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The morphological and anatomical features of the assimilation apparatus Taraxacum officinale Wigg., growing under the conditions of a rock dump of the Kedrovsky coal mine in the Kemerovo Region, were studied. It was experimentally established that the specific environmental conditions of the rock dump cause morphological and anatomical changes in the leaves of the dandelion. At the level of leaf morphology, there is a decrease in the average leaf area, thickening of leaf blades, the formation of a trend towards a decrease in the number of leaves in the outlet. At the level of the anatomical structure, there is a significant increase in the thickness of mesophyll, a tendency to a decrease in the thickness of the tissues of the upper and lower epidermis, a decrease in the number of cells of the upper and lower epidermis by 1 mm2 and an increase in the size of stomata in the tissues of the lower and upper epidermis, a decrease in the number of stomata by 1 mm2 and stomatal index on the upper epidermis. Under the conditions of the rock dump, an increase in the number of reliable correlations between the anatomical parameters of the leaf of Taraxacum officinale Wigg., as well as anatomical signs with indicators of atmospheric pollution, was established, to a greater extent due to the formation of positive correlations that are known to control the development of biosystems and are critical for body periods.

Trans-cinnamic acid is a phenolic compound with a wide range of bioactive properties, including antioxidant and antibacterial effects. It also has high potential in the food and cosmetic industries. We aimed to isolate trans-cinnamic acid from the Baikal skullcap (Scutellaria baicalensis) and study its geroprotective activity on Caenorhabditis elegans nematodes used as a model organism. Our study objects included the S. baicalensis root culture and its extract, trans-cinnamic acid isolated from the extract, and C. elegans nematodes. Trans-cinnamic acid was isolated by high-performance liquid chromatography. The acid’s geroprotective activity was studied by evaluating its effect at concentrations of 10, 50, 100, and 200 μmol/L on the lifespan, stress resistance, and reproductivity of C. elegans. For the lifespan study, the nematodes were cultivated at 20°C for 61 days. To assess their resistance to oxidative stress, 15 μL of 1M paraquat was added to each well of the plate. Thermal stress resistance was determined by raising the temperature to 33°C. For the reproductivity study, the nematodes were cultivated in the S-medium with the addition of Escherichia coli OP50 and trans-cinnamic acid at required concentrations for 72 h. The maximum increase in lifespan (9.8%) was observed in the nematodes treated with 50 μmol/L of trans-cinnamic acid. Under oxidative stress, all the concentrations of trans-cinnamic acid increased the survival of nematodes, while under thermal stress, trans-cinnamic acid reduced the percentage of surviving nematodes. At a concentration of 100 μmol/L, trans-cinnamic acid increased the nematodes’ reproduction by 1.48 times. Based on our data, trans-cinnamic acid isolated from S. baicalensis can be recommended as a bioactive compound with geroprotective activity. However, further research is needed on other model organisms with detailed toxicity studies.

Introduction. Coal industry increases soil pollution with heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Therefore, resoiling is an urgent problem that requires an immediate solution. The present research objective was to substantiate the use of microorganisms from mine tips in order to decrease soil pollution with heavy metals and oil compounds. Study objects and methods. The review featured five years of publications in Scopus, Web of Science, and Elibrary, which were subjected to analysis, systematization, and generalization. Results and discussion. Coal industry changes landscapes, flora, fauna, and soil microbiome. Bioremediation uses various microorganisms as means of resoiling. Some microorganisms isolated from coal mining waste are resistant to heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and are able to utilize them. For instance, such bacteria as Bacillus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are capable of degrading oil pollutants. Microorganisms of Enterobacter and Klebsiella species were found to be resistant to copper, iron, lead, and manganese. Bacteria of the genera Bacillus, Arthrobacter, Pseudoarthrobacter, and Sinomonas are now to be resistant to nickel, arsenic, and chromium. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi increase the activity of soil enzymes, improve soil fertility, and decompose various organic compounds. Conclusion. Sequencing methods make it possible to determine the species composition of soils in mine tips in order to search for new strains capable of restoring former mining areas.

Introduction. Canning requires thermophysical calculations for thermal or cold processing. These calculations are based on thermophysical characteristics of raw materials. The research objective was to analyze the thermophysical characteristics of tropical fruits. Study objects and methods. The study featured kiwi, papaya, avocado, and figs. Their thermal conductivity was analyzed with the help of stationary fiber plate method. The cryoscopic temperature was determined from the flat area of the thermogram obtained during freezing. The heat capacity and the amount of frozen moisture were determined by calculation based on the available data on the chemical composition of the fruits. The density was defined by using the hydrostatic weighing method, the sugar content – by the refractometric method, the moisture content – by drying to constant mass. Results and discussion. The research revealed the physicochemical parameters of kiwi, avocado, papaya, and figs. Papaya demonstrated the highest moisture content – 86.32 ± 0.02%, while kiwi appeared to have the highest density – 1,065 ± 1 kg/m3. Figs had the highest sugar content – 16.0 ± 0.1%. The thermal conductivity coefficient of fresh and frozen tropical fruits was determined experimentally and increased after freezing. Frozen avocado showed only a slight increase in thermal conductivity coefficient because of its low moisture content while frozen figs demonstrated a significant increase in the thermal conductivity coefficient – by 3.3 times. This product possessed the highest thermal conductivity: 0.63 ± 0.02 W/(m·K) for the fresh samples and 2.06 ± 0.02 W/(m·K) for the frozen samples. The thermal conductivity coefficient of kiwi and papaya increased by 2 and 4.2 times, respectively. The experiment also examined the effect of protective plastic wrap and ripeness on the thermal conductivity coefficient. The film proved to have a negative effect on the reliability of thermophysical analysis. The cryoscopic temperature was determined empirically. Such thermophysical properties as heat capacity, thermal diffusivity, and frozen moisture were based on the available chemical composition. Conclusion. The research revealed the physicochemical parameters of kiwi, avocado, papaya, and figs. It included a set of experiments on the thermal conductivity coefficient of fresh and frozen tropical fruits. The obtained values can be used to develop the optimal parameters of thermal processing, refrigeration, and thermal treatment of new products. They can also be useful for fortifying dairy and bakery products with exotic fruits.