A method for functional magnetic resonance imaging of olfaction

A method for generating olfactory stimuli for humans within a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) experimental design is described. The system incorporates a nasal-mask in which the change from odorant to no-odorant conditions occurs in less than 500 ms and is not accompanied by visual, auditory, tactile, or thermal cues. The mask provides an ordorant-free environment following prolonged ordorant presence. Specific imaging parameters that are conducive to the study of the human olfactory system are described. In a pilot study performed using these methods, the specific patterns of activation observed converged with published experimental and clinical findings.     

Site-specific endonucleases RspLKI and RspLKII from Rhodococcus species LK2 are isoschizomers of SphI and BamHI

Two site-specific endonucleases, RspLKI and RspLKII, have been isolated and purified to functional homogeneity from the soil bacterium Rhodococcus species LK2. RspLKI recognizes the 5'-GCATG decreases C-3' DNA sequence and RspLKII recognizes the 5'-G decreases GATCC-3' sequence (arrows indicate DNA cleavage sites). The isolated enzymes are class II site specific endonucleases and are isoschizomers of endonucleases SphI and BamHI, respectively.     

Use of chemical fibre processing wastes for fabrication of thermoplastic composites

The behavior of the components of an inseparable mixture of processing wastes containing polyamide, polyacrylonitrile, and cellulose fibres was investigated. The possibility of using them in production of wood—polymer composites if cyclization in the structure of PAN and chemical reaction of basic and acid functional groups play the determining role in intensification of the interfacial interaction in the composite and correspondingly in increasing the strength properties of the final product, was demonstrated. The parameters of the process were optimized, and this allowed for obtaining materials with a static bending strength of up to 80 MPa, water absorption of up to 11%, and a degree of swelling of up to 8.3% according to GOST, which satisfies the requirements for brand ST_s-500 ultrahard board materials.St. Petersburg State University of Technology and Design. Wood Technology Academy, St. Petersburg. Translated from Khimicheskie Volokna, No. 6, pp. 39–44, November–December, 1996.     

Knowledge representation in an automatic programming system and solution of Ek(R2) location problems

The specific features of the solver system for the E_k(R²) problem of locating geometrical objects are presented. A strategy for the construction of the system as a mapping of the set of problems on the set of solution methods is proposed.Translated from Kibernetika i Sistemnyi Analiz, No. 5, pp. 31–40, September–October, 1991.