[Experimental evaluation of the impact of low doses of the herbicide 2,4-D in drinking water on some indices of lipid and immune status].

There were studied features of the manifestation of incoming with potable water nontoxic doses of the herbicide 2,4-D on the body mass index, some indices of lipid metabolism and immune system in different types of diets in the experiment in rats. There was shown a significant gain in body weight of animals, and MDA and leptin level in the serum under the action of a herbicide in conjunction with a high-calorie diet. In all experimental groups there was noted the increased level of total cholesterol, tendency to the increase of LDL cholesterol. Under the action of the herbicide there was noted an increase of IL-6, TNF-a and the numbers of leukocytes and, on the contrary, the reduction of the number of thymocytes and kariocytes in thymus and spleen.

[The content of toxic trace elements in the conjugate media].

The purpose of this study was to make a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the content of toxic trace element (Pb, Co, Ni, Cd, Ni, Cd, Sr, and Cr) in the deposited media (snow cover, soil) and drinking water and to define the relationship of the levels of elements in the snow-soil and soil-water systems. The analysis was made in the economic (eastern, western, and central) areas of the region. The higher levels of metals were recorded in the snow cover and soil of the eastern area, which was caused by a high man-made load. There were higher concentrations of Co, Ni, and Cr in the deposited media of the eastern area. It is significant that there were direct correlations with the content of trace elements in the conjugate snow-soil media for Ni (r = 0.41), Cr (r = 0.86). The average level of trace elements in the drinking water was not greater than the maximum permissible concentration in the whole region. The summary pollution index in the drinking water was higher in the western area. It should be noted that the western area showed the largest number of direct correlations with the content of elements in the soil-water system: Pb (r = 0.99), Co (r = 0.84), Ni (r = 0.38).

[The chemical and trace element composition of water sources in the Orenburg Region].

The chemical composition of drinking water was studied by some indices: total mineralization, oxidability, harshness by different regional economic areas of an angoindustrial region. The content of trace elements, imbalance of which had been found by earlier studies, was determined. Higher water mineralization was ascertained in the central area, higher water harshness and oxidability were in the eastern area. The areas under study showed the inhomogeneous content of trace elements.

[Lead pollution of some environmental areas]. / Zagriaznenie svintsom nekotorykh ob"ektov okruzhaiushchei sredy.

The levels of lead were determined in snow water, soil, and sludge. Its highest concentration was found in the deposits of the eastern and central areas of the region. These are areas with elevated technogenic loads. The concentration of lead in the snow cover was compared with its levels in the sludge and soil.

[Content of trace elements in the bottoms of open water reservoirs in the Western part of the Orenburg Region]. / Soderzhanie mikroélementov v donnykh otlozheniiakh otkrytykh vodoemov zapadnoi chasti Orenburgskoi oblasti.

The mean concentrations of trace elements were determined in the bottoms of open water reservoirs in the western part of the Orenburg Region. The content of chromium was found to exceed the maximum permissible concentration by about 5 times, that of zinc and nickel complies with the clarke; that of copper was nearly 2 times less than the clarke, that of cobalt and vanadium is nearly 1.5 times less. The concentrations of trace elements in the bottoms were compared with those in soil, portable water, and snow cover in order to elucidate possible sources of origin.

Experiments with micro-organisms and human cell cultures in the Zond 5 and Zond 7 flights.

Lysogenic strains of Escherichia coli were exposed to space conditions aboard the flight of Zond 5 and Zond 7. Space flight factors appeared to affect the state of episome systems of bacteria, as judged by data obtained with F-Lac+ donor cells which also carried genetic markers for threonine and leucine. Observations on phage induction are discussed and compared with results obtained aboard Biosatellite 2. A number of monolayer cultures of human cells (HeLa cells, fibroblasts, and A-1 cells) were repeatedly exposed to the space environment. In one instance, HeLa 19 cells increased in size after exposure to space conditions, a change which appeared to be genetically stable. HeLa 19 cells which were carried on six separate space flights showed a higher viability than corresponding cultures which were exposed only once aboard Zond 5.