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By means of a numerical experiment with the example of methane, we analyze the features of the working process of a reciprocating expander with heat release associated with condensation, friction, and external heat exchange. The influence of the technical characteristics of expanders and inlet gas parameters is also considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There was performed an assessment of anthropometric indices of physical development and functional parameters of the cardiovascular system, psychological and social status in 770 students of the higher educational institutions in the city ofSamara. There was revealed the presence of I-III degree obesity in 13.2% of young males and underweight in 19.1% of young females. Stress and disruption of the processes of the adaptation process were shown to be observed in 7.6% and 6.1% of students, respectively. There was found a tendency to hypertension in 12.6% of young males. Revealed changes are related to lifestyle of the modern student. The main factors for the improvement of the life quality is the duration of sleep and ultimate nutrition. Initially, the lower level of physical and functional capabilities is compensated by virtue of the correct organization of social and psychological factors and prevents possible deviations from the part of health.

We report characterization of a novel member of the short chain dehydrogenase/reductase superfamily. The 1513-base pair cDNA encodes a 319-amino acid protein. The corresponding gene spans over 26 kilobase pairs on chromosome 2 and contains five exons. The recombinant protein produced using the baculovirus system is localized in the microsomal fraction of Sf9 cells and is an integral membrane protein with cytosolic orientation of its catalytic domain. The enzyme exhibits an oxidoreductase activity toward hydroxysteroids with NAD(+) and NADH as the preferred cofactors. The enzyme is most efficient as a 3alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, converting 3alpha-tetrahydroprogesterone (allopregnanolone) to dihydroprogesterone and 3alpha-androstanediol to dihydrotestosterone with similar catalytic efficiency (V(max) values of 13-14 nmol/min/mg microsomal protein and K(m) values of 5-7 microm). Despite approximately 44-47% sequence identity with retinol/3alpha-hydroxysterol dehydrogenases, the enzyme is not active toward retinols. The corresponding message is abundant in human trachea and is present at lower levels in the spinal cord, bone marrow, brain, heart, colon, testis, placenta, lung, and lymph node. Thus, the new short chain dehydrogenase represents a novel type of microsomal NAD(+)-dependent 3alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase with unique catalytic properties and tissue distribution.

A highly polymorphic microsatellite (CA)n-marker (CAct685) previously isolated from human chromosome 19 cosmid library was localized near GPI in 19q13.1. For the fine localization of this marker, the hybridization with chromosome 19-specific cosmid libraries assembled in contigs was used. Polymorphism analysis of the marker in 12 populations of Russia and neighboring countries showed 14 alleles containing from 16 to 30 repeat units. Populations belonging to Indo-European, Uralic and Altaic linguistic families demonstrated a great similarity in allele frequency profiles. Differences between these populations were lower for CAct685 than for classical markers. Allele distribution of CAct685 in a Chukchi population belonging to the Chukchi-Kamchatkan linguistic family differs from those in all other populations, that may be typical for Mongoloid population or reflect an ethnic history of Chukchi as a small population. Thus use of the CAct685 marker seems to be effective for analysis of distant peoples.