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Over the centuries, collaborative research between artists/designers and scientists/engineers has been an ambition. Yet, precisely how to make this successful still remains an enduring question. A creative approach that can unite art, design, science, and engineering is needed as a framework for effective collaborations. Assuming that the notion of 'the universe' in which we live is a concept that all humans can share, this paper considers how the idea of 'the universe' can connect the experts between and across different disciplines. This notion was developed through collaborative dialogue between an engineer at CERN (Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire) and a designer at HEAD – Genève (Haute école d'art et de design – Genève), with the author acting as a mediator – forming bridges between these two main collaborators. This mediated dialogue began with fundamental questions about the universe: "what are the core principles of the universe?"; "how do we perceive the universe?"; or, even "what is a meaning of life in this universe?". This dialogue created a transformation of our usual perspectives, and it opened up our usual, narrow ways of viewing the world – in other words, collaborators developed ways of looking at the world from a cosmic perspective. The first, three-month-long, stage of the project was intended as a precursor to future collaborations. The project took place at the R&D platform at CERN called IdeaSquare. During the period of the project, the engineer and the designer together created a proposal for a new artistic practice in public, from scratch, with mediated dialogue as the basic means of a project evolution. The developed proposal was for the creation of a Cosmic Table – a public installation in which visitors could feel a connection between the universe and other living beings. A working prototype was experimentally presented at CERN to test its design and functions. Followed by this prototype, it was developed to install in a public space at CineGlobe, a film festival at CERN. Through the mediated dialogue, this paper explores the possibility of 'the universe' as a mutually acceptable idea established through mediation among experts, and examines how this might provoke diverse forms of public installation that touch on the essence of the universe. • The mediated dialogue began with fundamental questions about the universe was explored at CERN. • The idea of 'the universe' works to connect the experts between and across different disciplines. • Diverse forms of public installation can be realized through a 'Cosmic Co-generative Model'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An accurate prediction of hydro-abrasive erosion helps in design, planning and operation strategies of a hydropower plant. In the empirical erosion model from the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 62364 standard, various terms such as flow co-efficient (K f), material factor (K m) and exponent (p) were not provided for Pelton turbines components. The present paper aims to find the values of these terms and to interpret inadequately defined terms like erosion depth (S) and shape factor (K shape) for application of IEC 62364 (2013)# model. From some field and laboratory data, the values of K f and p were obtained for Pelton turbine components using multivariate regression analysis. The obtained values of K f are in the order of 10−6 and 10−12 for various zones of buckets and nozzle assembly respectively whereas p values are in range 1–5. The K m values for 6 different materials, i.e. three types of chrome nickel steels, plasma and high velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) sprayed coatings and bronze buckets were obtained as 1, 1, 1, 0.6, 0.1 and 2.2, respectively. #IEC 62364 (2013). Hydraulic machines - Guide for dealing with hydro-abrasive erosion in Kaplan, Francis and Pelton turbines. Edition 1.0 (June 2013), International Electro technical Commission, Geneva, Switzerland. Image 1 • Unknown terms of IEC 62364 (2013) standard are found for Pelton turbine components. • Interpretation for inadequately defined terms of IEC 62364 (2013) is provided. • Material factor is found for 6 types of materials including two types of coating. • A sensitivity analysis revealed the effects of various parameters on IEC model. • Practical aspect of measurement with respect to IEC 62364 (2013) is also provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Geneva has extensive underground facilities, which were built over the past 70 years in a weak layered sedimentary rock called the red molasse . CERN has thus been continuously exploring its underground space and has gathered extensive geotechnical data from both laboratory and field tests. The data shows that the red molasse is composed of marls and sandstones forming 6 different geotechnical units with different geotechnical characteristics. The strength-stiffness relationship of the red molasse is lower than other molasses from other regions, and that the marls are significantly more ductile than the sandstones. Moreover, the intermediate rock units (sandy marls and marly sandstones) have similar strength but a different stiffness, a distinction which is not represented in the standard strength classification system. Although all rock units were subjected to the same diagenesis, one rock unit is found to be very weak with soil-like properties. A mineralogy analysis shows that this unit is composed of high plasticity clay, whilst the other marls units are composed of medium-high and low plasticity clay. The field tests show rapid and progressive transitions between the different rock units, which makes field prediction difficult. This paper presents an overview of the geotechnical data gathered by CERN as well as the geotechnical characterisation of the site The geotechnical characterisation presented in this paper also compares laboratory tests with field tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we assess the demand effects of lower public transport fares in Geneva, an urban area in Switzerland. Considering a unique sample based on transport companies' annual reports, we find that, when reducing the costs of annual season tickets, day tickets and hourly tickets (by up to 29%, 6% and 20%, respectively), demand increases by, on average, over five years, about 10.6%. To the best of our knowledge, we are the first to show how the synthetic control method (Abadie and Gardeazabal, 2003, Abadie et al., 2010) can be used to assess such (for policy-makers) important price reduction effects in urban public transport. Furthermore, we propose an aggregate metric that inherits changes in public transport supply (e.g., frequency increases) to assess these demand effects, namely passenger trips per vehicle kilometre. This metric helps us to isolate the impact of price reductions by ensuring that companies' frequency increases do not affect estimators of interest. In addition, we show how to investigate the robustness of results in similar settings. Using a recent statistical method and a different study design, i.e., not blocking off supply changes as an alternate explanation of the effect, leads us to a lower bound of the effect, amounting to an increase of 3.7%. Finally, as far as we know, it is the first causal estimate of price reduction on urban public transport initiated by direct democracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Bottom-up approach for predicting near-optimal building retrofit solutions. • Artificial neural networks ensure scalability for large-scale retrofit analysis. • Retrofit model for residential buildings of various climatic regions. • Trade-off between accuracy, computational cost, and ease of application. • Near-optimal retrofit solutions for residential buildings in Geneva municipality. Coordinated large scale building retrofit is one of the most effective approaches not only to reduce the environmental footprint of existing buildings but also to assure that climate goals can be met. Existing bottom-up retrofit approaches become infeasible or lack in terms of accuracy and/or computational cost especially when the scale of application increases in size. Hence, the aim of this paper is to propose and develop a bottom-up approach for large-scale building retrofit with the use of a scalable building-level surrogate retrofit model. To ensure scalability and generalization to large areas, we use artificial neural networks. The developed approach consists of a set of artificial neural networks trained on building archetypes, aiming to predict near-optimal building retrofit solutions for all residential buildings in Switzerland. This is achieved with a small set of inputs, and within a short run time. In order to validate the developed approach, we compare it with a conventional mixed building simulation and optimization approach. The surrogate model computes near-optimal building retrofit solutions, with an average coefficient of determination of 0.91 and an average f1 score of 0.89. To illustrate the advantages of this model, we perform a large-scale retrofit analysis of a case study in Geneva municipality. Such a surrogate model is capable of providing insights into the overall retrofit potential of large areas and thus shall support reaching energy emission reduction targets of existing residential buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To address the need for a shift from a linear to a circular economy in the built environment, this paper develops a semi-automated assistive process for planning building material deconstruction for reuse using sensing and scanning, Scan-to-BIM, and computer vision techniques. These methods are applied and tested in a real-world case study in Geneva, Switzerland, with a focus on reconstruction and recovery analysis for floor beam systems. First, accessible sensing and scanning tools, such as mobile photography and smartphone-based consumer-grade Lidar devices, are used to capture imagery and other data from an active demolition site. Then, photogrammetry and point cloud data analysis are performed to construct a 3D BIM model of relevant areas. The structural relationships between reconstructed BIM elements are evaluated to score the feasibility for recovery of each element. This study illustrates what is feasible and where further development is necessary for automating building material reuse planning at scale to increase the uptake of circular economy practices in the construction sector. • Application of low cost site scanning methods for demolition and recovery site digitization. • Development of a Scan to BIM methodology for beam and column systems. • Applying established Scan to BIM techniques to a new geometric domain. • Graph-based analysis of reconstructed BIM to estimate the recoverability complexity of detected building components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper focuses on two questions: (I) how to set research priorities in a transparent, systematic, fair and legitimate way?; and (ii) how to mobilize low and middle- income countries to take more ownership in defining their own research policies, rather than merely being passive recipients of international aid for research and development? I propose that the recently developed Child Health and Nutrition Research initiative (CHNRI) methodology is becoming widely accepted as a feasible answer to both those questions. In this paper, I review its numerous applications to date and show how it evolved into a practical and systematic tool that can assist priority setting in health research investments in diverse contexts. The CHNRI methodology also addresses support for different instruments of health research to achieve better balance between fundamental research, translation research and implementation research. The wide application of CHNRI methodology is expected to maximise the potential of health research to reduce disease burden and gradually reduce inequities that exist between support for research on the health problems of the rich and the poor. I believe that this tool will find application within many low and middle-income countries and assist them to pull together their own experts and actively define their priorities for research and development in the coming years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Levelized costs, economic impact multiplier and share of domestic impact are assessed for geothermal district heating. • Choosing the right share of geothermal heat in the district heating is crucial for levelized costs. • The choice of auxiliary heat strongly influences district heating's economic impacts. • Standalone geothermal systems have higher domestic economic impacts. • Integrating waste incineration heat often maximizes both competitiveness and economic impacts. Geothermal district heating could play an important role towards climate change mitigation, but its slow uptake implies that it is cost competitive only under specific sets of conditions, including drilling success and design of the district heating. Even in cases when geothermal district heating may be less cost competitive than other alternatives, expenditure that occurs during its development brings indirect economic impact that could also benefit domestic economy. Using the case study of the State of Geneva in Switzerland, this paper analyzes cost competitiveness and economic impacts of 5′892 decision paths (combinations of decisions) to develop geothermal district heating, including the choice of auxiliary heat source, and uses comprehensive sensitivity analysis to identify the most influential decisions. The right share of geothermal coverage in the heat mix to achieve an optimum combination of investment costs and geothermal heat production, and the integration of waste incineration as auxiliary heat source are crucial for cost competitiveness. High economic impact multipliers are created by geothermal systems incorporating individual pellet boilers as auxiliary heat source. High share of domestic impact consistently occurs in the case of standalone geothermal installations, especially when they are used with second or third generation of district heating. Combining geothermal district heating from medium and deep wells (1′500 m and 2′500 m) with heat from waste incineration creates synergies where above-average cost competitiveness and economic impacts are achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper describes the methodology used to create a multimedia collection of cases with interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) at the University Hospitals of Geneva. The dataset contains high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) image series with three-dimensional annotated regions of pathological lung tissue along with clinical parameters from patients with pathologically proven diagnoses of ILDs. The motivations for this work is to palliate the lack of publicly available collections of ILD cases to serve as a basis for the development and evaluation of image-based computerized diagnostic aid. After 38 months of data collection, the library contains 128 patients affected with one of the 13 histological diagnoses of ILDs, 108 image series with more than 41l of annotated lung tissue patterns as well as a comprehensive set of 99 clinical parameters related to ILDs. The database is available for research on request and after signature of a license agreement. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper compares the use of perceived and measured noise in a hedonic housing model. Although in theory the use of subjective variables is recommended, most empirical applications use measured noise variables. Merging different databases, we obtain a sample of about 2800 apartments located in Geneva, Switzerland, containing both measured and perceived noise data. We make the measured and perceived noise data comparable and analyse their performance by fitting alternatively three hedonic models. We find that for moderate to high noise levels the measured noise safely approximates its perception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Many correlations of mean hourly direct luminous efficacy for all sky, clear sky and intermediate sky conditions have been compared with experimental data measured in Arcavacata di Rende (Italy), Geneva (Switzerland), Vaulx-en-Velin (France), Bratislava (Slovakia) and Osaka (Japan). The comparisons show that, for all sky conditions, the correlations developed for one locality predict the luminous efficacy in the other localities with mean errors between −13% and 20% and root mean square errors between 15% and 35%; for clear sky conditions, the correlations developed for one locality predict the luminous efficacy in the other localities with mean errors between −7% and 14% and root mean square errors between 7% and 19%; for intermediate sky conditions, the correlations developed for one locality predict the luminous efficacy in the other localities with mean errors between −17% and 26% and root mean square errors between 20% and 41%. If the correlations with local coefficients are applied in each locality, the errors become considerably shorter. The paper gives indications on the values of the measured mean luminous efficacies and on the best models. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This study presents the upstream–downstream complexity of the Rhone, which earlier was a braided river. The fluvial patterns of the Rhône ca. 1860–70 are discussed, i.e. at the end of the Little Ice Age, which was also the beginning of the period of river dredging for improving navigation in the channel (1840–1930) and before the development of a chain of hydroelectric dams (1892–1986) on the river. Flowing across Switzerland and France to the Camargue delta on the Mediterranean, the Rhône drains the western part of the Alps in Europe. Befitting a large river flowing from the mountains, the Rhône was braided along most of its course, due to large quantities of coarse sediments formerly contributed by tributaries from the Alps, Jura Mountains, and Massif Central. The paper begins with a summary of palaeo-environmental studies on the Rhône, which show that the river experienced several events of fluvial metamorphosis during the Holocene. The reaches, which were braided during the late 19th century, alternated between meandering and braided patterns during this period due to the high sensitivity of the channel pattern to external variables such as changing water and sediment discharges. A discussion on the methods used to describe different aspects of the braided pattern of the Rhône from 1860 to 1870, using large-scale maps follows. Discrete reaches on the river are identified using slope, downstream variations of discharge, and stream power. These can be attributed to three factors: the tributaries (large supplies of bed load are brought by the Arve, the Ain, the Drôme, the Ardèche and the Durance rivers), Quaternary tectonics, and the along-channel distance from tributary confluences. Finally, the study assesses the pre-modern conditions of the Rhône for restoring selected reaches on the modern river. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Aim: To assess the properties of the Cigarette Dependence Scale (CDS-12) in various samples of daily smokers and to provide reference scores in a general population sample. Methods: Surveys in 4 samples of daily cigarette smokers: psychiatric out-patients in Geneva, Switzerland (n =226), clients of smoking cessation clinics in France (n =370), visitors of a French-language smoking cessation website (n =13,697) and a representative sample of the general population of Geneva (n =292). Results: In all 4 samples, Cronbach''s alpha coefficients were >0.87 and factor analyses indicated that CDS-12 was unidimensional. CDS-12 was slightly skewed towards higher values, and it was associated with expired carbon monoxide, but this association was not strong (9% of variance explained, p <0.001). CDS-12 scores were highest in clients of smoking cessation clinics (mean=47.7, SD=10.2), followed by psychiatric patients (mean=44.4, SD=8.4), visitors of smoking cessation websites (mean=43.3, SD=11.6) and the general population sample (mean=36.9, SD=12.3). Except for tolerance, each element in the DSM-IV and ICD-10 definitions of dependence is reflected by at least one item in CDS-12, even though the match with these definitions is sometimes indirect. Conclusions: This paper presents reference scores and validity and reliability tests for CDS-12 in a diversity of samples of daily smokers. This information should be useful to clinicians and researchers. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

DNA, as the signature of life, has been extensively studied in a wide range of environments. While DNA analysis has become central to work on natural gene exchange, forensic analyses, soil bioremediation, genetically modified organisms, exobiology, and palaeontology, fundamental questions about DNA resistance to degradation remain. This paper investigated on the presence of plant DNA in groundwater and artesian fountain (groundwater-fed) samples, which relates to the movement and persistence of DNA in the environment. The study was performed in the groundwater and in the fountains, which are considered as a traditional artesian drinking water in Geneva Champagne Basin. DNA from water samples was extracted, analysed and quantified. Plant gene sequences were detected using PCR amplification based on 18S rRNA gene primers specific for eukaryotes. Physicochemical parameters of water samples including temperature, pH, conductivity, organic matter, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and total organic carbon (TOC) were measured throughout the study. The results revealed that important quantities of plant DNA can be found in the groundwater. PCR amplification based on 18S rDNA, cloning, RFLP analysis and sequencing demonstrated the presence of plant DNA including Vitis rupestris, Vitis berlandieri, Polygonum sp. Soltis, Boopis graminea, and Sinapis alba in the water samples. Our observations support the notion of plant DNA release, long-term persistence and movement in the unsaturated medium as well as in groundwater aquifers. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper presents the implementation of a large-scale systems analytic method in a model permitting the assessment of air quality policies in urban regions. This method is based on the use of a convex optimization technique called the analytic center cutting plane method. One realizes the coupling of a photochemical model (TAPOM-Lite), used to simulate ozone creation and dispersion in the region under study, and of a technoeconomic model (MARKAL-Lite) that represents the technology and energy uses by different economic sectors in the same region. Although the models correspond to different time and space scales, one realizes the coupling through a series of approximating convex reduced order optimization problems with constraints that are implicitly defined by the photochemical and the technoeconomic model, respectively. The implementation of the method in a case study corresponding to the region of Geneva, Switzerland is described. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This article presents abstracts of papers submitted at the Joint International Meeting of the European Society for Dermatological Research and the Society for Investigative Dermatology Inc. held in Geneva, Switzerland on June 22-26, 1986. Ultra violet-B radiation impairs several immune functions. Negative effects on antigen presentation function, lymphokine production and HLA-DR/antigen expression on the surface of immunocompetent cells in epidermis and spleen have been reported. The deposition of IgM on keratin intermediate filament containing structures such as apoptotic keratin bodies, localized cutaneous amyloid or corneocytes is a frequent finding in normal and diseased skin. This IgM deposition has often been regarded to be a consequence of non-specific trapping of IgM rather than specific binding of antibodies to autoantigens.

• A novel method based on clustering, building energy models and Bayesian techniques is presented. • The approach enables the calibration of model parameters for large groups of buildings at an urban scale. • Various data-driven techniques have been tested acting as proxy of the simulation engine. • Three different surrogate structures have been investigated with comparison of the results. • The calibrated models provide realistic results compared to current literature studies. Prediction of building energy use, when performed at urban scale, is influenced by the choice of modelling approach, as well as the quality of available data. In the case of data scarcity, one of the main limitations of current urban scale building energy simulation models, is the use of deterministic approaches to specify modelling inputs for entire classes of buildings. This modelling approach is characterised by three major shortcomings: first, data uncertainties are not comprehensively considered; second, a rigorous method of identification of groups of buildings to be populated by similar modelling parameters is not specified; and third, strategies to calibrate the developed energy models are missing. Considering these challenges, the current paper presents a non-deterministic calibration method for groups of buildings. The methodology utilises four techniques: (i) the use of clustering to identify building groups and associated representative buildings within the urban context; (ii) the application of an automatic building energy modelling approach to simulate buildings within these groups; (iii) the application of data-driven models, used as emulators of the dynamic simulation engine, in a computationally efficient manner; and (iv) the exploitation of a non-deterministic Bayesian calibration framework to identify sets of representative parameters for the building clusters. Datasets, based on 2646 buildings from the city of Geneva, Switzerland, are used as a case study. Validation with measured data, shows that energy consumption and energy intensity predictions when considered at an aggregated scale, are within +/– 5%. On an individual building basis, the validation error is within +/– 20% for approximately 70% of the buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present paper Geant4 Monte Carlo simulations of the CERN-EU high-energy Reference Field (CERF) facility in Geneva, Switzerland, are presented. At this facility a neutron field with a broad energy distribution from thermal energies up to GeV is available. To validate the simulated neutron fluences, the CERF neutron energy distribution was also measured with an extended range Bonner Sphere Spectrometer. Both measurements and simulations are compared against the official CERF reference distributions that were calculated with the Monte Carlo code FLUKA. It turned out that the differences between the total neutron fluences simulated with Geant4 and those measured were less than 41%, depending on the measurement position. While the total fluences simulated with the Geant4 Binary INC model (QGSP_BIC_HP) and the corresponding FLUKA reference values were up to 41% lower than those measured, the total fluences simulated with the Geant4 Bertini INC model (QGSP_BERT_HP) overestimated (up to 27%) the experimental results. As compared to the measured ambient dose equivalent H*(10), similar differences were observed with H*(10) values higher by about 29% for the Geant4 Bertini INC simulations and lower by about 48% for the Geant4 Binary INC and FLUKA simulations. • Monte Carlo simulation of the CERF facility. • Geant4 Simulation using two different high energy models. • Neutron spectrometry with an Extended Range Bonner Sphere Spectrometer. • Comparison with FLUKA Monte Carlo calculations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brain health is an evolving concept that has become increasingly popular within clinical and academic centers, journalism and the general public. It can be defined as the state of brain functioning across cognitive, sensory, social-emotional, behavioural and motor domains, allowing a person to realize their full potential over the life course. Multiple, interconnected determinants play a role in shaping brain health from pre-conception through the end of life. Brain health can be optimized by addressing the following determinants: physical health, healthy environments, safety and security, learning and social connection, and access to quality services. Optimizing brain health improves brain structure and functioning across all domains and benefits health by lowering rates of neurological disorders, mental health conditions, and substance use; improving quality of life for people with lived experience of these conditions; and improving physical health (particularly through improved endocrine and immunological functioning and lower rates of stress-related physical health conditions). Additionally, optimizing brain health can lead to social and economic benefits including increased school retention and academic achievement, lower rates of teenage pregnancies, lower rates of incarceration, lower health care costs and rates of disability, higher productivity, and greater wealth. Optimizing brain health for all is paramount to ensuring human health and well-being globally. It is central to achieving global commitments outlined in the Intersectoral global action plan on epilepsy and other neurological disorders 2022–2031, WHO's Triple Billion targets, the UN SDGs and the 2021 Geneva Charter for Well-being. Efforts to optimize brain health require multi-stakeholder collaborations and must be integrated across all sectors of society: health and social care; education; legislature and governance; finance and economy; employment; infrastructure, urban planning and housing; and ecology, nature and climate. In return, robust investments in actions that optimize brain health across the life course promise to improve multiple health outcomes and lift development and well-being globally. Multisectoral engagement and collaboration are urgently needed in order to move the brain health agenda forward for all people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]