Copper is an essential trace element in living organisms, but its excess interferes with metabolic transformations in plant, animal and human cells. The uptake of copper from contaminated soils can be regulated, for example, by soil liming or application of other substances which enhance soil adsorption capacity and Cu binding in the substrate. The purpose of this study has been to assess the response of maize to soil contamination with copper depending on the applied neutralizing substances. The tested factors were increasing concentrations of Cu in soil: 0, 200, 400 and 600 mg Cu kg 1 dm, and soil application of mineral (lime, loam and zeolite) and organic (manure, peat and bark) neutralizing substances. Soil contamination with copper within the range of 200 to 600 mg kg 1 of soil caused reduction in maize yields. Positive influence such as alleviation of the harmful effect of copper contamination was demonstrated by lime and manure, which enhanced yields of maize, especially in the series polluted with 200 and 400 mg Cu kg 1. The other soil amending substances, especially peat added in amounts of 400 and 600 mg kg 1 of soil, caused a considerable depression in maize yields. A linear dependence has been demonstrated between the concentration of Cu in maize plants and the content of Cu in the substrate, with the root content of Cu being on average six-fold higher than in aerial organs. Mineral soil amendments significantly decreased the BTC index in maize compared to organic substances, and lime as well as pine bark decreased the BCF index to 2.33 and 1.67 versus the value of 4.21 found in the control treatment without any neutralizing substances. The uptake of copper depended on the volume of yield and to a lesser degree on the concentration of Cu in plants. The uptake of copper by plants was the highest in treatments contaminated with a rate of 200 mg Cu kg 1 , which was the consequence of higher yields from that treatment than from the plots polluted with 400 or 600 mg Cu kg 1 of soil.

Background: Cortical interneurons originating from the medial ganglionic eminence, MGE, are among the most diverse cells within the CNS. Different pools of proliferating progenitor cells are thought to exist in the ventricular zone of the MGE, but whether the underlying subventricular and mantle regions of the MGE are spatially patterned has not yet been addressed. Here, we combined laser-capture microdissection and multiplex RNA-sequencing to map the transcriptome of MGE cells at a spatial resolution of 50 μm. Results: Distinct groups of progenitor cells showing different stages of interneuron maturation are identified and topographically mapped based on their genome-wide transcriptional pattern. Although proliferating potential decreased rather abruptly outside the ventricular zone, a ventro-lateral gradient of increasing migratory capacity was identified, revealing heterogeneous cell populations within this neurogenic structure.

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The friction behavior of the formed antifriction films and their effect on the functional properties of the composite based on the powder nickel alloy EI929 with solid lubricant CaF2 at high temperatures was investigated. An antifriction film was formed on the contact surfaces during the friction process. Such a film was the result of the interaction of the contact surfaces with atmospheric oxygen at high temperatures. It contains oxides of alloying elements from materials of the frictional contact and solid lubricant calcium fluoride. The quantitative ratio of formed oxides depends on the temperature operating conditions of material. The data of thermodynamic simulation of the high-temperature interaction of the composite with oxygen coincide with the experimental data obtained by studying the fine structure of surface antifriction films. Antifriction films consist of oxide phases in combination with solid CaF2 lubricant. Anti-friction films provide high wear resistance of the self-lubricating composite in the range of temperatures 1073–1173 K due to the balance between the rate of their formation and wear. When the temperature exceeds 1200 K, the film loses its lubricating properties and acts as an abrasive substance due to the intense oxidation. Abrasive surfaces of materials were subjected also to microscopic examination, in which the mechanically mixed layer (MML) was described. The study of the friction surface roughness parameters confirmed the presence of the formed friction self-lubricating film and allowed to determine its parameters. The friction mechanism was the formation of an oxide layer combined with a solid lubricant, which provides high antifriction properties in the range of 1073–1273 K.

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Abstract. The article discusses the evaluation of possible reductions of energy consumption in warehouse buildings and the analysis of construction and functioning of modern storage warehouses. For a warehouse the following are presented: operation evaluation measures and indexes, an energy balance, ideas for improvements in terms of energy conservation in particular functioning zones.