European Routes Research Articles

Content of lead and cadmium in aboveground plant organs of grasses growing on the areas adjacent to a route of big traffic.

The effect of traffic on the content of lead and cadmium in grass morphological parts—leaves, shoots, and inflorescences—was studied. The samples were taken on a part of the European route E30 (Siedlce by road). The following plants were tested: Dactylis glomerata, Arrhenatherum elatius, and Alopecurus pratensis. During the flowering of grasses, the plant material was collected at distances of 1, 5, 10, and 15 m from the edge of the road, on the strip of road with a length of 9 km. In the collected plant parts, the content of lead and cadmium using the atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) method was determined. The effect of distance from the road on the content of lead and cadmium was evaluated using regression equations. Average lead content in the above parts of tested grass species was 3.56, while cadmium 0.307 mg kg−1 dry matter (DM). Lead content in plants of Alopecurus pratensis (average 4.11 mg kg−1 DM) was significantly higher than in other grasses. The lowest cadmium content, significantly different from the other species, was found in plants of Arrhenatherum elatius (0.251 mg kg−1 DM). Distance of sampling sites from the roadway significantly affects the differences in the content of cadmium and lead in plants. Analyzed aboveground plant organs of studied grasses were significantly different in contents of lead and cadmium. There were species differences in the proportions of cadmium concentration in various organs of plants. The obtained results indicate the possibility of species composition selection of grassland sward in areas with a higher risk of heavy metals associated with dust sedimentation.

Landslide failure forecast in near-real-time

We present a new method to achieve failure forecast of landslide phenomena by considering near-real-time monitoring data. Starting from the inverse velocity theory, we jointly analyse landslide surface displacements on different time windows, and apply straightforward statistical methods to obtain confidence intervals on the forecasted time of failure. Our results can be relevant to support the management of early warning systems during landslide emergency conditions, also when the predefined displacement and/or velocity thresholds are exceeded. In addition, our statistical approach for the definition of confidence interval and forecast reliability can be applied also to different failure forecast methods. We applied for the first time the herein presented approach in near-real-time during the emergency scenario relevant to the reactivation of the La Saxe rockslide, a large mass wasting menacing the population of Courmayeur, northern Italy, and the important European route E25. Our results show how the application of simplified but robust forecast models can be a convenient method to manage and support early warning systems during critical situations.

Lineages of Citizenship in Montenegro

This paper explores the evolution of citizenship policies in Montenegro. It employs Richard Bellamy’s concept of the lineages of citizenship, which analyses the normative aspects of citizenship by looking at interactions between ‘state and society within a given national political community’. In unveiling the processes and the context that shaped the Montenegrin citizenship policies at different times, the paper examines the active relationship between three major aspects of citizenship: legal, political and identity/emotional. Following a historical overview of the development of citizenship policies, this paper focuses on the recent political circumstances that have shaped the normative aspects of citizenship. As such, it also triggers questions about what layer of identity the citizenship legislation in fact encapsulates. The final part of the paper examines the multivalence of citizenship in the context of Europeanisation. Transiting ‘the European route’ has, in fact, recalibrated the relationship between the legal, political and emotional/identity aspects of citizenship in Montenegro.

THE LESSONS FROM THE EURO EXPERIENCE

Twenty years ago, amid a great fanfare of enthusiasm, the Treaty of Maastricht created the European union and inaugurated the process for creating a single European currency for most of the then members (except the UK and Sweden, and later Denmark, that were given a temporary exemption) and all future members. Twenty years later, the anniversary of the treaty passed almost unnoticed (European Policy Centre, 2012). On that day, however, the impact of the treaty was never far from the headlines, as had also been the case for almost every day over the previous months. The Lehman brothers bankruptcy in September 2008 not only triggered a financial crisis that threatened to engulf the world, but it set in motion a series of shocks that have since reverberated through the Euro-area. It is fair to say that the crisis-management has not been an example of stream-lined efficiency, and there are lessons to be learned from that experience.However, the development of the Euro, and the crisis that has subsequently engulfed it, holds lessons in another direction. The European Union has long been held as a model, or an inspiration, for other experiments in regional cooperation and integration, including Mercosul, ASEAN and SADC. The model embodied an sequence of steps leading to ‘ever closer union’ that moved from a free trade area through a customs union and a single market and culminated in economic and monetary union. With the signing and implementation of the Treaty of Maastricht, the European Union had embarked on the penultimate step in this progression. But only half of it – a monetary union without a fiscal union. The Euro-crisis has now called that achievement into question and, in the process, undermined the authority of those espousing a European route towards closer integration, both for themselves as well as for other nations. As a convinced federalist, myself, I would not recommend abandoning the European example altogether, but if there is a lesson to be learned from this sorry episode, it is this: “if you are going to do it, do not do it this way”.This article examines the European experience with economic and monetary union from three perspectives – the design, the implementation and the management of the euro – before exploring the implications of the current crisis.

Positional Adjustment for Setting Highway Network of the D1 Motorway Section Mengusovce-Jánovce

The D1 motorway is the most important and longest Slovak highway which after its completion will connect the border crossing Bratislava Záhor with the state border with Ukraine via Trnava, Trenčín, Žilina, Poprad, Prešov, Košice and Michalovce. It is part of route "A" 5 of the Pan-European corridor (Trieste) - Bratislava - Žilina - Košice - (Uzhhorod - Lvov) and European routes E50, E58, E75, E442 and E571. The D1 motorway has been under construction since 1972, and currently nearly 320 km long track is in operation, which is less than 62% of the total planned length of 515.621 kilometers. The present paper deals with the issue of building a surveying network for the construction of a highway bridge 202-00 in the D1 motorway section between Mengusovce-Jánovce followed by statistical and graphical interpretation of the positional measurement.

Research of the Influence of Air Transportation on Blood Sample Quality

In air freight industry, blood samples are classified as time and temperature sensitive biologically produced pharmaceuticals. To determine the level of influence that the handling processes and air transportation have on blood sample quality, a research has been conducted through transportation of whole blood samples on two European scheduled routes. Two shipping models were defined: the standard one without defined transportation temperature regime and the controlled one, where transportation is conducted under appropriate temperature regime. The blood samples were packed and transported respecting all relevant national and international regulations. The analysis was conducted and the results compared to control sample kept in the laboratory. Significant changes were identified on all components analyzed after crosschecking with the control sample. KEY WORDS: regulatory issues, blood sample quality, shipping model, packaging instruction, temperature profiles

Cultural European Routes: Transfer Experiences, Share Solutions (Certess)

This paper deals with the building-up of a methodological framework on how to develop and manage Cultural Routes (CRs) by making use of route development best practices and governance instruments targeted to foster sustainable cultural tourism. CRs are intended by the Council of Europe as “historical lines interconnecting one or more regions and organized around topics whose historical, artistic or social interest proves to be European, either because of the geographical layout of the route, or due to its contents and significance”. Most ECRs lack comprehensive methodologies and governance instruments to implement effective strategies at regional level. The draft methodology is intended to be tested and detailed under a European project (CERTESS) where partners, while designing their CR Route Plans, will: a) adopt customised Best Practices; b) develop and adopt well-suited governance tools; c) promote local enterprises and products along their routes by use of innovative immaterial services including ITC. CERTESS partners intend to make their activities sustainable by integrating their Plans into a ECR strategy for establishing Europe as a “first cultural tourism destination in the world”.

Ancient DNA reveals male diffusion through the Neolithic Mediterranean route

The Neolithic is a key period in the history of the European settlement. Although archaeological and present-day genetic data suggest several hypotheses regarding the human migration patterns at this period, validation of these hypotheses with the use of ancient genetic data has been limited. In this context, we studied DNA extracted from 53 individuals buried in a necropolis used by a French local community 5,000 y ago. The relatively good DNA preservation of the samples allowed us to obtain autosomal, Y-chromosomal, and/or mtDNA data for 29 of the 53 samples studied. From these datasets, we established close parental relationships within the necropolis and determined maternal and paternal lineages as well as the absence of an allele associated with lactase persistence, probably carried by Neolithic cultures of central Europe. Our study provides an integrative view of the genetic past in southern France at the end of the Neolithic period. Furthermore, the Y-haplotype lineages characterized and the study of their current repartition in European populations confirm a greater influence of the Mediterranean than the Central European route in the peopling of southern Europe during the Neolithic transition.

European Route of Industrial Heritage

European Route of Industrial Heritage

The “German volcano route” as a part of the European volcano tourism route

The “German volcano route” as a part of the European volcano tourism route

European routes to reinventing Internet technology

European routes to reinventing Internet technology

Cover Picture: Steel Construction – Design and Research 4/2009

AbstractThe Norwegian Public Roads Administration (NPRA) is widening the existing European Route E6 from two to four lanes over the stretch from Oslo's main airport, Gardermoen, and north to Lillehammer, the city that hosted the Winter Olympics in 1994. In the middle of the stretch there is a major intersection offering a choice between Norway's two biggest valleys, Gudbrandsdalen and Østerdalen. And here, at this remote site, stands Kolomoen Bridge, deep within dense evergreen forest but visible from afar in three directions via the road corridors through the forest.

The British Trade Unions and Europe

The British political establishment, an ever sceptical monitor of post-war European developments – to this very day – stuck firmly with its Trans-Atlantic dialogue, loath to support the new social and economic dialogue growing in the heart of Europe. This has also been the case with British trade unions, except for a significant period, running from a speech by the European Commission President, Jacques Delors, to the TUC Congress in 1988 to the 2007 TUC Congress when the TUC voted to call for a referendum on the draft European Constitutional Treaty – a strongly sceptical signal which reflects a growing euroscepticism and reawakens old concerns on the left about “the bosses’ Europe” and the will to preserve British-style “free collective bargaining”, despite the battering that had received from Mrs Thatcher through anti-trade union laws since 1979. However, if out of the wreckage of the financial economy the United Kingdom is to move more in the direction of a genuine social market economy with a strong welfare state, public services and widespread collective bargaining, then the European route offers the most promise. The best way forward for British trade unions is to carry on the fight for a Social Europe.

The Munkedal Bridge across the – River Örekil

AbstractThis 477 m long steel composite bridge is situated approximately 90 km north of Gothenburg and forms part of the 3000 km long European route E6, which connects Southern Sweden with Northern Norway. The 24.2 m wide steel composite deck is carried by a concrete arch spanning 225 m.

The Lisbon Treaty: The Irish ‘No’.: Europe's New Realism: The Treaty of Lisbon

Institutional reforms – The principle of democracy: the European Parliament and the national parliaments – Bypassing unpleasant national debates by taking the European route – Reinforcement of protection of the subsidiarity principle: most valuable reform – Doubts on the effectiveness – Crucial weakness: creeping transfers of competences still possible

From Princeps to President? Comparing Local Political Leadership Transformation

Using conceptual dimensions identified by the literature on political leadership, this article compares its transformations at the local level in Europe. Often associated with the alleged shift to governance, the strengthening of the executive comes forward as the underlying tendency in contemporary local leadership. Empowered individualised leadership emerges, in terms of coming to and taking office, challenging traditional notions of tasks, style and conditions of local leadership. Such a tendency does not imply the apparent Americanisation of political leadership however, as the articles in this collection show, rather a path dependent European route has emerged.

Functional model of river-sea ships operating in European system of transport corridors: Part II. Methods of determination of design assumptions for river-sea ships operating in European system of transport corridors, according to their functional model

Functional model of river-sea ships operating in European system of transport corridors: Part II. Methods of determination of design assumptions for river-sea ships operating in European system of transport corridors, according to their functional model This paper presents continuation of the research on the functional model of river-sea ships operating in European system of transport corridors. It deals with a set of methods of determination of design assumptions for river-sea ships. Relevant calculations were performed on the basis of a future network of European routes for operating the river-sea ships within EU system of water transport corridors, in which rates of cargo flows and lengths of particular routes as well as their mathematical model were taken into account. In consequence, technical assumptions for designing the fleet of river-sea ships to be operated in European system of water transport corridors, were obtained.

Individual and collective doses from cosmic radiation in Ireland

This paper assesses the individual and collective doses in Ireland due to cosmic radiation. Information on the exposure to cosmic radiation at ground level is reviewed and published data on the frequency of routes flown by Irish residents is used to calculate the dose due to air travel. Occupational exposure of aircrew is also evaluated. Experimental data on cosmic radiation exposure at ground level is in good agreement with international estimates and the average individual dose is calculated as 300 microSv annually. Published data on international air travel by Irish residents shows a 50% increase in the number of flights taken between 2001 and 2005. This increase is primarily on short-haul flights to Europe, but there have been significant percentage increases in all long-haul flights, with the exception of flights to Africa. The additional per capita dose due to air travel is estimated to be 45 muSv, of which 51% is accumulated on European routes and 34% on routes to the United States. Exposure of aircrew to cosmic radiation is now controlled by legislation and all airlines holding an Air Operator's Certificate issued by the Irish Aviation Authority are required to report annually the doses received by their employees in the previous year. There has been a 75% increase in the number of aircrew receiving doses >1 mSv since 2002. In 2004 and 2005 the average individual doses received by Irish aircrew were 1.8 and 2.0, mSv, respectively. The corresponding per caput dose for the entire population is <3 muSv. While this is low compared with the per caput doses from other sources of cosmic radiation, aircrew exposure represents a higher collective dose than any other identified group of exposed workers in Ireland.

Some notes on structure and stability in liner shipping

Almost six years have elapsed since the passage of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act (OSRA), legislation that has led to significant changes in the structure of the US liner shipping industry. The European Union (EU) is poised to follow suit with the impending elimination of rule 4056/86, the block exemption from EU competition rules for liner shipping companies operating on European trades routes. The EU reform, however, is likely to go further than OSRA by prohibiting both conferences and discussion agreements on European trade routes. The outcome of such a policy is uncertain and the current review of it is several years old already. This paper is intended to provide some insight into the potential impact of regulatory reform in Europe, using the US experience as a benchmark. Specifically, the impact of OSRA with respect to industry structure, including its profitability, efficiency and what may be in store for the future is examined.

ESTIMATION OF THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF PORT DEVELOPMENT ON INTERNATIONAL MARITIME MARKET BY PARTIAL EQUILIBRIUM MODEL AND SCGE MODEL

In this research, we propose a partial equilibrium model that can measure the economic benefit of port development in Japan, and estimate the parameters of the demand and supply function concerning the long-distance container transportation market (i.e. North America Pacific Coast route, North America East Coast route and European route) which arrive at and depart from Japan. Then we evaluate the effectiveness of the investment for port development up to now with this model. As a result, we would conclude that port development in Japan has been effective in general. We also examine spatial incidence or distribution of economic benefits measured by the above-mentioned partial equilibrium model with simplified international Spatial Computable General Equilibrium (SCGE) model, including international induced effects. The results also show that port development in Japan can bring a certain degree of benefit to any regions in the world through the trades.