For the first time, by atomic force microscopy (AFM) methods, micro- and nanofragments of micronized powder elastomeric modifier (PEM) formed at the short-term (3 min at 160 °C) interaction of PEM with hot bitumen have been demonstrated. It is the technology of high-temperature shear-induced grinding of a worn-out tire’s crumb rubber or its co-grinding with styrene–butadiene–styrene (SBS) block copolymer which provides the creation of the PEM structure inclined to rapid degradation in hot bitumen. The formation just after the preparation process of a new structure of a modified binder, more resistant to external effects, is supported by the data of rheological tests. Performance tests for a modified binder using Superpave standard adopted by the road industry for bituminous binders showed an extended temperature range, resistance to rutting, and low-temperature and fatigue cracking. The better resistance to low-temperature and fatigue cracking is certainly related to energy absorption and crack growth stopping in the presence of micron and submicron resilient PEM fragments in accordance with the mechanism of increasing impact toughness in plastics.

Structural features of crumb rubber (CR) particles obtained by grinding on rollers and ultra-disperse powder elastomeric modifiers (PEM) obtained by high-temperature shear-induced grinding (HTSG) of CR or co-grinding with butadiene styrene thermoplastic elastomer (SBS) have been studied by electron and optical microscopy methods. Samples of modified bitumen were obtained at different mixing times (1–40 min) in a wide temperature range (120–180 °C). The products of interaction of PEM with hot bitumen precipitated on filters when washed with solvent from modified bitumen (MB) were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The self-similarity PEM particles and PEM breakdown fragments in bitumen up to the size of 100–200 nm were noted. The rapid (for 1 min) decomposition of PEM particles into fragments is shown, which is due to the specific structure formed as a result of HTSG. It has been suggested that this fragmentation may be caused by bitumen penetrating deep into the porous particle and breaking it, due to differently directed swelling pressure and precede the classical swelling associated with the penetration of solvent between rubber macromolecules, or occur concurrently with it.

When cultivating on wheat bran or deactivated fungal mycelium as a model of “natural growth”, the ability of Trichoderma to synthesize extracellular L-lysine-α-oxidase (LysO) simultaneously with cell-wall-degrading enzymes (proteases, xylanase, glucanases, chitinases, etc.), responsible for mycoparasitism, was shown. LysO, in turn, causes the formation of H₂O₂ and pipecolic acid. These compounds are known to be signaling molecules and play an important role in the induction and development of systemic acquired resistance in plants. Antagonistic effects of LysO have been demonstrated against phytopathogenic fungi and Gram-positive or Gram-negative bacteria with dose-dependent cell death. The antimicrobial effect of LysO decreased in the presence of catalase. The generating intracellular ROS in the presence of LysO was also shown in both bacteria and fungi, which led to a decrease in viable cells. These results suggest that the antimicrobial activity of LysO is due to two factors: the formation of exogenous hydrogen peroxide as a product of the enzymatic oxidative deamination of L-lysine and the direct interaction of LysO with the cell wall of the micro-organisms. Thus, LysO on its own enhances the potential of the producer in the environment; namely, the enzyme complements the strategy of the fungus in biocontrol and indirectly participates in inducing SAR and regulating the relationship between pathogens and plants.

The paper is devoted to the theoretical substantiation of the development of a prototype cyberphysical system for the personalization of functional and therapeutic nutrition. The study analyzes current trends and technological solutions in the field of creating functional products, health monitoring using wearable medical devices, and data analysis. The limitations of existing approaches that do not take into account the individual characteristics of users have been identified. As a solution, a cyberphysical system architecture is proposed that integrates physiological monitoring data, genetic markers, and dietary preferences to generate personalized nutritional recommendations. Methodological aspects of the system implementation are considered, including the use of machine learning algorithms and heterogeneous data integration methods. The advantages, limitations, and prospects of implementing the proposed solution, as well as methods for evaluating its effectiveness and user satisfaction, were discussed. The results of the work indicate the potential of cyber-physical systems for the transition to a predictive and personalized model of nutritional support.

This paper describes the basic principles and concepts of biomimetic mineralization for the development, testing and production of nanobiomaterials, confirmed by experimental data. Biomimetic mineralization is one of the most promising approaches in the formation of composite bone implants. This method has many advantages in terms of structure and functions that mimic natural bones. Currently, none of the synthetic bone implants resembles natural bone in structure and function, which is mainly due to the lack of an appropriate synthesis method. This fact demonstrates the need to develop and implement new approaches to obtaining bone-imitating material.

The paper provides an overview of modern analytical methods and technologies for the identification of synthetic cathinones. It has been shown that screening methods can quickly detect the presence of cathinones, but have limited specificity and require confirmation by the results of instrumental analysis. Liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry has been found to be the most versatile and sensitive method. As a result, the conclusion is justified that effective determination of cathinones is possible only with a combination of rapid analysis and confirmatory methods (GC-MS, HPLC-MS).