Chemical analysis of aerosol in the Venusian cloud layer by reaction gas chromatography on board the Vega landers

The experiment on sulfuric acid aerosol determination in the Venusian cloud layer on board the Vega landers is described. An average content of sulfuric acid of approximately 1 mg/cu m was found for the samples taken from the atmosphere at heights from 63 to 48 km and analyzed with the SIGMA-3 chromatograph. Sulfur dioxide (SO2) was revealed in the gaseous sample at the height of 48 km. From the experimental results and blank run measurements, a suggestion is made that the Venusian cloud layer aerosol consists of more complicated particles than the sulfuric acid water solution does

The influence of modification by superdispersed powders on the lead-tin-base bronze structure

The paper presents data on the influence of additives of the pre-treated aluminium oxide powder on the structure of cast lead-tin-based bronzes. Different quantities of the modifier, based on the superdispersed aluminum oxide powder, were added to the bronze melt. The studies have shown that addition of a small amount of aluminum oxide powder (0.07... 0.25 %) allows modifying the micro structure of the obtained castings. This modification includes grain refinement, reduction of the matrix dendrites size of tin solid solution in copper, as well as formation of spherical inclusions of the low-melting phase - lead. In this case, the addition of such modifier influences weakly the morphology and the quantity of solid eutectoid inclusions based on electron compound Cu[31] Sn[8]

The space physics environment data analysis system (SPEDAS)

With the advent of the Heliophysics/Geospace System Observatory (H/GSO), a complement of multi-spacecraft missions and ground-based observatories to study the space environment, data retrieval, analysis, and visualization of space physics data can be daunting. The Space Physics Environment Data Analysis System (SPEDAS), a grass-roots software development platform (www.spedas.org), is now officially supported by NASA Heliophysics as part of its data environment infrastructure. It serves more than a dozen space missions and ground observatories and can integrate the full complement of past and upcoming space physics missions with minimal resources, following clear, simple, and well-proven guidelines. Free, modular and configurable to the needs of individual missions, it works in both command-line (ideal for experienced users) and Graphical User Interface (GUI) mode (reducing the learning curve for first-time users). Both options have “crib-sheets,” user-command sequences in ASCII format that can facilitate record-and-repeat actions, especially for complex operations and plotting. Crib-sheets enhance scientific interactions, as users can move rapidly and accurately from exchanges of technical information on data processing to efficient discussions regarding data interpretation and science. SPEDAS can readily query and ingest all International Solar Terrestrial Physics (ISTP)-compatible products from the Space Physics Data Facility (SPDF), enabling access to a vast collection of historic and current mission data. The planned incorporation of Heliophysics Application Programmer’s Interface (HAPI) standards will facilitate data ingestion from distributed datasets that adhere to these standards. Although SPEDAS is currently Interactive Data Language (IDL)-based (and interfaces to Java-based tools such as Autoplot), efforts are under-way to expand it further to work with python (first as an interface tool and potentially even receiving an under-the-hood replacement). We review the SPEDAS development history, goals, and current implementation. We explain its “modes of use” with examples geared for users and outline its technical implementation and requirements with software developers in mind. We also describe SPEDAS personnel and software management, interfaces with other organizations, resources and support structure available to the community, and future development plans.Published versio

Low-Beta Structure for High Energy Part of Project X

Long 11-cell, {beta} = 0.81 L-band structure is considered as an initial stage of the high-energy part of the Project-X in order to accommodate to a standard Type-4 cryomodule. The cavity shape is optimized for maximal energy gain providing the same time field flatness along the structure not worse than for ILC {beta} = 1 cavity, and the same ratio of surface magnetic field to electric field. The results of spectrum analysis for monopole and dipole HOMs is presented as well

Debating capabilities of biochemical markers of liver function in patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis

Introduction. The diagnosis of alcohol-related liver disease is limited by the lack of a tool to reliably identify whether the present deterioration in the patient’s condition is due to alcohol consumption or other causes.Purpose. to conduct a comparative assessment of the clinical and diagnostic significance of liver function biochemical indicators (AST, ALT, GGT, ALP) and their calculated derivatives (AST/ALT, GGT/ALP, GGT/GGTn, ALP/ALPn) as markers of alcohol consumption in patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis.Material and methods. The observational study included 112 men over 18 years of age with alcohol-related liver cirrhosis. The patients were assessed the severity of liver cirrhosis according to the Child-Pugh scale, performed general and biochemical blood tests, coagulation test, assessment of the fact of alcohol consumption by the level of phosphatidylethanol. An analysis was made of the relationship between alcohol consumption and changes in laboratory parameters of liver function, with the determination of their sensitivity and specificity.Results. Patients with Child-Pugh B cirrhosis who consumed alcohol on phosphatidylethanol had higher levels of plasma albumin, GGT, and lower values of creatinine, direct and total bilirubin, urea, and aPTT compared with patients who did not drink alcohol (p < 0.05). Alcohol-drinking patients with class C cirrhosis have higher ALT levels compared with abstinent patients with the same severity of cirrhosis (p < 0.05). The relationship between the fact of alcohol consumption, determined by the level of phosphatidylethanol, and the ratio of GGT of patients to the normal GGT value, as well as between the ratio of GGT to alkaline phosphatase and the degree of increase in GGT, turned out to be statistically significant. To assess the fact of alcohol consumption, the level of serum GGT > 65 IU/ l (75.5%) has the highest sensitivity, the highest specificity is the ratio of the patient’s GGT to the normal value of GGT > 2 (82.9%).Conclusion. Compared with the known 100% sensitivity and > 92% specificity of Peth as a alcohol biomarker, among the biochemical indicators of liver function and their calculated derivatives, GGT > 65 IU/l have the greatest sensitivity or specificity (respectively, 75.5% and 65%) and GGTnorm. > 2 (37.7% and 82.9%, respectively), which makes it possible to use the totality of these parameters as an indicator of the continued impact on the patient of the main etiological factor of alcohol-related liver cirrhosis in the routine practice of most medical organizations of the Russian Federation

Digital Railway

В представленной работе представлены основные требования нормативных документов по вопросам цифровизации Российских железных дорог. Освещены вопросы работы требований к эффективному развитию информационных технологий до 2025 года, принцип работы цифровых станций, вопросы качества оказания услуг, системы профессиональных квалификаций, освещены направления деятельности по информационной безопасности.The paper presents the main requirements of regulatory documents on the digitalization of Russian railways. The issues of the requirements for the effective development of information technologies until 2025, the principle of operation of digital stations, the quality of services, the system of professional qualifications are highlighted, the directions of information security activities are highlighted

Wave-induced loss of ultra-relativistic electrons in the Van Allen radiation belts.

The dipole configuration of the Earth's magnetic field allows for the trapping of highly energetic particles, which form the radiation belts. Although significant advances have been made in understanding the acceleration mechanisms in the radiation belts, the loss processes remain poorly understood. Unique observations on 17 January 2013 provide detailed information throughout the belts on the energy spectrum and pitch angle (angle between the velocity of a particle and the magnetic field) distribution of electrons up to ultra-relativistic energies. Here we show that although relativistic electrons are enhanced, ultra-relativistic electrons become depleted and distributions of particles show very clear telltale signatures of electromagnetic ion cyclotron wave-induced loss. Comparisons between observations and modelling of the evolution of the electron flux and pitch angle show that electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves provide the dominant loss mechanism at ultra-relativistic energies and produce a profound dropout of the ultra-relativistic radiation belt fluxes