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The impact of hazardous waste on people and the environment from agricultural, industrial, military and mining activities form one of the most significant global environmental challenges. These wastes often include heavy metals, acid precipitates (sulfur oxide solutions), hydrocarbons, and other organic chemicals. Environmental impact of such technogenic waste and dumps sources (TWDS) is widely reflected in vegetation cover changes, which can be easily detected by satellite instruments. But application of satellite data for TWDS monitoring requires appropriate information tools. At presented work, the authors conducted the development of the design and implementation of these tools within frames VEGA-Science services (http://sci-vega.ru/eng/) in order to provide analysis of longterm variability of the vegetation cover state caused by the influence of TWDS. The result of the work was included in automated system for remote monitoring of vegetation cover (SRMV) of VEGA-Science system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Spanish slug, a species that is considered to be the most destructive pest among molluscs of Europe, is reported to spread widely across Ukraine during last 5–7 years. In addition to its 5 known colonies in Western Ukraine, over 60 new localities from Western, Central, Northern, Southern and Eastern Ukraine are reported for the first time using own materials and reports with photo from the general public. Newly reported localities include such major cities as Kyiv, Kharkiv, Donetsk, Khmelnitsky, Vinnytsia, Ternopil, Zhytomyr, Lutsk, Chernivtsi and Ivano-Frankivsk, and also the settlements in Odesa and Mykolaiv Regions. Species is also reported for the first time from Grodno City in Belarus and from Moscow City in Russia. Much wider future expansion of the Spanish slug in Eastern Europe is expected in near time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thirtysix species of terrestrial molluscs were found in the dry grasslands and rock outcrops of the study area, including three that were not previously known for Central Ukraine: Granaria frumentum, Pupilla bigranata and Mediterranea inopinata. These species are relics related to dry open habitats and require conservation in Ukraine on the national level, G. frumentum is already listed in the Red Book of Ukraine, and the other two should be listed in its next edition. It is proposed to create the new protected areas in the most important newly revealed locations of these species. These rocky areas also retain the high diversity of land molluscs in the region. The invasive snail Xeropicta derbentina was found for the first time on the Dnipro Upland, on the edge of natural dry grassland. The rare native snail Morlina glabra was recorded for the first time in Kyiv Region, it is proposed to be included into the regional red list. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ash clouds resulting from explosive volcanic eruptions pose a real threat to human life (for aircraft flights, airport operations, etc.); therefore, the detection, monitoring, and forecast of their movement is an urgent and important issue. The features and examples of application of the new tool developed on the basis of "Monitoring of Active Volcanoes of Kamchatka and the Kurile Islands" information system (VolSatView) are described. It allows the integrated monitoring and forecasting of ash cloud transport using the data of remote sensing and mathematical modeling as well as the assessment of the parameters of explosive events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

26 species of terrestrial molluscs were found in the studied area, including the rare and globally threatened Vertigo moulinsiana that is listed in "Habitats Directive" of the EU and in numerous red lists. Until now it was known in Ukraine only by one population in the Crimea that became extinct in 2014. Its conservation status, taking threats into account, is considered to be "Critically Endangered" on the national level in Ukraine. The characteristics of the phytocenoses to which it is restricted and the associated molluscan faunas are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Creating high-performance means to manage massive hyperspectral data (HSD) arrays is an actual challenge when it is implemented to deal with disparate information resources. Aiming to solve this problem the present work develops tools to work with HSD in a distributed information infrastructure, i.e. primarily to use those tools in remote access mode. The main feature of presented approach is in the development of remotely accessed services, which allow users both to conduct search and retrieval procedures on HSD sets and to provide target users with tools to analyze and to process HSD in remote mode. These services were implemented within VEGAConstellation family information systems that were extended by adding tools oriented to support the studies of certain classes of natural objects by exploring their HSD. Particular developed tools provide capabilities to conduct analysis of such objects as vegetation canopies (forest and agriculture), open soils, forest fires, and areas of thermal anomalies. Developed software tools were successfully tested on Hyperion data sets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A finding of the subterranean population of the Caucasian invasive snail on the depth of 30 m below Odesa in Southern Ukraine is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A laboratory method was proposed for the preparation of neohexane by the isomerization of n-hexane using technical aluminum chloride and some new initiators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The total cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in the blood of pregnant woman is represented by maternal and fetal fractions. Level of the fetal cfDNA can be used for prediction of pregnancy-related disorders, such as preeclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction and preterm labour. However, it remains unclear whether cfDNA concentration depends on body mass index (BMI) and blood composition. Aim of this study was to determine changes of the maternal and fetal cfDNA concentrations during pregnancy, as well as the influence of BMI and anemia. Fractions of cfDNA in maternal plasma were analyzed by means of methylation patterns in the promoter of the RASSF1A gene among 24 women at 11-14, 24-26, 30-32 weeks of pregnancy. Mean concentration of the maternal cfDNA was 14300,9±5294,1 GE/ml at 11-14 weeks, 13413,7±6187,4 GE/ml at 24-26 weeks and 13902,7±6526,0 GE/ml at 30-32 weeks (p>0.05). Mean fetal cfDNA levels at 11-14 and 24-26 weeks were similar (1265,1±577,5 and 1309,1±561,0 GE/ml), respectively. At 30-32 weeks mean concentration of fetal cfDNA was significantly higher than at 11-14 and 24-26 weeks (1742,0 GE/ml) (p<0,05). There was no correlation between maternal or fetal cfDNA concentrations and BMI at pregnancy. Further, the pregnant women were divided into 2 groups: with (11) and without anemia (13). Fetal cfDNA concentration did not differ between groups. However, maternal cfDNA concentration at 24-26 and 30-32 weeks was significantly lower in anemic women compared to healthy women, 12607,1±6923,9 versus 14096,3±5685,5 GE/ml and 11761,4±4976,3 versus 15714,6±7296,1 GE/ml, respectively (p<0,05). Thus, concentration of the maternal cfDNA remains stable during pregnancy. The fetal cfDNA concentration remains relatively stable up to 24-26 weeks of gestation, but than significantly increases by 30-32 weeks. Levels of maternal and fetal cfDNA do not vary with maternal BMI. Maternal cfDNA levels are significantly lower in women with anemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple method was proposed for the preparation of neohexane by the isomerization of n-hexane under the influence of aluminum bromide, aluminum oxide and initiators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]