melting was predicted by most of the codes despite differences in the melting models. Higher discrepancies were observed for the xM3 rod that can be attributed partly to power uncertainty and partly to the limited capability of the models to describe partial melting of the fuel during this ramp. Finally, possible code developments to improve simulation results are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents 2D(r, $\it \theta $ θ) simulations of the HBC-4 power-to-melt experiment performed with the fuel performance code ALCYONE. The HBC-4 experiment is one of the two test cases selected for the simulation exercise on past fuel melting experiments of the Power to Melt and Maneuverability (P2M) project. The ramp terminal level (RTL) at peak power node (PPN) has been estimated at 66 kW·m−1 by gamma scanning and 70 kW·m−1 based on online measurements of thermal fluxes. The fuel burnup at PPN was close to 60 GWd/tU−1. The cladding failed during the short holding time at a RTL of 40 s. Fuel melting took place at the pellet center, and in particular, in front of clad cracks. In this paper, simulations of the HBC-4 power-to-melt experiment are performed using an updated version of the 2D(r, $\it \theta $ θ) scheme of ALCYONE where half of the fuel pellet is described. This configuration allows for the modeling of clad failure by iodine stress corrosion cracking and of its consequences on fuel pellet deformation. The modeling of fuel melting relies on thermochemical equilibrium calculations performed with the OpenCalphad Gibbs Energy Minimizer and the Thermodynamics of Advanced Fuels International Database. The simulation without clad failure indicates that the solidus is reached during the HBC-4 experiment but not the liquidus. The simulation with clad failure leads to a small increase in the fuel temperature that is sufficient to reach the liquidus at the pellet center, in agreement with postirradiation examination (PIE). The impact of water ingress in the rod and vaporization at the pellet surface is discussed, showing that it could explain the pronounced swelling of the fuel pellet reported from the PIE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This contemporary comment examines School Community Safety Orders (SCSOs). Introduced in 2022, these provisions permit principals in the Australian state of Victoria to ban adults from school premises and events in response to concerns about the risk of violent, threatening or abusive behaviour, and/or other perceived disruptive acts. SCSOs have only been active for a short time, and there is currently limited information regarding their use. Following an examination of the legislation, this paper discusses a number of operational and procedural concerns. These include the subjective framing of behaviours that may lead to an SCSO, the ways in which SCSOs are imposed and the absence of provision/s to prevent their misuse or abuse. The paper draws attention to the lack of clear protocols and safeguards to ensure the appropriate and proportionate use of SCSOs, advocates for consistent and transparent monitoring—to understand how many are issued, to whom and for what reasons—and asks whether the provisions adequately address concerns regarding safety in schools. More broadly, the provisions are also situated and discussed within the wider context of risk-based criminalisation—including the increasing use of pre-emption and privatisation/civilianisation—and the issues to which these developments can give rise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In 2018, the University of Birmingham, UK, hosted a weekend of events for the Association for Environmental Archaeology (AEA)'s spring conference 'Pests of Society'. The event was organised in collaboration with Historic England – the publicly-funded 'Arms-Length Body' with statutory responsibility for the historic environment in England. During the course of the one day conference and workshop the following day, multiple aspects were covered of how pests have interacted, and continue to interact, with humans and their day-to-day activities, as well as their presence in the wider landscape. This paper outlines and describes the meeting, introducing the range of topics covered, and summarises the papers that have been published in the resulting special issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The question of how Baptist ministers are best prepared for service in the Church has been part of Baptist life from the beginning. Mervyn Himbury (1922-2008), historian and educational leader in Wales and in Australia, wrestled with these issues continually. He challenged the focus on techniques and skills, arguing for ministerial education based upon the disciplines of biblical and theological reflection, continuous learning and love for God and the world. This paper draws upon Himbury's published works, which set these issues in an historical and theological perspective, while engaging with the immediate challenges in Melbourne, where he was the founding Principal of Whitley College. The paper draws upon curriculum inquiry and ideological perspectives which may shape educational practice, then considers whether these approaches may apply to ministerial education. This discussion serves to further clarify the nature and purpose of ministerial education in general and Himbury's contribution in particular. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The following paper describes the designs and construction of the new stage structure and metal rigging of the National Theatre of Costa Rica (TNCR). The 125-year-old heritage building was subjected to renovations of the stage and rigging, interweaving a new structure that left the original iron and wood structure intact and respected a fully operational historical stage. The project was innovative because it maintained the original loom and added a dual-stage that supports larger loads in a new bolted metal structure while preserving the craft of the stagehand in the original theatre rigging system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a growing tendency to assess resilience and sustainability of critical infrastructures (CI), given the significant increment in high-impact natural hazard events affecting socio-economic welfare. Historically, these assessments have been conducted separately due to the independent evolution of each concept. However, recent contributions tend to integrate them. This paper provides a state-of-the-art review of integrated assessments for resilience and sustainability in CI, examining concepts, indicators, frameworks, and methodologies. Additionally, a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis was performed to gain further insights into the prospects of integrated assessments. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology, eligibility criteria were established, leading to the selection of twelve studies. These works were compared based on five dimensions (economic, environmental, social, technical, and governance) to highlight the differences in the indicators used. While all studies considered the social, environmental, and economic dimensions, some did not further analyze sufficient indicators to evaluate environmental and social effects, with governance often neglected. This study emphasizes the relevance of establishing common metrics for a convergent frame for the resilience and sustainability assessment. The findings presented suggest that integrated assessments lead to a more strategic use of resources toward more resilient CI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our objective in this paper is to evaluate the benefits of bus transit. To obtain the more accurate and highly discrimination results, this study establishes an evaluation indicator system from a stakeholder perspective and proposes a novel combined method consisting of dynamic network data envelopment analysis, cross-efficiency evaluation, and Shannon entropy aggregation method. An empirical study of bus transit systems in 33 key Chinese cities from 2016 to 2019 is provided. The results show that the benefit of bus transit in most key cities was ineffective. In contrast to production efficiency, focusing on improving service effectiveness is more conducive to improving the benefits of bus transit. Small cities have higher benefits than large cities. Meanwhile, the benefits of bus transit vary geographically. This evaluation outcome provides a more appropriate basis for decision-making related to the benefits of public transit services, as well as for operational and management studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When a work zone is located at an intersection, it greatly reduces the capacity and change the traffic flow characteristics. However, the impacts of work zones have not attracted much attention, and the signal control method of the intersection with a work zone has not been investigated yet. This paper focuses on a specific type of work zone, which is located within the area of an intersection. The saturation flow rate model, traffic wave model, traffic delay model, and emptying time model are proposed to capture the traffic flow characteristics of the intersection with an island work zone, and a signal control model is further put forward. The real data is collected to calibrate, validate, and evaluate the proposed models. The results indicate that the proposed signal control model can reduce about 15.6% of queue length and 17.2% of traffic delay for the intersection with an island work zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose a method of route optimization of vacant taxicab based on the abstract grid network. Firstly, an abstract grid network is built by the quadtree technology with the vacant trajectory data embedded. Secondly, the Markov decision process framework considering the sequential dependence is used to model the problem. Finally, we solve this problem by the policy iteration and compare the method by taking the GPS trajectory data in different hours of 797 taxicabs in a typical working day in Shenzhen, comparing that with the optimal strategy without considering sequential dependence, MNP, local hotspot and random walk algorithm by simulation, respectively. The results show that: The use of quadtree can reduce the sparseness of matching probability from 80.46% to 30.18%. The average revenue per unit distance has increased by 6.10%, 8.75%, 33.24% and 60.06%. The vacant driving rate has decreased by 5.33%, 6.15%, 18.86%, and 23.18%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NuScale Power has completed a series of full-length helical coil steam generator tests at SIET Laboratories in Piacenza, Italy. The test program included an investigation of the onset and evolution of density wave oscillations (DWOs). This paper describes the mechanisms leading to the onset of DWOs. A semi-empirical DWO stability correlation was developed from first principles using data from tests performed in the full-height (2015) TF-2 counterflow test facility. This research supports the concept that the onset of DWOs is caused by liquid bridging inside the boiling length of the tubes. A DWO onset correlation is obtained by performing a steady-state momentum balance on the liquid slug created by liquid bridging in annular flow. This yields a momentum balance equation in terms of a set of dimensionless superficial velocities, a corresponding dimensionless pressure drop term, and an average void fraction. Envelope theory is then used to obtain a critical void fraction, which is substituted into the dimensionless momentum balance to obtain a DWO onset correlation similar to the Wallis countercurrent flooding correlation. Predictions using the DWO stability correlation have been compared to DWO experiments from the (2022) TF-2, TF-1, and Polimi. The predictions for the onset and termination of DWOs show excellent agreement with the data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nuclear terrorism resulting from the illicit trafficking of nuclear and radioactive materials consists of a serious threat against the security of countries. Hence, the transportation of hidden nuclear materials in large-scale cargos has emerged as an important public issue that requires immediate attention. The security architecture should merge the nuclear security systems and execute a procedure for the detection of nuclear and radioactive materials. In this regard, the detection of special nuclear materials (SNMs) in liquid-filled cargo containers is an essential matter of homeland security because of the difficulties imposed by liquids in performing efficient manual inspection. This paper presents a new artificial intelligence (AI) system implemented with fuzzy logic tools for detecting composite materials, including Pb-Th, Pb-U, and Pb-Co, in containers filled with water by utilizing optical signature information obtained with COMSOL. The developed AI system and its underlying method are validated for a scenario of detecting Pb-Th, Pb-U, and Pb-Co in water-filled containers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper investigates the effectiveness, in terms of fill rate, of a new adaptive production control policy for a two-product, two-echelon (i.e. factory and retailer) supply chain subject to a non-stationary customer demand. To model the capacity constraints more realistically, the factory node consists of an unbuffered production line subject to failures, and non-negligible changeover times. To cope with the disruptive events, we propose a new production control strategy named Adaptive Hedging Corridor Policy. A simulation model based on discrete-time difference equations is developed, and a two-step experimental campaign is conducted to compare the proposed control policy with two well-known alternatives proposed in the literature. The analysis of the results demonstrates the effectiveness of the new adaptive strategy in maximising the fill rate of supply chains subject to a non-stationary demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researchers have paid close attention to hospital resource planning in recent decades, but the impact of human factors, such as human immunity, on healthcare management has been neglected. This paper integrates physicians' differences to examine their effect on patient waiting time and patient satisfaction. A mixed-integer programming model is proposed by considering different levels of physicians and various types of departments. The model seeks an effective physician assignment between skills, experience, and immunity. A non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II (NSGS-II) is conducted to confirm the proposed verification of the model and perform human resource planning in hospitals based on these factors. The results of sensitivity analysis demonstrated that considering the classification of patients and physicians' issues causes a significant improvement in the efficiency of hospitals in the future. Furthermore, the number of physicians assigned to each department varies according to the type of patient, so the assignment of medical specialists in the hospital requires information about demands, including patient classification and morbidity rates in the healthcare sector. Healthcare organizations require the efficient allocation of clinical specialists. This model equips hospital administrators with sufficient knowledge of how to deal with the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relief distribution involves numerous stakeholders with various roles and different structures regarding stakeholders' coordination. This paper proposes a model to evaluate various stakeholder structures for distributing relief goods. Unlike previous research, this model evaluates the coordination structure, assuming no single centralised decision-maker exists. The proposed model is developed based on the decomposition-based framework, assuming a partly centralised decision. The proposed model also integrates road network restoration into the model by capturing the disrupted road network. The role of the private sector is elaborated by exploring the impact of private business involvement in food-related distribution and road network restoration. The proposed model is applied to an actual case, namely the Palu earthquake and tsunami in 2018. We found that the multifocal structure performs better in distributing relief goods. Furthermore, the involvement of the private sector succeeds in minimising the unsatisfied demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an assessment study of traffic-induced ground vibrations and their effects on masonry-type historic structures in Ayutthaya Historical Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Thailand. The first objective is to propose a practical prediction of the attenuation rate of vibration for risk management of the monuments located along roadsides in the city. The attenuation of vibration waves traveling from traffic sources and the intensity of ground vibrations were determined by in situ vibration measurement. The results from the investigations in the Ayutthaya area were compared with those obtained from other sites having different characteristics of subsoil classified by the average shear wave velocity (Vs). It was found that the attenuation rates at a long distance from the source tend to be dependent on soil property in terms of Vs of subsoils. The attenuation curves derived from the regression analysis are proposed for risk management from the vibration of the heritage site. The second objective is to assess the effects of traffic vibrations on historic structures. The highest amplitude observed in Ayutthaya was within the recommended vibration criteria for historic buildings. In addition, finite element analysis of a 3D stupa model revealed that the stresses resulting from the ground vibration records induced by traffic was lower than the strength of ancient brick and mortar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on three Far East cabinets that have ended up in Sweden for various reasons and on various routes. Some specific characteristics have been analysed using various scientific methods: sectional microscopy, wood taxonomy, X–ray fluorescence microscopy, pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, strontium isotope ratio measurement, and radiocarbon dating. The results show that the cabinets contain wood from species endemic to Japan, namely asunaro (Thujopsis dolabrata) and hinoki (Chamaecyparis obtuse). They are coated with urushi sap derived from Toxicodendron vernicifluum trees, in two cases confirmed to be harvested in China, and one case probably blended with sap exuded from Toxicodendron succedanea harvested in North Vietnam. Their black appearance is due to a soot pigment typical of many products from the early Edo period or older. The data obtained with scientific methods, unavailable in the past, improve knowledge about these cabinets. Such new information should be made available to scholars and the general public. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ancient hair and remnant plant DNA are important environmental proxies that preserve for millennia in specific archaeological contexts. However, recovery has been rare from late Pleistocene sites and more may be found if deliberately sought. Once discovered, singular hair fragments are not easily identified to taxa through comparative analyses and environmental DNA (eDNA) extraction can be difficult depending on preservation or contamination. In this paper, we present our methods for the combined recovery of ancient hair specimens and eDNA from sediments to improve our understanding of late Pleistocene environments from the Holzman site along Shaw Creek in interior Alaska. The approach serves as a useful case study for learning more about local environmental changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complex social organisation, technological skills and specialised foraging strategies are considered as modernity indicators in the history of Homo sapiens' evolution. However, the timing and nature of these abilities are poorly understood. Research on the Middle and Upper Palaeolithic faunal remains and settlement patterns in the Zagros Mountains of Iran proposed the model of 'game management' for hunter-gatherer societies, reflecting their advanced cultural development affected by their environmantal contxt in this part of the world. Using various methods, including ecological landscape structure analysis, site location and archaeological remains, this paper reveals that the Late Pleistocene's hunters had a considerable focus on strategic corridors. We argue this behaviour improved the hunters game management tactic among the Upper Palaeolithic population in the Dasht-e Rostam area of the Southern Zagros Mountains. We demonstrate how the environmental adaptability accelerated Homo sapiens' modernity around 40 kyr ago. Although this proficiency resulted in increasing meat supply, it required a high level of intra-group communication and fitness, seasonal adaptations and specific technologies to compete with other predators using the same strategy in the Southern Zagros. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]