Kemerovo State University

Saltbush (Atriplex hortensis L.) and birch leaves (Betulae folia) are ubiquitous raw materials with a wide range of useful properties. This research focused on the actoprotective effect that a mixed aqueous extract of these two plants had on laboratory rats subjected to forced swim test. The experiment included an intact group (control), rats that received treatment but underwent a forced swim test, and rats that were administered with the experimental aqueous extract of A. hortensis and Betulae folia followed by the forced swim test. The mixed extract of A. hortensis and Betulae folia (Kemerovo Region, Russia) was administered intragastrically to threemonth-old male Wistar rats (4 mL/100 g body weight) who performed daily 2-h swimming sessions for two weeks. The chemical analysis of the extract revealed the presence of flavonoids (quercetin, luteolin, kaempferol), 8 essential amino acids, and 17 amino acids, including amino acids with a branched side chain (valine, isoleucine, leucine). The forced swim test made it possible to study the effect of the extract on the hematological parameters of peripheral blood. The hematological analysis showed that the administration of the extract restored leukocytes, lymphocytes, and hemoglobin to the levels demonstrated by the animals in the intact group. As for the electrocardiographic parameters, the swimmers demonstrated a faster depolarization of the heart chambers while maintaining normal heart rate, which denoted an efficient compensation for the hypertrophic changes in the myocardium caused by the physical exertion. In this in-vivo research, the extract of Betulae folia and aerial parts of A. hortensis had no cardiotoxic effect and helped restore the level of blood oxygenation after physical exertion. In the future, the synergetic actoprotective effect of these two widespread plants can be used in dietary supplements and functional foods.

Global population growth requires highly efficient and environmentally sustainable agricultural technologies that can ensure food security with minimal environmental impact. As an alternative to chemical preparations, organic farming uses biological mechanisms to provide plants with nutrients. This review systematizes the current data on the genomics of nitrogen-fixing bacteria of the genus Sinorhizobium. The review covered articles published in 1993-2025 and indexed in Scopus, MDPI, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar. The metadata were processed in Zotero and VOSviewer. The review summarizes information about the structure of Sinorhizobium genomes, key genes, and regulatory networks involved in the formation of symbiosis with host plants. It focuses on the molecular mechanisms that determine the effectiveness of biological nitrogen fixation and transport of iron, zinc, and phosphates. The obtained genomic data may be used to develop tailored biological products capable of increasing crop yield and stress resistance by targeted modification of the rhizosphere microbiome. The latest scientific achievements and solutions demonstrate a great potential for sustainable agricultural technologies that replace chemical fertilizers with microbial communities. This approach reduces environmental risks and ensures a long-term productivity of agroecosystems, supporting climate resilience biodiversity conservation and stable agricultural development.

Structures, chemical bond parameters, elastic and mechanical properties, vibrational spectra, and second harmonic generation coefficients are calculated for nonlinear optical LiZnO3(OH), NaZnCO3(OH) crystals within density functional and Hartree–Fock theories with gradient PBE and hybrid PBE0, B3LYP functionals in the localized atomic orbital basis set using the CRYSTAL program package. The layered structure of the crystals is shown to contain basic [ZnCO3], [LiOH], [NaOH] units, and strong bonds between them are due to common oxygen atoms from [CO3] and [OH]⋯O hydrogen bonds with energies of –82.4 kJ/mol and –67.8 kJ/mol. The calculated bulk modulus of rigidity exceeds the shear modulus, which characterize the materials as plastic. Their infrared and Raman spectra contain high-intensity vibrational modes of [CO3] and [OH] in the high-frequency region along with [MCO3] and [MOH] (M - Li, Na, Zn) modes in the low-frequency region. Second harmonic generation coefficients are 4.5 and 3.2×KDP, while birefringence values are 0.15 and 0.12.

Electronic structure of lithium oxothallate (LiTlO2) in two synthesized (D_2h^12, D_4h^19) and two hypothetical (D_2d^12, C_2ν^10) phases is studied using the density functional theory method. Band structures, total and partial densities of states, and deformation electron density maps are calculated for all modifications. It is established that all lithium oxothallate phases are hard and stable. All atomic coordinates and positions of Li atoms in the crystal are determined using geometry optimization. The band gap value (Eg < 1 eV) indicates that all lithium oxothallates are narrow-gap semiconductors.

Healthy aging and active longevity need an integrated approach to a healthy lifestyle. Proper nutrition can effectively prevent the development of chronic diseases that lead to premature aging. Therefore, food scientists are searching for new bioactive substances with geroprotective potential to be introduced into functional food products and dietary supplements. We aimed to study the bioactivity of the Thymus vulgaris L. callus culture extract and its metabolites as potential geroprotectors. We studied a hydroalcoholic extract of the T. vulgaris callus culture (70% ethanol) and its individual bioactive substances (thymol, oleanolic and ursolic acids), with Caenorhabditis elegans used as a model organism. IR spectroscopy and highperformance liquid chromatography were employed to analyze the effect of the extract and its metabolites on the growth of C. elegans larvae, as well as on the nematodes' lifespan and resistance to oxidative and thermal stress. The extract of the T. vulgaris callus culture increased the length and surface area of the nematode body, producing an anabolic effect. In a 100-fold dilution, the extract enhanced the survival and stress resistance of the nematodes. Thymol, oleanolic and ursolic acids were obtained from the extract at 95% purification. Thymol completely inhibited the growth of nematode larvae, with no offspring produced from the eggs. At 10 gM, thymol increased the survival of the nematodes by a factor of 1.8 and also improved their stress resistance. In the presence of oleanolic acid (10 and 50 gM), some nematodes laid eggs; oleanolic acid increased the nematode lifespan be a factor of 1.9. Oleanolic acid (200 and 100 gM) and ursolic acid (50 and 100 gM) increased the survival of the nematodes exposed to thermal stress compared to the control. The extract of the T. vulgaris callus culture and its metabolites (thymol, oleanolic and ursolic acids) have geroprotective potential for use in food supplementation. However, there is a need for further research.