In-plane and out-of-plane gigahertz sound velocities of saturated and unsaturated phospholipid bilayers from cryogenic to room temperatures.

Here, we examined the gigahertz sound velocities of hydrated multibilayers of saturated (1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, DMPC) and unsaturated (1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, DOPC) phospholipids by Brillouin spectroscopy. Out-of-plane and in-plane (lateral) phonons were studied independently of each other. Similar strong temperature dependences of the sound velocities were found for phonons of both types. The sound velocities in the low-temperature limit were two-fold higher than that at physiological temperatures; a significant part of the changes in sound velocity occurs in the solid-like gel phase. The factors that may be involved in the peculiar behavior of sound velocity include changes in the chain conformational state, relaxation susceptibility, changes in the elastic modulus at infinite frequencies, and lateral packing of molecules.

Gigahertz elastic modulus and OH stretching frequency correlate with Jones-Dole's B-coefficient in aqueous solutions of the Hofmeister series.

The ability of salts to change the macroscopic viscosity of their aqueous solutions is described by the Jones-Dole equation with B-coefficient for the linear concentration term. The sign and value of this coefficient are often considered as a measure of the salt's structure-making/breaking ability, while the validity of this assignment is still under discussion. Here, by applying Raman and Brillouin scattering spectroscopy to various salts from the Hofmeister series, we studied a possible relation between macroscopic Jones-Dole's B-coefficient and the microscopic dynamic response. Raman spectroscopy provides information about molecular vibrations and Brillouin spectroscopy about acoustic phonons with wavelengths of hundreds of nanometers. It has been found that Jones-Dole's B-coefficient correlates linearly with the coefficients, describing the concentration dependences of the average OH stretching frequency, real and imaginary parts of gigahertz elastic modulus. These relationships have been interpreted to mean that the OH stretching frequency is a measure of the ion-induced changes in the water network that cause changes in both viscosity and gigahertz relaxation. Depolarized inelastic light scattering revealed that the addition of structure-making ions not only changes the frequency of the relaxation peak but also increases the low-frequency part of the relaxation susceptibility. It was shown that the ion-induced increase in the gigahertz elastic modulus can be described by changes in the relaxational susceptibility without a noticeable change in the instantaneous elastic modulus. The isotropic Raman contribution associated with the tetrahedral-like environment of H2O molecule does not correlate with Jones-Dole's B-coefficient, suggesting a minor influence of these tetrahedral-like configurations on viscosity.

Effect of the Hydrocarbon Chain Disorder in Phosphatidylcholine Bilayers on Gigahertz Sound Velocity.

Suspensions of multilamellar vesicles of 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC) and hydrated and dehydrated aligned multilamellar samples of DMPC were studied by Brillouin spectroscopy in the temperature range from 90 to 333 K. The sound velocity of the longitudinal acoustic wave was evaluated from the Brillouin spectra. It was found that phase transition, hydration state, and planar or vesicular form of bilayers affect the gigahertz sound velocity. Usually, the temperature dependence of the sound velocity is weak in solid substances. Amazingly, the sound velocity of hydrated DMPC samples showed significant temperature-induced changes of up to 1.8 times, even within the solid-like gel phase. We explained this effect by temperature-induced excitations of the disordered conformational states of the hydrocarbon chains as well as anharmonic effects. In addition, the relevance of the gigahertz sound velocity to the description of subterahertz Raman features was demonstrated.

Second-order-derivative analysis of structural relaxation time in the elastic model of glass-forming liquids.

Recently it was shown [V. N. Novikov and A. P. Sokolov, Phys. Rev. E 92, 062304 (2015)10.1103/PhysRevE.92.062304] that the second derivative with respect to inverse temperature of the structural relaxation time in some supercooled molecular liquids has a sharp maximum. It marks the point at which the apparent activation energy begins to saturate with decreasing temperature. The elastic model of glass-forming liquids expresses the temperature dependence of the structural relaxation time through that of the shear modulus. In this paper, we test whether this model is able to predict the maximum of the second derivative. We confirm its presence in the elastic model by analyzing the temperature dependence of the Brillouin light scattering in salol. This is a very subtle feature of the temperature dependence, which is greatly enhanced when taking derivatives. Its presence in the Brillouin data provides strong support to the elastic model of glass-forming liquids.

Brillouin spectroscopy of biorelevant fluids in relation to viscosity and solute concentration.

The measurement of intracellular viscoelastic properties by Brillouin scattering is a rapidly developing field in biophysics and medicine. Here, the Brillouin spectroscopy is applied for a number of aqueous solutions of biorelevant molecules to reveal relations between the Brillouin line parameters (frequency and width) and viscosity or solute concentration. It is found that for the majority of the studied biorelevant molecules the solute concentration governs the Brillouin frequency in a universal manner. On the other hand, the relations between the macroscopic viscosity and Brillouin peak parameters are different for different solutes. We conclude that for biological fluids the viscosity evaluation from Brillouin data needs prior knowledge about the chemical composition. This result challenges the fidelity of the indirect experimental determinations of the cellular viscosity, when small molecule solutions are used for the calibration.

Temperature dependence of the Landau-Placzek ratio in liquid water.

Rayleigh-Brillouin light scattering is studied in liquid water over the range from 249 to 365 K. Experiments are carried out with a high spectral resolution (0.1 GHz), eliminating any contribution of the structural relaxation to the elastic line. The Landau-Placzek ratio is found as the ratio of the Rayleigh and Brillouin intensities. In the whole temperature range, the Landau-Placzek ratio is found to be in good agreement with a prediction of the theory with a pair of independent thermodynamic variables, pressure and entropy. This description is usually used for single-component homogeneous liquids. An excess of the Landau-Placzek ratio above the prediction is expected for inhomogeneous liquids and is observed, for example, in glass-forming liquids below a certain temperature. In contrast to glass-forming liquids, no excess of elastically scattered light increasing at low temperatures is observed for the Landau-Placzek ratio of water. This suggests that the Landau-Placzek ratio of liquid water can be described by a homogeneous structure, and the idea of the water structure consisting of two structural motifs may not be necessary to explain the experimental ratio.

[Hygienic evaluation of direct heating of the air delivered to the shaft].

The paper gives the results of exploring a test pre-heating system for the air (APHS) delivered to the shaft. The system has been first used in the Urals. The supply air is heated by burning natural gas in the air current. The APHS system with a RG air heater (000 "Gas-Engineering") is equipped in addition to the existing heaters to enhance heat supply reliability in northern conditions. The data of the studies show that in all periods of the heating season (interseason, moderate frosts, the coldest month), the concentrations of hazardous substances, such as nitric oxides, nitric dioxide, sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, benz(a)pyrene, solid aerosol in the shaft-delivered air, do not exceed those given in the existing regulation provided that the design operating conditions are met. With the maximum gas consumption, the coldest month only was marked by the nitric dioxide content being greater than the standard values, causing the maximum projected natural gas consumption to be lower in the APHS system. The air level of nitric dioxide proved to be a major hygiene indicator while using this air heater.

[Topical aspects of occupational hygiene in the manufacture of novel types of periclase carbon refractory bricks].

Comprehensive hygienic studies conducted at the Pervouralsk plant of refractory materials at the section of spinel periclasocarbonated refractory materials in the workshops for preparing and pressing refractory mass have shown that silicon-containing dust that is a mixture of various chemicals entering the air of a working area. In the refractory mass preparation workshop, the concentrations of a number of substances, such as magnesium oxide, phenol, formaldehyde, exceed their maximum allowable levels. In the pressing workshop, the workers are exposed to high noise levels. The working process in the study workshops is considered to be rough labor.

[Sanitary characteristics of the production of asbestos membranes]. / Gigienicheskaia kharakteristika proizvodstva asbestovykh membran.

The paper presents preliminary results of sanitary assessment of the production of asbestos membranes. The production may emit highly disperse asbestos-containing aerosols of disintegration with low levels of filamentous particles and respirable fibers of chrysotile-asbestos into the air of working areas. It is concluded that latest chrysotile-asbestos processing is not a significant source of air pollution in the working areas where asbestos-containing and related noxious substances are present.

[Standardization of carbon fluoride aerosols in the air of the working area]. / Materialy k normirovaniiu aérozolia ftorouglerodnykh volokon v vozdukhe rabochei zony.

Hygienic studies were conducted by means of pilot industrial plant for production of carbon tetrafluoride fibers (CTF). The studies proved that the main hazards of the production are CTF dust and hydrogen fluoride. Average shift concentrations of CTF dust in tne air of workplace equal 0.6-1.5 mg/cu m which 2 times higher than the MAC for HF at all technologic sites except for reactor compartment. The workers servicing the plant demonstrate higher urinary fluor excretion mostly due to HF intake. Experimental studies showed that CTF have low cytotoxicity and fibrogenic activity, these chemicals are assigned to IV jeopardy class (mild hazards). If applied on skin, CTF are absorbed and induce slight local irritation. The MAC for CTF in the air of workplace is set at 6 mg/cu m.

[Comparative evaluation of fibrogenesis and toxicity of asbestos-containing heat-proof materials]. / Sravnitelnaia otsenka fibrogennosti i tiksichnosti asbestsoderzhashchikh teploizoliatsionnykh materialov.

The article deals with the results of studies analyzing the fibrogenic activity and toxicity of asbestos-containing heat insulators exemplified by asbestos board, vulcanite and asbestos vermiculite. Physical and chemical parameters of the studied dust are presented. All studied dust types have the distinct fibrogenic activity, the highest one was seen in asbestos board. The studied dust types could be classified according to the acute toxicity: asbestos board (DL50-3.2 +/- 0.09 g/kg), chrysotile asbestos (DL50-2.0 +/- 0.08 g/kg), vulcanite (DL50-1.9 +/- 0.08 g/kg) and asbestos vermiculite (DL50-0.7 +/- 0.04 g/kg). The article touches upon the probable acting mechanism of acute toxicity of asbestos and asbestos-containing dust.

[The oncogenic action of nonfibrous mineral dusts]. / Ob onkogennom deistvii nekotorykh nevoloknistykh mineral'nykh pylei.

Nonfibrous mineral dusts antigorite, basalt, cement, zeolite-klinoptilolite and gamma-alumina were tested for carcinogenic activity in rat experiments. Intraperitoneal injections of zeolite-klinoptilolite and gamma-alumina led to development of peritoneal mesotheliomas, whereas antigorite and cement had no carcinogenic potential. There is no differences in physicochemical and chemical properties between carcinogenically active and inactive nonfibrous dusts. A new class of carcinogenic substances is defined including basalt, zeolite-klinoptilolite and quartz which belong to nonfibrous mineral dusts.