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Many more pseudomorphs are nucleated from the azurite matrix interface than nucleated from the azurite crystal surface. In conclusion, the analysis of these pseudomorph illustrations suggests the following: Azurite can continue to grow on azurite while malachite pseudomorphs are growing within. The four azurite crack surfaces have conchoidal fractures on one surface, complete coverage of new secondary azurite on a second surface, and two vertical surfaces with mixed conchoidal areas and new azurite. The governing reaction for malachite growth is: Two azurites plus one water yields three malachites plus carbon dioxide. [Extracted from the article]

PHOTO (COLOR): RMS Program Cover by Susan Robinson THE THIRTY-SEVENTH TECHNICAL SESSION of the Rochester Mineralogical Symposium was cancelled this year due to the COVID-19 virus. By experimenting with the addition of mica of varying thickness to the optical path when viewing a flattened gahnite and garnet in crossed polars, we found that the observed interference figure was the result of the mica even when exceedingly thin. Multiple flattened almandine crystals have also been extracted from muscovite books from Avondale, Pennsylvania. White included the results of optical analyses performed by our research group on a flattened gahnite, which showed that the crystal exhibited a distinctly biaxial interference figure despite being an isometric mineral. [Extracted from the article]

When the ginseng collector is also a mineral collector, new exposures of interesting minerals occasionally turn up. This has led to a long and fruitful collaboration between amateur collectors and professional mineralogists who have described more than four hundred different mineral species and sixty-six new or type-locality minerals from this small quarry in Quebec. The minerals found at this exposure are distinct from those found a mere 90 meters south at the Wollastonite Skarn (WSK), the classic mineral occurrence at Rose Road. The mineral specimens recovered in the years that followed the discovery of the PDM have conveyed a fascinating and complex paragenesis involving numerous different types of pseudomorphs and mineral textures. [Extracted from the article]

One spodumene crystal exceeded 11 meters in length, and crystals in excess of 2 meters in length are common. It is spodumene-rich with more than 50 percent spodumene in some of the upper portions of the pegmatite. These spodumene and montebrasite crystals are comparable in size to the famous crystals from the Etta and Hugo pegmatites in South Dakota, where 14-meter spodumene crystals and 7-meter amblygonite (likely montebrasite) occur (Rickwood [1]). [Extracted from the article]

This paper identifies documented collections of red-sulphur gem casts by Christian Dehn (1696–1770) that have survived unrecognized in three British country houses: Burton Constable in Yorkshire, Burghley House in Lincolnshire, and Mountstuart on the Isle of Bute in Scotland. All three collections resulted from Grand Tours to Italy, where, in Rome, Dehn's workshop supplied bespoke collections of casts representing engraved gemstones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Americanía. Revista de Estudios Latinoamericanos is the property of Revista Americania - Universidad Pablo de Olavide and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Miracle tales are didactic stories related to Buddhist figures, objects, and places that describe supernormal occurrences brought about by acts of great piety and fervent devotion. They present the audience with concrete examples of the workings of karma, while simultaneously setting verifiable historical precedents in a bid to prove the religious efficacy of Buddhism in China. These were also historiographical works, providing a wealth of detail regarding not only religious life and belief in China, but also local lore, politics, architectural trends, and much more. This paper will focus on a text called the Ji shenzhou sanbao gantong lu 集神州三寶感通錄 (T2106), a collection of miracle tales compiled by the seventh-century scholar-monk, Daoxuan 道宣 (596–667 CE). This text is a collection of narratives drawn from literary and epigraphy sources, as well as orally transmitted stories. As a Buddhist figurehead and as the author of many seminal historiographical works, Daoxuan played a central role in the overall localization of this tradition in China. Bearing this in mind, this paper seeks to interpret the "collective images" presented in Daoxuan's collection of miracle tales, those representations of the miraculous and the supernormal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This note focuses on recent discussions on gemstone amulets from Late Antiquity through insights offered in two contributions to the volume Textual Amulets from Antiquity to Early Modern Times: The Shape of Words (Theis and Vitellozzi 2022). After a general presentation of the volume, I turn to the first two chapters, penned each by one of the volume's editors. Paolo Vitellozzi's paper examines the evolution of the textuality of magical gems in light of speech act theories and taxonomies elaborated in earlier secondary literature. Vitellozzi also analyses the complex interaction of medium (the gemstone), text and image in the course of this evolutionary process, showing how writing progressively assumed magical efficacy. In the following paper, Christoffer Theis analyses a specific category of magical gems, namely those which represent divinities with multiple heads. Theis' observations implicitly complement Vitellozzi's conclusions on the textuality of gemstone amulets. In the final paragraphs of this note, I briefly comment on Christian amulets and isopsephisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on the history and use of man-made crystals for jewelry in a contemporary context. The cross-disciplinary contextual review traces human fascination with gemstones back centuries, and covers key developments in their "imitation." The infiltration of these man-made crystals in the market sparked the development of the discipline of gemology, through which they are often painted in a negative light. With innovations in the growth of man-made crystals revolutionizing other industries (engineering, technology, etc.), and their distinction from mined crystals increasingly more challenging, the paper reports on the terminology prescribed to the industry to describe man-made and mined crystals. These descriptions, which include "natural" and "real" versus "synthetic," are interrogated in relation to key texts and a need for the identification of an alternative terminology is proposed. The jewelry industry remains apprehensive about the influx of man-made crystals, and only a small number of man-made crystal suppliers are growing crystals for the purpose of creative exploration beyond the imitation of mined crystals for jewelry. Through the review of artifacts, where man-made crystals have been used, their ability to enable creativity is highlighted, and their further future creative possibilities explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Zeitschrift für Ägyptische Sprache und Altertumskunde is the property of De Gruyter and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper provides a detailed technological characterization of the Roman opus sectile glasses (second century AD) coming from the renowned Gorga collection. Nine glass samples corresponding to imitations of the porfido verde antico, cipollino rosso, rosso antico, giallo antico, diaspro nero e giallo, semesanto and agate/alabaster stones were studied. The aim of this study was twofold: (i) archaeometric, i.e., to provide valuable data on the production, raw materials and techniques of these refined Roman glasses that mimic precious stones and (ii) methodological, i.e., to highlight the good performance of combining polished thin sections and local probe measurements for the study of glassy microstructures. Based on the nature of the flux used, the glasses from the samples were classified as either natron-type or mixed-type (natron/plant ash). The latter stem from remelted glasses and contain relict grains of wollastonite that were not found in the pure natron samples. Relict wollastonite crystals appear to be a proficient petrographic marker to spot recycled glasses along with the commonly used chemical fingerprints. Different production and colouring techniques were identified, even for a given type of imitated stone. Metallic Cu, Ca antimonates and Pb-Fe antimonates were the three opacifiers used for the opaque glasses. Based on the crystal morphologies, metallic Cu and Ca antimoniates were possibly synthesized in situ simultaneously with the glass, whilst the Pb-Fe antimonates were prepared ex situ. The working temperatures for these glasses were estimated within the 900–1100 °C range based on the presence and known thermal stability of some identified crystal phases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Mineral Resources Management / Gospodarka Surowcami Mineralnymi is the property of Mineral & Energy Economy Research Institute of the Polish Academy of Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Topaz is a kind of mineral with variable composition and a common gemstone variety. Because of its wide distribution and rich colors, it has attracted the attention of scholars around the world. In this paper, the composition, spectral, and gemological characteristics of yellow topaz were systematically characterized, and the dark inclusions inside the samples were discussed and analyzed. The results show that the yellow topaz has a glassy luster, transparent, with a refractive index of 1.609–1.617 and a birefringence of 0.008. The topaz sample has columnar crystal shape and a typical rhomboid cross section. The infrared spectral characteristic absorption peaks of yellow topaz mainly appear near 3649, 3426, 950, 628, 550, and 457 cm−1. The characteristic absorption peaks for Raman spectra are mainly at 937, 404, and 267 cm−1. The UV-vis spectra of all samples only had strong absorption bands in the range of 200–300 nm. The results of XRF and EMPA showed that the contents of Al2O3 and SiO2 in the samples were 52.79 (wt%) and 29.55 (wt%), respectively, and it was reasonable to speculate that the chromogenic element of the yellow color was iron. The inclusions in yellow topaz samples are mainly fluid inclusions, healing cracks, and albite. This paper has enriched the gemological characteristics of topaz and can provide theoretical data for the research and marketization of topaz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on Spanish Mineral artist Alexandre Pascual i Nogués. According to the author, Pascual has captured the essence of minerals in his art by presenting remarkable images of crystals using charcoal and graphite. The author adds that Pascual works in the gems and jewelry trade which introduced him to the world of minerals and crystals.

This paper explores inauthenticity in the context of the Gems TV shopping channel using existential phenomenology. Objectively, subjectively and performatively Gems TV fails to convincingly stage a sense of authenticity. This is a televisual format featuring clearcut commercialism, obscure gemstones and opaque verification. Insincere screen performances are not only entertaining, but shoddiness and unpredictability of programming provides backstage glimpses that paradoxically stimulate fantasies of authenticity. Moments of intrapersonal and interpersonal connection arise around viewing. Accordingly, research into the neglected side of the authenticity-inauthenticity dialectic demonstrates that the latter may be a miasma of meanings as complex, contradictory and evocative as the former. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, characterization and discrimination of some silicate gems (gemstones and low-gem quality varieties) from ancient Egyptian mines have been performed for the first time adopting molecular and elemental spectroscopic techniques. The selected gem groups are peridot, beryl/emerald, amazonite, and amethyst. In this sense, characterization of the genuine Egyptian gems and the importance of mineralogical and chemical signatures in a historical context as well as the scope of geoheritage can be achieved for the first time. Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) analysis has been found to be an effective method for the discrimination among different gems groups where a characterizing element for each group in a specific spectral window has been found. Raman and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy spectra have proven to be fingerprints with the ability to distinguish future alteration of the gemstone depending on the molecular vibrational spectroscopy. FTIR provides the functional group that can absorb the infrared radiation and be responsible for the coloring of the gemstones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes and identifies the binders used in the jewel settings of the Baodian and Diexie belts excavated from the tomb of Murongzhi in Wuwei, Gansu, China. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) indicated the presence of protein in the binder samples. The result of gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC‐MS) shows that samples from both contained hydroxyproline, a characteristic amino acid for animal glue. Principal component analysis was performed on one of the samples, and it was concluded that the binder was a mixture of hide glue and egg glue. Further analysis using scanning electron microscopy with energy‐dispersive X‐ray (SEM‐EDX) and laser Raman spectroscopy (Raman) found that a red particulate matter visually identified in the binder was cinnabar, which was apparently added to binder in order to modify the color of the jewels. This study provides a basis for the conservation and restoration of future finds of elite jewelry. It also shows how imperial jewelry was made during the Tang Dynasty. Finally, the analysis of these heraldic belts provides a key insight the life and role of an exiled prince in the Tang court. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transition between the Final Bronze and Early Iron Age remains one of the least understood periods in the archaeology of southern Central Asia. In this paper, we introduce the newly discovered site of Kimirek-kum-1 (floruit ca. 1250–1050 cal b.c.) in the old delta of the Zerafshan River in present-day Uzbekistan. Combined pedestrian survey, geomagnetic prospection, hand augering, and stratigraphic excavation, conducted between 2021 and 2023, demonstrate the site's unique potential to improve our understanding of the Final Bronze/Early Iron Age transition and the interface between the Central Eurasian steppes to the north and the Indo-Iranian world to the south. Notably, our investigations yielded nearly 400 objects in copper alloys, lead, gold, and semi-precious stone. These findings strongly suggest that Kimirek-kum-1 represents a substantial new Final Bronze/Early Iron Age center with extensive external links. It raises critical questions about the continuity of long-distance exchanges and elite networks after the end of the Oxus civilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The suggestion in this paper tackles the uncertainty of choosing the best analysis and selection of high-quality gemstones based on multiple specific criteria of quantitative and qualitative nature. In this paper, we use the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (F-AHP) in order to make the right decision to know the quality of the gemstone. This method is based on an effective algorithm through comparisons between the characteristics of the stones and their weight. F-AHP applies in this work to select one criterion from five criteria (specific gravity, color, clarity, cleavage, and Hardness). From the outcome, we note the hat standard of gem size is not always the best standard as seen by some researchers, and we found that small-sizzled stones are sometimes better effective and more flexible than others. Through this study, we note that the method helps reduce bias in decision-making, and method the comparisons are converted into numerical values that are processed and compared within with hierarchy that is related to the fuzzy logic with the property of uncertainty. All computations are applied by MATLAB language. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taj Mahal is the finest example of Mughal architecture. It has its place among the seven Wonders of the age. A dream in marble, A noble tribute to Indian womanhood, built by Mughal Emperor Shahjahan in memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. In Taj Mahal, fusion of Persian, Indian and Islamic art and architectural elements can be seen in excellent form. World's best architects, Masson, workers and inlay workers approximately 20,000 in number, worked for twenty years regularly and finally, in 1653, it was ready for the public. Its architecture, garden, pitradura work, red sandstone buildings of MehmanKhana, mosque are eternal testament of the aesthetic and scientific accomplishment of Shahjahan's golden age. Taj Mahal was conceptualized not only as a mausoleum but also a dream of Mumtaz Mahal and Shahjahan which came true in the form of marble on the earth. It's an evidence of the aesthetic sense and taste of Shahjahan. In the present paper Researcher has tried to show not only the beauty of the Taj Mahal's architecture but also it's aesthetic aspects. Historical background of site, its gardens, fountains, elements, the cost of the precious stones used in the Taj Mahal are all detailed after thorough research. Views of great personalities about the intricacies of Mausoleum also find place in the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Archeologia Medievale: Cultura Materiale, Insediamenti, Territorio is the property of All'Insegna del Giglio s.a.s. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Espacio, Tiempo y Forma. Serie VII, Historia del Arte is the property of Editorial UNED and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In this paper, we present an automated system for the visual inspection of cubic zirconia (CZ) cut quality. In particular, we inspect the cut quality from pavilion facets of the CZ. For the hardware, the system includes a computerized-control mechanical part that performs both the task of feeding the CZ to the inspection station and the task of separating the gemstone according to the inspection result. In terms of software, we propose an image processing algorithm that consists of two major steps. For the first step, pavilion facets are extracted from the CZ image acquired from the pavilion side. In particular, we resort to the idea of 1-D edge detection in conjunction with random sample consensus line fitting for the pavilion facet extraction. For the second step, a set of measures derived from the extracted facet structure are calculated and are used for cut quality judgment as either accept or reject. The metrological analysis of the system is also investigated. We perform an experiment to inspect 1756 object images consisting of both good and bad samples. The performance of our system yields to about 5.21% of false reject rate and 0% of false acceptance rate. The system can inspect CZ with a rate of 1 sample/s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grown crystals are used for a range of novel innovations supporting a wide array of industries. Within the jewellery industry however, grown crystals are only used in a limited capacity and mainly as a surrogate for mined gemstones. This paper investigates the methodology of Crystal Growing Design, through conducting experiments testing four hypotheses developed around the practice. Through utilising a DIY approach the author investigates the opportunities and challenges presented by incorporating the methodology into her jewellery design practice. Sugar, alum and salt are experimented with to provide a theoretical experimentation of the methodology to justify the further incorporation and adaptation of more enhanced growing processes as used for the growing of gemstone quality crystals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to the high market values of natural sunstones in Oregon, a kind of artificially diffused red feldspar exhibited at the Tucson Exhibition at the beginning of this century, whose color origin is the same as that of natural sunstone (copper nanoparticles). However, the details of the artificial diffusion process are less disclosed, there is no systematic method to obtain such gemstones. In this paper, we developed the high-temperature copper diffusion process for the surface recoloring of faceted labradorites, which are partly buried in the diffusant. By optimizing the experimental parameters of high-temperature copper diffusion, we successfully recolored the faceted labradorites to red and light red. The gemological and spectroscopic characteristics of the recolored faceted labradorite were further characterized. The red and light-red faceted labradorites exhibited the unique surface plasmon resonance absorption peaks of copper nanoparticles near 580 nm, which is the origin of red color. The typical inclusions formed in the faceted labradorite is in the shape of "fire cloud". The interface of red and light-red faceted labradorite that is in contact with the diffusant is less contaminated, we believe that the contamination could be further reduced or eliminated by optimizing the high-temperature copper diffusion process. The way that the sample is in contact with the diffusant partly is versatile and promising in the surface treatment of materials that have already been processed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Minerals and metals are crucial raw materials for industries and a major source of development for the country. In India there has been a pronounced growth in the exploration for minerals both in terms of quantity and value. To further enhance the growth rate and remove any bottleneck, the government has taken several legislative reforms through more transparency and non-discretion by way of first-come, first-served basis in the allocation of mineral concessions, through Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) (MMDR) Amendment Act, 2015. Recently, MMDR Act, 1957 has been amended through the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2021 vide notification dated 28.03.2021 for improving ease of doing mineral production and business in the country and help increase Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Exploration of energy-critical minerals, fertilizer minerals, precious metals and stones, strategic minerals and deep-seated minerals which are otherwise difficult to access and for which the country is mainly dependent on imports, needs to be prioritized. Enhanced exploration and mining can significantly reduce India's import dependence on mineral and metals and help economic growth. For comparison, only 10% of obvious geological potential (OGP) area of India has been explored while Australia has explored more than 90% of its area. In this paper, some of these legislative reforms and challenges to provide an impetus to mineral exploration are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: Based on the data and analytical methodologies reported here, this review can be used as a reference for Green Stones identification and characterization protocols. Moreover, due to the multidisciplinary approach discussed, it can also be considered as an example useful for similar applications. The present review aims to discuss the importance of a multidisciplinary approach in cultural heritage and archaeometry investigations. The analytical methods used to identify and characterize "Green Stones" are discussed as an example. In the present paper, the term Green Stones is applied but not limited to jade materials, which have considerable importance in cultural heritage studies. In fact, archaeological samples made in Green Stones have been discovered worldwide, with many dating back to the Neolithic Age. Moreover, these materials represent an interesting analytical challenge, starting with their nomenclature and, in most cases, the nature of their polycrystalline samples and their heterogeneity. Indeed, after a brief introduction about the advantages of the non-destructive analytical techniques commonly used for gemstones and cultural heritage samples analyses, the limits of the same have been discussed on the basis of Green Stones applicability. Finally, a multidisciplinary methodology for Green Stones identification and full characterization, which considers materials' heterogeneity and information, has been proposed and based on different references. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper focuses on one very unusual magical object originating from the territory of the Bosporan kingdom: an agate stone amulet with a rather extensive inscription found in the vicinity of ancient Gorgippia. The author summarizes the history of scholarly discussion on the subject and analyses Chr. Faraone's "magical handbook" hypothesis putting forward some arguments against it. The paper not only revisits the reading of the text, but treats the artefact as a unity of the material object and the inscription there upon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The material characterization of nineteenth-century artifacts is of great interest, due both to the breakthrough technological advances and to the unprecedented spread of forgeries of antiquities which took place in that period. However, this type of artifacts has been largely overlooked in the past. In this paper we present the compositional analysis of gold jewels by the Castellani, one of the most important families of goldsmiths in nineteenth-century Europe. The use of a portable micro-XRF spectrometer, specifically developed for jewellery analysis at the Centro Nacional de Aceleradores (Seville), allowed us to analyse, in a completely non-invasive way, the alloys, joining techniques and surface treatments of the jewels of the Castellani collection at the National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia in Rome. The addition to the spectrometer of a second X-rays detector with a zinc filter allowed us to check the possible presence of low amounts of cadmium, a metal added to gold soldering only from the nineteenth century and often used in authenticity studies. Moreover, the relative intensities of the Au X-ray lines were studied in order to check non-invasively the presence of surface enrichments in gold. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to examine customized NiTi jewels with functional properties fabricated through four-dimensional (4D)-printing. Design/methodology/approach: Two opened rings are fabricated through selective laser melting starting from 55.2Ni-Ti (wt.%) micrometric powder. After the additive process the two rings present the one-way shape memory effect (OWSME). A specific training is accomplished on one of the two printed rings to promote the two-way shape memory effect (TWSME). Both the samples, namely, the rings, respectively, presenting the OWSME and TWSME property, follow a series of post-processing routes to improve the surface finish. Furthermore, a thermal treatment at high temperature is used to create a thin colored oxide layer on the sample surface. Findings: Results show that the change of shape owing to the OWSME and TWSME properties allows the customized 4D-printed rings to be adaptable to environmental changes such as load and temperature variations. This adaptability improves comfort and fit of the jewels. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, in this work, first cases of additively manufactured NiTi jewels are reported to propose innovative solutions in the design and processing industry of jewels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India has its unique and rich cultural heritage. One such uniqueness in India is ancient paintings. Especially in South India, Tanjore paintings are very popular. These paintings are made during 1010 AD with vibrant colours, gold, silver and precious stones. These paintings are the memorabilia of the great Chola kingdom. These paintings can be seen in great Brahadeeshwara Temple walls till now. Damages to these paintings happen due to varying environmental conditions and rituals followed throughout the year. Hence, preserving these heritages could be an additional source in National Cultural Museum and cultural libraries. This paper focuses towards the restoration of such ancient painting images that can be digitized and archived for the future use of aesthete. The painting images are preprocessed using Weiner filter for removing the background noises since its PSNR value is higher than Gaussian and Median filters. The preprocessed image is then applied to restoration algorithm. Two types of restoration algorithm is attempted, image segmentation and in-painting algorithm. The degraded image was restored efficiently with in-painting algorithm than segmentation algorithm. Further research can be focused towards automatic adaptive selection of patch based on the nature of images. From the results it is observed that with in-painting algorithm the image restoration is better than the segmentation algorithm for degraded painting images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Espacio, Tiempo y Forma: Serie II, Historia Antigua is the property of Editorial UNED and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A synoptic overview of scientific methods applied in bone and associated research fields across species has yet to be published. Experts from the EU Cost Action GEMSTONE ("GEnomics of MusculoSkeletal Traits translational Network") Working Group 2 present an overview of the routine techniques as well as clinical and research approaches employed to characterize bone phenotypes in humans and selected animal models (mice and zebrafish) of health and disease. The goal is consolidation of knowledge and a map for future research. This expert paper provides a comprehensive overview of state-of-the-art technologies to investigate bone properties in humans and animals – including their strengths and weaknesses. New research methodologies are outlined and future strategies are discussed to combine phenotypic with rapidly developing –omics data in order to advance musculoskeletal research and move towards "personalised medicine". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Acta Universitatis Lodziensis. Folia Litteraria Polonica is the property of Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Lodzkiego and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Magazine General Union of Arab Archaeologists is the property of General Union of Arab Archaeologists and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A natural resource refers to materials from the Earth that are used to support life and meet people's needs and wants. The natural substance available for humans use in any form can be considered a natural resource. Materials like ores, coal, crude Oil, natural gas, metals and non- metals, precious stones etc., are some examples of natural resources. Materials like ores, coal, crude Oil, natural gas, metals and non-metals, precious stones etc., are some examples of natural resources. Along with the mentioned materials Animals, birds, trees, fish and plants are also the natural resources available for satisfying human needs and wants. These materials support humans in preparing food, fuel and raw materials for the production of goods for business houses. The food that humans consume primarily comes from various plants and animals. The mainfeature of natural resources is that they dictate the survival of humans and other forms of life on the earth. The Present paper titled "Causes, Effects and Solutions of Depletion of Natural Resources" was majorly focused on Causes for resource depletion, Effects on environment for resource depletion and Solutions of Depletion of Natural Resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: French Polynesia is renowned for the production of Tahitian black pearl. These gems are obtained by grafting a nucleus into the gonad of a receiving oyster together with a graft, i.e. a small section of mantle tissue of a donor oyster. This procedure initiates the formation of a pearl sack around the nucleus, and subsequently, the deposition of concentric layers of nacre. The nucleus plays a key‐role in pearl formation and its characteristics influence markedly the quality of the final product. As it is manufactured from mollusc shells, it contains a small percentage of organics. In the present paper, we used a set of biochemical techniques to characterize and compare the organic matrices from two types of nuclei that are currently used in French Polynesia: that from the freshwater mussel Amblema sp., and that from the pearl oyster Pinctada sp. To this end, we extracted the matrices from nuclei and performed FT‐IR, monodimensional electrophoresis, and enzyme‐linked immuno‐sorbent assay (ELISA). Our data show that the matrix associated with Amblema nuclei has a very different biochemical signature from that of Pinctada nuclei, a fact that may explain the improved tolerance of grafted oysters to nuclei of Pinctada origin. In the absence of complex physical methods of investigation, simple immunological techniques and FT‐IR performed on the extracted organic matrix are extremely reliable and effective for discriminating nuclei from these two sources. We assert that such techniques can be used as a diagnostic test to track unambiguously the biological origin of nuclei to avoid fraud. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ibri's book is not meant to be an introduction to Peirce nor in any explicit sense a systematic confrontation of Peirce's philosophical project with alternative approaches to its central themes. By Ivo Assad Ibri Semiotics and Pragmatism: Theoretical Interfaces Springer, 2022, xxvii + 341 pp., incl. index In the chapter on "The Heuristic Power of Agapism in Peirce's Philosophy" in his recent book, I Semiotics and Pragmatism: Theoretical Interfaces i , Ivo Ibri points out that access to Peirce's work requires something on the part of the reader that is "not readily available in everyone's spirit: a sense of poetry, an aesthetic sensitivity that will, ultimately, become the sharpest and strongest tool to penetrate the deepest meaning of his philosophy" (116). As to Peirce's categories, Ibri writes: "Understanding them distinctly, within two philosophical realms, namely, the phenomenological and ontological planes, provide a master key to consider the entire system of doctrines that shapes Peirce's philosophy" (268). [Extracted from the article]

This paper explores the interest of Charles IV of Luxembourg (1316–1378), King of Bohemia and Holy Roman Emperor, in collecting gemstones, which has hitherto been little studied. It analyses this interest in connection with the fourteenth-century French royal court, and especially with the collecting activities of Charles V of Valois (1338–1380), King of France. Both of these sovereigns had an interest in ancient gems and they used them in the same manner; their practices prove to have been inspired by the reinvented traditions of the saintly Capetian monarch Louis IX, King of France, and of the ancient Roman Empire. This study shows how Charles of Luxembourg and Charles of Valois sought out and used precious and semi-precious stones as instruments of their royal self-images and claims to power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Some of the poorest people in the world's poorest countries eke out a living in artisanal and small‐scale mining (ASM). Equipped with primitive tools like picks, shovels, buckets, and gold pans, they work mining valuable resources, like gold, diamonds, tin, lithium, rare earth elements, tantalum, and cobalt, and any other usable commodity, for example, sand, coal, or mica. The mining and refining processes are labor intensive and associated with a variety of health problems due to accidents, overheating, overexertion, dust inhalation, exposure to toxic chemicals and gases, violence, and illicit and prescription drug and alcohol addiction. Evident disadvantages with ASM are counterbalanced by the immense economic benefits. For many, the true scope and scale of ASM activities are unappreciated, along with the unknown health and societal impacts. Here, we set out to elucidate the scope of ASM beyond the recovery of familiar commodities, such as gold and diamonds. We adopt a holistic perspective toward health impacts of ASM, which includes unique occupational, environmental, and human/social drivers. A particular focus is poverty as a health risk with artisanal miners. They are commonly poverty‐stricken people in poor countries, ensnared by a variety of poverty traps, which take a toll on the health and well‐being of individuals and communities. ASM sometimes provides an opportunity to diversify income in the face of a decline in subsistence agriculture. However, ASM often trades one kind of generational poverty for another, coming along with serious health risks and turmoil associated with work in an informal "cash‐rich" business. Plain Language Summary: Many of the world's most valuable commodities, for example, gold, diamonds, and strategic metals, and less valuable resources, for example, sand, clay, and coal, are the products of artisanal and small‐scale mining (ASM). The miners are commonly poor people with rudimentary tools, like shovels, buckets, and pans subsisting by working shallow ore deposits. Although an inefficient mining method, the large numbers of people can contribute substantially to a country's total production. Much of this mining occurs in distant, lawless areas like the Amazon River basin or the outback in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The work is grueling and dangerous because of violence and unregulated work sites. Miners suffer from the expected collection of occupational health risks, due to, for example, accidents, chemical exposures, dust inhalation, and lifting and lugging of heavy loads. Mining communities are at risk from incidental exposures to mercury, mosquito‐borne diseases, poor sanitation, and more. Human and social problems also impact health. Our paper emphasizes poverty as a risk factor for disease, as miners are caught in poverty traps—unable to leave. Injuries and disease often must remain untreated because of costs and absent clinics. Key Points: Artisanal and small‐scale mining (ASM) is primitive with health problems determined by occupational, environmental, and social settingsASM involves 80 + countries and valuable resources, like gold, diamonds, precious stones, tantalum, tin, tungsten, and commoditiesGrueling work, poverty, illegalities, and worksites located in remote and medically underserved areas contribute to poor health [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Ancient World illness was thought to be the effect not of accidental or natural causes, but rather the result of a negative agency, an external attack on the victim’s body. This paper focuses on the diverse strategies used in healing magic attested in the material and textual records from the ancient Near East to Late Antiquity, with special attention paid to how the cultural status of objects and substances was changed through ritual, a process that, along with the invocations of demons and gods, allowed objects to acquire agency to counterattack the harm inflicted on the victim’s body. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An extremely rare, long-lost, monotypic endemic, Indian liverwort, Sewardiella tuberifera Kash. has recently been recollected after a gap of over three-and-a-half decades from an altogether new location, the Mukteshwar region (2,171 m) of Nainital district in the Kumaun Himalaya, Uttarakhand. The remarkable rediscovery of this monotypic, endemic Himalayan liverwort is a significant finding for the world's bryological treasure. Along with other rare Himalayan monotypic endemics such as Aitchisoniella himalayensis Kash. and Stephensoniella brevipedunculata Kash., the currently located sporiferous population of Sewardiella was discovered persisting in small, dispersed, sparse patches with 5-30 individuals. The currently spotted collection site is being considered a 'bryological hotspot'. As the area develops as a popular ecotourism destination, the original habitat of these hepatics in a lime stone-dominated, south-west facing, unstable sloppy site at Mukteshwar is under constant pressure from several developmental activities. Hence, serious conservation steps are needed to protect this hotspot supporting Himalayan bryophyte jewels. To ensure long term perpetuation and conservation of redlisted hepatic taxa, an attempt is being made to translocate part of the population to ecologically and climatically identical safer site, including a developing 'moss garden' at Lingadhar (Nainital). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sodalite‐group minerals are silicates belonging to the zeolite group hosting in their cages a variety of cations and anions. Four mineral species of the sodalite‐group are known in nature, the main difference being connected to the identity of the chemical species in the cages, particularly the sulfur molecular arrangements. Notably, the sodalite‐group minerals show different colours; lazurite, in particular, is the main constituent of the well‐known lapis lazuli, a material used throughout the human history as a precious stone or as a blue pigment for artworks. In this paper, we exploit Raman and Fourier‐transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to highlight an existing connection between the chalcogen species entrapped within the samples originated from the volcanic region of Latium (Italy) and their final colour. We show that Raman spectroscopy is a very valuable tool in characterizing the extraframework content in these minerals. Further, our analysis demonstrates how the blue hue of the sodalite species is related to the S3−/SO42− relative content. We finally show how most specimen are also rich in CO2, a feature addressed by combination with FTIR spectroscopy. These findings have a particular interest not only in geology, but also in Cultural Heritage studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the natural colors and techniques of Korean traditional Dancheong, the image from splendor and magnificence is used as a jewel in making ornaments by subjective interpretation of the researcher. The purpose of this paper is to propose the possibility of using as a jewelry design by combining the possibilities of various color expressions, the combination of solidity and luster synthetic resin by utilizing natural pigments and mono images used in Korean traditional monophonic. In this study, this study presented the possibility of accessing in the life of a modern person pursuing a lifestyle by introducing a mono image into jewelry design, and at the same time, approaching ornaments by using traditional materials of the past, modern materials, and digital production methods. We are looking for a wide variety of jewelry designs to be utilized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Peleș National Museum in Sinaia, Romania, includes within its collection of musical instruments a unique harpsichord of the Taskin workshop. The instrument is representative of the eighteenth century French harpsichords, finished in 1772 by Taskin Pascal, a master instrument-maker of his time. This paper presents the results of a comprehensive diagnostic investigation carried out on the exterior decoration of the harpsichord, by means of multiple non-invasive and micro-invasive analytical techniques: multispectral imaging, X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and optical microscopy (OM). Imaging investigation highlighted various past interventions and restorations—fillings, consolidation and chromatic reintegration of the paint layer, as well as some interesting details related to the preparatory layer and on the painting technique. Results of the elemental analysis indicated that a rich color palette was used for the luxurious decorations: vermilion for most of the red areas, lead white, a copper-based pigment for the blue and violet hues, along with Prussian blue, chromium oxides for the green tones and possibly emerald green, and iron oxides for the red, yellow and ochre tones. FTIR analysis highlighted the existence of two-layers ground based on the first layer of chalk and animal glue, covered by a second oil-bound layer of lead white. Metal soaps, gypsum, barium sulfate as well as an intermediate sizing layer based on shellac were also identified. Examination of samples' cross-sections revealed a rich stratigraphy, up to ten layers being highlighted for samples taken from the case sides' painting. The presence of two gold foils on the gilded areas, one at the top and the other within the intermediate layers, provides clear evidence of later interventions. The corroborated results offer valuable physico-chemical insights on the complex history of this prestigious harpsichord with remarkable aesthetic and historical value, as well as key information for its most suitable restoration approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]