The gastrointestinal microflora regulates the body’s functions and plays an important role in its health. Dysbiosis leads to a number of chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, inflammation, atherosclerosis, etc. However, these diseases can be prevented by using probiotics – living microorganisms that benefit the microflora and, therefore, improve the host organism's health. The most common probiotics include lactic acid bacteria of the Bifidobacterium and Propionibacterium genera. We studied the probiotic properties of the following strains: Bifidobacterium adolescentis АС-1909, Bifidobacterium longum infantis АС-1912, Propionibacterium jensenii В-6085, Propionibacterium freudenreichii В-11921, Propionibacterium thoenii В-6082, and Propionibacterium acidipropionici В-5723. Antimicrobial activity was determined by the ‘agar blocks’ method against the following test cultures: Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Salmonella enterica ATCC 14028, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Pseudomonas aeruginosa B6643, Proteus vulgaris ATCC 63, and Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 7644. Moderate antimicrobial activity against all the test cultures was registered in Bifidobacterium adolescentis АС-1909, Propionibacterium jensenii В-6085, and Propionibacterium thoenii В-6082. Antioxidant activity was determined by the DPPH inhibition method in all the lactic acid strains. Our study indicated that some Propionibacterium and Bifidobacterium strains or, theoretically, their consortia could be used as probiotic cultures in dietary supplements or functional foods to prevent a number of chronic diseases.

Increasing the yield of wheat, barley, and oats is a pressing issue. It largely depends on soil fertility. Mineral fertilizers, however, may be ineffective and unsustainable. As a result, microorganisms seem to be a promising alternative. The authors isolated endophytic microorganisms with growth-stimulating properties and assessed their effect on the growth rate of wheat, barley, and oats in laboratory conditions. The research involved spring soft wheat of the Sibirsky Alyans variety, spring oats of the Maruchak variety, spring barley of the Nikita variety, and standard bacterial strains (Azospirillum brasilense B-11094, Azotobacter chrococcum B-8739). The isolated bacteria were identified using a Vitex 2 Compact automatic microbiological analyzer. The production potential for indole-3-acetic and gibberellic acids was assessed spectrophotometrically. The nitrogen fixation potential was determined using a Rapid N Cube. The phosphate-solubilizing potential was tested on a calcium phosphate medium. The effect of the most promising strains on the growth rate was assessed in laboratory conditions. Seven isolates of endophytic microorganisms were identified as Pantoea allii Tri, Bacillus subtilis Tri 2, Bacillus subtilis Ave 1, Pantoea allii Ave 2, Bacillus subtilis Hor 1, Bacillus subtilis Hor 2, and Bacillus subtilis Hor 3. The most promising growth promoters ranged as follows. Bacillus subtilis Ave 1 fixed 790 μg/mL nitrogen, solubilized phosphates with index 1.60, and produced 7100 μg/mL indolyl-3-acetic acid and 343 μg/mL gibberellic acid. Bacillus subtilis Hor 1 fixed 760 μg/mL nitrogen, solubilized phosphates with index 1.44, and synthesized 4490 μg/mL indolyl-3-acetic acid and 409 μg/mL gibberellic acid. Bacillus subtilis Ave 1 demonstrated the greatest growth-stimulating activity. Bacillus subtilis Ave 1 could synthesize phytohormones, fix atmospheric nitrogen, and solubilize phosphates, which indicated good agricultural prospects. The strain increased the length of shoots and roots in wheat and barley, as well as boosted germination and shoot length in oats.

Since recently, the association of premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) with an increased risk of mortality and morbidity caused by cardiovascular diseases (CVD) has been extensively discussed in the context of early detection and prevention of CVD in these patients.Aim: to evaluate the relative cardiovascular risk (CV risk) before and after hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in women with POI.Materials and methods. The study included 170 women aged from 18 to 40; among them, 85 women with POI and 85 women with regular periods. We evaluated the usual CV risk factors: smoking habits, arterial blood pressure, total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoproteins (LDL), high-density lipoproteins; in addition, we determined apolipoprotein B (Apo B), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), uric acid, and endotelin-1, as well as the functional markers: the right and left carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and the brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation (FMD). The CV risk was calculated using the relative risk SCORE scale before and after HRT lasted for 12 months.Results. In the POI group, there were 3.8 times more women with a moderate CV risk (per the SCORE scale), whereas in the POI-free group, women with a low CV risk dominated. In addition, the levels of CV risk markers were 4-fold higher in patients with POI (high levels of Apo B, hs-CRP and uric acid, increased CIMT bilaterally, decreased FMD in the brachial artery). Cyclic HRT during 12 months contributed to the lipid profile normalization, decrease in TC, LDL and FMD in the brachial artery as well as to the decrease of relative CV risk in general.Conclusion. The estrogen deficiency in patients with POI is an independent factor in the increased relative risk of CVD. The HRT has anti-atherogenic, antiinflammatory, and angioprotective effects, regulates the production of endothelium-dependent factors of vasoconstriction and vasodilation, leading to a reduction in the relative risk of CVD in general.

X-ray diffraction is one of the methods that can be successfully applied to identify various chemical compounds in polycrystalline mixtures, for example, such as food additives. X-ray diffraction makes it possible to understand the compositions of such mixtures. Maltodextrin is a multifunctional food additive, which is obtained by incomplete enzymatic or acid hydrolysis of starch. The purpose of the study is to study samples of maltodextrin based on potato and corn starch by X-ray diffraction analysis. The main objects of the study were maltodextrin obtained by enzymatic and acid cleavage of potato and corn starch. To obtain diffractograms of maltodextrin samples, a powder diffractometer (DRON-8, Russia) was used in parallel beams focused by a Goebel mirror (Germany). During the study of diffractograms, the phase structure was established for all starch and maltodextrin samples. Thus, an amorphous structure has been established for maltodextrin obtained by enzymatic cleavage of potato and corn starch, maltodextrin obtained by acid hydrolysis of potato and corn starch has a partially crystallized structure. The degree of crystallization during acid splitting of starches is 28%. In the samples of maltodextrins obtained by enzymatic hydrolysis of corn starch, some content of calcium (3.69 keV), chlorine (2.62 and 2.82 keV) and potassium (3.31 and 3.59 keV) was found. In the samples of maltodextrins obtained by acid splitting of potato and corn starch, the calcium content is present in greater quantities (4.01 keV).

Диоскорея кавказская является источником биологически активных веществ (БАВ): сапонинов и полифенолов, проявляющих противоатеросклеротическое действие. Но так как данный вид растения во многих регионах России занесен в Красную книгу, то изъятие растительного сырья из естественной среды обитания невозможно. Решением данной проблемы является применение биотехнологических методов in vitro – получение каллусных, суспензионных и корневых культур. Цель данной работы состояла в подборе рабочих параметров экстрагирования из клеточных культур максимального количества БАВ. Для ее реализации использовались выращенные по общепринятым методикам клеточные культуры in vitro, экстракты на основе данных культур, полученные с помощью различных органических растворителей, и при варьировании параметрами экстракции (температурой, соотношением сырье:экстрагент, временем). Максимальный выход экстракта, следовательно, БАВ из каллусов наблюдался при использовании метанола в соотношении 1:10 при 40°С в течение 60 мин. Из суспензионных культур максимальный выход БАВ – при использовании изопропанола в соотношении 1:10 при 40°С в течение 30 мин. Из корневых культур – при использовании изопропанола в соотношении 1:10 при 40°С в течение 60 мин. Из анализируемых экстрактов наибольшее содержание БАВ (кофейной кислоты, рутина, мангиферина, кверцетина, апигенина) содержалось в экстракте из корневой культуры in vitro. Например, содержание рутина выше в 13 и 22 раза, чем у каллусной и суспензионной культур. Методами ТСХ, ВЭЖХ и ЯМР установлено, что изопропанольный экстракт корневой культуры in vitro Диоскореи кавказской содержал сапонины: глюкопиранозид и рамнопиранозид, дельтозид, протодиосцин, спиростенол А и спиростенол Б – вещества, проявляющие противоатеросклеротическое действие. В перспективе клеточные культуры in vitro Диоскореи кавказской использовать как сырье в фармацевтических целях (для приготовления лекарственных препаратов) и в пищевой промышленности (как компонент функциональных продуктов питания и биологически активных добавок).