In the article we described the evolution of optical technology from lens-type microscopes working in far-field to SNOM (Scanning

Near-Field Optical Microscopy) constructions. We considered two systems elaborated in our laboratory, namely PSTM system (Photon Scanning Tunelling Microscope) and SNOM system. In both systems we obtained subwavelength resolution. Some details about optical point probe technology in both systems are given and experimental results presented.

Respiratory rate measurement is important under different types of health issues. The need for technological developments for measuring respiratory rate has become imperative for healthcare professionals. The paper presents an approach to respiratory monitoring, with the aim to improve the accuracy and efficacy of the data monitored. We use multiple types of sensors on various locations on the body to continuously transmit real-time data, which is processed to calculate the respiration rate. Variations in the respiration rate will help us identify the current health condition of the patient also for diagnosis and further medical treatment. The software tools such as Keil μVision IDE, Mbed Studio IDE, Energia IDE are used to compile and build the system architecture and display information. EasyEDA is used to provide pin map details and complete architecture information.

Outbreaks of typhoid fever for centuries decimated armies, cities and large hosts of people. Discovery of an agent causing such a grave disease became one of the most important achievements of bacteriology — science, which had experienced rapid development in the last quarter of the 19th century and changed the course of our civilization.

The article deals with the discovery of Tadeusz Browicz, Polish anatomopathologist, who in 1874 reported about rod-shaped “parasites” in viscera of typhoid fever victim. His achievement became shaded by the later discoveries of Eberth, Klebs and Gaffky, but as authors stated below, Browicz should be recognized with mentioned scientists as a co-discoverer of the typhoid fever bacillus.

In 2001, a total of 2125 samples of plant origin were analysed for residues of the most commonly used pesticides in Poland. Detectable residues were found in 18% of the samples, while in about 0.9% of the samples the residues exceeded national or/and EU harmonised Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs). The long-term (chronic) dietary intake, based on monitoring data, was calculated for 7 pesticides in 9 commodities. The intake of 1 of the pesticide analysed (endosulfan/black currant combination) exceeded 1 % of Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) indicating a sufficient margin of safety for the adult consumer. The short-term (acute) intake was estimated for 19 pesticides in 12 commodities according to the European Commission recommendations. The ADI level was exceeded for toddlers in 7 cases, carbendazim in mushroom, linuron in carrot, chlorothalonil in greenhouse tomato, tolylfluanid and EBDC in strawberry and flusilazole and diazinon in apple. In all cases, however, the safety factor of 2 for a toddler still existed.

Eight samples of the ice algae were collected from the annual ice in Tikhaia Bay, Hooker Island, Franz Josef Land. Species composition included 58 diatoms (and some Navicula, Nitzschia and other Pennatophyceae unidentified species), 2 dinoflagellates, 2 chrysophyceans, 1 chlorophycean, 1 cyanophycean and possible dinoflagellate and chrysophycean cysts. The maximum quantity was 132300 cells/l. In 4 samples Aulacoseira granulatu prevailed, in other samples Nitzschia frigida, N. cylindrus, Rhizoclonium sp. and dinoflagellate cysts dominated. Xanthiopyxis polaris found by Gran (1904) in Arctic sea ice and referred to the diatoms is, possibly, the dinoflagellate cyst. On the whole, the ice community consisted of benthic and planktonic-benthic species of mainly marine and brackishwater-marine pennate diatoms, their resting stages, freshwater unicellular algae and marine chlorophycean.