The analysis of the Italian preposition su in spatial contexts (static, involving undirectional movement or dynamic) leads to the conclusion that su engenders support and contiguity schema interpretation in whatever context it appears. The term support implies terms such as surface and contiguity (contact). In both static and dynamic contexts the location of a trajector is visualized as contigously situated on the surface of the landmark. In both cases the landmark is an idealized plane whose boundaries are perceptively unimportant in a given configuration, even though in the real world they are clearly cut. The boundaries, which are not focalized, render possible the temporal uses of the unit su with the meaning of an approximate location in time.

The Polish equivalents of su phrases are the following: na+loc, na+acc, po+loc, około(koło)+gen. The structures na+loc, na+acc involve the support and contiguity schema. The construction około(koło) +gen can be analyzed with near – far schema and applies to the approximate location in space and time in Polish. The schematic meaning is conveyed not only by prepositional units but also by inflectional case governed by prepositions. Usually such a case is convergent with dynamic (accusative) or static (locative, genitive) predication.

The paper gives an evidence that construction of contemporary objects at the interface with the historic urban space, may be a way to renew and revitalize areas which require it. Such action may be a strong and valuable catalyst for the functional and visual transformation of a given fragment of urban space. It can also contribute to the increase of social activity within it. Research shows that public facilities from the turn of the 20th and 21st century, which were built using innovative architectural technologies and constructional solutions, are the buildings which provide great opportunities to contrast with historical architecture. This can be achieved due to their significant scale and rank in the urban space. The analyzes show that design based on the principle of contrast is the right solution for the degraded historic urban space. The replenishment of the old tissue should be carried out with the emphasis on the identity of the times in which we live, without creating architecture which could literally imitate historical objects or compete with them. Because of this contrast and diversity, new fragments of the city can become a counterweight or a valuable background to the existing historical tissue. Contemporary buildings located in a historical context are not only enhancing the values of cultural heritage but can also become a grateful element of the urban space and a strong accent of modernity and innovation in the city.

The author considers the mechanisms limiting women’s access to power and the validity of their advance to positions of authority. She uses research into two extremely different social institutions–the Italian Mafia and the Polish Sejm (parliament)–in an attempt to illustrate that the contemporary process of redefining traditional cultural concepts of gender is not only an indicator of the spread of pro-equality attitudes but could equally well be considered an element of activity intended to preserve the patriarchal order. From this viewpoint, the ad hoc reconstructing of cultural concepts of gender is chiefly aimed at maintaining the constituting principle of the patriarchy–maintaining men’s domination at the price of breaking men’s monopoly on power. This process could therefore be perceived also as a symptom of the durability of the patriarchal model of social ties.

Hydrocarbon production under certain geological conditions of these deposits can cause surface subsidence and deformation of the terrain surface. Such deformations appear as subsidence troughs of considerable range and the magnitude of the subsidence depending on the total thickness of the reservoir, compaction properties of reservoir and on the number of other factors. In the past there have been widely recognized magnitudes of the subsidence up to 9 meters. The stress zones in the subsidence trough may affect the buildings and surface structures. However there have been well known some cases of destroyed boreholes or pipelines belonging to the gas or oil mine. Therefore there is a requirement to analyze the possibility of occurrence unfavorable phenomenon on the ground surface, to monitor surface deformations during production and to protect surface infrastructure located in the range of mining influences. In the paper the issue of surface subsidence caused by hydrocarbon production has been presented. The cause - effect relationship between the compaction of thereservoir rock and the subsidence of surface area has been assumed. The prediction model base on the influence function and on the superposition of elementary influences. For the purpose of building damage protection a new model of risk assessment has been developed. This model base on the elements of fuzzy logicallows to incorporate in the analysis the quantitative and qualitative factors that contribute to the risk of building damage. Use of the fuzzy logic made it possible to obtain one value which clearly discriminate the risk of buildings damage. However, risk analyzes of damage to the large number of buildings has been required additional tools. The spatial analysis has been made by using GIS. The subjects of the paper have been illustrated with a practical example.

The paper presents the concept of a fully planar treeshaped antenna with quasi-fractal geometry. The shape of the proposed radiator is based on a multi-resonant structure. Developed planar tree has symmetrical branches with different length and is fed by a coplanar waveguide (CPW) with modified edge of the ground plane. The antenna of size 29 mm x25 mm has been designed on Taconic - RF-35 substrate (r = 3.5, tg= 0.0018, h = 0.762 mm). The paper shows simulated and measured characteristics of return loss, as well as measured radiation patterns. The proposed antenna could be a good candidate for broadband applications (for instance: wideband imaging for medical application and weather monitoring radars in satellite communication etc.)

Most of the medieval Italian cities are civitas born of the ruins of the ancient Roman civilization. Their beauty ist the origin for deep esthetical experiences, to which Sławomir Gzell gave the name bellezza. There are a few characteristic features composing the "picturesqueness", painterliness and harmony of those cities, which lead the observer to strong emotions and constant, sensual exploration. The author contemplates the aspects creating the phenomrnon of beauty of Italian cities and towns - which are the metapfor of human desires and deepest cravings.

Brasilia. A city that is a utopia. An experiment. A political act. A city that is a symbol and a manifesto. Built because of an idea and boldly cast deep inland. And although it was built in the 1960’s, it still elicits strong emotions. This masterfully planned city was meant to be a model centre and an aesthetic symbol of new modernist thought, as well as the key to the success of Brazil’s young society. Over sixty years have passed since signing the founding act of the city by the socialist and populist Juscelino Kubitschek. How is this urban masterwork, the symbol of Brazilian postmodernism, that once surprised and enchanted the entire world, developing today? What is left of the imaginings and assumptions of functionalists? Can we state that this globally unique experiment was successful?

Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) is an important factor used to measure water pollution. This article reviews recent developments of microbial biosensors with respect to their applications for low BOD estimation. Four main methods to measure BOD using a biosensor are described: microbial fuel cells, optical methods, oxygen electrode based methods and mediator-based methods. Each of them is based on different principles, thus a different approach is required to improve the limit of detection. A proper choice of microorganisms used in the biosensor construction and/or sample pre-treatment processes is also essential to improve the BOD lower detection limit.

This paper addresses the nonlinear Cucker–Smale optimal control problem under the interplay of memory effect. The aforementioned effect is included by employing the Caputo fractional derivative in the equation representing the velocity of agents. Sufficient conditions for the existence of solutions to the considered problem are proved and the analysis of some particular problems is illustrated by two numerical examples.

This paper addresses the problem of designing secure control for networked multi-agent systems (MASs) under Denial-of-Service (DoS) attacks. We propose a constructive design method based on the interaction topology. The MAS with a non-attack communication topology, modelled by quasi-Abelian Cayley graphs subject to DoS attacks, can be represented as a switched system. Using switching theory, we provide easily implementable sufficient conditions for the networked MAS to remain asymptotically stable despite DoS attacks. Our results are applicable to both continuous-time and discrete-time systems, as well as to discrete-time systems with variable steps or systems that combine discrete and continuous times.