Structural Integrity of Stone Blocks From Charles Bridge in Prague

The Charles Bridge is the oldest, still-standing gothic bridge that crosses the Vltava River in Prague and up to now has belonged among the most sought-after historical monuments in the Czech Republic. The bridge has been repeatedly damaged due to floods and has been repaired several times. In the reconstructions, damaged sandstone blocks were substituted in facing. This experimental study focused on nonlinear ultrasonic spectroscopy for testing stone blocks that were extracted from the historical bridge structure. The objective of these experiments was verifying whether the methods can be applied to evaluating the internal structure of blocks, which are built-in in the structure in situ. Intact-structure blocks, blocks that had been repaired in the past, and damaged-structure blocks were measured. Two methods of nonlinear ultrasonic spectroscopy were applied—the method with single harmonic ultrasonic signal and with two harmonic ultrasonic signals. Measurement results of both applied methods proved resulting parameters correlation with block structure integrity quality.     

On the origin of the term ependyma

The term ependyma is considered as a translation of the expression integumentum ventriculorum cerebri or Überzug der Hirnhöhlen [the lining of the brain ventricles] in German used by the Wenzel brothers (1812). The first documented usage of this term is found in the work of the German anatomist Karl Ernst Bock from the year 1839, but nobody has ever claimed authorship of the word. Formulations such as “so-called” are used in connection with the term, avoiding any reference to a specific originator. The term first started being used in anatomical literature written in German. In its subsequent history, various interpretations of the meaning of the term have emerged, and certain attempts have also been made to change its formal aspect.     

On the origin of the term decussatio pyramidum

There is no consensus regarding the origin of the term decussatio pyramidum. Various anatomists of the past are honored by modern scholars, for example, Vieussens, Reil, and Collins. However, contralateral effects of brain lesions were already mentioned in Hippocratic treatises. Aretaeus of Cappadocia assumed that the anatomical reason for this phenomenon is the interchange of the nerves and called it chiasmos. This opinion was discussed in modern times and the anatomists used the term decussatio nervorum. The authorship of the first demonstration of decussatio pyramidum is given to Mistichelli (1709) and Petit (1710), but neither the term decussatio nor any of its vernacular forms are present in their work. A milestone in the history of the term is the Mémoire of Gall and Spurzheim presented to the Institut de France in 1808. In the French printed form of the Mémoire (1809), the word combination décussation des pyramides was used for the first time in anatomical literature.     

The Austrian ‘occupation’ of Ferrara in 1847: its legal aspect between myth and reality

The so-called occupation of the papal town of Ferrara by Austrian troops in the late summer of 1847 became an important chapter in the history of the Risorgimento. It provoked strong anti-Austrian resentment in Italy, where Austria’s conduct was generally regarded as aggressive and illegal. As this article attempts to prove from an investigation of the legal aspect of the affair, the accusation that the Austrians had violated international law with their actions in Ferrara is nothing but another Risorgimento myth. The same accusation was also a way for the papal government to attempt to denigrate Austria, although the question of legality actually meant little for the pope who used the affair to increase his popularity among Italians. Consequently, Austria’s determined effort to settle the affair on a legal basis was anachronistic vis-à-vis the new political situation that arose in Italy and was thus doomed to failure in advance.     

Decision-Making on Transport Infrastructure and Contested Information: A Critical Analysis of Three Approaches

Information is highly contested in virtually all decision-making processes on large infrastructure projects, leading to the delay or cancellation of projects. Contested information has two characteristics: uncertainty and ambiguity. The uncertainty of information refers to the lack of reliable knowledge about the characteristics and future effects of infrastructure projects. The ambiguity of information means that different actors have different (legitimate and valid) perspectives on the characteristics and effects of infrastructure projects. Information is contested if both uncertainty and ambiguity apply. In this paper, we develop a theoretical framework based on different perspectives on rationality and the role ascribed to information in decision-making. We then use this framework to analyse three approaches aiming to deal with the contested nature of information. The analysis shows that none of the approaches can fully deal with the contested nature of information, because no practically feasible approach has yet been developed to effectively address the ambiguity of information. We end with a brief discussion of the possible responses to this finding.     

NEW CHRONOLOGICAL EVIDENCE FOR THE MIDDLE TO UPPER PALAEOLITHIC TRANSITION IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC AND SLOVAKIA: NEW OPTICALLY STIMULATED LUMINESCENCE DATING RESULTS

We report new optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dates from the Central European sites of K?lna, Stránská skála, Bohunice, Vedrovice V, Vedrovice Ia, Moravský Krumlov IV and Dzeravá skala, which date to the Middle–Upper Palaeolithic transition period. There are important unresolved questions surrounding the timing of archaeological events during this crucial period in European prehistory. Archaeological layers from this time period are at the limits of the ¹⁴C method and most of these sites lack good chronology. The results of this dating project suggest that some parts of the current chronological framework may need to be revised. Although in many cases our OSL results are broadly consistent with previous dates obtained by ¹⁴C, in other cases they reveal unexpected surprises. One OSL result from K?lna opens up the possibility that Neanderthals may have survived in this part of Europe past the 30 ka bp mark as has been argued for several Neanderthal sites in southern Europe. The large Szeletian assemblage recovered from Vedrovice V may be significantly older than previously thought, which undermines the idea that the Szeletian culture is exclusively an Early Upper Palaeolithic industry. More dating research is needed to confirm the more controversial results of this research.     

Cooperation differs. Intentions of municipalities towards metropolitan cooperation in post-socialist space – Brno,Czech Republic

The long-term regional policy of metropolitan regions contributes to the socio-economic development of the entire functional region as it prevents the disharmony in the activity of the interested actors. In the Czech environment, metropolitan cooperation has not been institutionalized yet, which is remarkable while its importance is emphasized in many developed countries and the development of metropolitan regions is greatly supported by EU through the tool ITI. Moreover, a fully-fledged expert interdisciplinary discussion on this issue, which would provide valid conclusions for the needs of the planning practice, is developing rather slowly. The presented contribution is filling this research gap by analysing and assessing the potential of municipalities for metropolitan cooperation in post-socialist space (mainly through institutional cooperation), using a relevant literature, assessing the results of a questionnaire survey and empirical experiences from the model territory of Brno metropolitan area (BMA). The results of the research indicate a willingness to set-up more formal institutionalization of metropolitan cooperation. It would be feasible to transfer some competencies to a newly established metropolitan expert platform/agency. However, cooperation is significantly linked to the awareness of its benefits (not only of a financial character) and to the requirement of keeping ‘basic’ self-governing competencies.     

Mineralogical and Chemical Characterization of Roman Slag from the Archaeological Site of Castra (Ajdovščina,Slovenia)

This study deals with the mineralogical and chemical characterization of archaeometallurgical material from the Roman archaeological site of Castra (Ajdov??ina, western Slovenia). Samples were initially analysed via optical microscopy and X‐ray powder diffraction, with the composition of individual phases then determined using scanning electron microscopy coupled with electron‐dispersive spectroscopy, and Raman microspectroscopy. Chemical investigation was carried out by using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy to measure the major element content. The results showed that the slag originated from iron smithing operations, with calcium‐rich olivines, as well as wuestite and leucite, the most abundant phases. The investigated slags were also found to be characterized by significantly high lime levels, which probably promoted the formation of the calcium‐rich olivines.     

Evolution of Temperature and Moisture Fields in Charles Bridge in Prague: Computational Prediction and Measurements

Charles Bridge in Prague, founded in 1357, is one of the most prominent historical structures in Europe. It interconnects two Prague districts, the Lesser Town and the Old Town districts, separated by the Vltava River. In the past, the bridge underwent a variety of repairs and retrofits. Within the framework of the moderate repair carried into effect in 2007 to 2010, a measuring system was installed in the bridge, and the temperature and moisture content at selected gauge points have been continuously monitored for a period of 2 years. This article presents non-linear, fully coupled modeling of both fields utilizing a parallel version of the simple finite elements (SIFEL) computer code. Its cogency is validated against experimentally obtained data that serve as inputs for the second stage of a thermo-mechanical analysis—the detailed and mechanics-oriented simulations of the bridge as a whole.