A polyelectrolyte-based enzymatic diagnosticum with a precipitation detection system that can be used as a biosensor was created. The detection method was based on the change in polyelectrolyte microcapsule weight with respect to the urea content. The possibility of biosensor reutilization was demonstrated. The appropriate ionic precipitator causing precipitation of insoluble carbonate within the microcapsules and the optimal microcapsule titre were found. In the solution of monovalent anions (chlorides), the activity of encapsulated urease was shown to increase monotonically as the square root of the ionic strength depending on the elevation of the salt content. The activity drastically increased in a narrow concentration interval (0.6–0.8 mM) of divalent anions (sulfates) and reached the level of the native enzyme activity.

The effects of powerful pulsed ion and high-temperature plasma fluxes generated in a plasma focus (PF) device and the effect of free running laser radiation on a corundum (α-Al 2 O 3 ) ceramic produced by powder technology are studied. The power flux density q and acting pulse time τ for plasma stream, ion flux, and laser irradiation were q p ≈ 10 7 W/cm 2 and τ p ≈ 100 ns, q i ≈ 10 8 W/cm 2 and τ i ≈ 20 ns, and q l ≈ (3–5) × 10 5 W/cm 2 and τ l ≈ 0.7 ms, respectively. The resistance of the ceramic to pulsed energy fluxes was estimated by the weight loss of irradiated specimens and by the surface layer defects (damage). The combined use of PF and pulsed laser irradiation is shown to allow simulation of the extreme erosion and damage of materials in thermonuclear fusion facilities (such as ELM effects in ITER or at the first wall of inertial confinement chambers).

Fluorescent and optical spectroscopy were used to study the interaction of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) with negatively charged polystyrene sulfonate (PSS) and dextran sulfate (DS), as well as positively charged poly(diallyldimethylammonium) (PDADMA). As found, DS and PDADMA did not affect the structural and catalytic enzyme properties. In contrast, PSS slightly decreased the protein self-fluorescence over 1 h of incubation, which is associated with partial destruction of its quaternary (globular) structure. Investigation of the ADH activity with and without PSS showed its dependency on the incubation time and the PSS presence. Sodium chloride (2.0 and 0.2 M) or ammonium sulfate (0.1 M) added to the reaction mixture did not completely protect the enzyme quaternary structure from the PSS action. However ammonium sulfate or 0.2 M sodium chloride stabilized the enzyme and partially inhibited the negative PSS effect.

Experiments on the plasma focus device PF-12 have been carried out to investigate changes in the structure of the surface and bulk of tungsten and tungsten doped with 1% lanthanum oxide after repeated powerful deuterium plasma shots (8, 25 and 100). The surface morphology of the targets exposed to plasma streams is analyzed by electron and optical microscopy. Due to the plasma effect, different surface structures, such as wave-like structures, a melted layer, a mesh of microcracks, droplets, craters, crevices and holes, appear. The change of cross-section hardness after a number of shots in different materials is investigated.

The effects of low and ultra-low doses of X-ray radiation and neutron fluxes produced by continuous-wave and pulsed sources of different nature and power on the activity of plant peroxidases and the bovine lung angiotensin-converting enzyme were studied. Certain ranges of doses (including ultra-low), the exposure to which under particular conditions causes the in vitro activation and/or inactivation of the enzymes, were found. Possible factors responsible for this phenomenon are discussed.

Dynamics of the interaction of powerful streams of high-temperature plasma and fast ions generated in a device of the “Dense Plasma Focus” (DPF) type has been studied for a special case. In these experiments solid conductive targets with the shape of a plate and a tube, respectively, were placed normally and axially with respect to the Z axis of the DPF chamber on its cathode side. The secondary plasma spread out from the target surface has been examined. The shock-wave action upon the flat targets produced by the ion beam has been revealed.

Changes in the surface and structure of tungsten and tungsten doped with 1% lanthanum-oxide samples irradiated by powerful deuterium plasma shots are investigated. Comparative analysis of the samples microroughness, the damage factor estimated from SEM images, and the hardness of cross-sections has been carried out. It can be concluded that the doping of tungsten with 1% lanthanum-oxide may decrease the development of a mesh of microcracks on the irradiated surface. However, this doping may increase the microroughness of the sample surface.

Austenitic steel 10Cr12Mn14Ni4AlMo and Ti-4Al-3V alloy were irradiated with nanosecond pulsed nitrogen ion and plasma streams in plasma focus devices. The two different modes of the treatment were applied: high power density (>= 10(8) W/cm(2)) irradiation with melting of the surface layer and irradiation with power density similar to 10(7) W/cm(2) below the melting threshold. Structure and phase changes as well as the mechanisms of modification and hardening of the surface layers of the steel and titanium alloy upon applied irradiation are discussed.

This paper reports on experiments undertaken to compare the radiation resistance of two types of ceramics, boron nitride (BN) and pure alumina (Al2O3), which are used in a TAEA antenna coil installed in the MAST spherical tokamak. Samples of the investigated materials (bulk BN and a 20 mu m film of Al2O3 on Al substrate) were exposed on the axis of the plasma-focus PF-1000 device, which can emit intense streams of hot plasma (upsilon approximate to 10(7) cm s(-1) and N-pl approximate to 10(18) cm(-3)) and fast deuteron beams (E-i approximate to 100 keV). The most powerful plasma-ion pulse lasted 0.2-1.0 mu s and its intensity decayed in about 100 mu s. The irradiation process was diagnosed using fast optical cameras, laser interferometry and optical spectrometry. Experiments were performed at power flux densities equal to 10(9)-10(10) W cm(-2) or 10(8)-10(9) W cm(-2) during the most powerful stage of the interaction process. The irradiated specimens were investigated by means of optical microscopy and x-ray structure analysis (XRSA). It was shown that at 10(10) W cm(-2) pulses the Al2O3 coating was completely evaporated, whereas a surface of the BN sample became smoother than in the virgin one. A direct comparison of both samples after the action of 10(8) W cm(-2) pulses demonstrated a wave-like structure (more distinct on Al2O3). Weighing of these samples showed, however, that the evaporation of BN was about two times stronger than that of Al2O3 in spite of the lower irradiation flux; the XRSA showed no evidence of cracking of Al2O3 after these pulses. The insulation properties of Al2O3 did not decline, and the Al2O3 coating may be potentially more beneficial, provided that it is kept below its melting point. Characteristic features of damages of a material based on the carbon-fiber composite with additions of silicium carbide (SiC; 8-40% volumetric) were also investigated. It was found that at q = 10(9) W cm(-2), the surface erosion is associated with sputtering and evaporation. The degree of this erosion depends on the fibers' orientation in relation to the direction of the plasma-ion streams, and on the percentage of the SiC admixture.

The thermal and caloric equations of state of the main components of gas mixtures normally used in calculations of gas dynamic processes, including combustion and detonation, as well as in problems of internal ballistics, are presented in an analytical form. The formulas obtained for the equations of state contain a relatively small number of parameters and provide an average error of approximation of less than 1% at temperatures from 500 to 2000–2500 K and densities up to the critical.

В статье рассмотрен подход к разработке интегрального показателя социальной комфортности населения как фактора расчета налога на недвижимое имущество. Обосновывается необходимость проведения геоинформационного анализа и комплексной оценки показателей городской среды, главными компонентами которой является население города и социальная инфраструктура. Составлена схема показателей уровня социальной комфортности населения.

Using the methods of light scattering and optical microscopy, data have been obtained on the thermosensitivity of polyelectrolyte microcapsules formed of alternating layers of polyallylamine and polystyrenesulfonate, hollow and with included polyelectrolyte complexes and proteins. It is shown that all three types of capsule shrink with increasing temperature and time interval of thermal influence, and their diameter decreases. It is proposed that the thermosensitivity of microcapsules be estimated by the temperature factor of the rate of their shrinkage ( E s ). For all three types of microcapsule containing from 6 to 10 layers in the shell, the phenomenon of alternant thermosensitivity depending on the number of shell layers is revealed—with an odd number of layers the shrinkage is stronger than with an even one. Using the transport proteins of blood—hemoglobin and bovine serum albumin—as an example, the dependence of the thermosensitivity of microcapsules on the quantity, the degree of ionization, and the conformational state of the encapsulated protein has been investigated.

We present some results of our experiments with use of a number of plasma accelerators of the Dense Plasma Focus type, namely PF-5M (IMET, bank energy – 5 kJ), PF-6 (IPPLM, 7 kJ), and the largest in the world DPF facility operating with deuterium as a working gas PF-1000 (IPPLM, 1.2 MJ). We use this set of devices for application in the field of radiation material sciences, in particular for Simulation of Radiation Damage and Testing of Materials intended for use in Thermonuclear Reactors (TNR) of both types – with magnetic plasma confinement (MPC) and with inertial plasma confinement (IPC). These devices can produce directed streams of the same types of radiation and having the same parameters (density, temperature, spectrum, energy of fast particles, etc.), which are expected on the walls of the reactors’ chambers. It is independent on DPF bank energy (it is clear that we can ensure the above parameters on different areas of a sample). Power flux density of plasma and fast ion/electron streams on the sample’s surface during the experiments, which simulate conditions on plasma-facing components inside thermonuclear fusion reactors, may reach on the target’s surface (on the face of a specimen under test) as much as 10 W/cm. It is about those expected in the reactors with the inertial (IPC) plasma confinement and much higher than those with the magnetic plasma confinement (MPC). We describe results on the interaction of powerful deuterium plasma and fast ion/electron streams with specimens made of tungsten and carbon-fiber-composites, which are counted as a candidate materials for use as plasma facing and construction components of TNR with MPC and IPC. In our analysis of the irradiation consequences we apply optical, scanning electron and atomic force microcopy, X-Ray elemental and structure analysis, etc. Taking into consideration that the above materials are the main construction and plasma facing resources for ITER and NIF facilities, the results received are fruitful for estimations of prospects of their use in these reactors as well as in the next generation of fusion reactors. Some recommendations on the use of these materials will be presented.

This paper gives results on the interaction of a chromium-manganese austenitic stainless steel and a pulsed high current deuterium beam. Features of damages, phase-structural transformations and chemical content changes were investigated. The interrelationship between the characteristics of the topographical surface structure and the number of pulses is discussed on the basis of multifractal parameterization methods. This method provides additional information about the topographical surface structure and is very promising for approximate near-surface layer damageability analysis.

Four small (in the energy range 2-7 kJ) dense plasma focus devices were elaborated and put into operation in the last several years: ING-103, DPF-10, PF-5M, and DPF-6. Each device has its own parameters (energy, current rise-time and magnitude, pulse duration of ionizing radiation of different types, weight, etc.) and together with the specific discharge chambers they are optimized for various applications. Comparative description of functioning parameters of these devices together with the results of the most successful applications is presented in the report.

The paper reports on experimental studies of processes of the interaction of pulsed streams of fast deuterium ions (E-i similar to 100 keV) and dense deuterium plasma (v(pl) > 10(7) cm/s) with samples made of carbon and tungsten. Experiments were performed in the large PF-1000 plasma-focus facility with the charging energy of 481 kJ and with the pure deuterium filling. Power flux density of plasma/ions streams was q = 10(7) - 10(10) W/cm(2) and the pulse length was from 10(-7) s to 10(-6) s, whereas the duration of heat pulses (due to a secondary plasma at the target's surface) was 10(-4) s. The stainless steel, tungsten and carbon-tungsten samples were placed in the zone of their strong melting and evaporation or in the zone without their melting. Each sample was exposed to I through 10 discharges, and the irradiated samples were investigated with optical-, electron- and atomic-force-microscopes. The interaction of intense plasma-ion pulses with the carbon-tungsten samples caused the formation of a wave-like relief on sample surfaces, the evident erosion of the sample material, and the creation of numerous micro-cracks. It was also found that about 200-nm-thick layer of the irradiated tungsten sample contained many melted fragments of nm-dimensions. The results might be useful for estimations of tungsten behavior in extreme situations (e.g. disruptions) expected in fusion reactors with magnetic plasma confinement.

The Dense Plasma Focus (DPF) devices PF-1000, PF-6 and PF-5M working with different gases and in dissimilar irradiation modes were used to carry out experimental investigations of irradiation of a number of materials by powerful pulsed ion and high-temperature plasma streams. The materials under test were designed for application in structural and functional components of thermonuclear fusion devices with magnetic (MPC) and inertial (IPC) plasma confinement, as well as for working chambers of plasma and accelerator devices. The main features of the materials are low-activation and radiation-resistant properties. On the basis of the investigations a significant progress was achieved in understanding of dynamics of high-energy nano- and micro-second pulsed streams in DPF from one side as well as on the mechanisms of their influence upon materials under irradiation from the other one. We demonstrated that this approach can be useful for certain tests of plasma-facing materials (e.g. W for MPC and stainless steels for IPC) and of structural (construction) elements of the above-mentioned devices subjected to pulsed high-energy radiation streams. The results obtained suggest also that DPF devices can be used in new pulse technologies for material treatment by means of powerful nanosecond and microsecond pulses of plasma and ion streams.

Experimental and theoretical investigations of the impact of powerful pulse fluxes of nanoand micro-second duration ionizing radiation /IR/ on processes of damaging, formation and evolution of defects, alteration of structural and phase state, heatand mass-transfer, and distribution of components in metals and alloys with the purpose of evaluation and prediction of their behavior in conditions of time-dependent extreme duties and increase of their radiation-thermal resistance. Among modern directions of development of irradiation solid state physics and irradiation material science and technology a special position is occupied by the fundamental problem of interaction of extreme high-density powerful flux of IR with substance. The gaseous defects (blisters) formation into materials for controlled thermonuclear reactor, liquid metal thin film islands in CVD-surface modification computer simulation model have been compared with results of plasma impulses action.