Development of studies on the physiology of the neuroendocrine system at Kiev University

Data on development of studies in the field of physiology of the neuroendocrine system conducted at the Kiev University under the leadership of professor B. G. Novikov are presented. Hypothalamus has been studied for its significance in the control of the endocrine gland function and periodic formogenic processes.     

Macrophyte biomass in the Kiev reservoir (Ukraine)

This paper presents the results from research of a few macrophyte communities and their dominant stands in the Kiev Reservoir (Ukraine). Largely concentrated on the methodological aspects of biomass sampling in macrophyte communities.     

Airborne pollen in Kiev (Ukraine): gravimetric sampling

This article presents the results of aeropalynological observations in Kiev, carried out with a gravimetric method, during January–October, 1994. The six most abundant pollen types were: Betulaceae (21%), Chenopodiaceae/Amaranthaceae (10%), Ambrosia (10%), Artemisia (9%) Pinaceae (8%) and Poaceae (6%). Seasonal fluctuations of the atmospheric presence of tree/shrub and herb/grass pollen during the period March–September, 1993 and 1994, are also shown.     

Airborne pollen in Kiev (Ukraine): Gravimetric sampling

This article presents the results of aeropalynological observations in Kiev, carried out with a gravimetric method, during January–October, 1994. The six most abundant pollen types were: Betulaceae (21%), Chenopodiaceae/Amaranthaceae (10%), Ambrosia (10%), Artemisia (9%) Pinaceae (8%) and Poaceae (6%). Seasonal fluctuations of the atmospheric presence of tree/shurb and herb/grass pollen during the period March–September, 1993 and 1994, are also shown.     

Spontaneous frequency of micronuclei in peripheral blood lymphocytes of Kiev residents]

The level of micronuclei in the peripheral blood lymphocytes of Kyiv residents and its dependence on age, sex and smoking status were studied. Analysis of lymphocytes of 102 healthy Kyiv residents showed that the spontaneous frequency of micronuclei in individuals at the age of 21 to 67 (mean age of 42.6) was 10.5 +/- 0.5@1000. The frequency of micronuclei depends on individual age and increases by 3% per year, and also depends on smoking habits (the micronucleus frequency in smokers was 1.3 times higher then nonsmokers). There is no dependence of the micronucleus frequency on the sex of persons.     

Radioactive contamination of Kiev vacationers after the Chernobyl accident. Biological half-life of Cs

Two young women vacationing in Kiev just after the Chernobyl accident received light radioactive contamination in and on their bodies, and on their clothing. The internal and external body contaminations were determined using a whole body counter and a pure germanium detector on two dates, 80 days apart. The total body activity that could not be diminished by washing corresponded to 50 kBq at the time of contamination. Important internal radionuclides were ¹³¹I, ¹³⁷Cs and ¹³⁴Cs causing a committed effective dose equivalent of 0.4 mSv. The biological half-life of Cs was 60 days. In the clothing 16 different radionuclides, including ²³⁹Np, were found at various levels of activity.