MODELING OF ATOMIC SYSTEMS AND POSITIONING OF ELEMENTS OF NOBLE GASES OF THE PERIODIC TABLE BY PROPORTIONAL DIVISION METHOD

This paper studies regularities of proportional division, on the basis of which we show the possibility of effective application of the golden section method to modeling regularities of atomic systems and positioning of elements of noble gases of the periodic table. It is illustrated that by partial reconstruction of the Mendeleev tables, the elements of noble gases can be arranged along lines whose slope tangents in the coordinate system “the atomic number – the relative atomic mass” are in close agreement with the sequence of inverse Fibonacci numbers. It was shown that given the correct slope of axes, slope tangents of the corresponding lines does not change.

Teacher’s training in the Montessori Approach: the debate on the pages of La Coltura Popolare (1911-1922)

In the first two decades of the Twentieth Century, reflections on teacher training were particularly rich, implying the lively and significant participation of a plurality of actors. Even Maria Montessori actively participated in this debate and the meeting with the Humanitarian Society in Milan, and with Augusto Osimo primarily, proved to be very fruitful on these issues. The specialist magazine La Coltura Popolare represents a faithful and interesting mirror of this relationship and of the many reflections and initiatives arose from it, promoting the propagation of the Montessori method and offering at the same time a space for dialogue and comparison of all the most innovative and vivifying voices of the pedagogical reflection of the time. This paper proposes a first and partial reconstruction of the significant role that La Coltura Popolare played, from 1911 to 1922, in soliciting the attention of its public on the topic of teacher training, in spreading the Montessori method, in stimulating a not biased and preconceived comparison between different approaches, experiments and views on childhood.

Offenbach, Pépito and the Théâtre des Variétés: Politics and Genre in the First Year of the Second Empire

Offenbach's first commercially performed dramatic work, the opéra comique Pépito, premiered in Paris at the Théâtre des Variétés on 28 October 1853. This article examines it from historical and musical perspectives. First, I argue that its production at the Théâtre des Variétés is an example of what Mark Everist has called ‘the politics of genre’, in this case the attempts by managers of Parisian boulevard theatres to circumvent the hierarchical system of genre imposed on them by the government. Offenbach may have been directly complicit by offering an opéra comique to a theatre that was legally not allowed to perform the genre and by supplying a musical element – ‘local colour’ – as part of the political strategy by which the manager of the Variétés sneaked the opéra comique past the authorities. The subterfuge did not work, however: I argue that Pépito was recognised by audiences as an opéra comique primarily through the character of its music. A discussion of the score, and the musical competence of the original cast and orchestra of the Variétés, allows a partial reconstruction of the actual sound of the first performance of Pépito. Finally, I consider the later history of Pépito, and in a postscript suggest that a faint memory of Offenbach's Spanish opéra comique may have resurfaced twenty-two years later when Georges Bizet, who became part of Offenbach's circle in the late 1850s, was composing his own Spanish opéra comique, Carmen.

Hearth in the Sacral Topography of a Roman House and Ritual Practice of Familia

The article is devoted to the analysis of the hearth as the most important sacred center of Roman dwelling interior space. It addresses such issues as the role of the hearth in a Roman family’s sacra privata; peculiarities of the ritual practice of paterfamilias, materfamilias and their children. Attention is paid to the pantheon of gods related to the hearth and rituals aimed at their veneration. The relevance of this study lies in addressing the religious component of Roman living space, which, unfortunately, is not a priority for the specialists in Roman history who focus more on social aspects analysis of the space of a Roman house. Historicism and scientific objectivity principles served as a methodological basis for the research, the comparative-historical method was also used. A study of Romans’ home religion made it possible to establish that all significant events in the family were accompanied by rituals at the hearth; they also turned to it for help in the event of a threat; the hearth could warn a family of danger ‒ it could “bleed” or be “overturned”. It is important to note that the sacredness of the hearth is also confirmed by the fact that they should have bring it from home and not light a fire on the spot. The paterfamilias’ daughters and not his wife, were involved in daily rituals at the hearth, probably due to their “purity” which they kept until marriage. Research result is the partial reconstruction of family’s sacred sphere, especially ritual practice. Conducting this reconstruction is very problematic and conditionally due to the lack of sources, but it is important to note that even a partial reconstruction allows us to define the main functions of participants in ritual practice and claim that family’s sacred sphere was primarily associated with the hearth, which was the basis of the ancient Romans’ sacra privata. Keywords: atrium, focus, ritual, paterfamilias, materfamilias, Lares, Penates, Vesta

Historical air photo missions in the Maritimes during the early 1920s: coverage, thematic scope, and utility 100 years later

The historical and technological developments of powered flight and aerial photography have early connections in the Maritimes. Following the Great War (1914-18), a series of pioneering survey missions were initiated by the Canada Air Board in the civilian domain. From a science perspective, the air photos offer a unique opportunity for the detection of environmental change at an unusual centennial time scale. The missions of the early 1920s initially relied on military surplus seaplanes and innovative camera equipment that yielded several thousand high-resolution vertical air photos. This paper is focussed on the scope and outcome of the first experiments carried out over Nova Scotia and New Brunswick between 1921 and 1925, prior to more systematic use for topographic mapping during the remainder of that decade. The research is based on archival records and partial reconstruction of the digitized air photos into image mosaics. Photo interpretation and comparison with recent high-resolution satellite imagery offer insights concerning land use and land cover changes, coastal dynamics, and transformation of urban, rural and industrial landscapes. Experience todate with these early air photos and mosaics of the Maritimes holds promise for examining similar aerial survey missions in other parts of Canada.

Braincase and endocranium of the Placodont Parahenodus atancensis de Miguel Chaves, Ortega & Pérez-García, 2018, a representative of the highly specialized clade Henodontidae

Parahenodus atancensis de Miguel Chaves, Ortega & Pérez-García, 2018 is a recently described bizarre cyamodontoid placodont, based on a partial but well-preserved Spanish Upper Triassic skull. It was identified as the sister taxon of the German highly specialized Henodus chelyops Huene, 1936. The use of micro-computed tomography has been able to significantly increase knowledge of the cranial anatomy of Parahenodus atancensis by the characterization of several bones and structures previously unknown for this taxon, as well as to obtain a partial reconstruction of its brain endocast and associated endocranial structures, poorly known in most Triassic sauropterygians. In addition, we identify several synapomorphies of the braincase of Cyamodontoidea so far unknown in Henodontidae, improving knowledge about this clade. The study of the endocranium and neurosensory structures of Parahenodus atancensis suggests a relatively lower reliance on vision, the pineal system and the pituitary than in other Triassic sauropterygians.

Agafonov’s Early Kharkiv Creative Period: Dialogue with the Theatre

This article is dedicated to the study of the nature of E. Agafonov’s creative ties with the theater – a topic that has been insufficiently covered in the native art history. The author’s field of view is set in the artist’s early Kharkiv period, marked as the years of 1905–1913. The article focuses on the exceptional role of E. Agafonov in the organization and the artistic practice of the first modernist theater “Blakytne Oko” in Kharkiv (1909–1911). Agafonov belonged to the constellation of masters who was very sensitive to the problem of evolving the artistic speech. He viewed the theater as a convincing platform for promoting and approving of the latest artistic values, discovered by Impressionism and Post-Impressionism. Experiments in easel art (with color, plastic, line, techniques, materials, etc.), largely inspired by the work of D. Burliuk (1906–1908), were directly reflected in Agafonov’s stage practice, namely in numerous designs of the modernist productions based on plays by M. Maeterlinkc, A. Schnitzler, S. Pshybyshevsky and O. Blok. In turn, it was established that theatrical motives were reflected in E. Agafonov’s easel art, as well as in the art of the students of his artistic studio – O. Rybnikov, I. Terentyev, M. Sinyakova, and K. Storozhnichenko. In this regard, a special attention is given to the linocuts by F. Nadezhdin. It was found that the program of “total” design of theatrical space (stage and auditorium), as well as the implementation of production ideas in the cabaret theater “Blakytne Oko” were the result of the master’s fascination with the concepts of artistic synthesis, actualized in the era of Modern. Agafonov moved from dramatization of paintings (of A. Beklin, F. Malyavin, and O. Rodin) to staging experimental show-programs like “The Evening of Autumn”, “Visiting Pierrot” and “In the Middle of Nowhere”, partial reconstruction of which was undertaken for the first time by the author of the article. Agafonov was close to the idea of artistic synthesis, identified by him in F. Malyavin’s paintings, in V. Komissarzhevska’s theatre and I. Duncan’s choreography. The study of E. Agafanov’s theatrical art expands the understanding of the history of formation and development of Ukrainian scenography at the beginning of the twentieth century.

Reconstructing a Ninth-Century Sacramentary-Lectionary from Saint-Victor

This article presents a partial reconstruction of a ninth-century sacramentary-lectionary whose leaves were used as binding material for manuscripts of the library of Saint-Victor of Paris. While most of these fragments remain in situ, some have been detached; in all twelve Saint-Victor codices that served as host volumes are identified. A presentation of the fragments, including three not reported in Bischoff’s catalogue, presents the current condition of the fragments. An investigation on their content leads to a conjecture about their original order and to a hypothesis linking their origin to the monastery of Saint-Denis, according to the liturgical use and to the comparison with other sacramentaries.

The Diversity of Muscles and Their Regenerative Potential across Animals

Cells with contractile functions are present in almost all metazoans, and so are the related processes of muscle homeostasis and regeneration. Regeneration itself is a complex process unevenly spread across metazoans that ranges from full-body regeneration to partial reconstruction of damaged organs or body tissues, including muscles. The cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in regenerative processes can be homologous, co-opted, and/or evolved independently. By comparing the mechanisms of muscle homeostasis and regeneration throughout the diversity of animal body-plans and life cycles, it is possible to identify conserved and divergent cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying muscle plasticity. In this review we aim at providing an overview of muscle regeneration studies in metazoans, highlighting the major regenerative strategies and molecular pathways involved. By gathering these findings, we wish to advocate a comparative and evolutionary approach to prompt a wider use of “non-canonical” animal models for molecular and even pharmacological studies in the field of muscle regeneration.