The Etruscan missing link

Genomics Recapitulates History in Europe

<p>Accurate estimation of precipitation is essential in weather prediction, climate change research, and hydrologic applications. However, unlike temperature and pressure, precipitation fields can be spatially patchy and consequently extremely difficult to measure and predict. Many efforts have been made to measure precipitation since the 18th century, but building a global, consistent, and continuous database of rainfall is still challenging. The launch of the Global Precipitation Measurement Core Observatory (GPM-CO) in February 2019 emerged as a promising alternative to measure precipitation at global scale. After five years in orbit, the GPM Mission has produced enough quality-controlled data to allow a validation of their precipitation estimates over Europe.</p><p>This study evaluates Integrated Multi-Satellite Retrievals from GPM (IMERG) over Europe in order to evaluate application of the retrievals to hydrology. IMERG is compared with a pan-European precipitation dataset built on rain gauge stations, the ENSEMBLES OBServation (E-OBS) gridded dataset. Although there is overall agreement in the spatial distribution of mean precipitation (R<sup>2</sup> =0.8), important discrepancies are revealed in mountainous regions, specifically the Pyrenees, the Alps, west coast of the British Isles, Scandinavia, the Italian and Iberian peninsulas, and the Adriatic coastline. The results show that the strongest contributors to poor performance are pixels where IMERG has no gauges available for adjustment. If rain gauges are available, IMERG yields results similar to those of the surface observations, although the performance varies by region. However, even accounting for gauge adjustment, IMERG systematically underestimates precipitation in the Alps and Scandinavian mountains. Conversely, IMERG overestimates precipitation in the British Isles, Adriatic coastline, Italian Peninsula, and eastern European plains. Additionally, the research shows that gauge adjustment worsens the spatial gradient of precipitation because of the coarse resolution of Global Precipitation Climatology Centre data (GPCC).</p>

La máscara o mascarón, constituye un recurso usual en la arquitectura occidental desde el Mundo Antiguo, que resucita con especial énfasis a partir del Renacimiento, en virtud de la cultura del Humanismo, y que en el campo de la arquitectura se convierte en piedra de toque para confrontar el valor de la naturaleza con la artificiosidad de la arquitectura. Tema central de la teoría y práctica arquitectónica en Italia, Andalucía será, dentro de España, región privilegiada en su utilización por los estrechos contactos con la península itálica a través de la temprana importación de obras, la presencia de artistas italianos y de españoles que visitaron el país vecino, además de la circulación de estampas, en un uso continuado desde el siglo XVI al XVIII.

The Museum park area in Rotterdam comprises three large institutions: The Boijmans van Beuningen Museum, the Kunsthal and the Netherlands Architecture Institute. Situated along the extension of the Witte de Withstraat with its local galleries, it is by now a constructed historical document of architectural and urban ideas, particularly of the late twentieth century. The Boijmans van Beuningen Museum alone spans the entire twentieth century, from its original construction in 1935 by Van der Steur through its respective extensions and additions (Bodon, extension 1971; Henket, pavilion 1990; Robbrecht and Daem, extension 2003). The Kunsthal, completed in 1992, has become an icon in its own right and the Netherlands Architecture Institute (completed 1993) is the result of a competition that also shows the complexity of forces that architectural practice by necessity must navigate (such as juries, urban plans, and local preferences). The area thus forms a showcase of the ideas circulating in architecture in the 1980s, with the multiple perspectives on the past implied in the 1980 Venice Biennale.This article focuses specifically on the Netherlands Architecture Institute as the focal point of a number of prominent issues in architecture in the past two decades since its realisation, including diverse perspectives on materialisation (reclaiming material articulation from the white walls of modernism); urban contextualism in a city characterised by the modern urban planning executed after extensive wartime destruction; and the multiple pasts referenced within (from the classical to the modern).

The history of bridge construction is an important part of historical knowledge. Developments in bridge construction technology reflect not only engineering advances, but also social, economic and cultural aspects of society. Engineers and scientists faced unique challenges when designing and building bridges depending on the technological level of the era, available materials and the needs of society. This process may reflect technological progress, changes in transportation needs, and cultural and social changes. The purpose of this article is to briefly review key moments and stages in the history of metal bridge construction using welding technology in the 20th century. The history of the development of the construction of metal bridges using welding goes back a little over 100 years. The short period from the construction of the first welded bridges to their first disasters led to the need to analyze the possible causes of these destructions. As the analysis performed showed, catastrophic destruction most often occurred under the influence of several factors, as well as a combination of external adverse influences and the internal “unpreparedness” of the structure for them. The above examples indicate that an irrational choice of steel could be both an independent cause causing brittle failure of structures, and an aggravating factor in the presence of structural violations, thermal stresses and welding defects. Over the years, bridge manufacturing technologies have been improved in different countries, and new steels and materials for their welding have been developed. Thanks to the use of carbon, low-alloy and alloy steel, designers abandoned the brutal “railroad-type” beam trusses and today metal bridges with graceful and beautiful silhouettes powerfully stride across the water surface, mountains and valleys. They became real attractions of megacities and country landscapes, and builders were able to successfully solve numerous technical and economic problems. An important contribution to the development of global bridge construction using welding technologies was made by the team of the Institute of Electric Welding of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR under the leadership of Academician Evgeny Oskarovych Paton. The team of the Institute of Electric Welding of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR, introducing welding into bridge construction, carefully checked the results and monitored the behavior of structures. A new grade of steel was created that was resistant to the formation of brittle and fatigue cracks, its welding technology was developed, a technology for installation welding of vertical sheets with forced formation of a seam was developed, and suitable welding materials were selected. At the time of construction in 1953, the Kyiv Evgeny Paton Bridge across the Dnipro River was the largest all-welded bridge in Europe, all seams of which, including assembly ones, were made for the first time using automatic and semi-automatic welding. In addition, the presence of large similar blocks in the design of the Evgeny Paton Bridge made it possible to mechanize assembly and welding operations and organize an in-line method for their production at the factory and installation, which improved the quality of welding work and reduced its labor intensity.

This thesis aims to investigate cultural contacts in Sicily through the understudied archaeological categories of textile tools. Sicily and the Aeolian islands have been crossroads of cultures for millennia. The possible movement of peoples from the Italian Peninsula during the Final Bronze Age and the establishment of Greek and Phoenician incomers from the 8th century BC made Sicily a paradigmatic example of culturally hybrid frameworks. The results of these cultural interactions are often perceived to have stimulated changes in indigenous material culture and technologies. Past studies dealing with cultural encounters have mainly focused on architecture, metallurgy, pottery and social practices. Specifically, this thesis will test the hypothesis that textile tools serve as cultural markers in the hybrid framework of Sicily between the 13th and 5th centuries BC. By presenting seven case studies, I will explore how and to what extent the impact of intense cultural interactions affected indigenous textile traditions. Moreover, since dress and clothing are key indicators of individual and social identities across a wide range of societies, I will demonstrate how cultural interaction made a material impact on communicating identities through textiles. Finally, because women seem regularly to be involved in textile manufacture, I will investigate how and to what extent women played a crucial role in transfer of knowledge as well as in construction and representation of social identity through textile technology. The analysis carried out in this work will help to define the features of textile tradition at sites and approach textile culture within the investigation of cultural interactions.

Peptides with diverse amino acid sequences, structures, and functions are essential players in biological systems. The construction of well-annotated databases not only facilitates effective information management, search, and mining but also lays the foundation for developing and testing new peptide algorithms and machines. The antimicrobial peptide database (APD) is an original construction in terms of both database design and peptide entries. The host defense antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) registered in the APD cover the five kingdoms (bacteria, protists, fungi, plants, and animals) or three domains of life (bacteria, archaea, and eukaryota). This comprehensive database ( http://aps.unmc.edu/AP ) provides useful information on peptide discovery timeline, nomenclature, classification, glossary, calculation tools, and statistics. The APD enables effective search, prediction, and design of peptides with antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antiparasitic, insecticidal, spermicidal, anticancer activities, chemotactic, immune modulation, or antioxidative properties. A universal classification scheme is proposed herein to unify innate immunity peptides from a variety of biological sources. As an improvement, the upgraded APD makes predictions based on the database-defined parameter space and provides a list of the sequences most similar to natural AMPs. In addition, the powerful pipeline design of the database search engine laid a solid basis for designing novel antimicrobials to combat resistant superbugs, viruses, fungi, or parasites. This comprehensive AMP database is a useful tool for both research and education.

Y chromosome genetic variation in the Italian peninsula is clinal and supports an admixture model for the Mesolithic–Neolithic encounter

The contributions of Venetianists greatly enhanced the understanding of the Ottoman presence in the Adriatic region. However, they assessed the Ottoman expansion in terms of the consequences for Venice without providing adequate consideration to the possibility that there might have been an economic rationale behind the Ottoman military efforts. Ottomanists’ interventions did not fundamentally change the picture. Scholars interpreted the interventions of Ottoman authorities as a sign of their commitment to the capitulations granted to Venice, which held both parties accountable for the corsairing activities of their subjects. However, the exclusive focus on Ottoman–Venetian relations has made appreciating the commercial connections between the Ottoman lands and other centers in the Italian Peninsula harder. As a result, while existing accounts explain the disruptive dimension of the Ottoman presence in the Adriatic region, little is known about the Ottomans’ role in creating a new political economy beyond the commitment to keep corsairs in check. Instead, when one turns to the centers that unlike Venice were thriving in the 16th century, one cannot but notice how most of these success stories are known in the literature. Yet the combination of fragmented scholarship, which studied each center or mercantile group in isolation from the others; the lack of comprehensive accounts of Adriatic’s history that were not Venice-centric; and the difficulties in finding an alternative to the old trope that Muslims disregarded commerce, have led to overlook what all these centers had in common: their commercial prosperity derived from the contact with the Ottoman markets. To redress this, then, the following account foregrounds the changes within the Ottoman Empire to illustrate how they contributed to the formation of a new political economy in the Adriatic region. The Ottoman presence in the region fundamentally altered the Adriatic Sea’s former function as a corridor where eastern Adriatic cities were mainly transit points for pan-Mediterranean commercial circuits centered on Venice. Instead, intra-Adriatic trade between Ottoman centers in the eastern Adriatic and Italian towns increased, thus challenging the Venetian merchants’ role as main redistributors of products within the region. Specifically, merchants based in the Ottoman Empire began to compete with Venetian merchants in the supply of the products of Asia and Africa in the markets of the Italian Peninsula. As a result, the consolidation of the Ottoman presence in the region revived the function of the Balkan overland routes as links connecting the Ottoman capital to the Italian Peninsula.

The early nineteenth century saw the beginning of intensive translation activity on the Italian peninsula in order to promote the cultural and scientific process of national unification (Risorgimento). Despite efforts to open up Italian culture to the English and German-speaking world, the French axis remained the central source of scientific and cultural import for Italy in the 19th century. This is evidenced not least by the appearance on the Italian peninsula in the 1820–1830s of scientific journals such as Antologia (1821–1833), conceived purely as translation organs and dedicated to the transfer of science and culture through translations from French journals. Taking Antologia as an emblematic example of this development, this article examines the early translation policy of this journal in its political and cultural context. Specific emphasis is placed on exploring the twists and turns of this translation policy, its influence on the scientific, cultural and political discourse in Italy, and the resulting implications for the process of Italy’s internationalisation and nationalisation.

Urban bridge construction in Russia remains a largely unexplored topic. At the moment, the vast majority of studies devoted to the history of bridge building (mostly, specialized technical literature) do not consider this topic as a subject of historical research proper. Regional studies rarely focus on urban bridge building. Research into this topic as part of a large modernization process allows us to identify the characteristic features inherent in bridge building in Russia’s regional centres in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The purpose of this article is to study urban bridge construction in the European Northwest of Russia as part of the country’s modernization. The sources include records of the State Archives of the Arkhangelsk Region and published documents on the history of Vologda. The author applied the comparative historical and historical-systematic method, as well as modernization theory. The article analyses various modernization approaches to the study of Russian history, examines the development of bridge construction in the 19th century and its implementation in a number of cities in the European Northwest, highlighting the specifics of each case as well as general features typical of the country as a whole. In conclusion, the characteristic features of urban bridge building in Russia during the period under study and their connection with the country’s modernization are identified. It should be mentioned that this paper is one of the first attempts to analyse the development of bridge construction in Russia from the point of view of historical science. Its results can be used for research into the history of the modernization process in Russian regions, as well as in the preparation of specialized historical works on the development of bridge construction.

The Kintai-kyo Bridge is a unique, five-span wooden bridge with three arches across the Nishiki River, the largest river of the Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. The central wooden rib arch is very rare in the world. The bridge has become a famous landmark because of its elegant structure and its aesthetic appearance that is in harmony with the surrounding picturesque landscape. It is a popular historical site and attracts many tourists. The wooden bridge has been rebuilt several times since its inauguration in 1673. The latest rebuilding was done in 2004 which was almost 50 years after the previous one. The original span length of the Kintai-kyo Bridge was close to the limit allowed for construction of wooden bridges during that time. In order to strengthen the bridge against floods, the best combination of wood and stone was used. Arch structure was adopted for the superstructure, and hollow stone piers of spindle-shaped crosssection were adopted in the substructure. This paper studies the origin of the arch structure of the Kintai-kyo Bridge because this arch is unique and different from the voussoir arch or the corbel arch, and its resulting elegant appearance. In addition, as a unique feature, periodical inspections of the Kintai-kyo Bridge have been conducted by the Waseda University every 5 years since 1953, where the weight of local high-school students is used as the load for testing.

THE CHRONOLOGY OF THE EARLY IRON AGE IN LATIUM AS REVEALED BY BURIAL DATA In this paper the problem of the chronology of early Iron Age (ninth-eighth century BC) burials in Latium is considered. Since the beginning of the sixties many scholars have considered this problem from different points of view. Müller-Karpe suggested a relative chronology which, in general terms, is still in use. In recent years a considerable increase in the amount of archaeological evidence has made it necessary to revise the chronological sequence. It has been possible to design a table which associates graves with metal and pottery types. In this table Müller-Karpe's phases are divided into two subphases which are related to different stages in the development of the early Iron Age in the Italian peninsula. On the basis of this chronology it seems that use of the necropolis of the Forum ceased at the end of phase IIA1, with an early moving of burials of the Esquiline area. A short account is also given of the questions which relate to absolute chronology, and an attempt is made to relate the phases of the early Iron Age in Latium, and in the Italian peninsula in general, to recent dates proposed for the late Urnfield culture in central Europe.

Purpose. The main aim of the research is the study of the methodology of conducting engineering and technical reconnaissance and the implementation of structural and technological solutions for the project of the construction of a bridge crossing with a temporary bridge damaged as a result of hostilities. Methodology. The achievement of the set goal involves research and analysis of practical structural and technological solutions for construction works, restoration of bridge crossings with temporary bridges, as well as study and generalization of practical experience of implemented technological solutions of combining wooden typical structures with steel typical span structures. Findings. A generalization of the experience of conducting engineering and technical reconnaissance in construction areas, restoration of bridge crossings in de-occupied territories was generalized. The author revealed and clarified the general key stages of the implementation of technological solutions for the project of the construction of a bridge crossing with a temporary bridge damaged as a result of hostilities using a combination of steel inventory bridge structures with wooden bridge structures. Originality. For the first time, the author investigated the peculiarities of conducting engineering and technical reconnaissance in order to implement the obtained results in the relevant project documentation for the construction of a temporary bridge. The peculiarities of constructive and technological solutions with a rational combination of various materials and structures during the construction of temporary bridges, which ensure a long period of their operation, are considered. Practical value. The elements of the methodology of organization and carrying out engineering technical exploration of terrain, water obstacles, construction sites and the base of logistics and other measures will contribute to the quality preparation of project documentation for the construction of bridge crossings with temporary bridges. The application peculiarities of non-standard projects of conducting works and structural and technological solutions in the construction of temporary bridges have a number of technological advantages that make it possible to ensure effective restoration of the destroyed combat actions of the bridges in a short time. Some technological methods of combinations of wooden structures and elements with steel carriers of the roadway when building temporary car bridges increase their load capacity.

Objective: To analyze and cover the statistical data concerning the development and application of live load and relevant design standards by the example of Saint Petersburg bridge constructions. Methods: A comprehensive three-stage analysis of technical documentation on the operated reinforced concrete bridge constructions of the city was applied. Historical and technical review of norms and specifications of design, since the end of the 19th century was conducted. Systematization, statistical analysis and splitting into stages and groups were carried out. Results: The article presents the development of design standards and temporary loads of reinforced concrete highway bridges. The statistics is made on the basis of the depot of Saint Petersburg bridges. The latter is characterized by the increased esthetic, and difficult technical operation features. Classification of temporary loads on structures of Saint Petersburg since 1891 was carried out. The stages of occurrence and formation of circulating load norms were analyzed. A certain feature in regulation of requirements for urban bridges was singled out. Examples of the relevant objects were given. A number of conclusions concerning the evolution of design standards were made. Practical importance: Taking into account the specifi city of the large megalopolis, management of technical condition of bridge constructions in Saint Petersburg represents an extremely responsible and difficult task. Authentic, exact and relevant data on the history of design of facilities, circulating load (both design and current) is necessary for the solution of the task in question. Statistical analysis was carried out to apply operation of reinforced concrete bridge constructions in practice as the most mass transportation facilities of the city. From a practical point of view the data in question will make it possible to provide and support the set standard (design) levels of reliability, safety and durability of bridge constructions with a sufficient share of probability.