MAGIA – RELIGIA – OSTENTACJA. KAPTORGI Z WCZESNOŚREDNIOWIECZNEGO CMENTARZYSKA W RADOMIU W UJĘCIU KOMPARATYSTYCZNYM

This article presents an analysis of two brass lockets, rectangular in shape, discovered in a richly equipped grave no. 62 in an early-medieval grave field in Radom (the 4th quarter of the 11-12th centuries). As a result of the analysis, their cognitive value can be estimated in a comprehensive way against the background of other finds of the type excavated in graves. On the other hand, it has allowed to enrich the knowledge of burying the dead with objects of magical and religious nature. The lockets discovered in Radom were made locally, most probably as imitations of more sophisticated pendants. Most probably, they were used as containers for magical or healing amulets, possibly contact relics (brandeum, eulogiae) or perfumes. They were probably buried after mid-11th century, during the religious transformation taking place in the early Piast state, bearing material testimony to the intertwining pagan rites and the ceremonies of the new faith.

THE INFLUENCE OF PLASTIC STRAINS ON THE BEHAVIOR OF BENDING REINFORCED CONCRETE ELEMENTS WHEN CHANGING THE FORCE SIGN

The Russian standards for earthquake resistant constructions suppose the development of plastic strains in reinforced concrete constructions under seismic effects. Their presence influences significantly on the stress-strain state, bearing capacity and mechanism of destruction of reinforced concrete constructions under alternation loads of high intensity. The methodology and main results of experimental tests connected with the evaluation of plastic deformations influence on the behavior of reinforced concrete bending elements when changing the force sign is represented. The information about the bearing capacity reduction when changing the force sign with the increase of plastic strains in the first semi cycle of loading is given. The coefficients of plasticity for reinforcement deformations limit values are obtained, corresponding to the beginning of compressed zone concrete destruction when changing the force sign and the plots of normal sections deformations distribution of experimental specimens under direct and reverse loading have been built.

Support Measures for Employees and Employers. Application of the Kurzarbeit Model in Romania

In this article we discuss the possibilities of employers affected by the SARS-VOC-2 pandemic to cope with the restrictions imposed, not to reduce staff. There is the problem of the state bearing part of the wage costs, in order to avoid rising unemployment and consolidating the labor market. This article is useful for all employers in the private sector.

The migration of Serbian nobles during the reign of the last Nemanjićs

The role of the noble families in Medieval Serbia, as in other states of that time, was of great importance-their social status affected the character and the success of the statehood. They represented social elite, which influenced the development of various processes, one of them being migration. The migration process could be voluntary or involuntary, but it shadowed inner colonisation as well as the conquest of new territories. It determined the establishment of the governing structures in the newly acquired territories, as well as their integration into the state. Bearing in mind that many wars were waged during the Middle Ages-hence the constant redrawing of the borders-it is not surprising that migration was an ongoing process of various intensity and direction. Both the dependent population and the nobles took part in the process. However, following the migration flow of the noble families through history is much easier. The great expansion of the Serbian territory started during the reign of King Milutin and ended with the death of the Tsar Dušan (1282-1355), whose reign was especially marked by great conquests and extensive migrations. Though conquests are mainly attributed to rulers, the noble families often initiated them. This is confirmed in the historical sources and the research literature, which cites the growing dissatisfaction of the nobles and their desire for further conquest as the main reasons for the change in the Serbian throne after the great victory at Velbazhd in 1330. Such views are further substantiated by the early years of the reign of Stefan Dušan when significant territories in Macedonia were annexed. According to several sources, the main driver of change was the number of noble families close and directly subordinate to the young king. It is well known that Dušan inherited the governance of Zeta and western Serbia from his father in 1322. He managed those territories during the whole reign of Stefan Uroš III (Stefan of Dečani). The previous contention that the nobles drove the change in the throne is also validated by the relocation of the noble families to the newly annexed regions. A certain number of high born families originated from the western Serbian areas which is proved by the primary historical sources, while other families are loosely associated to the area by stories and legends. Neither is simple to confirm. Some of those nobles from the western Serbia are: the Braković familiy, the Mrnjavčević family, the Great Duke Nikola Stanjević, Ostoja Rajaković Ugarčić, Radoslav Hlapen, Nikola Bagaš, Andrija Gropa, Lord Žarko, and most probably Caesar Preljub, among others. They all received inheritance and governance of various territories as a reward for their loyalty and accomplishments, which can be traced back through their titles. Namely, military titles indicate that the person gained their status owning to their warrior abilities.

Synthetic CpG islands reveal DNA sequence determinants of chromatin structure

The mammalian genome is punctuated by CpG islands (CGIs), which differ sharply from the bulk genome by being rich in G + C and the dinucleotide CpG. CGIs often include transcription initiation sites and display ‘active’ histone marks, notably histone H3 lysine 4 methylation. In embryonic stem cells (ESCs) some CGIs adopt a ‘bivalent’ chromatin state bearing simultaneous ‘active’ and ‘inactive’ chromatin marks. To determine whether CGI chromatin is developmentally programmed at specific genes or is imposed by shared features of CGI DNA, we integrated artificial CGI-like DNA sequences into the ESC genome. We found that bivalency is the default chromatin structure for CpG-rich, G + C-rich DNA. A high CpG density alone is not sufficient for this effect, as A + T-rich sequence settings invariably provoke de novo DNA methylation leading to loss of CGI signature chromatin. We conclude that both CpG-richness and G + C-richness are required for induction of signature chromatin structures at CGIs.

The Art of Survival: Policy Choices for Nepal

The tendency to change foreign policy tilt with every change in government has posed difficulty for Nepal to maintain internal cohesion and external adaptation. Now the nation is suffering from ceaseless spasms of political instability because many of its state-bearing institutions are broken and new are not yet invented to glue the nation’s diverse society and get viable traction to balance neighborhood geopolitics and become relevant to international community. In this context, Nepal now needs a regime that fosters centripetal tendencies of domestic forces for a cohesive and coherent foreign and security policy strategy to survive and prosper in a world dominated by protagonist giants and devise material, institutional and symbolic bases of the nation to scramble safe future.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/dsaj.v5i0.6355 Dhaulagiri Journal of Sociology and Anthropology Vol. 5, 2011: 31-48

The Boron Effect on Mechanical Properties of Aged 2024 Aluminum Alloy

2024 Aluminum Alloy is widely used in aeronautical applications. The Alloy's strength is increased by Precipitation Hardening which is the aging and solution of strength and is widely used in T6 state. Bearing in mind the effect of Boron in shorting the aging time, the pure material of B2O3 was used in order to add Boron to 2024 Alloy, so Alloying was done. By testing mechanical properties and microstructure observations, good results were achieved in Boron effect on this alloy's quench in comparison with those alloys lacking Boron. The outcomes depicted that this element addition increases hardness and tensile strength in aging process. In a way that the hardness of the alloy after controlled quench in one hour natural aging was reached to 93HB from 73HB and to 134HB in one hour artificial aging in 110°C. Such difference in hardness amount is due to better distribution of precipitates.

Characterization of the CD154-Positive and CD40-Positive Cellular Subsets Required for Pathogenesis in Retrovirus-Induced Murine Immunodeficiency

ABSTRACT Genetically susceptible C57BL/6 (B6) mice that are infected with the LP-BM5 isolate of murine retroviruses develop profound splenomegaly, lymphadenopathy, hypergammaglobulinemia, terminal B-cell lymphomas, and an immunodeficiency state bearing many similarities to the pathologies seen in AIDS. Because of these similarities, this syndrome has been called murine AIDS (MAIDS). We have previously shown that CD154 (CD40 ligand)-CD40 molecular interactions are required both for the initiation and progression of MAIDS. Thus, in vivo anti-CD154 monoclonal antibody (MAb) treatment inhibited MAIDS symptoms in LP-BM5-infected wild-type mice when either a short course of anti-CD154 MAb treatment was started on the day of infection or a course was initiated 3 to 4 weeks after LP-BM5 administration, after disease was established. Here, we further characterize this required CD154-CD40 interaction by a series of adoptive transfer experiments designed to elucidate which cellular subsets must express CD154 or CD40 for LP-BM5 to induce MAIDS. Specifically with regard to CD154 expression, MAIDS-insusceptible B6 nude mice reconstituted with highly purified CD4+ T cells from wild-type, but not from CD154 knockout, B6 donors displayed clear MAIDS after LP-BM5 infection. In contrast, nude B6 recipients that received CD8+ T cells from wild-type B6 donors did not develop MAIDS after LP-BM5 infection. B6 CD40 knockout mice, which are also relatively resistant to LP-BM5-induced MAIDS, became susceptible to LP-BM5-induced disease after reconstitution with highly purified wild-type B cells but not after receiving purified wild-type dendritic cells (DC) or a combined CD40+ population composed of DC and macrophages obtained from B6 SCID mouse donors. Based on these and other experiments, we thus conclude that the cellular basis for the requirement for CD154-CD40 interactions for MAIDS induction and progression can be accounted for by CD154 expression on CD4+ T cells and CD40 expression on B cells.

The Effect of Misalignment on Rotor Vibrations

Rotors with three or more fluid-film bearings (or fluid seals) have “redundant” supports, and, therefore, interdependent bearing loads that are generally unknown both in magnitude and direction. The steady-state bearing eccentricities and the dynamic stiffness and damping coefficients of the bearings are, therefore, also unknown since both are functions of the bearing loads. Thus, the dynamic behavior of multibearing rotors generally cannot be predicted with good accuracy without access to a procedure for calculating the steady-state bearing loads and eccentricities. This paper outlines such a procedure in terms of both the influence coefficient method, the transfer matrix method, and the finite element method. Radial bearing misalignment and flexibility of the bearing back-up structures are accounted for. Once the eccentricities are available, the bearing stiffness and damping coefficients can be calculated in the usual way and used to predict critical speeds, instability threshold speed, and rotor response to imbalance. A numerical example is presented that illustrates some of the nonlinear effects of bearing support redundancy, notably the large variations in instability threshold speed with radial bearing misalignment. The example shows how the method can be used to determine the level of bearing misalignment that leads to optimum rotor stability. It is concluded that no simple guide lines exist by which optimum stability can be achieved. Neither perfect bearing alignment nor equal load sharing between bearings necessarily lead to optimum stability.