All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Hydrocarbon Raw Materials

Saccadic choice studies have shown that humans initiate faster saccades toward faces than other visual categories. Here, we tested whether the saccadic advantage for faces observed in past studies is partly due to stimuli being typically presented along the horizontal meridian (HM). Our previous work suggests that the radial bias along the HM facilitates access to the horizontal structure of faces, which optimally drives human face-specialized processing. We expected to corroborate the saccadic advantage for faces along the HM, where the radial bias facilitates access to horizontal content, and to observe a reduction of this advantage along the vertical meridian (VM), especially in participants showing a strong horizontal tuning for face recognition. Fifty participants performed a saccadic choice task targeting faces or vehicles presented at 15° eccentricity along the HM and VM. We also assessed the strength of the radial bias and the horizontal tuning for face identity recognition in each individual. As expected, saccades were faster and more accurate toward faces than vehicles; they were also faster along the HM than the VM. Contrary to our hypothesis, the saccadic face advantage did not differ between meridians, suggesting the robustness of face saccadic advantage. However, the saccadic face advantage along the VM correlated with the strength of the horizontal tuning of face identity recognition. Additionally, the radial bias predicted saccade latency toward faces along the HM. These findings indicate that low-level radial biases and high-level face-specialized mechanisms independently contribute to distinct functional aspects of the ultra-fast saccadic responses toward faces.

Background: Children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN) face numerous barriers in accessing dental care including a lack of providers who are comfortable and competent in addressing their needs. Care coordination is an effective and financially viable tool to navigate the complexities of the health care system and match patients to providers with the appropriate training and facilities to treat their specific needs. Care coordinators have been shown to improve access, reduce barriers and decrease health care costs for CYSHCN.Objectives: To present results of a care coordination pilot in two federally qualified health centers that worked with community dental care coordinators (CDCCs) as part of the Healthy Teeth Healthy Communities (HTHC) project to determine if this model is financially sustainable and potentially beneficial to connecting CYSHCN to dental care.Methods: Several case studies were examined to determine the efficacy of the care coordination model with regard to improving oral health outcomes by decreasing barriers to care for CYSHCN. Data were analyzed from two federally qualified health centers that participated in the dental care coordination pilot.Results: The results illustrate a positive correlation between care coordination and patients’ ability to establish a dental home. The data also show a decrease in the number of no-shows for the patients supported by care coordinators.Conclusions: This pilot demonstrated that care coordination improves access and continuity of care for all patient populations. Additional research and funding should be afforded to further investigate care coordination programs as a bridge to better oral health care for CYSHN.

Long-term single-phase ground fault in overhead 6–35 kV power lines with isolated neutral, accompanied by intermittent arc, lead to overvoltage and damage of electrical equipment. In turn, precise localisation of the damaged sections of the overhead power lines is a challenging task, as external inspection of power lines takes a lot of time, effort and resources, depending on the surrounding conditions or the access difficulty of the lines. The present paper proposes to apply the theory of using the property of long lines — to increase the voltage at the open-circuit, when the length of a transmission is quarter of a wavelength. The analysis of the conducted research has shown that the higher harmonics generated by the arcing fault on certain frequency serve as a source of voltage increase at the step-down substation. In addition, frequency and amplitude of the «resonance» harmonics allow identifying the damaged area of the power line in the electrical grids with tree-like topology.

We have developed technology for hydrogen-free removal of sulfur compounds (H2S + RSH + COS + CH3–S–CH3) from wide cut light hydrocarbon fractions (WCLHs) and target products (C3, C4, iso-C5, n-C5) of gas-fractionation plants, including base-catalysis treatment to remove hydrogen sulfide and mercaptans from WCLHs, utilizing the homogeneous catalyst IVKAZ; removal of carbonyl sulfide from propane with hot alkali and regeneration of the alkali; removal of dimethyl sulfide from isopentane by azeotropic distillation; oxidative catalytic treatment of sulfur-containing alkaline wastes using the homogeneous catalyst IVKAZ. The obvious advantages of the homogeneous catalyst IVKAZ compared with the heterogeneous phthalocyanine catalysts KS and KSM in demercaptanization of light hydrocarbon feedstock and oxidative treatment of sulfur-containing alkaline wastes has been proven in practice.

Positive experience in use of contact devices of the VNIIUS—14 type in ethanolamine treatment to remove hydrogen sulfide from gases has been covered relatively extensively in the press. The results of experience with the LUKOIL—Permnefteorgsintez OJSC L—24/6 plant are reported here: faultless operation of two absorbers for MEA treatment of hydrogen—containing gas and absorber for treatment of hydrocarbon gas for seven years.

In the Boreskov Institute of Catalysis in cooperation with specialists of All-Russian Institute of Hydrocarbons Raw Materials novel methods of purification of fossil fuels based on oxidation of hydrogen sulfide to elemental sulfur have been developed. In this paper the results of laboratory and pilot plant testing of the technologies are presented.

Production of propylene is increasing steadily all over the world. For example, it increased by approximately 8 times in the USA and Japan from 1965 to 1980 [I]. Many installations for combined refining of type G-43-I07 and KT-I oil are supplemented by installations for concentration of propylene in our country for the more complete utilization of the resources of propylene contained in refinery gases. To produce propylene which satisfies the requirements of GOST 25043-81 for the concentration of sulfur compounds, it is necessary to know the group composition of these compounds and their distribution by technological streams, which will permit selecting the most economical and rational scheme for preparation of the raw material for the propylene concentration installation.

The unsaturated gases obtained in processing petroleum cuts in catalytic and thermal crackers are used in the refinery mainly for the production of butane-butylene cut (BBC) with a content of organic sulfur compounds up to 0.02% by weight. This cut is used as feed to units for the sulfuric acid alkylation of isobutane. The propane-propy!ene cut (PPC) that is obtained at the same time, with a propylene content up to 50% by weight, has not yet found any effective applications, and it is used mainly (up to 85% of the resources) as domestic or industrial fuel. At the same time, the petrochemical industry is experiencing an acute shortage of propylene. The yield of PPC, relative to the total volume of unsaturated feed of the gas fractionation units (GFUs), is about 30%.