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Most of the chemical compound collection (currently about 200 000), assembled at the N. D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry over the past 30 years, has been screened for antimicrobial activity against five ESKAPE pathogens and two fungi at the University of Queensland on a charitable basis. A total of 2517 active molecules (MIC ≤ 32 μg ml–1) were found, of which about 10% are active at very low concentrations (MIC ≤ 1 μg ml–1). Structures of 142 012 compounds and experimental data on their antimicrobial activity are publicly available through the demo version of the CheD software and the public database of the Community for Open Antimicrobial Drug Discovery.

We studied the effect of bacterial wall peptidoglycan of 7 bacterial species on the competitive properties of human-associated microorganisms. Addition of peptidoglycan to the culture medium did not change the growth characteristics of the test cultures; however, an increase in the antagonism and hydrophobicity of Bifidobacterium sp. and Enterococcus sp. was observed, while the effect on enterobacteria was predominantly indifferent or inhibitory. The effect did not depend much on the source of peptidoglycan and was equally manifested on both indigenous and probiotic strains. The observed new property of peptidoglycan indicates its participation in the formation and functioning of microbiota. The obtained data on the regulation of the properties of microorganisms provide new possibilities for the correction and maintenance of host homeostasis through host-associated microbiota.

The aim of this study was to characterize the genetic variants of HBV currently circulating in the Republic of Guinea, based on the nucleotide sequences of the complete virus genome, and to analyze clinically significant mutations in the Core and HBsAg regions during HBV monoinfection and HBV/HIV coinfection.Materials and methods. The study material was represented by 2616 blood serum samples collected from residents of the Republic of Guinea. The subjects were examined for the presence of HBV markers with a qualitative detection of HBsAg, HBs IgG, and HBCore IgG. HBV complete genome nucleotide sequences were obtained for 298 samples including HIV/HBV coinfected patients. Amplification and subsequent sequencing of HBV were performed using nested PCR with pair’s overlapping primers jointly flanking the complete HBV genome (S, P, C, X genes).Results. HBV serological markers were detected in 80.77% samples, while HBsAg was detected in 16.01% of the examined group. HBV DNA we detected in 22.36%. The prevalence of HBsAg-negative HBV in patients with HIV RNA is 45.16%, which is significantly higher than 6.07% found in the group without HIV infection. Phylogenetic analysis of HBV in the examined samples showed that HBV genotype E (75.5%) predominates in the group compared to HBV genotype D1 (9.39%), D2 (4.02%), D3 (6.37%), and A2 (4.7%). In the tested group, the variability of amino acids among the HBV samples was higher in the PreCore/Core region than in the PreS1/PreS2/S region. SHB mutations were detected in 83,89%, Core mutations in 94.29%, PreCore amino acid substitutions in 16.77% of the patients, respectively.The results obtained in this work demonstrate a high prevalence of HBV in the region and indicate the need for further largescale studies of HBV mutations in order to improve strategies for disease control and prevention in the Republic of Guinea.

Modern industrial poultry farming, being the most dynamically developing branch of productive stockbreeding, is able to produce products in short periods of time and in significant volumes, regardless of the time of year. As a result, poultry farming is one of the most important sources of replenishment of the country's food resources. Besides, poultry farming is a cost-effective industry, which is due to the low cost of feed per unit of production. To overcome the negative influence of anti-nutritional factors of feed (mycotoxins, lipid oxidation products and an imbalance of amino acids, vitamins and minerals), a lot of feed additives are used in the poultry diet: prebiotics, symbiotics, probiotics, acidifiers, flavorings. Others, improving the taste of feed, reduce the morbidity and mortality of poultry. Particular attention is paid to the use of new forms of vitamins, trace elements with increased activity and digestibility in the body of algae. As the introduction of enterprise productivity high poultry cross, it became necessary to modify the standard for the need for nutrients and biologically active substances. This applies to both protein-vitamin and mineral nutrition of poultry. Currently, the physiological needs of poultry for tracking elements have been determined, and the work is carried out on the crystal norms of additives for high productivity modern crosses. The search for new sources of trace elements in premix production is ongoing. In this article the original composition and scheme of application of a new protein-vitamin premix are presented for the first time, the grading of the developed additive was carried out – its positive effect on the poultry body, indicators of productivity and quality of the products. Based on a comprehensive assessment of the developed protein – vitamin premix, a scheme for its use in poultry farming is proposed. The theoretical significance of the study is determined by the fact that the scientific and practical problems posed in it are directly related to the solution of urgent problems of improving the efficiency, competitiveness and quality of domestic poultry products. The results obtained in the course of the conducted studies significantly expand the information about the features of protein-vitamin metabolism in poultry, methods and means of its correction. The developed methods of using the developed premix can be used in poultry farms to increase the productivity and quality of the products obtained. To study the effectiveness of the use of meat-bone-feather vitamin premix in the diets of broiler chickens. Analysis and generalization of theoretical information, method for determining the quality of the feed product, method for determining the fat content according to Gerber.

A method for the preparation of chromeno[3,4-b]pyrrol-4(3H)-ones via the synthesis of the corresponding 3-arylpyrrole-2-carboxylates from pseudonitrosites by the Barton–Zard reaction was developed. As a result of selective O-demethylation upon exposure to BBr3, the lactone ring closes with the formation of substituted chromeno[3,4-b]pyrrolones in moderate yields.

Based on early phenomenological ideas about the operation of superconducting single-photon detectors (SSPD or SNSPD), it was expected that materials with a lower superconducting gap should perform better in the IR range. The plausibility of this concept could be checked using two popular SSPD materials - NbN and WSi films. However, these materials differ strongly in crystallographic structure (polycrystalline B1 versus amorphous), which makes their dependence on disorder different. In our work we present a study of the single-photon response of SSPDs made from two disordered B1 structure superconductors - vanadium nitride and niobium nitride thin films. We compare the intrinsic efficiency of devices made from films with different sheet resistance values. While both materials have a polycrystalline structure and comparable diffusion coefficient values, VN films show metallic behavior over a wide range of sheet resistance, in contrast to NbN films with an insulator-like temperature dependence of resistivity, which may be partially due to enhanced Coulomb interaction, leading to different starting points for the normal electron density of states. The results show that even though VN devices are more promising in terms of theoretical predictions, their optimal performance was not reached due to lower values of sheet resistance.

The theoretical foundations of frontal photopolymerization (FPP) with an extremely small width of the reaction front in systems in which the front moves not along the direction of propagation of light but perpendicular to it. The influence of the cellular effect on the kinetics of photopolymerization in high-viscosity media is considered. FPP leads to the formation of a defect-free transparent product, when the exit of quasi-particles of free volume from a thin layer of the polymerizing composition with a thickness of Δh subject to Δh → 0 is provided. The fulfillment of this condition is excluded when the conversion front moves along the passage of light beams. It is shown that the required conditions are satisfied by photoinitiators generating free radicals according to the Norrish type 1 reaction. The apparatus, composition, and properties of the compositions implemented in the production of polymer products are described in two ways: (1) expanding the field of irradiation of the composition and (2) moving the composition itself into the irradiation zone. The use of inhibitors in FPP processes, leading to the elimination of parasitic illumination and to a decrease in the front width of the polymerization reaction (chemical focusing), is substantiated. The main instrumental methods of testing photopolymerizable compositions (PPCs) are outlined: methods of a paramagnetic probe (PP), refractometry, IR spectroscopy, and laser interferometry. The basic requirements for the initial connections and equipment, which made it possible to implement FPP on an industrial scale, are presented. Samples of products obtained by this method are presented.

Characterization of magnetic particulate matter (PM) in coal fly ashes is critical to assessing the health risks associated with industrial coal combustion and for future applications of fine fractions that will minimize solid waste pollution. In this study, magnetic narrow fractions of fine ferrospheres related to environmentally hazardous PM2.5, PM2.5-10, and PM10 were for the first time separated from fly ash produced during combustion of Ekibastuz coal. It was determined that the average diameter of globules in narrow fractions is 1, 2, 3, and 7 μm. The major components of chemical composition are Fe2O3 (57-60) wt %, SiO2 (25-28 wt %), and Al2O3 (10-12 wt %). The phase composition is represented by crystalline phases, including ferrospinel, α-Fe2O3, e-Fe2O3, mullite, and quartz, as well as the amorphous glass phase. Mossbauer spectroscopy and magnetic measurements confirmed the formation of nanoscale particles of e-Fe2O3. Stabilization of the e-Fe2O3 metastable phase, with quite ideal distribution of iron cations, occurs in the glass matrix due to the rapid cooling of fine globules during their formation from mineral components of coal.

The direct N-arylation of cyclic amides can be considered a pivotal issue for modern organic chemistry. Here, we report the method for copper-catalyzed N-arylation of diverse oxadiazolones by diaryliodonium salts in mild conditions in high yields (up to 92%) using available CuI as a catalyst. The developed method allows to efficiently utilize both symmetric and unsymmetric diaryliodonium salts bearing auxiliary groups such as 2,4,6-trimethoxyphenyl (TMP). The evaluation of steric effects in aryl moieties to the chemoselectivity of N- and O-arylation of the 1,2,4-oxadiazol-5(4H)-ones exhibited the high potential of mesityl-substituted diaryliodonium salts as a selective arylation reagent. The structural study suggests that steric accessibility of N-atom in 1,2,4-oxadiazol-5(4H)-ones impact to arylation with sterically hindered diaryliodonium salts. The synthetic application of proposed method was also demonstrated on selective arylation of 1,3,4-oxadiazol-2(3H)-ones and 1,2,4-oxadiazole-5-thiol.

Reactions of nitrilotriacetic acid with 2-aminoethanol, 2-amino-2-(hydroxymethyl)propane-1,3-diol, and 2,2'-(ethylenedioxy)bis(ethylamine) afford the following salts in high yields: 2-ammonioethanol nitrilotriacetate [HN+(CH2COO–)2(CH2COOH) ⋅ H3N+CH2CH2OH]n, bis{2-ammonio-2-(hydroxymethyl)propane-1,3-diol} nitrilotriacetate HN+(CH2COO–)3 ⋅ 2H3N+C(CH2 OH)3, and 2,2'-(ethylenedioxy)bis(ethylammonium) nitrilotriacetate HN+(CH2COO–)3 ⋅ H3N+CH2CH2OCH2CH2OCH2CH2N+H3. The molecular structures of 2-ammonioethanol nitrilotriacetate and bis{2-ammonio-2-(hydroxymethyl)propane-1,3-diol} nitrilotriacetate were determined. Nitrilotriacetic acid molecules in 2-ammonioethanol nitrilotriacetate are linked by O⋅⋅⋅H⋅⋅⋅O hydrogen bonds involving acid groups of adjacent molecules to form a polymer chain. On the contrary, nitrilotriacetic acid molecules in bis{2-ammonio-2-(hydroxymethyl)propane-1,3-diol} nitrilotriacetate do not form polymer chains. In the crystals of both compounds, adjacent molecules are linked by numerous O⋅⋅⋅H interactions to form infinite 3D frameworks.

Turbulent mixing, ignition, and flame stabilization in the non-premixed supersonic hydrogen-air flow is numerically modelled in a near-wall region. Mixing algorithm based on the turbulence approach SARANS (Reynolds Averaged Navier–Stokes equations closed with Spalart–Allmaras turbulence model) with a diffusion model and a detailed kinetic model for hydrogen-air chemical reactions are employed. The system of governing equations that consists of basic conservation laws and the turbulence model equation is solved in a coupled manner with the LU–SGS–GMRES method. The model is applied to simulate the process of hydrogen injection into a M = 2.44 air flow with their subsequent mixing, ignition, and combustion in the Burrows– Kurkov chamber. The results are compared to available experimental and reference computational data. All calculations are carried out on the ‘MVS-10P’ JSCC RAS supercomputer cluster.

Background. The development of direct acting antivirals (DAAs) has spurred a revolution in treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C. However, there are cases showing no response to treatment. In 5% of cases, the viral breakthrough is most likely caused by DAA resistance mutations in the hepatitis C virus genome.The purpose of the study is to detect drug resistance mutations of hepatitis C virus in patients with DAA treatment failure.Materials and methods. The study was performed on plasma samples from 3 patients diagnosed with chronic hepatitis C virus infection and demonstrating DAA virological treatment failure. All isolates had genotype 1b. Drug resistance mutations were detected by using direct sequencing of NS3, NS5A, and NS5B genome regions. The detection technique was developed at the Pasteur Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology.Results. Drug resistance mutations were detected in all cases. By using the Geno2pheno [hcv] 0.92 tool, nucleotide substitutions were detected in different viral genome regions and presumably caused resistance or decreased sensitivity to antivirals both present and absent in the sofosbuvir + daclatasvir combination therapy. Antiviral treatment failure in patients with chronic hepatitis C is caused by drug resistance mutations.Conclusions. The developed technique is efficient for detection of drug resistance mutations in NS3, NS5A, and NS5B regions in cases of virological failure of DAA treatment.

A series of 3,4-diarylpyrrole-2-carboxamides was synthesized using the Barton—Zard reaction of nitrostilbenes with ethyl isocyanoacetate in the key stage. The antiproliferative properties of these compounds were studied on a sea urchin embryo model, as well as on 60 human tumor cell lines.

The magnetic properties of steel of a structural element of an aluminum reduction cell have been investigated in the temperature range of 300–900 K. The analysis of the temperature dependence of the saturation magnetization MS(T) showed (i) the applicability of the Bloch’s 3=2 law and a reason- able value of the Bloch’s constant for steel and (ii) the quadratic dependence MS(T) (1 - T2) in the temperature range of 380–700 K.

Resveratrol is a polyphenolic phytoalexin, a stilbene derivative, whose physiological activities have been studied in a large number of studies. It demonstrated antioxidant, antitumor, neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antiviral properties. In the last decade, much attention was paid to the development of resveratrol derivatives with the goal of improving its pharmacological profile and pharmacokinetics. Part 1 of the review is devoted to resveratrol synthetic analogs obtained by the replacement one or two phenyl moieties of the stilbene backbone with bioisosteric heterocyclic fragments. Attention was focused on the methods of synthesis of resveratrol analogs and their biological activity.

The cross sections of neutrino absorption by the gallium-71 nucleus are obtained for neutrinos from artificial 37Ar, 51Cr, and 65Zn sources. The calculations rely on the new measurement of the energy threshold of this absorption reaction, and contributions of germanium-71 excited states to the total cross section are estimated by invoking the data on the 71Ga(3He,t)71Gе charge-exchange reaction. The results are important for searches for sterile neutrinos in calibration experiments.

Objective of our work was to assess prevalence of the primary HCV drug resistance mutations in the NS5b gene in patients with newly diagnosed HIV infection.Materials and methods. The study material was 196 blood plasma samples from patients living in the North-Western Federal District with newly diagnosed HIV. Samples were examined for the anti-HCV antibodies and HCV RNA presence. If HCV RNA was detected, amplification was performed using three primers pairs that co-flanked the NS5b gene. After sequencing the indicated gene nucleotide sequence, the virus subtype was determined and drug resistance mutations were detected.Results and discussion. Antibodies to HCV were detected in 18.87 % of HIV-infected individuals. HCV RNA was detected in 18.36 % of the patients, including 89.18 % anti-HCV-positive and 1.88 % anti-HCV-negative. It was shown that co-infection is more common in men (77.8 %) compared to women (22.2 %) – χ2 = 3.996 at p = 0.0456, df = 2. The difference in the HIV viral load between the groups with HIV monoinfection and with HIV + HCV coinfection was demonstrated (χ2 = 6.284 at p = 0.0432, df = 2). A significant difference between the groups by the CD4 + lyphocytes number was shown. In the phylogenetic analysis, the HCV subtypes are distributed as follows: HCV 1b – 47.2 %, HCV 3a – 30.6 %, HCV 1a – 13.9 %, HCV 2a – 5.5 % and only one sample was defined as HCV 2k – 2.8 %, respectively. Nine samples (25 %) presented NS5b mutations in the positions related to the development of drug resistance of HCV, including two samples among HCV genotypes 1a and 3a (i.e., 5.6 % of the total HIV + HCV group), as well as five samples among HCV 1b (13.9 % of the total group). Mutations among HCV 1a were C316Y and N444D substitutions. Among HCV 1b, C316N, C451S, S556N/G substitutions were identified. Among patients with HCV 3a, 2 samples (5.6 %) with a D310N mutation associated with an unfavorable disease prognosis were found. The introduction of direct sequencing of HCV nucleotide sequences into the routine laboratory diagnostics will allow us to estimate the primary drug resistance mutations prevalence in risk groups to predict the HCV life-threatening complications development – fibrosis, cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, as well as the outcome of antiviral therapy prognosis. The data obtained can be rationally used to assess the dynamics of the HCV primary pharmacoresistance prevalence among HIV-infected individuals.

Information about properties of liquid-crystalline dispersions of DNA molecules formed as a result of their phase exclusion is systematized. The influence of temperature and osmotic pressure on the structure of these dispersions has been elucidated in the framework of the concept of ‘quasinematic’ layers of orientationally ordered DNA molecules in dispersion particles. A new hexagonal → ‘re-entrant’ cholesteric packing phase transition of DNA molecules discovered by the authors is described, taking into account the generalized Lindemann criterion. The multiplicity of the ‘re-entrant’ phases and their structure are shown to depend on the characteristics of DNA and water-polymer solutions.

Nitrilotris(methylenephosphonic)acid N[CH2P(O)(OH)2]3 (H6L) reacts with zinc oxide in an aqueous medium to give a poorly soluble polymeric crystalline salt (ZnH4L)n. The reaction proceeds through the intermediate formation of a soluble monomer complex ZnH4L. The water-soluble amorphous forms of the coordination compound used as microfertilizers were obtained by treatment of a suspension of this salt with 2-aminoethanol, 2-amino-2-(hydroxymethyl)propane-1,3-diol, 2,2′-(ethylenedioxy)bis(ethylamine). p-Aminobenzoic acid H2NC6H4COOH reacts in an aqueous solution with hexabasic nitrilotrimethylenephosphonic acid, as well as with the monomeric complex ZnH4L, giving crystals of bis(4-carboxyphenylaminium) nitrilotris(methylenephosphonate) dihydrate H4L2− · 2(H3N-C6H4-COOH)+ · 2H2O. The compounds were investigated by elemental analysis, IR and UV spectroscopy, X-ray phase analysis and X-ray diffraction analysis. Tests of the water-soluble complex with 2-aminoethanol ZnHL3− · 3(H3NCH2CH2OH)+ · 2H2O in the laboratory experiment with seeds of two agricultural crops showed a positive agronomic effect.

Within the framework of the steady-state diffusion model, the equations have been obtained explicitly describing the selective electrode selectivity coefficient to the ligand ion in relation to foreign ions not forming complexes with zinc ions, as a function of fundamental thermodynamic characteristics (exchange constants of tetrathiocyanatozincate for thiocyanate and foreign ion, concentrations of ion exchanger in the membrane and zinc ion in the sample solution), as well as controllable diffusion parameters (thicknesses of solution and membrane phase diffusion layers, governed by stirring mode and measuring time, respectively). Separate attention is given to cases of measurements in presence and in absence of constant background concentration of zinc ions in the sample solution. It has been shown that selectivity of tetrathiocyanatozincate selective electrode to thiocyanate ion in relation to anions not forming complexes with zinc, is several orders of magnitude higher than selectivity of an ordinary thiocyanate-selective electrode containing higher quaternary ammonium thiocyanate as an ion exchanger, and increases regularly with the background concentration of zinc ions. The results obtained are in general agreement with the experimental data given in the literature. It has been shown that variability of selectivity coefficients caused by variations of diffusion parameters within the limits corresponding to real measuring conditions, can be up to 0.3–0.4 orders of magnitude.

Graphical dependencies are presented of the probability of electron neutrino preservation in a model with three active and three sterile neutrinos as a function of the neutrino distance from the source at energies, which neutrinos acquire in processes with the participation of 51Cr, 37Ar, and 65Zn nuclei. Refined values of the cross section of the reaction for neutrino capture by 71Ga nuclei are also given for interpretation and prediction of the results of experiments to verify the Gallium anomaly.

To continue the research on the preparation of resveratrol structural analogs containing the 3-pyridinol fragment, a series of derivatives with an ethyl radical sterically shielding the hydroxyl group was synthesized. It was shown that the ethyl group introduction has an ambiguous effect on the radical scavenging and antioxidant properties of the stilbazoles studied, which is probably related to the structural features of the resulting radical intermediates. The correlation between the radical scavenging and antioxidant properties of the derivatives studied is established. A number of compounds have been identified that exhibit an antioxidant effect on the mitochondrial membranes lipid peroxidation model, better than the natural prototype and 2-ethyl-6-methylpyridin-3-ol with a related structure used in clinical practice.

Poorly soluble protonated erbium bis(1-hydroxyethylidene)diphosphonate tetrahydrate (HEr(H2L)2 · 4H2O), formed as a result of the reaction of erbium carbonate (Er2(CO3)3 · 4H2O) with an excess of (1-hydroxyethylidene)diphosphonic acid (СН3(ОН)С[P(O)(OH)2]2, H4L), consists of two types of crystals (needle-like and lamellar ones). This compound slowly dissolves in an aqueous medium when adding the following organic amines: 2-aminoethanol, 2-amino-2-(hydroxymethyl)propane-1,3-diol, and 2,2'-(ethylidenedioxy)bis(ethylamine). The latter are attached to the complex-molecule periphery (i.e., free –Р(О)ОН groups) to form fragments of amine salt (–Р(О)О–+NH3–CH2–). The first coordination sphere of the complex does not change; therefore, the energies of the f–f transitions of the Er3+ cation in the electronic absorption spectra remain invariable after the attachment of various amines, which act as solubility promoters. The interaction of suspension of protonated erbium bis(1-hydroxyethylidene)diphosphonate tetrahydrate with equimolar amounts of amines leads to selective dissolution of fine-grained needles and makes it possible to select the fraction of lamellar crystals in the pure form.

Aqueous suspension of poorly soluble iron(II) (1-hydroxyethylidene)diphosphonate (FeH2L · H2O) whiskers reacts with hydrogen peroxide to form even less soluble amorphous derivative of iron(III). The whisker shape is maintained during the reaction. Slow oxidation of the aqueous suspension of FeH2L · H2O in air oxygen yields amorphous compound of iron(III) without maintenance of the whisker structure.

A review of experimental studies carried out at the NRC “Kurchatov Institute” on plasma-facing thermonuclear fusion reactor materials is presented in the paper. An experimental method was developed to produce high-level radiation damage in materials simulating the neutron effect by surrogate irradiation with high-energy ions. Plasma-surface interaction is investigated on materials irradiated to high levels of radiation damage in high-flux deuterium plasma. The total fluence of accelerated ions (3–30 MeV, 4He2+, 12C3+, 14N3+, protons) on the samples was 1021–1023 m−2. Experiments were carried out on graphite materials, tungsten, and silicon carbide. Samples have been obtained with a primary defect concentration from 0.1 to 100 displacements per atom, which covers the predicted damage for the ITER and DEMO projects. Erosion dynamics of the irradiated materials in steady-state deuterium plasma, changes of the surface microstructure, and deuterium retention were studied using SEM, TEM, ERDA, TDS, and nuclear backscattering techniques. The surface layer of the materials (3 to hundreds µm) was investigated, and it was shown that the changes in the crystal structure, the loss of their symmetry, and diffusion of defects to grain boundaries play an important role. The most significant results are presented in the paper as an overview of our previous work for many years (carbon and tungsten materials) as well as the relatively recent results (silicon carbide).

The present study demonstrates the Ni toxicity-ameliorating and growth-promoting abilities of two different bacterial isolates when applied to wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) as the host plant. Two bacterial strains tolerant to Ni stress were isolated from wheat seeds and selected based on their ability to improve the germination of wheat plants, they were identified as Bacillus megaterium AFI1 and Paenibacillus nicotianae AFI2. The protective effects of these epiphytic bacteria against Ni stress were studied in model experiments with two wheat cultivars: Ni stress-tolerant Leningradskaya 6 and susceptible Chinese spring. When these isolates were used as the inoculants applied to Ni-treated wheat plants, the growth parameters and the levels of photosynthetic pigments of the two wheat cultivars both under normal and Ni-stress conditions were increased, though B. megaterium AFI1 had a more pronounced ameliorative effect on the Ni contents in plant tissues due to its synthesis of siderophores. Over the 10 days of Ni exposure, the plant growth promotion bacteria (PGPB) significantly reduced the lipid peroxidation (LPO), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities and proline content in the leaves of both wheat cultivars. The PGPB also increased peroxidase (POX) activity and the levels of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and carotenoids in the wheat leaves. It was concluded that B. megaterium AFI1 is an ideal candidate for bioremediation and wheat growth promotion against Ni-induced oxidative stress, as it increases photosynthetic pigment contents, induces the antioxidant defense system, and lowers Ni metal uptake.

Oxidative C-H/C-H coupling reactions of dipyrromethanes with azines in the presence of a heterophase oxidative photocatalytic system (O2/TiO2/visible light irradiation) were carried out. As a result of cyclization of obtained compounds with boron trifluoride etherate, new hetaryl-containing derivatives of 4,4-difluoro-4-boron-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene were synthesized. For the obtained compounds, absorption and luminescence spectra, quantum yields of luminescence as well as cyclic volt-amperograms were measured.

A technologically advanced protocol has been developed for converting plant allyl(polyalkoxy)benzenes to methyl- and propyl(polyalkoxy)benzenes being intermediates in the syntheses of coenzyme Q0 analogues. The key stage of allyl and benzaldehyde moieties hydrogenation was carried out in a periodical autoclave mode on highly porous ceramic block Pd-catalysts. These catalysts possess large surface area, low hydraulic resistance, significant thermal and mechanical stabililty, multiple cycling and easy regeneration, which can dramatically reduce Pd consumption.

The aim. To analyze the relationship between serum aldosterone levels and myocardial remodeling and changes in elastic properties of arteries in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and hypertension (AH). Materials and methods. A cross-secitonal study of 44 patients (14 men and 30 women, aged 56.0 [52.0; 60.5] years) with CKD and AH who were treated with angiotensine-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensine receptor blockers at a stable dose for at least of 3 months was performed. Serum aldosterone levels, elastic properties of the arteries, and transthoracic echocardiography using a standard method were performed. Arterial stiffness was defined as a pulse wave velocity, which was calculated using equation proposed by Arterial Stiffness Society and was measured using a device BAT41-2. Results. In 8 patients (18.2 %) we detected serum aldosterone levels above 90 pg/ml. The proportion of female patients among patients with normal aldosterone levels was significantly higher (P = 0.03). Patients with elevated aldosterone levels had a 5-year higher median age and 10 ml/min lower glomerular filtration rate. Serum aldosterone levels correlated significantly with myocardial structural and functional parameters (left ventricle (LV) end-systolic and end-diastolic dimensions and volumes, LV myocardial mass and LV mass index, thickness of interventricular septum) in men and patients over 55 years of age. Women showed a weak correlation of aldosterone levels with systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Conclusions. An association was found between serum aldosterone levels above 90 pg/ml in patients with CKD and hypertension with dilatation of left ventricular and atrial cavities, and with left ventricular hypertrophy (by LV mass and mass index). This association was stronger for males and for patients aged >55 years. A correlation between aldosterone level and arterial stiffness (augmentation index on the brachial artery and aorta) has only been found in patients over 55 years of age.

1,3-Substituted pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridinones 11-18 were synthesized by a three-component condensation of Meldrum's acid with aryl aldehydes and 1,3-substituted 5-aminopyrazoles. Their biological activity was evaluated using the in vivo phenotypic sea urchin embryo assay and the in vitro cytotoxicity screen against human cancer cell lines. In the sea urchin embryo model, 1-benzimidazolyl-pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridinones 11 caused inhibition of hatching and spiculogenesis at sub-micromolar concentrations. These compounds also selectively and potently inhibited growth of the MOLT-4 leukemia cell line. Subsequent structure-activity relationship studies determined the benzimidazolyl fragment as an essential pharmacophore for both effects. We applied numerous techniques for target identification. A preliminary QSAR target identification search did not result in tangible leads. Attempts to prepare a relevant photoaffinity probe that retained potency in both assays were not successful. Compounds 11 were further characterized for their activity in a wild-type versus Notch-mutant leukemia cell lines, and in in vitro panels of kinases and matrix metalloproteinases. Using a series of diverse modulators of spiculogenesis as standards, we excluded multiple signaling networks including Notch, Wnt/β-catenin, receptor tyrosine kinases (VEGF/VEGFR, FGF/FGFR), PI3K, and Raf-MEK-ERK as possible targets of 11. On the other hand, matrix metalloproteinase-9/hatching enzyme was identified as one potential target.

The interaction of an aqueous suspension of fine-grained iron with one equivalent of (1-hydroxy-ethylidene)diphosphonic acid (H4L) leads to the formation of poorly soluble iron(II) (1-hydroxy-ethylidene)diphosphonate (FeH2L · H2O), which precipitates from the solution in the form of whiskers. A compound consisting of crystalline and X-ray amorphous fractions, whose structure is based on stacked sheets of whiskers, linked by amorphous phase, was selected from the FeH2L · H2O reaction mixture with morpholine. The compounds have been studied by methods of elemental analysis, scanning electron microscopy, optical microscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis.

Attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR FTIR) spectroscopy and effective lifetime measurements have been used to characterize amorphous/crystalline silicon surface passivation in silicon heterojunction solar cells. The comparative studies show a strong link between microstructure factor R* and effective lifetime of amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) passivation layers incorporating an interface buffer layer, which prevents the epitaxial growth. It is demonstrated that thin a-Si:H films deposited on glass can be used as ATR substrates in this case. The obtained results show that a-Si:H films with R* close to 0.1 are required for manufacturing of high-efficiency (>23%) silicon heterojunction solar cells.

In the chemical, food and other industries, in many cases it is necessary to clean crystalline powdery substances to remove surface impurities. For this, at the final stage of the treatment process, they are washed with water or other liquids. In this article, this process is investigated on the example of quantitative analysis of the dissolution of sodium chloride crystals in water by pressure filtration of the solution through the sludge of the processed product on the basis of filtration on centrifugal equipment. To this end, a physico-mathematical problem of the flow of substances in the interstitial capillary gap is formulated in terms of molecular mass by modeling a cylindrical channel. Based on the proposed model and operating parameters of the process of washing NaCl crystals with water from sludge on a centrifugal machine, numerical analysis of the process simulating cleaning the surface of this product to remove impurities was carried out.

Free-radical-scavenging capacity antioxidant and membrane-protective properties of natural and related synthetic allylpolyalkoxybenzenes with different numbers of alkoxy/methoxy groups in the aromatic ring were evaluated using several in vitro models. These included the DPPH assay, inhibition of lipid peroxidation products accumulation, inhibition of H2O2-induced hemolysis, and oxidation of oxyhemoglobin. A synthetic protocol for the synthesis of natural nothoapiol (9) from a parsley seed metabolite, apiol (7), was developed. A structure-activity relationship study revealed that both the methylenedioxy fragment and methoxy groups in the aromatic ring are favorable for antioxidant activity. Hydroxyapiol (14), containing a hydroxy group in the aromatic core, was identified as the most potent compound. The pentaalkoxy-substituted nothoapiol (9) showed antioxidant activity in mouse brain homogenates, whereas in mouse erythrocytes it exhibited a marked pro-oxidant effect. Despite their low free-radical-scavenging capacity, allylpolyalkoxybenzenes can contribute to the total antioxidant potencies of plant essential oils.

The ultrafine (d = 4 nm) magnetite ferrofluid with a narrow nanoparticle size distribution has been synthesized in one stage at room temperature from a solution of iron(II) and (III) chlorides in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) with the propylene epoxide admixture. This is the first example of obtaining a stable concentrated ultrafine magnetite/DMSO ferrofluid at room temperature. X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, ferromagnetic resonance, Mossbauer spectroscopy, and magnetostatic study have been used to elucidate the role of DMSO and the H2O/DMSO ratio in the formation of a stable colloid with a desired nanoparticle size. The initial stages of the magnetite nanoparticles formation have been investigated by the ferromagnetic resonance technique.

Because of a high energy of the neutrinoless double-beta decay (0ν2β) of the isotope 150Nd and a high value of the daughter-nucleus charge Zf, 150Nd is one of the most promising isotopes for 0ν2β-decay searches. A 150Nd-containing detector on the basis of a liquid organic scintillator permits employing large isotope masses. Requirements on the radiation purity of the neodymium sample used are determined. The possible design of a large-scale detector of this type and expected results are considered.