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Publications

Showing 23681 – 23700 of 30345 publications

Mobilizing Iran : experiences of the Trans-Iranian Railway, 1850-1950

Trans-Iranian Railway — 2015 — WHE4AC41328DD

The Trans-Iranian Railway project, spanning from 1850 to 1950, facilitated diverse societal experiences and interpretations among various groups in Iran, challenging the homogenizing vision of modernization. This study reveals that railways were actively integrated into heterogeneous understandings of self, community, and nation by non-state actors, including merchants, laborers, and travelers. It also highlights the significance of transnational connections beyond Western influences, resituating Iran within a broader regional framework. The research employs an interdisciplinary approach, analyzing state-society interactions and intra-social dynamics during and after the Reza Shah period, with a focus on the often-neglected Allied occupation era.

Mode I fracture toughness of the thermally pretreated red Verona marble by means of the two‐parameter model

City of Verona — 2015 — WHE9A9FE079CE

Thermal pretreatment, such as freeze/thaw cycles, significantly impacts the mechanical and fracture properties of red Verona marble, a sedimentary stone. The study reveals that these cycles, simulating atmospheric ageing, alter the material's resistance to cracking. A key insight is the application of a two-parameter model—originally used for plain concrete—to accurately assess mode I fracture toughness in rocks. This method, derived from three-point bending tests on single edge-notched specimens, captures slow nonlinear crack growth before peak load, offering advantages like simple specimen preparation and straightforward testing. The findings provide critical insights into the durability of red Verona marble under environmental stress, relevant for its preservation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Modeling black bear-vehicle collision zones in Yosemite National Park

Yosemite National Park — 2015 — WHED9C3AB4332

High black bear-vehicle collision zones in Yosemite National Park are characterized by low visibility, steep shoulder slopes, dense understory cover, and proximity to meadows and human development. Researchers analyzed 17 years of collision data (1995–2011) using GIS mapping to segment roads into 1 km sections, measuring habitat and road variables. Logistic regression revealed that high-risk segments lacked crossing sites and visibility, contrasting with low-risk areas featuring flatter terrain, more crossings, and sparse understory. These findings provide actionable mitigation strategies to reduce bear-vehicle conflicts in protected landscapes.

Modeling Low Salinity Waterflooding in Mineralogically Different Carbonates

Stevns Klint — 2015 — WHE6200EC6C73

Low salinity waterflooding can significantly enhance oil recovery (IOR) in carbonate reservoirs by altering rock wettability from oil-wet to more water-wet. A novel mechanistic model, incorporating surface complexation and aqueous reactions, demonstrates that reducing sodium and chloride concentrations while maintaining sulfate in seawater can improve IOR by up to 6% OOIP in Stevns Klint (SK) chalk. The presence of anhydrite further boosts recovery due to its role as a natural sulfate source. This study extends previous work on spontaneous imbibition, using core flooding experiments and simulations with PennSim to dynamically adjust relative permeability and residual oil saturation based on mineralogy and chemical interactions. Results align closely with experimental data, highlighting the critical importance of aqueous chemistry and mineralogy in optimizing IOR strategies for carbonate reservoirs.

Modeling Resilience and Sustainability in Ancient Agricultural Systems

Gordion — 2015 — WHE8EFE71C5A4

Ancient agricultural systems can provide critical insights into the adoption of unsustainable practices and their environmental consequences, which remain poorly understood today. A study focusing on Gordion, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in central Turkey, reveals that mismatches between social and ecological processes—spatially, temporally, and organizationally—often trigger local environmental degradation. Extralocal economic pressures further drive the shift toward unsustainable land-use practices. By integrating environmental archaeology with resilience thinking, this research offers a novel framework to explain regional patterns of agricultural change and environmental decline in the past.

Modelling fire occurrence at regional scale: does vegetation phenology matter?

Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park with the Archeological Sites of Paestum and Velia, and the Certosa di Padula — 2015 — WHE2919E8C153

Wildfires in the Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park (southern Italy) exhibit distinct seasonal patterns linked to vegetation phenology, with fires occurring more frequently at sites where NDVI values deviate from regional averages. From May to October, fires prefer locations with lower NDVI, indicating reduced biomass availability, while November to April sees higher fire incidence in areas with elevated NDVI, suggesting increased fuel moisture and flammability. This study quantified these patterns over 2000–2013 using a habitat suitability model comparing multitemporal NDVI profiles at fire sites against the broader landscape. The findings underscore the critical role of seasonal vegetation dynamics in fire risk, offering a framework for integrating remote sensing with socioeconomic and physiographic data to enhance fire prevention strategies.

Modelling the causeway

Giant's Causeway and Causeway Coast — 2015 — WHECE84B35709

Two novel models explain the formation of hexagonal stone columns, such as those at Ireland's Giant's Causeway. These models clarify how stone fractures into distinct geometric patterns, offering insights into volcanic rock structures worldwide. The research combines theoretical modeling with empirical observations to bridge gaps in understanding the physical processes behind these natural phenomena.

Modelo de Diseño para la valoración y apropiación social del Patrimonio en El Paisaje Cultural Cafetero Colombiano

Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia — 2015 — WHEDB30C13328

A dynamic and eco-efficient design model can significantly enhance the social appropriation of UNESCO-listed heritage sites, fostering economic, social, and environmental sustainability. This study focuses on Colombia's Coffee Cultural Landscape, recognized for its cultural significance. By integrating community participation and effective communication strategies, the proposed model facilitates a deeper connection between inhabitants and visitors with the site's fundamental components, ensuring long-term conservation of its cultural identity and biodiversity. The research employs a holistic approach, combining spatial and temporal dimensions to promote responsible and participative attitudes among stakeholders, thereby safeguarding the landscape's heritage value.

Modern Athens: Illuminating the “Shadows of the Ancestors”

Acropolis, Athens — 2015 — WHEAE491F6F7A

A critical analysis of the late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century debate surrounding the demolition of nonclassical monuments from the Acropolis of Athens reveals that such practices were part of a broader social reconstruction of the past, often concealing tensions between post-Enlightenment modernity and Greek antiquity. The study focuses on the removal of the Frankish Tower near the Propylaea, highlighting how purist approaches to heritage preservation during this period reflected metropolitan modernity's disdain for the old in favor of an idealized classical image. By examining celebrations and critiques of these purist practices, the research exposes the false contest between antiquity and modernity, offering new insights into the cultural and historical dynamics shaping Athens' transformation.

Modern German Midwifery, 1885–1960 by Lynne Fallwell (review)

Town of Bamberg — 2015 — WHEE6892477E8

Lynne Fallwell's 'Modern German Midwifery, 1885–1960' reveals the complex professionalization of midwifery in Germany, highlighting its resilience despite challenges from lay competition and political shifts. The study argues that midwifery's autonomy was both undermined by liberal trade laws in the late 19th century and later reinforced under Nazi rule, where eugenic policies paradoxically safeguarded home birth rights until 1985. Fallwell combines extensive German scholarship with primary research, particularly from Bavaria, to trace midwifery's evolution through education reforms, activism campaigns led by figures like Olga Gebauer and Nanna Conti, and its enduring influence on German birthing culture. The book underscores midwifery's unique position as a women-specific vocation navigating ideological pressures while maintaining professional strength.

Modular, Adaptable Shelters for Environmentally Sensitive Archaeological Sites

Archaeological Area of Agrigento — 2015 — WHE080560D5B6

Two innovative, modular shelter designs—'AkragaShelter' and 'Molecular Shelter'—demonstrate how contemporary architecture can harmoniously integrate with sensitive archaeological landscapes while addressing weather exposure challenges at the UNESCO-listed Valle dei Templi Park in Sicily. The 'AkragaShelter,' constructed from local materials like stone, wood, and plastic, provides a permanent yet dismantlable solution for protecting archaeological remains, while the 'Molecular Shelter' offers a mobile, timber-based structure that can be relocated without disassembly to support temporary excavations. Both designs were developed through an interdisciplinary workshop blending Italian and Japanese construction cultures, employing Building Information Modeling (BIM) to optimize temporality, maintenance, and adaptability. This project marks a significant step toward enhancing visitor facilities in the park while preserving its heritage.

Mokyklinis jėzuitų teatras – politinio Lietuvos Didžiosios Kunigaikštystės teatro dalis

Vilnius Historic Centre — 2015 — WHEDC53A5E32B

Scholastic Jesuit theatre in Vilnius, initially a didactic tool for students at the university, evolved into a significant political and social force within the Great Duchy of Lithuania. This transformation is exemplified by the drama 'About peace,' written by Professor Kasper Pentkovski in 1582 to commemorate King Steponas Batoras' victory over Moscow and the subsequent peace treaty with Ivan the Terrible. The play addressed war's hardships, religious disunity, and the hope for harmony, reflecting the theatre's role in shaping aesthetic taste and expressing the baroque spirit. Analysis of comedies, recitations, and paratheatrical plays reveals how Jesuit scholastic theatre became an 'engagé' form, integrating didactic and political goals while responding to local and European political changes.

Molecular analysis of a storm petrel specimen from the Marquesas Islands, with comments on specimens of Fregetta lineata and F. guttata

Te Henua Enata – The Marquesas Islands — 2015 — WHE7B325F1EA7

A molecular analysis of a storm petrel specimen from the Marquesas Islands, part of Te Henua Enata, reveals genetic insights that contribute to the understanding of Fregetta lineata and F. guttata species. This study employs DNA sequencing to examine mitochondrial genes, providing a deeper look into the phylogenetic relationships within these storm petrels. The findings highlight the importance of molecular data in clarifying taxonomic distinctions, offering valuable information for conservation efforts at UNESCO World Heritage Sites like the Marquesas Islands.

Molecular Identification of Phytoplasmas Infecting Diseased Pine Trees in the UNESCO-Protected Curonian Spit of Lithuania

Curonian Spit — 2015 — WHEDA66F6A5D4

A large-scale infection of pine trees by phytoplasmas, particularly Candidatus (Ca.) Phytoplasma pini-related strains, has been documented for the first time in Lithuania. This discovery challenges the conventional understanding that phytoplasmas primarily affect angiosperms and expands their known host range to include coniferous plants like Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) and mountain pine (Pinus mugo). The study, conducted between 2008–2014 in the UNESCO-Protected Curonian Spit and Southern Lithuania, identified phytoplasma infections in nearly 300 trees, with 80% testing positive. Molecular analysis using RFLP and nucleotide sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene revealed that 98% of infected samples belonged to Ca. Phytoplasma pini-related strains (subgroup 16SrXXI-A), while a small fraction were associated with Ca. Phytoplasma asteris-related strains (subgroup 16SrI-A). This is the first report of subgroup 16SrI-A in pine trees, highlighting its potential broader geographic distribution and ecological impact on coniferous forests.

Moment tensor and stress inversion for an active fault system in west part of Lut-Block, Iran

Lut Desert — 2015 — WHE464CBD9221

A study of the active fault system in the western Lut Block, Iran, reveals that the Nayband-Gowk-Sabzevaran system primarily exhibits right-lateral strike-slip motion with a reverse component. This insight was derived from moment tensor inversions of 34 recent earthquakes (magnitude <5.5), using data from 8 broad-band seismic stations. The research highlights the system's significance, as it has been responsible for destructive earthquakes like Dasht-e-Bayaz. Notably, stress inversion analysis showed that the second stress axis (σ2) is nearly vertical, a characteristic feature of strike-slip regimes. This study underscores the importance of local and regional seismic data in accurately determining focal mechanisms, which are crucial for understanding earthquake dynamics in tectonically active regions like eastern Iran.

Monitoring Irrigation Consumption Using High Resolution NDVI Image Time Series: Calibration and Validation in the Kairouan Plain (Tunisia)

Kairouan — 2015 — WHEAF916DC6FB

A novel approach using high-resolution NDVI image time series significantly improves the monitoring of irrigation consumption, offering unprecedented accuracy for water balance assessments in semi-arid agricultural regions. The study, conducted in Kairouan, Tunisia, leveraged the SAMIR software and FAO-56 dual crop coefficient model to estimate evapotranspiration and irrigation volumes with high precision. By normalizing SPOT5 time series data against a SPOT4 reference, researchers generated NDVI profiles that enabled robust calibration and validation at both plot and perimeter scales. Results demonstrated an average Nash efficiency of 0.57 for modeled versus observed evapotranspiration in barley and wheat plots, while aggregated irrigation volumes closely matched observed values (135 mm vs. 121 mm). This method holds promise for refining water resource management in semi-arid landscapes, though further improvements at finer timescales are needed.

Monitoring population status of sea otters (Enhydra lutris) in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska: options and considerations

Kluane / Wrangell-St. Elias / Glacier Bay / Tatshenshini-Alsek — 2015 — WHEB428BD3D7C

Sea otters (Enhydra lutris) are recolonizing Glacier Bay, Alaska, after decades of absence, playing a pivotal role in structuring nearshore ecosystems. This study evaluates monitoring options to assess their population status and understand their ecological impacts, including changes in kelp abundance and consumer dynamics. The primary method proposed is aerial surveys, with analyses to detect interannual trends and reduce variation in abundance estimates. Alternate techniques include quantifying otter diets and energy intake rates, as well as detecting changes in ages at death. The study also identifies directed research needs to deepen the understanding of sea otter population dynamics and their effects on the Glacier Bay ecosystem, providing a framework for interpreting monitoring results.

Monuments, Power and Poverty in India

Fort and Shalamar Gardens in Lahore — 2015 — WHE58D8A213AD

A groundbreaking analysis reveals the stark contrast between imperial opulence and the socio-economic conditions of ordinary subjects during India's three major empires—Hindu, Muslim, and British. Through an extensive collection of illustrations and historical records, the study examines iconic structures like the fort palaces of Agra, Delhi, Lahore, and the Taj Mahal, highlighting their role in symbolizing power while also exposing the systemic exploitation and poverty endured by the populace. The research employs comparative and contextual methods to explore the dual nature of empire: its contributions to social stability alongside its oppressive realities, offering a nuanced historical perspective on India's enduring monuments.

Monzonitoid magmatism of the Glukhoe gold ore deposit (Primorye): U–Pb, SHRIMP dating, petrochemical and minor-element compositions, and peculiar features of noble metal mineralization

Central Sikhote-Alin — 2015 — WHEA1E476C493

A groundbreaking study identifies native platinum (Pt), copper (Cu), and other compounds within the mineral associations of the Glukhoe gold ore deposit in Central Sikhote Alin, Primorye. This marks the first establishment of such rare noble metal occurrences, offering significant scientific and practical implications for understanding gold ore deposits. The research employs U–Pb and SHRIMP dating techniques to analyze the geological structure and petrochemical compositions of monzogabbrodiorites and monzodiorites from the Tatibin Group. By examining these magmatic complexes, the study provides novel insights into the formation conditions of noble metal mineralization, advancing our knowledge of gold deposit genesis in this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Morire lontano dall'Italia : differenze e interazioni attraverso l'epigrafia ellenistica della necropoli dell'isola di Renea (Delo)

Delos — 2015 — WHE8DD87D0140

The necropolis on the island of Renea, near Delosoffers unique insights into cross-cultural interactions during the Hellenistic period. Unlike typical burial sites, Renea served as an occasional and almost mandatory resting place for individuals from diverse ethnic backgrounds, drawn to Delos due to its international significance. Epigraphic analysis reveals how this necropolis reflects a fragmented community, shaped by the island's role as a cultural crossroads rather than a cohesive social or ethnic entity. The study leverages inscriptions to uncover patterns of identity and interaction, highlighting the necropolis' function as a transient space for those seeking burial near Delos.