Degenerate four-wave mixing spectroscopy excited by ultrashort laser pulses

A new method is described for spectroscopic diagnostics of combustion and explosion products, which makes it possible to study processes occurring at short times in hot and dense molecular gases. Pis’ma Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 23, 16–19 (March 26, 1997)     

The spatial scales of heterogeneities in the direct-current discharge stream

The results of a calculational-experimental investigation of spatial scale heterogeneities in a gas stream with direct-current discharge are presented. The numerical modeling was made within the framework of the Navier-Stokes equations with a distributed source of input energy density in a gas. The experimental study was conducted by the Talbot-interferometry method. The Shtrel number was used as the criterion of the optical homogeneity of the stream.St. Petersburg Institute of Mechanics. Translated from Inzhenerno-Fizicheskii Zhurnal, Vol. 62, No. 6, pp. 820–824, June, 1992.     

Effect of Hydrogen Heat Treatment on the Chemical Composition of Aluminum Nitride Powder

The effect of hydrogen heat treatment on impurity contents in aluminum nitride powder of different fineness is studied. Thermodynamic calculations are provided pointing to the possibility of forming gaseous hydrogen compounds with impurity elements. It is established that as a result of treatment the contents of impurity elements, i.e. oxygen, carbon, sulfur, are reduced by a factor of 3-13. The optimum hydrogen heat treatment regime is determined: a temperature of 1323 K and an exposure time of 30 min.     

Type D retrovirus markers in healthy Africans from Guinea

Sixteen matching sera and DNA samples from healthy African blood donors living in rural areas of Guinea were analysed for the presence of type D retrovirus markers. Screening for the antibodies against structural proteins of Mason-Pfizer monkey virus (M-PMV) was carried out by Western blot with a purified M-PMV as an antigen. Eight out of 16 sera samples were found to contain antibodies against at least two gag gene-coded proteins, and three of these were weakly positive against env gene-coded protein. Using PCR amplification and Southern hybridization, we detected M-PMV-like gag sequences in 11 out of 16 samples and env-related sequences in 8 out of 16 samples. Six DNAs were found to contain both M-PMV gag- and env-related sequences. Restriction endonuclease analysis of the PCR-amplified gag sequences from two individuals and direct DNA sequencing analysis of the amplimers confirmed their M-PMV-like origin. Detection of antibodies and M-PMV-related sequences in blood donors from Guinea, but not in French or Algerian blood donors, indicated exogenous SRV infection in humans from certain geographic areas of Western Africa.     

Development of an acoustic leak monitoring system

The purpose, structure, and basic characteristics of an acoustic system for monitoring coolant leaks in the first loop of a VVER reactor are presented. The principle of operation of the diagnostics algorithm is described. The system has been checked on a special stand. The system satisfies all sensitivity and temporal requirements. In 2005, SAKT was put into experimental operation in the No. 3 unit of the Kalinin nuclear power plant. __________ Translated from Atomnaya énergiya, Vol. 103, No. 6, pp. 342–347, December, 2007.     

Pre-Senescence Induction in Hepatoma Cells Favors Hepatitis C Virus Replication and Can Be Used in Exploring Antiviral Potential of Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors

Recent evidence suggests that fibrotic liver injury in patients with chronic hepatitis C correlates with cellular senescence in damaged liver tissue. However, it is still unclear how senescence can affect replication of the hepatitis C virus (HCV). In this work, we report that an inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinases 4/6, palbociclib, not only induced in hepatoma cells a pre-senescent cellular phenotype, including G1 arrest in the cell cycle, but also accelerated viral replicon multiplication. Importantly, suppression of HCV replication by direct acting antivirals (DAAs) was barely affected by pre-senescence induction, and vice versa, the antiviral activities of host-targeting agents (HTAs), such as inhibitors of human histone deacetylases (HDACi), produced a wide range of reactions—from a dramatic reduction to a noticeable increase. It is very likely that under conditions of the G1 arrest in the cell cycle, HDACi exhibit their actual antiviral potency, since their inherent anticancer activity that complicates the interpretation of test results is minimized.     

Production of Steel 26KHMFBA Continuously-Cast Billets for Casing Pipes Using Barium-Containing Master Alloy

Metallurgist - Results are provided for a study showing the effect of Ca- and Ba-containing master alloys on composition and contamination with non-metallic inclusions during extra-furnace...