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The paper discusses an interesting group of glass intaglios with the motif of Oedipus and the Sphinx. They are known from sites between the Adriatic, the Danube and the Black Sea, and occur in various colors and cuts, which suggests production in different molds or even workshops. Probably modeled on an intaglio made in an Italian officina gemmaria, the glass replicas may have been produced at Aquileia. The style points to the Late Republican or Augustan era, whereas the material of the glass copies and the funerary context from Aquincum show they were in use and probably produced till the 4 th century. The paper also discusses the possible meanings of the motif, from a simple illustration of the famous heroic adventure to a metaphoric depiction representing the mystic message of the key to a blessed afterlife. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthropogenic activities have polluted soil and aquatic ecosystems by introducing harmful heavy metals (HMs) such as cadmium, copper, mercury, lead, manganese, nickel, zinc, and others. These HMs lead to serious health conditions in humans like cancer, skin lesions, birth defects, liver and kidney damage, and mental retardation leading to other disabilities. Conventional methods of HM remediation of contaminated soil and water include physical, chemical, biological, and integrated methods. The use of physical and chemical methods, in isolation, has been reduced in practice, owing to their negative impacts, however, work on suitable integrated approaches, and the use of organisms for HM remediation has been in steady progress since past few decades. These approaches have proved to be eco-friendly, cost-effective, and show reduced negative impacts on the environment and biota. However, there is consistent increase in anthropogenic contribution to this problem, so, to keep pace with it, more recently work is in advancement on exploiting the biological system to increase the efficiency of bioremediation, using the latest technologies such as genetic engineering and nanotechnology. This paper provides an overview of the current methods deployed to address this problem; developments made in this field in past few decades, and evokes a research thrust that might lead to novel remediation approaches in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper a small group of engraved gems, kept in the glyptic collection of the Archaeological Museum of Venice, is taken into consideration. It is important to underscore their cultural value and our hope is that researches centring on this precious collection might contribute towards the overall progress on glyptic studies. A few intaglios presented here depict victorious horses. In usual iconography horses drawn in profile with a palm branch placed in various positions is the element that permits classification of the gems, into several groups. In the gems under discussion here there are also some intaglios that belong to the group with the image of racing scenes, a very frequent themes in the roman glyptic. Two red jaspers, depicting the chariot race, are very good examples of the elegant simplification of the well-known iconography, the chariot race set in the Circus Maximus: the drawing presents simple and clear shapes with no internal details but with an accuracy displaying the famous cliché of one circus race. The schematic work and the stylistic and technical characteristics of two gems demonstrate the standardisation of the motif and indicate a serial glyptic production during the second century A.D. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, ozone pollution is one of the key environmental concerns, and to provide more effective strategies for ozone control, this paper proposes the use of the Geostationary Environmental Monitoring Spectrometer (GEMS) in conjunction with MAX-DOAS for observations and ozone sensitivity analysis. Compared to traditional polar-orbiting satellites, GEMS, launched by South Korea in 2019, offers superior spatiotemporal resolution. However, there is a lack of ground validation for GEMS data related to ozone and its precursors. In this study, we conducted validation in the Jing-Jin-Ji (Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei) region using two typical MAX-DOAS sites and the China National Environmental Monitoring Center (CNEMC) sites, confirming the accuracy of GEMS data. Analysis of the seasonal horizontal distribution results from GEMS and vertical distribution results from MAX-DOAS in 2022 reveals that the concentrations of NO 2 , HCHO, O 3 , and ozone sensitivity not only display seasonality and regional variations but also exhibit distinct characteristics at different altitudes and times, influenced by local climatic conditions, human activities, and topography. When formulating ozone control policies, it becomes imperative to consider factors such as time, regional characteristics, and seasonality. Comparisons between daily results from TROPOMI and GEMS indicate that polar-orbiting satellites may overlook high-pollution periods within a single day, and their measurements may not provide a comprehensive representation of an entire day's data. Consequently, relying solely on polar-orbiting satellite data for shaping ozone prevention and control policies may inadvertently encourage ozone formation during specific time periods, rendering these policies ineffective. Therefore, leveraging GEMS is essential for the development of comprehensive, around-the-clock ozone control policies. Finally, we used monitoring data from Beijing on October 6, 2022, to illustrate how the combination of GEMS and MAX-DOAS enables three-dimensional monitoring of pollutant transport processes on an hourly scale. [Display omitted] • Validation of the accuracy of ozone and its precursor data from GEMS. • Analysis of hourly ozone sensitivity level distribution using GEMS. • Limitations of polar orbit satellites in O 3 sensitivity analysis compared to GEMS. • Observation of the transport of pollutants combining GEMS and MAX-DOAS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of Hellenistic and Roman gems and seals in the light of the notion of “series” provides a better understanding of how engraved images were conceived in Greco-Roman antiquity. Two recurring types of iconographic series are presented here: series that display a motif whose model is most likely a monetary type, and series of glass pastes, produced from a mould bearing the impression of a die. A comparative study of gems and coins can help to better situate in time the variations observed within a relatively homogeneous series. This paper is also an opportunity to recall the methodological approach that makes it possible to bring together the glass pastes produced by the same mould – these objects are indeed often scattered in various collections.

Two geostationary satellites developed by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute and currently in operation are the GEO-KOMPSAT-2A (GK-2A) and the GEO-KOMPSAT-2B (GK-2B). The main instruments mounted on these satellites are the Advanced Meteorological Imager (AMI), the Geostationary Ocean Color Imager (GOCI-II) and the Geostationary Environment Monitoring Spectrometer (GEMS). This paper briefly introduced the GK-2A and GK-2B programs including measurement principles and elements of the instruments. Moreover, the data formats, operational products, and applications are summarized.

The article reports on an empirical exploration of public service medical schemes governance, its variations and the dire financial repercussions and financial security for the members of such schemes in South Africa. Given the class-based 'dual nature' of the medical scheme terrain in South Africa through the existence of 'open' and 'restricted' schemes (the latter dominated by public-service ones), existing violations of good governance take a wide variety of forms and types. This despite the existence of legislation such as the Public Finance Management Act 1 of 1999 (PFMA), the Medical Schemes Act of 1998 and the regulatory body, the Council for Medical Schemes (CMS). It is understandable that the beneficiaries of public services of this nature expect them to provide affordable, honest, accountable, and useful services and products that are in accordance with their needs and financial means and resources. In this case the beneficiaries are enabled to guarantee their financial security and receive accurate and free credit reports that allow them to make decisions that are in accordance with their financial needs. In such a situation and given the duality of the market, such services ought to be delivered in a transparent, accountable, and responsible manner, where accountability and common respect of the partners makes this financial relationship sustainable. In this instance citizens utilise such products and services with the hope of a provision of a corrupt-free service that is realistic and sustainable and guarantees financial security to citizens. The research was based on the qualitative frame of reference and included a scrutiny of primary and secondary documentary material as well as unstructured interviews with senior public service officials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Musical meaning is often described in terms of emotions and metaphors. While many theories encapsulate one or the other, very little empirical data is available to test a possible link between the two. In this article, we examined the metaphorical and emotional contents of Western classical music using the answers of 162 participants. We calculated generalized linear mixed-effects models, correlations, and multidimensional scaling to connect emotions and metaphors. It resulted in each metaphor being associated with different specific emotions, subjective levels of entrainment, and acoustic and perceptual characteristics. How these constructs relate to one another could be based on the embodied knowledge and the perception of movement in space. For instance, metaphors that rely on movement are related to emotions associated with movement. In addition, measures in this study could also be represented by underlying dimensions such as valence and arousal. Musical writing and music education could benefit greatly from these results. Finally, we suggest that music researchers consider musical metaphors in their work as we provide an empirical method for it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1914, a magnificent reliquary cross dating from the early XIIIth century was discovered in a safe from the Liège Cathedral. This double-arm cross shows a wooden structure, covered by gold-coated copper on the front, and by carved silver plates on the back. Its total length is 34 cm, and it is covered by filigrees, gems, glass beads, and pearls on its front. The reliquary cross was analysed by Raman spectrometry and X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (pXRF) to determine the mineralogical and chemical compositions of gems, glass beads, and metals that have been used to decorate it. The results confirm the identification of twenty-five turquoises from Egypt, one garnet from Sri Lanka, as well as six quartz and one opal whose origin is difficult to certify. Twelve glass beads, showing green, blue, or amber tints, were also identified. Their compositions either correspond to soda lime glasses with natron or to potash–lead glasses similar to those of Central Europe. Moreover, a small polished red cross and a green stone appear to be constituted by nice doublets, composed of coloured glass covered by quartz. The filigrees contain Au and Cu, while carved plates covering the edges and the back of the cross are made of silver. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article offers an account of Roman imperial cameos as an archaeological category, and argues that the production of large high-quality cameos was more restricted in time than currently allowed; that the controversial dates and subjects of individual cameos need to be set in the wider sequence of the main examples; and that early imperial praise poetry sits in relationship to court cameos in a way that can be usefully investigated around their shared concern to understand the particular character of imperial divinity. An Appendix gives details of forty-one examples illustrated and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]