This paper presents an analysis of use of ultrasonic standing wave in cell separation from bodily fluids based on the example of erythrocyte separation from plasma. It describes movement of red blood cells in plasma under the influence of the acoustic field (whose forces result from interaction of red blood cells with plasma as the vibrating medium) and under the influence of resistance forces in Stokes’ and Oseen’s approximation. The general properties of solutions of the motion equation are given. The solutions for the parameters of the ultrasonic wave and blood cells which are interesting in terms of practical applications in medical diagnostics are discussed. Time constants of the cell transportation to the regions of stable equilibrium in the field of ultrasonic standing wave are estimated. The formulas which determine the time needed to obtain the assumed concentration increase in plasma in nodes and/or anti-nodes of the standing wave are derived.

Liquid forging alias squeeze casting gives the combined advantage of casting and forging. Optimum process parameters are important to get a cost-efficient process. In this study, four materials have been identified, which are extensively used in industries. These materials are commercially pure Al and three Al-alloys namely, 2124, 2218 and 6063. The pouring temperature and the mold temperature is maintained at 700oC and 250oC respectively. The materials were developed at seven pressure variations from 0 to 150 MPa. The effect of the pressure on the microstructures, porosity, and hardness has been reported. The coefficient of solubility is estimated for all materials and a polynomial relationship is found to be the best fit with the applied pressure. The pressure of 100 MPa gives better increment in hardness. The melting point and the freezing coefficient of the materials under study have been determined. A linear relationship between the pressure and the freezing time is deduced. It is observed that the solubility and the freezing coefficients depend on the pressure as well, in addition to the composition and temperature.

On the basis of acoustically registered cross-sections of krill aggregations, regular, irregular and layer forms were distinguished. Regular forms are most frequently observed during spring and in the day time, while irregular forms are most frequent during summer and night hours. The density histograms made for two hour intervals clearly show the day-night difference, but the seasonal (spring, summer) difference is less pronounced. Mean density of swarm is lowest during the night and reaches a maximum in early morning hours. The mean volume backscattering strength values (Sv) for spring and summer are nearly identical. We suggest that regular forms correspond to foraging swarms and irregular forms to feeding swarms as described by Hamner (1984).

In the recent years earlier appearance of late blight on potato crops and the increase of infection pressure of Phytophthora infestans has been observed due to the changes in its population. The occurrence of P. infestans on potato plants at early plant growth stages points to the possibility of existence of other infection sources such as infected seed tubers or volunteer plants and their increasing role in the disease epidemiology. These changes have led to late blight epidemics developing earlier and more severely than previously and changes in the occurrence and development of first symptoms of P. infestans infection on potato plants. In the years 1997–2006, field studies were conducted at the Plant Breeding and Acclimatization Institute of Bonin with the emphasis on comparison of time of the occurrence and incidence level of late blight of potato. The criteria for pathogen infection pressure assessment were assumed to be the percentage of haulm destruction at the end of growing season and area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC), the late blight development rate defining the increase of destruction of above ground plant parts in unit time and also tuber yield and its healthiness. The observations carried out at Bonin revealed that both time of occurrence and severity of late blight differed and were dependent upon meteorological conditions and upon the year. Late blight occurred the earliest at Bonin in 2001 (42 days after planting). The time of occurrence of late blight depends upon rainfall in May and June. A very high infection rate of the pathogen was observed, particularly in 2006 (0.517) and in 2004 (0.400) despite late time of late blight appearance in the season. In these years AUDPC on the unprotected cultivar was 0.071 and 0.508, respectively. The 10 years of observations conducted at Bonin revealed that the yield and occurrence of tuber late blight depended mostly upon meteorological conditions in particular years.