Система мотивированного сбора информации о содержании радона в помещениях с участием населения

A system of acquisition of information on indoor radon concentration was developed. The system is based on the transfer of devices for integral and/or quasi-integral measurements of radon concentration to the owner of the premises and the exchange of necessary information about the conditions and measurement results between the owner and the measuring laboratory using modern online technology. The information support system implemented on the website and the use of mobile communication technologies are designed to attract additional measurement participants and expand the range of objects available for surveys. At the same time, intermediaries between the measuring laboratory and the owner of the premises are excluded. The use of cloud technologies makes it possible to optimize the exchange of information between participants, and the use of QR codes on detectors eliminates errors associated with the identification of the detector and its coordinate reference to the measurement point. The software modules used in the system automate the process of entering this information. It is assumed that devices with a track detector will be used as the main ones. It is also possible to use carbon-adsorption samplers, but only for measurements in settlements, from which delivery to the processing laboratory is possible within no more than one day. Testing of the possibility of practical use of the system by persons who are not specialists in the field of radiation control was carried out on examples of a small and large settlement (the village of Kochubeyevskaya and the city of Pyatigorsk, Stavropol Krai). In general, the testing showed the operability of the system. As a result, changes were made to the system: the size of QR codes was increased and their color palette was changed, and the supporting system was supplemented with information on entering the editing mode without a QR code. From a social point of view, the system provides economically affordable services for most citizens to determine the level of radon exposure in the air of residential, public and other buildings. At the same time, in the future, significant savings are achieved in budget allocations required to create a potential radon risk map of the country.Разработана система мотивированного сбора информации о содержании радона в воздухе помещений. Система базируется на передаче владельцу помещения приборов для интегральных и/или квазиинтегральных измерений объемной активности радона и обмене необходимой информацией об условиях и результатах измерения между ним и измерительной лабораторией с помощью современной онлайн-технологии. Реализованная на сайте система информационной поддержки и использование технологий мобильной связи призваны привлечь дополнительных участников измерений и расширить круг доступных для обследований объектов. При этом убираются посредники между измерительной лабораторией и владельцем помещения. Применение облачных технологий позволяет оптимизировать обмен информацией между участниками, а использование QR-кодов на детекторах – исключить ошибки, связанные с идентификацией детектора и его координатной привязкой к месту обследования. Примененные в системе программные модули автоматизируют процесс ввода этой информации. В системе мотивированного сбора информации применяются приборы на основе пассивных методов измерения. Предполагается, что в качестве основных будут использоваться приборы с трековым детектором. Также возможно применение угольно-адсорбционных пробоотборников, но только для измерений в населенных пунктах, из которых возможна доставка в обрабатывающую лабораторию в течение не более 1 суток. Проведено тестирование возможности практического использования системы лицами, не являющимися специалистами в области радиационного контроля, на примере малого и крупного населенного пункта (станица Кочубеевская и город Пятигорск, Ставропольский край). В целом, тестирование показало работоспособность системы. По результатам в систему были внесены изменения: увеличен размер QR-кодов и изменена их цветовая палитра, а справочная система дополнена информацией о способах входа в режим редактирования без QR-кода. С социальной точки зрения, система мотивированного сбора информации обеспечивает оказание экономически доступной для большинства граждан услуги по определению уровня облучения радоном в воздухе помещений принадлежащих им зданий и помещений. При этом в перспективе достигается значительная экономия бюджетных ассигнований, требуемых для создания карты потенциальной радоноопасности территории страны

Microstructure and interfacial reactions during active metal brazing of stainless steel to titanium

Microstructural evolution and interfacial reactions during active metal vacuum brazing of Ti (grade-2) and stainless steel (SS 304L) using a Ag-based alloy containing Cu, Ti, and Al was investigated. A Ni-depleted solid solution layer and a discontinuous layer of (Ni,Fe)2TiAl intermetallic compound formed on the SS surface and adjacent to the SS-braze alloy interface, respectively. Three parallel contiguous layers of intermetallic compounds, CuTi, AgTi, and (Ag,Cu)Ti2, formed at the Ti-braze alloy interface. The diffusion path for the reaction at this interface was established. Transmission electron microscopy revealed formation of nanocrystals of Ag-Cu alloy of size ranging between 20 and 30 nm in the unreacted braze alloy layer. The interdiffusion zone of β-Ti(Ag,Cu) solid solution, formed on the Ti side of the joint, showed eutectoid decomposition to lamellar colonies of α-Ti and internally twinned (Cu,Ag)Ti2 inter- metallic phase, with an orientation relationship between the two. Bend tests indicated that the failure in the joints occurred by formation and propagation of the crack mostly along the Ti- braze alloy interface, through the (Ag,Cu)Ti2 phase layer

Radiation-related hygienic assessment of construction materials in urbanized complexes in the Volgograd region

The concept of safety and assurance of vital human activities in urbanization is one of the most significant backbone concepts of human ecology. The comfort of residential buildings is largely owed to the radiation properties of the construction materials used. Therefore, the radiation-related hygienic support of technological processes and construction procedures is an important issue for the construction industry. Solving problems associated with improving the radiation safety of urbanized complexes depends on implementing legislation in the sphere of limiting human exposure to the impact of naturally occurring radionuclides. The paper presents the results of studies carried out by the authors on the specific activities of naturally occurring radionuclides in the construction materials manufactured and used in the Volgograd region. Through these large-scale studies, it was found out that the construction materials manufactured in the Volgograd region are in compliance with the national legislative and standard requirements; they are referred to as class 1 and can be applied for the construction of residential and public buildings

Cyclic patterns of cerebral malaria admissions in Papua New Guinea for the years 1987-1996

Data on the dynamics of malaria incidence, admissions and mortality and their best possible description are very important to better forecast and assess the implementation of programmes to register, monitor (e.g. by remote sensing) and control the disease, especially in endemic zones. Semi-annual and seasonal cycles in malaria rates have been observed in various countries and close similarity with cycles in the natural environment (temperature, heliogeophysical activity, etc.), host immunity and/or virulence of the parasite suggested. This study aimed at confirming previous results on malaria cyclicity by exploring whether trans-year and/or multiannual cycles might exist. The exploration of underlying chronomes (time structures) was done with raw data (without smoothing) by linear and nonlinear parametric regression models, autocorrelation, spectral (Fourier) and periodogram regression analysis. The strongest cyclical patterns of detrended malaria admissions were (i) annual period of 1·0 year (12 months or seasonality); (ii) quasi-biennial cycle of about 2·25 years; and (iii) infrannual, circadecennial cycle of about 10·3 years. The seasonal maximum occurred in May with the minimum in September. Notably, these cycles corresponded to similar cyclic components of heliogeophysical activity such as sunspot seasonality and solar activity cyclicities and well-known climate/weather oscillations. Further analyses are thus warranted to investigate such similarities. In conclusion, multicomponent cyclical dynamics of cerebral malaria admissions in Papua New Guinea were observed thus allowing more specific analyses and modelling as well as correlations with environmental factors of similar cyclicity to be explored. Such further results might also contribute to and provide more precise estimates for the forecasting and prevention, as well as the better understanding, of the dynamics and aetiology of this vector-borne disease