Simulation of insect movement with respect to plant architecture and morphogenesis

Developments in computer and three dimensional (3D) digitiser technologies have made it possible to keep track of the broad range of data required to simulate an insect moving around or over the highly heterogeneous habitat of a plant's surface. Properties of plant parts vary within a complex canopy architecture, and insect damage can induce further changes that affect an animal's movements, development and likelihood of survival. Models of plant architectural development based on Lindenmayer systems (L-systems) serve as dynamic platforms for simulation of insect movement, providing ail explicit model of the developing 3D structure of a plant as well as allowing physiological processes associated with plant growth and responses to damage to be described and Simulated. Simple examples of the use of the L-system formalism to model insect movement, operating Lit different spatial scales-from insects foraging on an individual plant to insects flying around plants in a field-are presented. Such models can be used to explore questions about the consequences of changes in environmental architecture and configuration on host finding, exploitation and its population consequences. In effect this model is a 'virtual ecosystem' laboratory to address local as well as landscape-level questions pertinent to plant-insect interactions, taking plant architecture into account. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Semantic architecture for sensors

Based on the report for the unit “Sociology of New Information Technologies” of the Master on Computer Sciences at FCT/University Nova Lisbon in 2015-16. The responsible of this curricular unit is Prof. António Moniz

The shoulder architecture of bears and other carnivores [by] D. Dwight Davis.

v.31:no.34(1949)

L’archivage numérique des projets « Europan » comme situation d’analyse scientifique du concours d’idées en architecture

Il existe somme toute peu de théories du projet offrant une modélisation construite à partir de la complexité et de la diversité du projet d’architecture. Pourtant,certaines situations rassemblant parfois plusieurs dizaines de projets s’offrent d’elles-mêmes comme des situations comparatives et expérimentales : les concours d’architecture, d’urbanisme et de paysage. Le Laboratoire d’étude de l’architecture potentielle de l’Université de Montréal (Aménagement), après avoir développé un système d’archivage numérique des concours canadiens, a entrepris, avec le soutien du Groupement d’intérêt public « Europe des projets architecturaux et urbains », de développer la base de données documentaire des concours d’idées Europan. Au-delà des questions d’archivage numérique, se profilent clairement des possibilités de théorisation s’appuyant sur les logiques d’une base de données, en particulier sur la constitution du diagramme entités et relations, modélisation indispensable à sa traduction informatique. Cette recherche entreprend une première mise à jour de ces éléments conceptuels et tend à montrer que la base de données est un véritable modèle théorique du projet ouvrant sur de nouvelles avenues de recherche et de connaissance.

L’architecture engagée du «Case Study House Program» de la revue Arts and Architecture de 1945 – 1966 : une confluence génératrice

La conception architecturale du logis, individuel ou collectif, est un défi majeur pour les architectes depuis l'avènement de la modernité. Au début du 21ième siècle, la multiplicité des conditions démographiques et celle de la mobilité des personnes sous-tendent la complexité de l'élaboration de prototypes ou de modèles d'habitation. Que peut-on apprendre des expériences menées dans ce domaine après la seconde guerre mondiale aux États-Unis ? Ce mémoire de maîtrise est consacré à l'étude d’un cas particulier celui du programme de création architecturale réalisée en Californie de 1945 à 1966, connu sous le nom de : «Case Study House Program». Ce programme, dirigé par John Entenza, éditeur de la revue Arts and Architecture, rassemblait de nombreux architectes dont les plus célèbres sont Charles et Ray Eames, Richard Neutra, Craig Ellwood et Pierre Koenig, tous auteurs de maisons modernes devenues oeuvres canoniques dans l’histoire de l’architecture. L'analyse détaillé de ce cas et de ses retombées devrait permettre de mieux cerner les aspects suivants: la portée critique du CSHP (case study house program) qui s'opposait aux modèles dominants du marché immobilier, modèles généralement inspirés de styles traditionnels; le potentiel et les limites d'une telle démarche face à la demande sociale; la dimension anticipatrice des propositions du CSHP pour la conception de logis mieux adaptés aux besoins du 21ième siècle, en particulier ceux qui découlent des changements démographiques et de la mobilité géographiques des personnes; la valeur d'exemple du CSHP pour mieux comprendre les fondements de la résistance du public aux innovations architecturales, autant du point de vue technique que du point de vue esthétique.

Exploring the enzymatic landscape: distribution and kinetics of hydrolytic enzymes in soil particle-size fractions

The location of extracellular enzymes within the soil architecture and their association with the various soil components affects their catalytic potential. A soil fractionation study was carried out to investigate: (a) the distribution of a range of hydrolytic enzymes involved in C, N and P transformations, (b) the effect of the location on their respective kinetics, (c) the effect of long-term N fertilizer management on enzyme distribution and kinetic parameters. Soil (silty clay loam) from grassland which had received 0 or 200 kg N ha(-1) yr(-1) was fractionated, and four particle-size fractions (> 200, 200-63, 63-2 and 0. 1-2 mum) were obtained by a combination of wet-sieving and centrifugation, after low-energy ultrasonication. All fractions were assayed for four carbohydrases (beta-cellobiohydrolase, N-acetyl-beta-glucosammidase, beta-glucosidase and beta-xylosidase), acid phosphatase and leucine-aminopeptidase using a microplate fluorimetric assay based on MUB-substrates. Enzyme kinetics (V-max and K-m) were estimated in three particle-size fractions and the unfractionated soil. The results showed that not all particle-size fractions were equally enzymatically active and that the distribution of enzymes between fractions depended on the enzyme. Carbohydrases predominated in the coarser fractions while phosphatase and leucine-aminopeptidase were predominant in the clay-size fraction. The Michaelis constant (K.) varied among fractions, indicating that the association of the same enzyme with different particle-size fractions affected its substrate affinity. The same values of Km were found in the same fractions from the soil under two contrasting fertilizer management regimes, indicating that the Michaelis constant was unaffected by soil changes caused by N fertilizer management. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The historic landscape of the Mendip Hills

When travelling north-east across the Somerset Levels and Moors the eye is drawn to the dark mass of the Mendip Hills, a Carboniferous Limestone ridge which rises abruptly from the flatness of its surroundings. The Historic Landscape of the Mendip Hills explores the archaeology and architecture of this remarkable corner of England, beginning with evidence for the first hunting groups who passed through the region over half a million years ago. Succeeding generations have left their mark on the Hills, from the enigmatic ceremonial structures of the Neolithic and Early Bronze Age, to the ancient farming landscapes and brooding hillforts of the Later Prehistoric period. Field archaeology, combined with architectural and historical enquiry, has also allowed a complex narrative to be constructed for more recent periods of history. This is a story dominated by adaptation and change, evidenced by the developing architecture of manorial centres and the shadowy remains of earlier structures fossilized within village houses. This volume presents a synthesis of the results of recent fieldwork undertaken by English Heritage and traces this region’s remarkable past, revealing ways in which it has shaped the landscape we see and value today.

Sculptural abstraction of landscape

The purpose of my Senior Scholar project was to create a series of sculptures that are based on the interaction of natural forms within a selected landscape setting. I hope to convey a sense of how I view and interpret the landscape and to create works that stimulate a sense of wonder in the mind of the viewer. This fascination, perhaps even obsession, with the power of the landscape has kept me going throughout the year. As a source of ideas and imagery, the landscape can never be depleted. There will always be new combinations of landscape elements, different light conditions, and changing seasons to provide me with fresh ideas. Research for the project took me to many different places, be it my trip to Monhegan Island or driving to New York City to study the cityscape. I began the year working in steel and plaster, combining the two in works that explore the interaction between living tree roots and inanimate rocks. This led to a series entitled Landscape Recollections, comprised of welded steel forms housed in protective wooden boxes and lit from inside. After visiting New York City, architecture began to playa role in my work, as seen in the two Roadcut pieces and the Cathedral Woods series. Roadcut #1 and Roadcut #2 explore the relationship between a man-made road and the landscape that lies beneath and around it. The Cathedral Woods pieces incorporate architecture in a more abstract manner, using imagery derived from Gothic cathedrals to convey a sense of quiet peacefulness. The soaring verticality of Gothic architecture integrates with the tall tree forms in each piece, enabling me to intertwine these two elements into one another and create a harmonious relationship between architecture and nature. Throughout the year I have kept a sketchbook in which I draw from life, jot down ideas, and take notes on how the project is progressing. I have also completed several large charcoal drawings of my sculptures in which I explore different ways of viewing the steel forms. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to undertake this project, as it has been a very difficult but rewarding process of observing, interpreting, and manifesting the landscape according to my personal vision and experiences.

Panel Discussion - Local Finns in Illinois

Finnish North American labor contributions and involvement in strikes such as the 1913-14 Michigan Copper Strike are being restored to the historical record and even commemorated; yet some Finnish American communities’ labor history still goes untold. We contend that in the case of DeKalb, Illinois, the Finnish American labor and strike history has been, in part, overshadowed in contemporary remembrance by the city’s promotion of traditional history and commemoration focused on the barbed wire barons. Local Finnish American labor involvement and participation in strikes appears to have been marginalized in favor of a subsequent historical narrative surrounding the capitalist entrepreneurship of elites. However, counter memories of labor struggles may be lost for a variety of reasons. External and internal forces make it difficult for marginalized groups to offer alternatives to the construction of collective memories that exclude them. These forces include, but are not limited to gradual assimilation into dominant culture, internal conflict within social movements, and fear of, or experience with, governmental repression. In our archival research, surveys and interviews with 2nd and 3rd generation Finnish American residents reveal the many forces of “forgetting” that can influence the counter memory of Finnish American labor history in certain communities.

The influence of bedrock orientation on the landscape evolution, surface morphology and denudation (10Be) at the Niesen, Switzerland

Landscape evolution and surface morphology in mountainous settings are a function of the relative importance between sediment transport processes acting on hillslopes and in channels, modulated by climate variables. The Niesen nappe in the Swiss Penninic Prealps presents a unique setting in which opposite facing flanks host basins underlain by identical lithologies, but contrasting litho-tectonic architectures where lithologies either dip parallel to the topographic slope or in the opposite direction (i.e. dip slope and non-dip slope). The north-western facing Diemtigen flank represents such a dip slope situation and is characterized by a gentle topography, low hillslope gradients, poorly dissected channels, and it hosts large landslides. In contrast, the south-eastern facing Frutigen side can be described as non-dip slope flank with deeply incised bedrock channels, high mean hillslope gradients and high relief topography. Results from morphometric analysis reveal that noticeable differences in morphometric parameters can be related to the contrasts in the relative importance of the internal hillslope-channel system between both valley flanks. While the contrasting dip-orientations of the underlying flysch bedrock has promoted hillslope and channelized processes to contrasting extents and particularly the occurrence of large landslides on the dip slope flank, the flank averaged beryllium-10 (10Be)-derived denudation rates are very similar and range between 0.20 and 0.26 mm yr−1. In addition, our denudation rates offer no direct relationship to basin's slope, area, steepness or concavity index, but reveal a positive correlation to mean basin elevation that we interpret as having been controlled by climatically driven factors such as frost-induced processes and orographic precipitation. Our findings illustrate that while the landscape properties in this part of the northern Alpine border can mainly be related to the tectonic architecture of the underlying bedrock, the denudation rates have a strong orographic control through elevation dependent mean annual temperature and precipitation.

Geophysical mapping of the sediment architecture in the Orkhon Valley, Mongolia

Ground penetrating radar (GPR) and capacitive coupled resistivity (CCR) measurements were conducted in order to image subsurface structures in the Orkhon Valley, Central Mongolia. The data are extended by information from drill cores to the entire transects distinguishing different sedimentary environments in the valley. The Orkhon Valley is part of the high sensitive Steppe region in Central Mongolia, one of the most important cultural landscapes in Central Asia. There, archaeological, geoarchaeological and sedimentological research aims to reconstruct the landscape evolution and the interaction between man and environment during the last millennia since the first settlement. In May 2009 and 2010 geophysical surveys have been conducted including transects with lengths between 1.5 and 30 km crossing the entire valley and a kilometre-scaled grid in the southern part of the investigation area. The geoelectrical and GPR data revealed the existence of two layers characterized by different resistivity values and radar reflectors. The two layers do not only represent material contrasts, but also reflect the influence of sporadic permafrost which occurs in several areas of Mongolia. The results help to reconstruct the evolution of the braided Orkhon River and therefore give important hints to understand the environmental history of the Orkhon Valley.

An ITS architecture specification - The FOTsis project experience

The recent continuous development of Cooperative ITS has resulted in several initiatives which focus on different parts of the Cooperative environment landscape. The FOTsis project focuses on the infrastructure side of the Cooperative environment and will deploy and test 7 services designed to maximise the benefits of the integration of the road operator and infrastructure-based information providers into the ITS environment. This integration can take place in any of the stages of data collection, processing and actuations of the services, but also support and trigger external tasks such as operations of the emergency response entities, etc. This paper describes the current status of the project and focuses on the specification of the supporting architecture to the services tested: references, a brief outline of the requirements’ definition, and the FOTsis architecture proposal, with some conclusions about the architecture tests conducted. The outlook on the project’s next steps is given in the last section of the paper.

Climatic analysis methodology of vernacular architecture

Vernacular architecture has demonstrated its perfect environmental adaptation through its empirical development and improvement by generations of user-builders. Nowadays, the sustainability of vernacular architecture is the aim of some research projects in which the same method should be applied in order to be comparable. Hence, we propose a research method putting together various steps. Through the analysis of geographical, lithology, economic, cultural and social influence as well as materials and constructive systems, vernacular architecture is analyzed. But, all this information is put together with the natural landscape (topography and vegetation) and the climatic data (temperature, winds, rain and sun exposure). In addition, the use of bioclimatic charts, such as Olgyay or Givoni’s, revealed the necessities and strategies in urban and building design. They are satisfied in the vernacular architecture by the application of different energy conservation mechanisms, some of them are shown by different examples in this paper.

An ITS architecture specification - The FOTsis project experience

The recent continuous development of Cooperative ITS has resulted in several initiatives which focus on different parts of the Cooperative environment landscape. The FOTsis project focuses on the infrastructure side of the Cooperative environment and will deploy and test 7 services designed to maximise the benefits of the integration of the road operator and infrastructure-based information providers into the ITS environment. This paper describes the current status of the project and focuses on the road safety approach within the project: safety services and safety impact assessment. The outlook on the project's next steps is given in the last section of the paper.