Monitoring of Gamma Radiation Prior to Earthquakes at a Study of Lithosphere-Atmosphere-Ionosphere Coupling in Northern Tien Shan

Monitoring of radiation background in the near-surface atmosphere and of gamma rays, geoacoustic emission, and temperature in a borehole at 40m depth, as well as Doppler sounding on a low-inclined radio pass proceed at the Tien Shan mountain station (3340m a.s.l.) in Northern Tien Shan with common goal to search for seismogenic effects preceding earthquake. The flux of gamma rays in the borehole varies negligibly between the days, and it is not influenced by precipitations. Characteristic bay-like drops of the gamma ray flux were found (2-8)days before the M5.0-M6.2 earthquakes. In a M4.2 earthquake event with the 5.3km epicenter distance anomalies were detected (7-10)days before the earthquake in variation of the gamma ray flux, geoacoustic emission, and temperature. Simultaneously with gamma rays, a disturbance was detected in the Doppler shift of the ionospheric signal. Similarly, ionosphere disturbances triggered by the growth of radioactivity in the near-surface atmosphere were found at retrospective analysis of the Doppler shift data acquired after underground nuclear explosions at the Semipalatinsk testing site. This effect is considered from the viewpoint of the lithosphere-atmosphere-ionosphere coupling concept

Finite element modeling of slow water filtering

Slow sand filtration is most appropriate where there is funding to subsidize the initial cost of the filter, available training for use and maintenance, locally available sand, and a transportation network capable of moving the filter. Since the experimental study of slow filtration is taking a long time, theoretical analysis, modelling and simulation studies become important. Theoretical models of slow filtration are not yet sufficiently developed. Several reasons are hindering modelling and simulation: due to the complexity of the interaction of water and pollution with filters and the lack of detailed values for the kinetic coefficients in elementary processes. Multiphysics modelling using Comsol, where a complex set of Navier-Stokes equations is numerically solved together, with the molecular awareness for the kinetic coefficients, was used to studying various geometries and construction types of slow filtration.Comment: 14 pages, 7 Figure

Ekonominis vandens ekosistemos paslaugų vertinimas miestų planavimui Nur Sultane, Kazachstane

With the positive and negative consequences of rapid global urbanization, the main task of the state is to ensure the long term quality of life of its citizens. Currently, reforms undertaken by post-Soviet states aimed at environment-related projects are facing increasing resistance and protest from local populations. In 2020, the authors of this paper carried out a study on the Maly Taldykol lake group, located in the south-western planning region of Nur-Sultan. The purpose of this work was to conduct an assessment of ecosystem services to inform effective management decisions in urban planning. A strategy of combined research methods was applied. Because of the lack of data, the challenge was to explain, summarize, and verify the data obtained by one method through the application of another method. Analysis of the data showed that the annual costs associated with the creation of artificial “islands of nature” through the expansion of green areas is 20 times less than the losses associated with the development of the territory of Maloe Taldykol and the consequential loss of natural landscape. The results revealed that keeping these ecosystem services in their natural setting reduces the cost of providing these services in an alternative way, and avoids the negative impact of an ill-conceived decision. The uniqueness of this interdisciplinary study lies in the cost-benefit analysis of the findings of the assessment of ecosystem services, which result in the most effective management decisions in urban planning

High Mass-Loading Sulfur-Composite Cathode for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

Lithium-sulfur batteries potentially can be applied in the market of portable devices and storage of electrical energy, due to the cheap and abundant resources and high theoretical discharge capacity of sulfur (1675 mAh g-1). Nevertheless, implementing Li-S batteries face several difficulties based on low electronic conductivity of sulfur and complicated electrochemical reaction. This research is aimed to increase mass loading of sulfur in the composite, which in turn requires improvement in the electrical conductivity. The conductivity of sulfur is improved with the synthesis S/DPAN/CNT composite from polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and carbon nanotubes (CNT), while mass loading is increased with the use of carbon fiber paper as a current collector. Herein we report a simple and efficient preparation way of the sulfur composite cathode with the increased sulfur mass loading and stable electrochemical properties. As a result, mass loading of sulfur was increased up to 5 mg cm-2 and batteries showed stable electrochemical performance

Crosslinking Multilayer Graphene by Gas Cluster Ion Bombardment

In this paper, we demonstrate a new, highly efficient method of crosslinking multilayer graphene, and create nanopores in it by its irradiation with low-energy argon cluster ions. Irradiation was performed by argon cluster ions with an acceleration energy E ≈ 30 keV, and total fluence of argon cluster ions ranging from 1 × 109 to 1 × 1014 ions/cm2. The results of the bombardment were observed by the direct examination of traces of argon-cluster penetration in multilayer graphene, using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Further image processing revealed an average pore diameter of approximately 3 nm, with the predominant size corresponding to 2 nm. We anticipate that a controlled cross-linking process in multilayer graphene can be achieved by appropriately varying irradiation energy, dose, and type of clusters. We believe that this method is very promising for modulating the properties of multilayer graphene, and opens new possibilities for creating three-dimensional nanomaterials

A Rare Co-Occurrence of Maffucci Syndrome and Astrocytoma with IDH1 R132H Mutation: A Case Report

Background: Maffucci syndrome is a rare genetic disorder associated with the development of multiple enchondromas and soft tissue cavernous hemangiomas, as well as an increased risk of malignant tumors. Case Description: Here we report a case of Maffucci syndrome in a patient who presented with a giant left frontal lobe tumor. Molecular genetic analysis of the tumor revealed an isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutation p.R132H (c.395C>A) mutation in the IDH1 gene and a heterozygous duplication of the CDKN2A genes. Conclusions: The presence of an IDH1 mutation is notable because this mutation is frequently seen in glial tumors and other neoplasms, and its co-occurrence with Maffucci syndrome may represent a novel risk factor for the development of gliomas. This case underscores the importance of genetic testing in patients with Maffucci syndrome who present with central nervous system tumors, as well as the need for further research to understand the relationship between IDH1 mutations and the development of gliomas in this population

Symptomatic tension pneumocephalus following Palacos® cranioplasty in a shunted patient

Tension pneumocephalus is an exceedingly rare complication of cerebrospinal fluid diversion occurring after surgery, trauma or spontaneous fistula formation. We report a case in a patient with a ventriculoperitoneal shunt who developed symptomatic tension pneumocephalus via a skin defect within 24 hours of undergoing bone cement cranioplasty

Symptomatic tension pneumocephalus following Palacos® cranioplasty in a shunted patient

Tension pneumocephalus is an exceedingly rare complication of cerebrospinal fluid diversion occurring after surgery, trauma or spontaneous fistula formation. We report a case in a patient with a ventriculoperitoneal shunt who developed symptomatic tension pneumocephalus via a skin defect within 24 hours of undergoing bone cement cranioplasty

CROSSLINKING MULTILAYER GRAPHENE BY GAS CLUSTER ION BOMBARDMENT

In this paper, we demonstrate a new, highly efficient method of crosslinking multilayer graphene, and create nanopores in it by its irradiation with low-energy argon cluster ions. Irradiation was performed by argon cluster ions with an acceleration energy E ≈ 30 keV, and total fluence of argon cluster ions ranging from 1 × 109 to 1 × 1014 ions/cm2. The results of the bombardment were observed by the direct examination of traces of argon-cluster penetration in multilayer graphene, using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Further image processing revealed an average pore diameter of approximately 3 nm, with the predominant size corresponding to 2 nm. We anticipate that a controlled cross-linking process in multilayer graphene can be achieved by appropriately varying irradiation energy, dose, and type of clusters. We believe that this method is very promising for modulating the properties of multilayer graphene, and opens new possibilities for creating three-dimensional nanomaterials