• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.34 no.10
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• pp.2049-2069
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• 2024

Fungi play a significant role in the deterioration of various types of monuments. Therefore, the protection of ancient monuments from fungal attacks is an important goal that must attract the attention of researchers worldwide. A total of 69 fungal isolates were recovered from 22 deteriorated objects compromising paper, textiles, wood, and stone in the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC) storeroom, Cairo, Egypt. The isolates were identified as 12 different species categorized into three different genera, namely, Aspergillus (9 species), Penicillium (2 species) and Trichoderma (1 species). Among them, Aspergillus fumigatus was the most prevalent species. Three essential oils were assessed for antifungal activity and compared with the antifungal effects of five synthetic microcides to identify a natural inhibitory treatment. Thyme oil and sodium azide were found to be the most active growth inhibitors, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 625 and 100 ppm, with inhibition zone diameters of 19.0 ± 0.70 - 23.76 ± 1.15 and 13.30 ± 0.35 -- 19.66 ± 0.54 mm, respectively. An in vitro simulation of the biodeterioration process was conducted using spores of the A. fumigatus strain NMEC-PSTW.1 on model cubes made of paper, textile, wood, and stone materials. The changes in the characteristics of the artificially deteriorated materials were analyzed using environmental scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The results revealed changes in the morphology, physical properties, and chemical composition induced by A. fumigatus NMEC-PSTW.1. Overall, thyme oil is recommended as a natural inhibitor to protect carbonate and cellulosic monuments in NMEC against fungal attack.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.495-521
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• 2016

Ancient monuments of Greek and Roman classical architecture usually consist of multi-drum columns that are constructed of stone blocks placed on top of each other. Several research studies deal with the seismic behaviour of such structures, since earthquakes are common causes of destruction of such monuments. This paper investigates the effect of multiple earthquakes on the seismic performance of multi-drum columns, through numerical simulations and parametric analyses. The Discrete Element Method and an appropriate contact model have been implemented in a specially developed software application that is able to efficiently perform the necessary simulations in two dimensions. Specifically, various strong ground excitations are used in series for the computation of the collective final deformation of multi-drum columns. In order to calculate this cumulative deformation for a series of ground motions, the individual deformation of the column for each excitation is computed and then used as initial conditions for the next earthquake excitation. Various multi-drum columns with different dimensions are also considered in the analyses in order to examine how the geometric characteristics of columns can affect their seismic sequence behaviour, in combination with the excitation frequency content.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.261-278
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• 2008

The results of the application of shape memory alloy (SMA) prestressing devices on an aqueduct are presented in this paper. The aqueduct was built in 1747 to provide water to the city of Larnaca and to its port. Because of its importance to the cultural heritage of Cyprus, the aqueduct has been selected as one of the case-study monuments in the project Wide-Range Non-Intrusive devices toward Conservation of Historical Monuments in the Mediterranean Area (WIND-CHIME). The Department of Antiquities of Cyprus, acting in a pioneering way, have given their permission to apply the devices in order to investigate their effectiveness in providing protection to the monument against probable catastrophic effects of earthquake excitation. The dynamic characteristics of the structure were determined in two separate occasions and computational models were developed that matched very closely the dynamic characteristics of the structure. In this paper the experimental setup and the measured changes in the dynamic characteristics of the monument after the application of the SMA devices are described.

• The International Journal of Costume Culture
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.23-25
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• 2010

Archaeological evidence shows that cotton fibres of the genus Gossypium were first used for textile production at Mehrgarh, Pakistan in the Neolithic period ($6^{th}$ millenium BC). Eventually the cotton plant and textiles found their way to Egypt and through there, to Greece. However, the chronological origins of the cultivation and/or use of cotton fibres in textile production in ancient Greece are ambiguous. The main sources of information are ancient written texts and excavated textile finds. Both indicate that the introduction of cotton in Greece can be placed in the mid-first millenium BC. However, it is not clear whether the cultivation of the plant and consequently the production of cotton textiles was established in that period or whether another cotton species was produced and used locally in Greece or whether isolated examples of cotton textiles had been imported in Greece before the cotton plant. A more comprehensive analytical study of surviving textile finds coupled with archaeological research for plant production and cultivation would provide the answer to these questions.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.183-194
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• 2008

An important historical monument of Cyprus is an aqueduct that was built in 1747 to provide water to the city of Larnaca and to its port. Because of its importance to the cultural heritage of Cyprus, the aqueduct has been selected as one of the case-study monuments in the project Wide-Range Non-Intrusive devices toward Conservation of Historical Monuments in the Mediterranean Area (WIND-CHIME). Detailed drawings of the aqueduct obtained from the Department of Antiquities of Cyprus have been used for the development of a computational model. The model was fine-tuned through the measurement of the dynamic characteristics of the aqueduct using forced and ambient vibrations. It should be noted that measurement of the dynamic characteristics of the structure were performed twice in a period of three years (June of 2004 and May of 2007). Significant differences were noted and they are attributed to soil structure interaction effects due to seasonal variations of the water-level in a nearby salt-lake. The system identification results for both cases are presented here. This monument was used to test the effectiveness of shape memory alloy (SMA) pre-stressed devices, which were developed during the course of the project, in protecting it without spoiling its monumental value.

• Conservation Science in Museum
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• v.18
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• pp.93-114
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• 2017

This paper reviewed a total of eight sites in Vietnam inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List. The sites include the five cultural heritage sites(the Central Sector of the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, Citadel of the Ho Dynasty, My Son Sanctuary, Hoi An Ancient Town, and Complex of Hué Monuments), two natural heritage sites (Ha Long Bay and Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park), and one mixed heritage site (Trang An Landscape Complex). All these sites are situated in the northern and central areas of the country, and no inscribed site exists in the south. The two natural heritage sites and the Trang An Landscape Complex, a mixed heritage site, feature a typical Karst topographic landscape with limestone caves, cliffs, stalactites, and underwater rivers. The four cultural heritage sites as well as Hoa Lu of the Trang An Landscape Complex mainly consist of remains of the citadels of the capitals of ancient Vietnamese dynasties from the northern region. Due to the complex political situation in the aftermath of the long Vietnam War and the subsequent unification of the country, the Vietnamese government has been giving priority for inscription on the World Heritage List to sites with historical legitimacy in the northern region. It is hoped that the Vietnamese government will pursue more integrated cultural policies in the future that can help reduce north-south regional disparities.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.311-320
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• 2019

Obelisks are historical monuments. There are several obelisks dating from ancient Egyptian period, located around various parts of the world. The city of Istanbul is a home to the Obelisk of Theodosius at the Hippodrome. Due to the expectation of a large event in the near future, the evaluation of seismic response of the Obelisk gets importance. Therefore, in this study structural dynamic behavior of the Obelisk was investigated using discrete element approach. Nonlinear dynamic analyses were performed using real and synthetic time series. Real and synthetic ground motions analyzed from this study seems consistent with the earthquake hazard levels that would be expected at the site of the Obelisk in the occurrence of an event of moment magnitude above 7.0 near Istanbul. Results are evaluated in terms of variation of displacement, relative displacement of adjacent blocks, normal stress and shear stress in time.

• The Journal of Art Theory & Practice
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• no.4
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• pp.7-32
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• 2006

This study is about the cultural policy related to fine art under the U. S. Military Government in Korea(USAMGIK), from September 8, 1945, to August 15, 1948. Drawing on the previous studies of Korean art history in the 'Liberation Period', this study especially concentrates on intention, attitude and activities of the USAMGIK. Particularly the historical documents, stored at the National Archives at the College Park, Maryland, U.S.A., were valuable to do research on the cultural policy of USAMGIK. The cultural policy was subordinated to the political objectives of occupation that can be summarized to building a stronghold of anti-communism in South Korea. Under the U.S. Military government control, cultural matters were assigned to the Cultural Section, the Bureau of Education, which later turns into the Bureau of Culture, the Department of Education. The Bureau of Culture dealt with matters of the ancient Korean art treasures and of the Korean contemporary art. USAMGIK reopened the Korean National Museum which had been closed by the Japanese since the World War II period. After that, U.S. Department of State sent arts & monuments specialists to South Korea for investigating ancient Korean art and culture. Although some of the destructed art treasures were restored during the occupation, th ere were many negative cases including intentional destruction of historic sites or loot of art treasures by U.S. army. In contrast to their interest in the Korean antiquities, USAMGIK payed little attention to promoting the Korean contemporary artists and their arts. USAMGIK distrusted and suppressed the artists of leftism, while they kept good relations with the pro-American artists and the right-wing artists. In conclusion, the visual-cultural policy of USAMGK was mainly planned and carried out in order to preserve the national interest of the United States. This period produced long-term effects on the fine art and visual culture of South Korea, in terms of institution, policy, and reorganization of art community based on anti-cummunism.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.321-326
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• 2001

Radionuclide X-ray fluorescence analysis is a method, which has many advantages for analysing various historic artefacts, as it is relatively cheap, sensitive and non-destructive, and it allows measurements in-situ. However, this analysis has also certain limitations especially concerning sensitivity to chemical elements only, irrespective of the compounds or chemical forms in which these elements have been bonded. In addition, light elements emitting very soft X-rays cannot be measured, and in order to detect a wide range of elements, it is necessary to carry out repeated measurements with different radiation sources. Despite these limitations, valuable information can be obtained about the composition of historic materials and data about the origin and age of these artefacts can be derived. Analyses of wall paintings, ancient metal sculptures or other objects of art provide the basis for historic considerations documented in our results for some objects belonging to the Czech cultural heritage. The results are promising. Thus it is expected that our laboratory will expand its work into more fields of the fine and applied arts.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.553-563
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• 2013

The present study aims to show how the problem of reproducing, as closely as possible, binders of historic mortars by mixing raw materials which are commercially available, can be formulated as a linear optimization problem. The study points out that by mixing five standard raw materials (end-members) it is possible to obtain mortar binders with the almost same chemical compositions of those determined on the historic and archaeological mortar samples studied in some recent scientific papers. An advanced function of the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, the Solver add-in, was used for the calculation of the right amount of each raw material to be mixed for producing the new binders. This approach could be useful to provide an optimal solution in the process of restoration of ancient monuments, where it is necessary to replace the historic mortars with new highly compatible repair mortars.