Challenges and opportunities for energy recovery from municipal solid waste in the Russian Federation

Energy recovery from municipal solid waste (MSW) is currently a key factor in waste management in Russia, as can be seen from the corresponding changes in the state regulatory framework. The paper presents a comparative assessment of different waste flow characteristics; it focuses on pre-treatment options and the method of subsequent thermal treatment. It reflects the basic method of untreated MSW incineration and other advanced technologies which have different levels of waste preparation. Step-by-step research has been carried out in a large Russian city in order to determine different technological approaches to recovering energy from MSW. The study included: 1) field studies of the composition and characterization of MSW; 2) laboratory studies of MSW thermal properties, i.e. moisture, ash content and calorific value; 3) several options for waste treatment schemes with equipment of different technical specifications; 4) analysis of material flow, energy flow and key substance flow according to these considered schemes. The research revealed that for all seasons a significant proportion of MSW (almost 40%) is represented by fines (below 50 mm). On average, the energy potential of MSW (the total content of waste paper, polymers, textiles, wood, multilayer packaging, leather, rubber, footwear) amounts to about 40%. It was found that MSW calorific value depends on fraction size, since screening (over 50 mm) is characterized by high moisture and low content of valuable components, compared to MSW greater than 50 mm in size. Pre-processing and treatment of MSW allows solid recovered fuel (SRF) to be obtained with a calorific value similar to brown coal. The energy balance of the process allows the conclusion that 33.8% of initial MSW energy potential is concentrated in residues from the sorting process, since it has a relatively low calorific value of 4.8 MJ/kg, but a high mass fraction of 47.9%. In the process of MSW treatment and solid fuel production, most of the chlorine and mercury (80% and 55% respectively) is removed by the rest of the sorting process. The data obtained in the study can be used in selecting the optimal option for energy recovery from MSW. © 2019 WIT PressACKNOWLEDGEMENT The work was supported by Act 211 Government of the Russian Federation, contract № 02.A 03.21.0006

Transmission of the Female Image in the «Kurgan and Kurgan Inhabitants» City Newspaper in the 1990s and 2010s: a REgional Aspect

Гендерные образы (в частности, феминные) являются одной из важнейших составляющих коммуникативно-культурной памяти населения. При этом на региональном уровне они могут иметь особые черты, обусловленные географическим положением, определенными социальными тенденциями и традициями. Данные черты могут меняться с течением времени, так как в разных социально-экономических условиях актуализируются различные гендерные качества. Эти особенности можно отследить по материалам региональных СМИ. Объектом данного исследования стал образ женщины, характерный для населения Курганской области в начале 1990-х и в конце 2010-х годов, а предметом — публикации в городской газете «Курган и курганцы» в указанные периоды, содержащие женские образы. В ходе исследования, проведенного методом контент-анализа и диахронного сравнения, мы выявили, что традиционной для Курганской области как сельскохозяйственного и промышленного региона является трансляция женских образов, детерминированных через выполнение тех или иных профессиональных функций героинями публикаций; другие образные тенденции (например, эротизация женщины или появление бизнес-леди в 1990-е гг. и рост женской преступности в 2010-е гг.) обусловлены конкретными социально-историческими условиями. При этом неизменным остается преобладание положительных образов над отрицательными и маскулинных над феминными, что подчеркивает патриархальный характер общественных отношений в регионе.Gender images (in particular, feminine ones) are one of the most important components of the communicative and cultural memory of the population. At the same time, on the regional level they may have special features, caused by the geographical location, social trends and traditions. These features can change over the time, as in different social and economic conditions various gender qualities are actualized. These features are reflected in the regional media. The object of this study was the female image, which was typical for the population of the Kurgan region in the early 1990s and late 2010s, the subject was publications with female images in the “Kurgan and Kurgan inhabitants” city newspaper in these periods. By the methods of content analysis and diachronic comparison we found that for the agricultural and industrial Kurgan region the transmission of female images determined through the heroines of publications professional functions is considered traditional; other tendencies (for example, erotization of women or the appearance of a business woman in the 1990s and growth of female criminality in the 2010s) are caused by specific social and historical conditions. At the same time the positive images prevail over negative, and masculine images prevail over feminine, which emphasizes the patriarchal nature of social relations in the region

Thermal treatment and disposal of carbon fiber reinforced composites

From the point of view of rational resource management polymer composites treatment is at the same time environmental pollution prevention during their burial and the opportunity to recover valuable resources — fibers and other fillers. This article presents an analysis of the various processes of thermal utilization of carbon fiber reinforced composites. Incineration technologies in specialized installations and in cement production kilns allow to get rid of the significant amounts of a wide variety of wastes, including polymer composites, with useful energy potential, therefore, it is a popular way to solve the problem of such materials in a place where their disposal is prohibited. However, in this case, valuable resources, like carbon fiber, which production is very energy-consuming, are lost. Therefore, the priority is technologies that allow recycled carbon fiber recovery. One of the most widely used methods that meet most requirements is pyrolysis; therefore, investigation of optimal conditions for this process is an urgent task for research

Influence of postcoid syndrome on the quality of training of students of the medical-preventive faculty

The article presents the influence of postcovid syndrome on the quality of education of students of the medical-prophylactic faculty.В статье представлено влияние постковидного синдрома на качество обучения студентов лечебно-профилактического факультета

Assessment of the quality of education of graduates of medical-prophylactic faculty

This article presents and analyzes the survey data on the quality of education of graduates of the treatment-and-prophylactic faculty, which are necessary to improve the learning process.В данной статье представлены и проанализированы данные опроса по качеству образования выпускников лечебно-профилактического факультета, необходимые для улучшения процесса обучения

К проблеме выбора рациональных вариантов диверсификации деятельности транспортной компании

The necessity of using of heuristic methods take account of uncertainties in each of the transport company activities when choosing a rational variant of the vector control of dynamic processes related to performance indicators, built on the basis of poly-criteria evaluation.В статье обосновывается необходимость использования эвристических методов учета неопределенностей в каждом из видов деятельности транспортной компании при выборе рационального варианта вектора управления динамическими процессами с показателями эффективности, построенными на основе поликритериальных оценок

Mechanisms of metformin action

The article discusses modern hypotheses regarding the mechanisms of metformin action. Metformin has been shown to affect not only carbohydrate metabolism, but also many other cell functionsВ статье рассматриваются современные гипотезы о механизмах действия метформина. Показано, что метформин влияет не только на углеводный обмен, но также и на многие другие функции клеток

Efficiency results of the project to attract applicants to the medical-preventive faculty

The article describes the result of organizing medical quests and quizzes for students from specialized biomedical classes by students of the Ural State Medical University to increase the motivation for choosing the profession of a medical doctor.В статье описаны результаты проведения медицинских квестов и квизов для абитуриентов из профильных медико-биологических классов студентами Уральского государственного медицинского университета для повышения мотивации выбора профессии врача-лечебника

Changes associated with Ebola virus adaptation to novel species.

Motivation: Ebola viruses are not pathogenic but can be adapted to replicate and cause disease in rodents. Here, we used a structural bioinformatics approach to analyze the mutations associated with Ebola virus adaptation to rodents to elucidate the determinants of host-specific Ebola virus pathogenicity. Results: We identified 33 different mutations associated with Ebola virus adaptation to rodents in the proteins GP, NP, L, VP24, and VP35. Only VP24, GP and NP were consistently found mutated in rodent-adapted Ebola virus strains. Fewer than five mutations in these genes seem to be required for the adaptation of Ebola viruses to a new species. The role of mutations in GP and NP is not clear. However, three VP24 mutations located in the protein interface with karyopherin 5 may enable VP24 to inhibit karyopherins and subsequently the host interferon response. Three further VP24 mutations change hydrogen bonding or cause conformational changes. Hence, there is evidence that few mutations including crucial mutations in VP24 enable Ebola virus adaptation to new hosts. Since Reston virus, the only non-human pathogenic Ebolavirus species circulates in pigs in Asia, this raises concerns that few mutations may result in novel human pathogenic Ebolaviruses