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The research deals with microscopic photography of plant cells and benefiting from it in producing contemporary painting works, as nature is the greatest inspiration for art and beauty at many aspects, Science tries to reveal the rules and beauty of nature through the microscope, as it plays a major role in revealing the beauty of nature as an approach in scientific research, It is a direction which has made some consider it a kind of art. Modern technology and many tools such as optical microscope are really an intermediary for the producing works of art; It is considered a fertile field that helps an artist to see the items and elements of nature and its components, which cannot be seen with the naked eye, Study its visual attributes, observe beyond nature and discover its laws and building systems. It is considered a fertile source of colors, laws, shapes and relations between elements and items in expressing and artistic to structures, this urges the artist to innovate and open new horizons for the innovative vision which has varieties lead to the richness of works of art.The question of the research lies in the following:The extent of benefiting from the technique microscopic photography of plant cells The research aims at contemplating in God's creative ability and diving into the depths of nature which has not been discovered yet, It also aims to benefit from the excretions of microscopic photography as a source of seeking inspiration which contributes in enriching visual vision, That helps in creating modern works of painting, and finding various experimental entrances for that. The importance of the research lies also at emphasizing the importance of the relationship between science and fine art and their interrelation, upgrading innovative practice in the field of painting and benefiting from microscopic photography technology in creating contemporary painting works. The research also concerns seeking inspiration from the outcome of microscopic photography of plant cells, and making self-applications based on seeking inspiration of painting works inspired from microscopic photography of plant cells, The research uses the descriptive, analytical and quasi-experimental methodology.

The temporal and spatial evolution of dispersed media is a fundamental problem in a wide range of physicochemical systems, such as emulsions, suspensions and aerosols. These systems are multiphasic and involve compounds of different densities. They are therefore subject to the influence of gravity which determines the sedimentation rate of their dispersed phase. This effect can be dominant and prevent a detailed study of the phenomena occurring between the constituents themselves, such as the coalescence of drops in emulsions, the evaporation of droplets or the flocculation in suspensions. In this context, the Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales (CNES) has recently supported the development of a new instrument to produce populations of droplets, a few micrometers in radius, under controlled conditions with the objective of allowing a detailed study of their properties in microgravity conditions. The principle of this instrument is to generate, by a fast compression/expansion of air, populations of water droplets and to track their evolution by optical scanning tomography in transmission mode within a volume of approximately 2 mm$^{3}$. Parabolic flight experiments have shown the possibility to generate and accurately follow the evolution of populations of several hundred droplets for more than 20 s. The first experimental results show that it is possible to study their evaporation kinetics or their motion when imposing von Karman swirling flows. This work is part of the AEROSOL project of DECLIC-EVO supported by CNES and aims to help the understanding of cloud microphysics which remains a critical open problem in the context of global warming.

Even if forensics and archeology are separate sciences, they have in common a methodology for searching and discovering the traces, as a result of human activities carried out in the past. An archaeological fingerprint on a single object can reveal four aspects: it provides a sign of an individual's identity; it indicates when the individual was alive; it indicates the geographical area in which the individual lived; it indicates the action performed by a person, such as writing a text, sealing an object, having a specific job, etc. The collection, storage and comparative use of data, preferably from the entire area of the Cucuteni culture, could reveal more details about the man behind the artifact. As for fingerprints that can be corroborated with other historical sources, they can provide information about the role, occupation, or authority of individuals within society, or they can provide information about the duration of individual activities. Regarding the information potential that we aim to obtain from this study, as well as from future ones, it is related to the possibility to demonstrate the existence of craft centers. Regarding the ceramic production within the Cucuteni Culture, the existence of craftsmen was presumed due to the exceptional quality of the vessels, as well as some repetitive patterns of shape and decoration. Specifically, the same shapes, sizes and decorations are found in the same cultural phase. The same quality of clay processing and burning is observed in several settlements, along with the existence of special kilns for pottery, which led to the conclusion that there must have been a specialization of some people who were initiated in the art of pottery.

The calcareous skeletons built by invertebrate organisms share a paradoxical property. Although growing outside the mineralizing cell layers the crystal-like skeleton units exhibit morphologies and three-dimensional arrangements that imply an efficient link between crystallization process and taxonomy. Almost two centuries of investigation led to a series of developmental models in which biological and physical or chemical influences are variously balanced. Recent innovative methods allow for their re-examination. From control of the overall shape of the shell to photo-spectroscopic evidence at the atomic level, influence of the biological processes on mineral properties may be a widely shared specificity of the calcareous biomineralization mechanism.

Density Functional Theory has made the study of biomaterials feasible in the past years leading to better understanding of causes and possible treatments of related pathologies. Although it has been successfully applied in many fields, it has not yet consistently found its way into the field of pathological calcifications. An overview will be given of the studies where this technique has been applied in order to outline the important contributions that it can bring in the field of biomineralization. More specifically, studies on DFT calcifications from calcium oxalates and calcium phosphates, with relevance to bone formation and kidney stones, will be reviewed. Finally, a short outlook on silica mineralization will be presented as well.

Bridging an analysis at both microscopic and mesoscopic scales, this article sheds light on the construction of the syncretic doctrine of Deguchi Onisaburō--co-founder of the new religious movement Ōmoto--in the 1920s. It explores the issues and limits of this syncretism in an imperial context. Despite a universal ambition and the constitution of a transnational network based on the idea of international religious harmony, the leader's syncretic discourse was nonetheless based on a particularist postulate that placed Japan at the top of the world hierarchy and emphasized the universal messiah status of the co-founder, holder of the divine truth transmitted by the Shintō deities. Ōmoto's creed thus appears as a strategic syncretism acting as a veritable spiritual colonialism capable of supporting the imperialist enterprise of modern Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cultural background of the proliferation of early paper in Central Asia and its use outside China has rarely been explored. Since written sources are inconclusive regarding the origins and spread of papermaking, archaeological and material evidence assumes increased importance. The preserved manuscripts found along the Silk Road have been used as a key source in the study of religion, literature and the cultural history of Central Asia. They have, however, rarely been viewed as artefacts in their own right, with their own specific form and produced by a specific technology. Paper is one of the most important physical aspects of a manuscript and at the same time bears witness to early papermaking technologies. As an introduction to the vol­ume Asian paper as writing support, this article outlines the early history and technology of pa­permaking as revealed by the oldest manuscripts in existence, those found along the Silk Road.

Introduction: According to the World Health Organization, Microscopy is the gold standard for diagnosing malaria. However, the performance of this examination depends on the experience of the microscopist and the level of parasitemia. Thus, molecular biology detection of malaria could be an alternative technique., Aim: evaluate the contribution of molecular biology in detecting imported malaria., Methods: This was a descriptive, prospective study, including all students, from the Monastir region, and foreigners, from countries endemic to malaria. The study period was from September 2020 to April 2021. Each subject was screened for malaria by three methods: direct microscopic detection of Plasmodium, detection of plasmodial antigens, and detection of plasmodial DNA by nested PCR., Results: Among the 127 subjects screened, only one had a positive microscopic examination for Plasmodium falciparum. Among the 126 subjects with a negative microscopic examination, twelve students had a positive nested PCR result, i.e. 9.5%. Molecular sequencing allowed the identification of ten isolates of Plasmodium falciparum, one Plasmodium malariae and one Plasmodium ovale. Our study showed that the results of nested PCR agreed with those of microscopy in 90.6% of cases., Conclusion: Nested PCR seems more sensitive for the detection of low parasitemias. Hence the importance of including molecular biology as a malaria screening tool to ensure better detection of imported cases.

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This article gives an overview of some techniques developed to access an accurate information on the structure of meat and meat products. The meat industry needs a reliable information about the quality of meat throughout the production process in order to guarantee consumers high quality of meat products. Reliable information's about the quality of meat (tenderness, flavor, juiciness, color) can be provided by different methods of evaluating the meat structure, either by mechanical shear force (Warner-Bratzler), optical (measurements color, fluorescence), ultrasonic measurements, electromagnetic waves, NMR, NIR, and so on. These measurements are often used to construct meat structure images that are fused, then processed by multi-image analysis, which requires appropriate processing methods. Quality characteristics related to mechanical properties are often better evaluated by methods that take into account the natural anisotropy of meat because of its relatively linear myofibrillar structure. Biophysical methods, for evaluation, can either directly measure the properties of the meat components, or calculate them indirectly using obvious correlations between one or more biophysical measurements and the properties of the meat components. Taking these calculations and modeling the main relevant biophysical properties involved can help improve our understanding of the properties of meat, meat products and therefore quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent revolution in optical fluorescence microscopy, supported by the optimization of both spatial resolution and acquisition speed, led to the ability to visualize nano-scaled objects. Currently, the use of a new generation of super-resolution fluorescence microscopes coupled to improved fluorescent probes gives the possibility to study the replicative cycle of viruses in living cells, at the single-virus and molecule level. In this review, after a brief chronological description of these new approaches, we highlight several examples of super-resolution microscopies that have allowed to revisit our understanding of several human viruses and of host-pathogen interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Résumé: La révolution très récente de la microscopie optique, associée à l'optimisation de la résolution spatiale et de la vitesse d'observation, a ouvert l'accès à la visualisation d'objets nanométriques. Ainsi, l'utilisation d'une nouvelle génération de microscopes de super-résolution combinée à l'amélioration des marqueurs fluorescents pour les protéines ou les lipides, permet désormais d'étudier le cycle réplicatif des virus à l'échelle de la molécule unique dans des modèles cellulaires fixés, mais aussi vivants, avec une précision nanométrique. Après une brève description chronologique et technique de ces nouvelles approches, nous détaillerons dans cette revue quelques exemples de microscopies de super-résolution ayant permis de revisiter notre compréhension du cycle de réplication de certains virus affectant l'humain, dans l'étude des relations hôte-pathogènes à l'échelle du virus et de la molécule unique. The recent revolution in optical fluorescence microscopy, supported by the optimization of both spatial resolution and acquisition speed, led to the ability to visualize nano-scaled objects. Currently, the use of a new generation of super-resolution fluorescence microscopes coupled to improved fluorescent probes gives the possibility to study the replicative cycle of viruses in living cells, at the single-virus and molecule level. In this review, after a brief chronological description of these new approaches, we highlight several examples of super-resolution microscopies that have allowed to revisit our understanding of several human viruses and of host-pathogen interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION: Malaria has proven to be the most fatal parasitic disease known to man. Among the pillars to malaria control are early and accurate diagnosis. In 2010, the World Health Organization launched its test, treat and track initiative which seeks to ensure that all suspected cases of malaria are tested. However, after several years of implementation, the use of malaria tests in diagnosing malaria has not been optimum. This study was conducted to assess the level of knowledge of prescribers on malaria Rapid Diagnostic Test and microscopy and to determine factors influencing prescribers’ decision to request and use malaria tests in practice. Method: a cross sectional study was carried out among 100 prescribers of various categories working in 4 hospitals in Ghana in March 2019. A pre-tested self-administered questionnaire was used to collect information on knowledge, malaria diagnostic practices and challenges faced by prescribers regarding parasitological testing for malaria in their health facilities. Results: overall, 73% of respondents had good knowledge on malaria diagnostics. Routine use of malaria tests in diagnosing malaria was reported as 84%. Only 9% reported complete reliance on test results. Most participants (90%) reported awareness of the test-based case management of malaria. Conclusion: this study demonstrated that even though there was a high level of awareness of the test-before treatment policy among prescribers, significant numbers did not routinely request a malaria test for all suspected cases of malaria. Factors cited as barriers by prescribers were both health worker and health-system related that are all potentially modifiable.

The pathological examination of ocular tumors has specificities in terms of macroscopic management, microscopic analysis, and molecular examinations requiring special attention. We discuss here the difficulties encountered in the reception in the pathological anatomy laboratory of conjunctival samples, enucleation and orbital exenteration pieces, then detail the diagnostic and theranostic, microscopic and molecular characteristics of ocular tumor pathologies. Conjunctival tumors (epithelial, melanocytic and lymphoid), choroidal tumors (including uveal melanoma) and retinoblastoma are treated. Because of their low frequency and their features, these tumors should be the subject of anatomo-clinical discussions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this work is to demonstrate changes in properties and increase of biological activity of nicotinamide (NAM) substance for skin protectants activated by mechanical activation (MA). To assess the physical, chemical and biological properties of NAM were used biotesting by the Spirotox-method, direct and indirect optical methods (microscopy, laser diffraction), infrared spectroscopy, pH-metry. The results of the study showed an increase in biological activity, expressed in changes in the energy of activation of cell transition to the “dead cell” state on the example of biosensor Spirostomum ambiguum. Also we indicated an increase in the rate of the chemical process of dissolution of mechanoactivated molecular crystals of nicotinamide (NAM) expressed in the values of the first order rate constant. Mechanical activation at a high rate of NAM substance powder deformation has led to changes in physical, chemical and biological properties of the drug, which can be used in medicine to increase efficiency and reduce doses of pharmacotherapy.

INTRODUCTION: The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends testing of suspected malaria cases before treatment. Malaria rapid diagnostic test (mRDT) has been recommended for this purpose in endemic countries where microscopy is not accessible. However, its diagnostic performance remains a concern in clinical settings. We assessed diagnostic performance of RDT among febrile under-five children (U5) presenting at Oni Memorial Children's Hospital, Ibadan (OMCH). METHODS: a cross-sectional study was conducted among 370 febrile U5 attending OMCH February to May, 2016. We examined their finger prick blood samples for malaria parasitaemia using CareStartTM histidine rich protein II (HRP-2) RDT and microscopy. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values (PPV, NPV), false positive (FP), invalid rates (IR), likelihood ratio of positive and negative tests (LRP and LRN), were calculated. RESULTS: mean age of the children was 28.17 , 15.59 months. Malaria prevalence was 21.6% and 15.1% by mRDT and microscopy, respectively. Sensitivity of CareStartTM HRP-2 RDT was 94.6% (95% confidence interval (CI): 84.2-98.6), specificity: 91.4% (CI: 87.6-94.2), PPV: 66.3% (CI: 54.7-76.2), NPV: 98.9% (CI: 96.8-99.7), FPR 6.5%, IR 8.1%, LRP:10.6 and LRN:0.1. CONCLUSION: diagnostic performance of CareStartTM used in the study met the e"95% sensitivity at 100 parasites/,L recommended by WHO. This finding provides clinical evidence that testing before anti-malarial treatment as recommended by WHO will identify cases of malaria infection and reduce unnecessary use of drugs. Healthcare workers should be educated on diagnostic accuracy of mRDT and adhere to the WHO's test-treat strategy for anti-malaria therapy.

Résumé L’exploration d’une hyperéosinophilie sanguine (HES) au retour de voyage est une démarche complexe qui requiert une collaboration étroite entre cliniciens et biologistes. La prise en charge du patient nécessite de rechercher dans un premier temps une cause fréquente (médicamenteuse, allergique ou parasitaire), mais aussi de s’assurer de l’absence d’effet délétère liée à l’HES elle-même. Dans un second temps, pourront être évoquées des étiologies plus rares telles que maladies de systèmes, maladies immunitaires et pathologies tumorales. Même au retour d’un séjour en zone tropicale où le risque parasitaire apparaît plus élevé, cette attitude diagnostique devra être respectée afin de ne pas écarter trop rapidement une étiologie non parasitaire. L’interrogatoire du patient devra préciser la symptomatologie (fièvre, diarrhées, prurit…), rechercher la prise de médicaments, préciser les antécédents allergiques et recueillir des arguments épidémiologiques (origine géographique, profession, mode de vie, voyages, etc.). Une numération-formule sanguine de contrôle sera prescrite dans tous les cas, afin de confirmer l’HES. L’étude de la cinétique de cette dernière est d’ailleurs un élément important dans l’orientation diagnostique. L’examen parasitologique des selles, associé à la technique de Baermann si le patient a séjourné en zone tropicale ou intertropicale, sera renouvelé en cas de négativité. Des sérologies parasitaires seront ensuite prescrites, ciblant notamment anguillulose et toxocarose, respectivement première cause d’HES chez le voyageur et première étiologie autochtone. En cas de négativité du bilan parasitaire, un traitement d’épreuve anti-helminthique est parfois proposé. The investigation of eosinophilia in returning travellers is a complicated process requiring a close collaboration between clinician physicians and biologists. First, a common cause (iatrogenic, allergic or parasitic etiology) should be investigated, but the absence of deleterious effects related to the eosinophilia itself should also be considered. Secondly, significant non-infective conditions such as sytemic, immune or tumoral diseases, should be discussed. Indeed, a non-parasitic etiology should not be too quickly excluded, even when returning from a high parasitic endemic area. Symptoms of the patient (fever, diarrhea, pruritus, etc.), as well as medications and history of allergy should be collected. Besides, epidemiological arguments (native country, occupation, lifestyle, travel, etc.) should be rigorously considered. Eosinophilia have to be confirmed on a complete blood count. Moreover, kinetic study of the eosinophils level is an important element of etiological diagnosis. Three stool examinations will be carried out, along with Baermann’s technique if the patient comes from the tropics. Serological tests will then be performed, first targeting strongyloidiasis and toxocarosis. Empirical treatment targeting helminths may be considered for patients with negative results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preparation and characterization of activated coal from bitter almond shells (Prunus amygdalus). Description of the subject. The present study concerns the preparation of activated coal (AC) from bitter almond (Prunus amygdalus) shells (BASh), a fruit that grows spontaneously in the Setif region (northeast Algeria). Obtaining and characterizing activated coal was the valorization method adopted here. Objectives. The aim of this study was to elucidate the feasibility of the chemical activation of BASh in order to obtain two types of activated coal (AC). Method. The two ACs were obtained from BASh by acid (CAa) and basic (CAb) activation. The final products were investigated for their different physicochemical characteristics: angle of repose, ash, differential screening calorimetry, etc. In the case of CAa, the modeling of the adsorption kinetic of methylene blue (MB), as well as of adsorption isotherms, was also performed. Results. The activation mode seemed to affect unequally the different physicochemical characteristics of both the obtained coals. On the other hand, the adsorption kinetics of the MB by CAa was correctly described by the pseudo-2nd-order model (R² = 0.999). Concerning the modeling of the adsorption isotherm, of the three models tested, the Freundlich model appeared to be the most appropriate to fit the experimental data (R2 = 0.898, mean relative error (MRE) = 38.638 and root mean square error (RMSE) = 1.039). In addition, the activated shell showed an interesting capacity for MB adsorption, estimated at 99.05%.

The near-infrared microscope (NIRM) is an instrument that has demonstrated its great ability to detect contaminants not by analyzing a single spectrum but rather by analyzing hundreds or thousands of spectra from individual particles, while at the same time being a non-destructive and easy-to-use technique. It has been used for the detection of meat-and-bone meal (MBM) in compound feeds within the context of the European bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE; commonly known as "mad cow disease") crisis. This study describes, for the first time, an application of NIRM instrument standardization using a measurement cell in an inter-laboratory study conducted within the framework of a qualitative determination of animal proteins in compound feeds, based on spectra obtained with eight instruments. The standardization cell was assessed for its ability to produce good optical matching of the instruments and/or to evaluate instrument performance.

The European Union Reference Laboratory for the detection of animal proteins in feedingstuffs (EURL-AP) has developed an online micrographs collection supporting its network activities within the European Union for the detection of prohibited animal by-products in feed. So far, the only official method for detecting these by-products is light microscopy, which is highly dependent on the skills of a microscopist because it relies on particle recognition. In order to help the microscopist network to achieve high proficiency levels, it was necessary to create an online reference tool based on micrographs and accessible via an Intranet platform. Members of the National Reference Laboratories for animal proteins in feedingstuffs (NRL-AP) and the International Association for Feedingstuff Analysis – Section Feedingstuff Microscopy (IAG) have access to this micrographs collection. This paper describes how the online collection was created and what conditions had to be taken into account in creating such a tool. It also describes how information are periodically updated and managed within the context of the large amount of information included in each micrograph. The need for a robust back-office system as the foundation for all the research activities in this project is also covered, and the evaluation of the use of the online collection is discussed.

Lithium-ion batteries are well established for use in portable consumer products and are increasingly used in high power electro-mobility and photovoltaic storage applications. In hybrid and plug-in electric vehicles degradation and useful lifetime at standard operation conditions are critical parameters in addition to performance and safety. Here stress-induced ageing of commercially available high power battery cells of the type A123 AHR32113M1 Ultra-B, consisting of a LiFePO4 cathode and a graphite anode have been investigated. A usually accepted capacity loss for electric vehicles of 20% was reached after 8560 stress profiles corresponding to a driving distance of almost 200'000 km. Cycling with a stress profile applying constant power corresponding to the average power and energy of a full stress profile and starting at 60% state of charge showed a much faster capacity loss. Electric impedance measurements show the dependence of the capacity loss and constant phase element at low frequency, indicating Li-ion diffusion blocking in the cathode. Microscopic analysis of anode, separator, and cathode, shows defect formation in bulk material and at interfaces.

In 2005, the Swiss official feed inspection of Agroscope Liebefeld-Posieux Research Station (ALP) was mandated to check bird feed and raw materials for the presence of Ambrosia sp. seeds. Indeed, such seeds were found in varying amounts when analyzed in the feed microscopy laboratory. The producers were informed, and a limit of intervention (50 mg.kg-1 ≈ 9 to 10 seeds.kg-1) was finally set for this undesirable component. The results of five years of controls show, at first, around 50% of contaminated samples. With appropriate measures, the level of contamination could be lowered in the following years. In parallel, the size of Ambrosia sp. seeds and the sieves to be used for routine analyses were checked. Ambrosia sp. seeds found in feed checked in Switzerland were seldom larger ("wider") than 3.5 mm and never smaller than 1.5 mm. Several EU Member States started their own control and monitoring programs. The results of studies from Germany, Slovenia and Denmark, presented by their feed microscopists at the IAG meetings, indicate the presence of Ambrosia sp. seeds in 21 to 75% of the products put on the market.

Classical and chemometric methods have been used to detect falsified maize gluten products. Microscopic observations (numerous starch grains, seed envelopes and wheat bran fragments) clearly showed the presence of atypical maize gluten particles in samples with otherwise normal crude protein levels (≥ 60%) and the usual gold-yellow color. Chemical analyses in a few samples confirmed the presence of urea (19 to 174 g.kg-1), melamine (0 to 20 g.kg-1), and cyanuric acid (0 to 10 g.kg-1) coping for the low levels of methionine (0 to 13 g.kg-1) in incriminated products (genuine maize gluten methionine level ≥ 16 g.kg-1). Furthermore, a fast technique (an electronic nose based on mass spectrometry detection) also proved to be reliable for the identification of falsified maize gluten products: 100% correct classification of model and unknown samples was achieved with principal component analysis. As a consequence of these results, the Swiss feed-inspection authority blocked the import, or restricted the use, of 2,500 tons of the falsified products.

The ban of processed animal proteins (PAPs) in feed for farmed animals led to a significant reduction of the number of bovine spongiform encephalopathy cases. Presently, optical microscopy remains the only reference method for the detection of PAPs to be applied for official control as required by Commission Directive 2003/126/EC. The legislation also foresees that other methods may be applied in addition to classical microscopy, if – for instance – they provide more information about the origin of the animal constituents. Therefore, alternative and complementary techniques were developed as such or in combination. The most promising ones seem to be PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction), near infrared microscopy and imaging, as well as immunology. Within the framework of a PAP ban regardless of its species origin (total feed ban), most of the studies were mainly focused on the ability of the techniques to detect the presence of PAPs at 0.1% (mass percentage of constituents of animal origin in feed) as indicated as limit of detection in the official method protocol. A possible modification of the legislation requires that the techniques are also able to determine their species origin and to quantify them. The present paper gives a state of the art of the different methods.

Can a constructive empiricist make sense of scientific representation? Usually, a scientific model is an abstract entity (e.g., formulated in set theory), and scientific representation is conceptualized as an intentional relation between scientific models and certain aspects of the world. On this conception, since both the models and the representation relation are abstract, a constructive empiricist, who is not committed to the existence of abstract entities, would be unable to invoke these notions to make sense of scientific representation. In this paper, instead of understanding representation as a relation between abstract entities, I focus on the activity of representing, and argue that it provides a way of making sense of representation within the boundaries of empiricism. The activity of representing doesn’t deal with abstract entities, but with concrete ones, such as inscriptions, templates, and blueprints. In the end, by examining the practice of representing, rather than an artificially reified product—the representation—the constructive empiricist has the resources to make sense of scientific representation in empiricist terms.

Background-Rationale: The diagnosis of Loa loa microfilaremia consists in the observation, using a microscope, of microfilariae in a sample of peripheral blood spread on a slide and subsequently stained (the "blood smear technique"). The accurate quantification of Loa loa microfilaremia is important because the choice of the first intention treatment depends on the patient's microfilaremia: severe adverse events can occur in individuals with high microfilarial densities when treated with ivermectin or diethylcarbamazine, the latter drug being the only one which can definitively cure the infection. However, despite the widespread usage of this technique and its role in guiding clinical management of the patient, estimates of its reliability remain scarce., Materials and Methods: We evaluated the reliability (reproducibility and repeatability) of blood smear technique using several sets of 10 L. loo -positive slides, randomly selected, and considered the results with regard to regulatory requirements. The slides had been prepared as part of a clinical trial conducted in Sibiti, Republic of Congo, a region where loiasis is endemic., Results: The estimated and acceptable coefficients of repeatability (NB: the lower, the better) were 13.6% and 16.0%, respectively. The estimated and acceptable coefficients of intermediate reliability (reproducibility) were 15.1% and 22.5%, respectively. The poorest coefficient of intermediate reliability was 19.5% when the tested parameter was related to the technician who performed the readings (10.7% when the reading day was changed). The inter-technician coefficient of variation assessed using 1876 L. loo -positive slides was 13.2%. The coefficient of inter-technician variation considered acceptable was estimated at 18.6%. Discussion-Conclusion. All estimated coefficients of variability were lower than the calculated acceptable coefficients suggesting reliability of the technique, although the lack of laboratory references precludes any conclusion on the quality of this diagnosis. It is imperative to implement a quality system and standardization of procedures for the diagnosis of L. loo microfilaremia, both in endemic countries and in the rest of the world, where the demand for diagnosis has been increasing for years., (Copyright © 2023 SFMTSI.)

The author, through the synthesis of numerous macroscopic observations, presents simple and unavoidable elements which will help the differentiation of two species of close neighboring M. esculenta and M. vulgaris, which are often difficult to separate. A detailed innovative microscopic study is also proposed.L'auteur va, grâce à la synthèse de nombreuses observations macroscopiques, présenter des éléments simples et incontournables qui aideront à la différenciation de deux espèces de morilles proches M. esculenta et M. vulgaris souvent difficiles à séparer. Une étude microscopique novatrice détaillée est également proposée. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Archaeological research at Koumbi Saleh shed light on several successive occupations, spanning from the 8th to the 15th centuries. The associated material, particularly ceramic assemblages, unexpectedly suggests cultural stability and homogeneity. However, technological analysis is revealing important variability in ceramic manufacturing techniques. This study, by showing major discontinuities, is leading to a new interpretation of the former typological analysis. Changes in ceramic industries, occurring at a time period of global evolution, could be related to broader historical processes, of social, economic and political origin.

In the framework of the European Union funded research project STRATFEED for detection and identification of animal proteins in feeds, the microscopic method was optimized at several key steps and better documented. A check list was developed for uniform reporting. Characters of bone fragments, hairs, muscles and gills are fully documented. A so-called muscle ratio has been developed for the identification of muscle fibers at the level of vertebrate classes (mammals, birds and fishes). Both the improved protocol and the entire range of characters which can be observed, are documented in a Decision Support System called ARIES (Animal Remains Identification and Evaluation System). A second internet-based system called STRATFEED-DSS exclusively assists in identification of animal particles in feeds. A new strategy with microscopy as screening technique and either DNA or protein identification as confirmation technique is proposed. The advantages of this combination are the extremely low level of false negatives, low detection limits and the heat-resistant nature of microscopic detection, together with the possibility of a very specific identification of particles by one of the other methods.