The system of the efficient monitoring of air quality in maritime cities and health resort areas: Pollution of the nearwater layer of the atmosphere with sea aerosols

The system of the efficient monitoring of air quality for maritime cities and health resorts has been set up. A basis for the prototype of such a system is establishment of functional links between the concentration of toxic substances in the air and the disperse composition of sea aerosol and the surface of microlayer for every maritime region under hydrometeorological conditions. This provides an opportunity to monitor the chemical composition of sea aerosol by its disperse characteristics and dispersion of the surface film.     

Findings and expansion of rare adventive species of plants in the Altai Territory

This paper contains previously unknown information about the appearance and expansion of a number of adventive species of plants new for the Altai Territory. They were discovered in 2008–2012 during the fieldwork tasks of the herbarium Altai State University, Barnaul. One of the species is invasive (quarantine plant for the Russian Federation) – Acroptilon repens (L.) DC. The range was about 10?ha. One of the species was listed as adventive for the first time – Briza maxima L. The species is sometimes cultivated as an ornamental plant. New locations were identified for three species previously found only in one area of the Altai Territory: (1) Scleranthus annuus L. – an agrophyte, a weed that spreads with cultivated crops; (2) Onopordon acanthium L. – a species that spreads in flood plains, along the highways, railways and pastures; and (3) Xanthium albinum (Widd.) H. Schulz – a plant, often seen along roadsides, wastelands and sandy riverbanks; only one reliable location within the Altai Territory was known for S. annuus and O. acanthium. Based on the classification of adventive elements of flora, A. repens was specified as agrophyte and xenophyte; B. maxima as horthophyte and ergasiofigophyte; S. annuus as agrophyte and xenophyte; O. acanthium; and X. albinum as dromophyte and acolucophyte.     

Electrical properties of high-temperature conducting powder MoSi2-SiC-Y2O3 materials

Conclusions We examined the concentration and temperature dependences of the specific electrical resistivity in the two- (MoSi₂-SiC) and three-phase (MoSi₂-SiC-Y₂O₃) systems in the temperature range 100–1800°C. In the two-phase system, the lowest TCR in heating to 1800°C was recorded for the materials with the mass content of SiC of 20–40%. The results show that the TCR of the two-phase materials of the MoSi₂-SiC system can be reduced by adding yttrium oxide to them.Translated from Poroshkovaya Metallurgiya, No. 6(306), pp. 83–85, June, 1988.     

New apparatus and method for testing refractories under tension at high temperatures

Conclusions An improved method and apparatus for high-temperature testing of refractories for tensile deformation has been developed and introduced.Some experimental data were obtained characterizing the behavior under tension of firebrick, magnesite, unfired magnesite-chromite and silica refractories at high temperatures.The apparatus can be used for testing refractories under tension both with constant load and increasing temperature and in isothermal conditions.The apparatus and method are recommended for the accumulation of experimental material on different types of refractories, and also for work on the development of goods subjected to tensile strains in service at high temperatures.     

Identification of immunoreactive epitopes in proteins coded by gag, env, and pol genes of the type I human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV-I) using synthetic peptides

Reactivity of 26 synthetic peptides that comprise 12 to 26 amino acid residues corresponding to segments of the gag p19, env gp46, and pol proteins of human T-lymphotropic virus type I toward 31 positive sera was studied using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Specific reactivity with high titers of antibodies (presented in reciprocal dilution values) was detected for the synthetic peptides corresponding to fragments 110-130 and 100-130 (titers up to 4050) of p19, 174-197 (up to 800), 186-201 (up to 4050), 191-215 (up to 1350), 242-257 (up to 800), and 272-292 (up to 450) of gp46. Immunoreactivity of seven peptides, fragments of pol-proteins, was weak. New linear epitopes in the regions 145-158, 272-277, and 292-300 of gp46 were detected. In addition, location of the known linear epitopes in p19 and gp46 was refined on the basis of comparative study of overlapping peptides from these proteins.     

Failure of metallurgical sinter

Strength tests of sinter associated with the optimization of sinter production have certain deficiencies, whose analysis calls for models of sinter failure. The theory of melt mixing in sintering and structure formation in the sinter cake is reviewed. A model for the failure of metallurgical sinter is proposed on the basis of a model of the stress state of the solid inclusions in the matrix and a failure model based on the Rittinger law. The load in the sinter pieces in the test drum is determined, and a method is proposed for adapting the model of sinter failure by means of granulometric data regarding the test products. The adaptation employs the probability distributions of the model parameters. The dependence of these parameters on the sinter basicity, the carbon content in the batch, and the size of the limestone pieces is determined.     

Determination of Biological Activity of Water Having a Different Isotope Ratio of Protium and Deuterium

Peculiarities of the vital activity of organisms at different concentrations of the D/H isotope ratio in water have been studied. It was established that many organisms react in different ways to both high and low concentrations of deuterium in water resulting in the reduction or enhancement of the activity of metabolic processes. However, the majority of test organisms have optimal indicators within the limits of natural D/H isotope ratio in water. The experiments with human cells in vitro revealed that the reduced deuterium concentrations significantly changed the vital activity indicators of cultures in deuterium-depleted water media. It was found out that not all taxonomic groups of organisms could be sensitive to changes of the D/H isotope ratio in water.