The Pickup Problem: Consumers' Locational Preferences in Flow Interception

This article addresses the pickup problem , wherein patrons briefly interrupt their predetermined journeys to obtain a simple good, such as fast food or a video, and then resume their journeys. This is a problem from the class known as the flow-interception location problems. Traditional flow-interception location models (FILMs) are used to select service locations such that the intercepted flows are maximized. In these traditional models, only flow quantities are considered; these models do not consider where a pickup is made in a journey. However, in the real world, consumers often wish to obtain a product or service at or near a specific location along their trips. The pickup model (PUP) proposed here considers consumers' locational preferences, providing a much broader, more realistic approach than FILM (a special case of PUP) to problems in the private and public sectors. By considering which patrons are served where, PUP transforms the FILM into a flow-interception location-allocation model, providing a fruitful garden for further research. Geographic information systems and optimization engines are integrated to investigate the PUP model in real-world transportation systems. Reported findings demonstrate that the optimal locations identified by traditional models arise solely from network flow structure, whereas the optimal locations identified by PUP result from trade-offs between network flow structure and the importance of proximity to preferred locations. One important discovery is that PUP solutions are superior to those of traditional FILMs if consumers have locational preferences. Up-to-date, real-world transportation networks provide a realistic test-bed for this and other models of the flow-interception type.     

The Dynamics of Regional Disparities in Central and Eastern Europe during Transition

This paper examines the evolution of territorial imbalances in per capita income in the Central and Eastern Europe regions between 1990 and 2001. In order to overcome the limitations of conventional convergence analysis, we have combined a non-parametric approach that allows us to study the dynamics of the entire cross-section distribution, with a series of theoretical results and measures taken from the literature on personal income distribution. The results obtained show an overall reduction in regional inequality over the study period. This process has been compatible with the simultaneous presence of between-country convergence and within-country divergence. Likewise, we have observed a reduction in the development gap between the sample regions and Western Europe. In any event, the polarization of the distribution under consideration has decreased, while the registered level of intra-distribution mobility is relatively low. Furthermore, the analysis highlights the important role played in explaining the distribution dynamics by factors such as the national component, spatial location, productive structure, agglomeration economies and the percentage of gross domestic product devoted to investment.     

A Multidisciplinary Strategy for the Inspection of Historical Metallic Tie-Rods: The Milan Cathedral Case Study

A reliable assessment of historical metallic tie-rods requires both the estimation of actual tensile load and the identification of dominant defects. Despite high defectiveness resulting from traditional metalworking techniques, so far the latter aspect has not been duly addressed in the literature. In this article, several methodologies are discussed aimed at integrating the usual inspection practice. All studies were performed on the tie-rods of Milan Cathedral. Metallurgical analyses allowed to recognize the main features of the material. Mechanical characterization in the perspective of Elasto-Plastic Fracture Mechanics (EPFM) indicated the conditions for crack propagation. Several Non-Destructive Techniques (NDTs) commonly used in Mechanical Engineering (i.e., guided waves, eddy currents, pulsed active thermography) were examined and adapted to this unconventional application. Based on the combination of all the mentioned methods, a multidisciplinary procedure was defined, which allows the evaluation of the crack significance with reference to the estimated working stress.     

The Port‐Vendres 4 Shipwreck Cargo: evidence of the Roman wine trade in the western Mediterranean

The Port‐Vendres 4 shipwreck is evidence of coastal export trade between Hispania Citerior and Narbonne in 40/30 BC. The cargo is made up of a particular assemblage of Roman wine amphoras (Pascual 1, Dressel 1B and Lamboglia 2) destined for Gallic markets. Archaeological and archaeometric analyses conducted on a selection of the amphoras allowed the provenance of the cargo to be identified as Hispania Citerior and the central‐southern Tyrrhenian coast of Italy. Iluro and/or Baetulo are proposed as the ports of departure, enabling the reconstruction of the trade route and the historical and economic significance of this shipwreck.     

A hypothesis on different technological solutions for outdoor and indoor Roman wall paintings

The determination of the chemical composition of different parts of wall paintings (pigments, mortars and binders) provides information about technology of preparation of an artefact. Herein, we present a multi-methodological characterisation of wall paintings from a Roman archaeological site in Cuma, focusing on differences between an indoor (domus) and outdoor fabrication (a temple, Tempio con Portico (TCP)). Both pigments, binders and mortars were studied via a combination of destructive/μ-destructive (mass spectrometry, ionic chromatography, ICP-based techniques) and non-destructive (Raman microscopy, small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) and X-ray diffraction) methodologies. Particularly, the systematic presence of dolomite only in mortars from TCP may suggest an intentional use of such limestone for the outdoor fabrication of public interest. Differences between TCP and domus are also related to the composition of the pigment binder. In particular, the detected binders (studied by LC-MS/MS and GC-MS) were proteinaceous in the case of domus (possibly egg and animal glue) and drying oils in the case of TCP. Ultimately, our multi-methodological study provides an overall picture of the material components of paintings from fabrications with different use, proposing a hypothesis on technological choices according to conservative and destination reasons.     

Delegitimation provided by the constitutional pact in the First Republic

Abstract

Far from being a value shared by the country’s political parties, republican Italy’s constitution has given rise to confrontation depending on the interpretations given to it in the main phases of transition of the country’s political system. Antifascism as a fundamental statute of public life, on the one hand, and the great parliamentary system framework, on the other, established the boundaries of democratic legitimacy. Although this process contributed to strengthening the country’s democratic foundations, particularly with regard to the risk of a possible authoritarian swing in the aftermath of World War II, it also affected a political dialectic strongly conditioned by the delegitimizing element underlying the constitutional charter. Attempts at institutional reform as well as opposition to any understanding between the two parties that benefited the most from a literal interpretation of the constitution, that is, the Christian Democratic Party and the Italian Communist Party, often ran the risk of being demonized. This led to a kind of short-circuit which, in the long run, eroded the democratic fabric itself, feeding the spiral of mutual delegitimation that marked the political life of the country in these republican years.     

Neutron Activation Analysis of Metal Artefacts from the Moche Site,North Coast of Peru

Neutron activation analysis has been used to characterize 60 metal objects from the Moche site, of which four are associated with the Chimú Period, two with the Early Chimú Period and the others with various Moche IV contexts. Different types of utilitarian and non‐utilitarian objects were analysed to identify the metals present, and to investigate their chemical composition and their eventual source. The results clearly indicate the distinction between Chimú and Moche artefacts and confirm the generalized opinion that arsenic bronze was popular after ad 900. They also indicate that gilding copper objects with gold was already a common practice during the Moche era.     

Age estimation by tooth/pulp ratio in canines by peri-apical X-rays: reliability in age determination of Spanish and Italian medieval skeletal remains

Estimation of age at death is an unavoidable step in the process of human identification, both in forensic practice and in the anthropological and palaeopathological study of skeletal remains. In several cases, in which medical or demographic records are completely lacking, a reliable estimation of the age at death becomes very important. Skeletal remains from archaeological contexts suffer from several biasing factors such as post-mortem changes, taphonomy and various burial practices depending on age, sex and social status of the deceased persons.