Konstantin Ustinovich Chernenko as the Leader of the CPSU and the Soviet Union (1984—1985)

The activity of Konstantin Ustinovich Chernenko as the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU is analyzed. The author reveals the objective and subjective factors that influenced his coming to power. The relevance of the study is due to the need to obtain objective knowledge and understanding of the content of Chernenko’s internal policy at the highest post in the party. The novelty of the research lies in the fact that, based on an analysis of various historical sources, the question of which areas of the CPSU policy was focused on Chernenko’s attention as General Secretary for 13 months. It is stated that Chernenko left a noticeable mark on politics, despite the fact that he was unable to propose a policy that could be identified with his name and defined as “Chernenko’s policy”. It has been proved that he, on the whole, continued the policy pursued by Andropov, and did not seek to “freeze” the ongoing reforms. It is shown that he had a clear understanding of the need to reform not only the economy, but also some spheres of society, especially education. It is emphasized that he also raised the issue of the need to enhance the role of the Soviets. It is shown that in the top leadership of the USSR  Chernenko was perceived as a temporary leader, which exacerbated the struggle for power within the Politburo

USSR Policy on Afghanistan in 1978-1991

The problem of transformation of the Soviet Union’s policy towards Afghanistan in the period from the April “revolution” of 1978 to the collapse of the USSR. The author pays attention to the analysis of objective and subjective reasons that influenced the change in the content of the USSR policy in relation to this country. The relevance of the study is due to the need to know and take into account the positive and negative experience of the USSR policy in Afghanistan when developing new relations of the Russian Federation in this region at present. The novelty of the study is in the fact that, based on historiography and new documents, the features of the Afghan policy of the USSR under Brezhnev, Andropov, Gorbachev are revealed. It is proved that the leadership of the USSR, having critically rethought the experience of the war in Afghanistan, began to seek a peaceful solution within the Afghan problem. The author notes that, having decided to withdraw the Soviet troops, it continued to provide military and material assistance to its pro-Soviet ally. It is shown that the USSR was not only a fighting supporter of the People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan, but also provided great economic assistance to this country in the development of the economy and social sphere

Influense of various forms of iron on growth of Chlorella vulgaris Beijer culture

A comparative study of the toxic effect of magnetic nanoparticles of iron oxide (MNPs) and ions of bivalent and trivalent iron in the composition of sulfates on the growth of an intensive culture of Chlorella vulgaris Beijer is provided. The high sensitivity of the introduced biotest is shown for the case of a standard toxicant (potassium dichromate). Using the probit-analysis, and semi-extincting specific growth rate of EC50 culture concentrations were established in four-day experiments, which amounted to 1.3 ± 0.2 mg/l for potassium dichromate, 0.8 ± 0.1 mg/l for ferrous iron, 2.0 ± 0.2 mg/l for trivalent 1 and for MNPs iron oxide - 13 ± 1 mg / l. The probit analysis features and the significantly lower semi-suppressing specific growth rate of the culture in experiments with MNPs compared with ionic iron suggests a possible manifestation of other forms of exposure that are not related to the mechanism of chemical intoxication. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd.Russian Science Foundation, RSF: 18-19-00090In part this research was supported by the Russian Science Foundation (grant number 18-19-00090). We would like to thank I.N. Egorova, O.M. Samatov, A.M. Murzakaev and I.V. Beketov for very special support

Fluorescent methods in biotesting of natural and drain waters toxicity

The object of investigation: laboratory cultures of chlorella (green algae) and water fleas (boughycerous crayfishes), phytoplankton of Baikal lake. The purpose of the work: to reveal the laws of action of the toxic substances on the fluorescence of chlorella and water fleas nourishment activity; to develop on its base, the practical recommendations on using the fluorescent methods in the toxicological works. Established have been the main laws for effect of the threshold concentrations of different toxicants on the primary stages of the microalgae photosynthesis, under the optimum and stress conditions of illumination and temperature, as well as on the processes of nourishment of crayfishes-filtrators (water fleas). On the base of the obtained results, the practical recommendations on using the fluorescent methods for the express evaluation of the water medium toxicity have been developedAvailable from VNTIC / VNTIC - Scientific & Technical Information Centre of RussiaSIGLERURussian Federatio