Conservation of the Rare and Endangered Vascular Plants in the Mining and Tourism Area: Khibiny Mountains, Murmansk Region, Russia.

The Khibiny Mountains (hereafter called Khibiny Mts.) are one of the most urbanized and industrialized regions in the Russian Arctic. There are combined a developed mining complex, elaborate infrastructure, a well-known tourist resort, and a large population, all amidst an exceptionally rich biodiversity of plants.

Extension of the soil monitoring network via tea bag initiatives: A 3000 km latitudinal gradient in European Russia.

The increasing popularity and recognition of citizen science approaches to monitor soil health have promoted the idea to assess soil microbial decomposition based on a standard litter sample - tea bags. Although tea bag initiatives are expanding across the world, the global datasets remain biased in regard to investigating regions and biomes. This study aimed to expand the tea bag initiative to European Russia, which remains a "white spot" on the tea bag index map.

Seasonal Diet Changes and Trophic Links of Cold-Water Fish () within a Northern Lake Ecosystem.

The seasonal feeding patterns of the cold-adapted fish, , are poorly studied in high-latitude lakes but could provide insight for predicting the effects of global warming. We examined vendace's diet composition, traced the carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios from producers to consumers in the food web, and estimated vendace's trophic position in a subarctic lake (the White Sea basin). Results showed the vendace to be a typical euryphagous fish, but clear seasonal differences were found in the relative importance of plankton and benthos in the diet.

The intrinsic twinning and enigmatic twisting of aragonite crystals.

It is generally accepted that aragonite crystals of biogenic origin are characterized by significantly higher twin densities compared to samples formed during geological processes. Based on our single crystal X-ray diffraction (SCXRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) study of aragonite crystals from various localities, we show that in geological aragonites, the twin densities are comparable to those of the samples from crossed lamellar zones of molluscs shells. The high twin density is consistent with performed calculations, according to which the Gibbs free energy of twin-free aragonite is close to that of periodically twinned aragonite structure.

The AM-4 Family of Layered Titanosilicates: Single-Crystal-to-Single-Crystal Transformation, Synthesis and Ionic Conductivity.

Flexible crystal() structures, which exhibit() single-crystal()-to-single-crystal() (SCSC) transformations(), are attracting attention() in many applied aspects: magnetic() switches, catalysis, ferroelectrics and sorption. Acid treatment() for titanosilicate material() AM-4 and natural() compounds with the same structures led to SCSC transformation() by loss() Na, Li and Zn cations with large structural() changes (20% of the unit()-cell() volume()). The conservation() of crystallinity through complex() transformation() is possible due() to the formation() of a strong hydrogen bonding() system().

Vanadium in modern sediments of urban lakes in the North of Russia: natural and anthropogenic sources.

Studies have found that vanadium tends to accumulate in the sediments of lakes located in urban areas where fuel oil thermal power plants or boiler houses are present. The highest concentration of vanadium, amounting to 4785 mg/kg, was found in a lake situated less than a kilometer away from a thermal power plant. In contrast, pristine lakes typically have vanadium levels that are consistent with or below the background levels.

(CNH)[FeFe(SO)(HO)]: A Framework Iron Sulfate with a Mixed = 2 and = 5/2 Honeycomb Lattice.

A new guanidinium-templated hydrated iron sulfate, [CNH][FeFe(SO)(HO)] (), was prepared from strongly acidic aqueous solutions. Its crystal structure is comprised from FeO and FeO(HO) octahedra linked by sulfate bridges forming a [FeFe(SO)(HO)] 3 framework with a layer-by-layer ordering of ferric and ferrous cations. The structural topology of the framework is related to the anhydrous rhombohedral mikasaite Fe(SO).

Protonated Organic Diamines as Templates for Layered and Microporous Structures: Synthesis, Crystal Chemistry, and Structural Trends among the Compounds Formed in Aqueous Systems Transition Metal Halide or Nitrate-Diamine-Selenious Acid.

Systematic studies of crystalline compounds formed in aqueous systems containing aliphatic diamines, divalent transition metal halides, and selenious acid resulted in the discovery of a large family of new complex species corresponding to several new structure types. With ethylenediamine (en), layered (enH)[(HSeO)] compounds are the most commonly formed species which constitute a significant contribution to the family of layered hydrogen selenites containing neutral [(HSeO)] ( = Mg, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd) 2 building blocks. In contrast to some previous suggestions, piperazine (pip), as well as its homologue N-methylpiperazine, mostly give rise to quite different, sometimes more complex, structures of varied dimensionality while the (pipH)[(HSeO)] compounds are formed only with = Cu and Cd.

Copolyimide Brushes as a Component of a Hybrid Poly(phenylene Oxide) Membrane for Controlling Gas Separation: Effect of Water, Methanol, and Hexane Vapors.

The effect of water, methanol, and hexane vapors on gas permeability was studied in a hybrid membrane containing 5 wt% copolyimide brushes with poly(methyl methacrylate) side chains (PI-g-PMMA) in a poly(phenylene oxide) (PPO) matrix, and in a pristine PPO membrane. These membranes in the form of dense nonporous films were further examined by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), as well as by measuring their mechanical and gas transport properties. A gas separation study of the membranes in a dry state and the membranes saturated with water, methanol, and hexane vapors was performed to estimate the effect of each vapor on the H, CO, N permeability and selectivity in the separation of H/N and CO/N pairs.

An SPS-RS Technique for the Fabrication of SrMoO Powellite Mineral-like Ceramics for Sr Immobilization.

This paper reports a method for the fabrication of mineral-like SrMoO ceramics with a powellite structure, which is promising for the immobilization of the high-energy Sr radioisotope. The reported method is based on the solid-phase "in situ" interaction between SrO and MoO oxides initiated under spark plasma sintering (SPS) conditions. Dilatometry, XRD, SEM, and EDX methods were used to investigate the consolidation dynamics, phase formation, and structural changes in the reactive powder blend and sintered ceramics.

Year-Round Presence of Microcystins and Toxin-Producing in the Water Column and Ice Cover of a Eutrophic Lake Located in the Continuous Permafrost Zone (Yakutia, Russia).

This study aimed to test the hypothesis of the year-round presence of toxigenic and cyanotoxins in the water and ice of the shallow eutrophic Lake Ytyk-Kyuyol located in the continuous permafrost zone. Three independent approaches-mass-spectrometry, molecular methods and light microscopy-were applied in the study. The cyanobacterial biomass ranged from 1.

Framework Uranyl Silicates: Crystal Chemistry and a New Route for the Synthesis.

To date, uranyl silicates are mostly represented by minerals in nature. However, their synthetic counterparts can be used as ion exchange materials. A new approach for the synthesis of framework uranyl silicates is reported.

Chemical Vapor Transport Synthesis of Cu(VO)(AsO) With Two Distinct Spin-1/2 Magnetic Ions.

A new copper vanadyl arsenate, Cu(VO)(AsO), was synthesized via the chemical vapor transport method. Cu(VO)(AsO) adopts an original structure type. It is characterized by layers formed by edge-sharing and corner-sharing V-centered octahedra resulting in a unique topology that was hitherto not reported for vanadates.

Biological responses of whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus L.) to reduced toxic impact: Metal accumulation, haematological, immunological, and histopathological alterations.

Bioaccumulation of the main pollutants in the organs of whitefish, as well as their haematological parameters, were examined dynamically over a 40-year period in historically contaminated Lake Imandra. A quantitative histological analysis was performed to assess the physiological state of whitefish and histopathologies of organs, as well as their physiological and biochemical functions in the current period of toxic load decline. Biological reactions of whitefish from the historically contaminated area have been greatly modified in contrast to those of whitefish from the never contaminated area of the lake, and this shift persisted even after approximately 20 years of toxic load decline.

Multiple dimensionalities in (SO) ( = Rb, Cs; = Co, Ni) analogues.

New representatives of the (SO) ( = Rb and Cs, = Co, Ni) family were found, inspired by the discovery and characterization of itelmenite, a mineral of composition NaCuMg(SO). Four new compounds were obtained by high-temperature solid-state reactions in air. All new compounds were structurally characterized by single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction.

From ( = 1) Spin Hexamer to Spin Tetradecamer by CuO Interstitials in ACuO(CuO)(SO) (A = alkali).

(Na,K)CuO(SO) compounds form structural chains of Cu hexameric units with nominal = 1 spins due to the interplay between inner strong antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic exchanges. We show here that the lattice relaxation after the replacement of alkali by larger Rb and Cs ones is accompanied by the insertion of neutral CuO species into (Rb,Cs)CuO(CuO)(SO) phases. Structurally, interstitial CuO links the next two Cu units in longer Cu tetradecameric ones.

Frontiers of protected areas versus forest exploitation: Assessing habitat network functionality in 16 case study regions globally.

Exploitation of natural forests forms expanding frontiers. Simultaneously, protected area frontiers aim at maintaining functional habitat networks. To assess net effects of these frontiers, we examined 16 case study areas on five continents.

Trace element fractions in sediments of urbanised lakes of the arctic zone of Russia.

This paper presents the comprehensive evaluation of the level of accumulation of some of the most dangerous environmental pollutants (V, Co, Sn, Ni, Cr, Mn, Cd, Cu, Pb, Sb, Zn) and analyses their chemical forms in sediments of four small lakes located within Murmansk urban territory. Furthermore, the authors first studied morphology and chemical composition of industrial dust collected from the snow covering the ice of Lake Srednee. Fieldwork was carried out in April 2019.

Synthesis, structure, and antiviral properties of novel 2-adamantyl-5-aryl-2-tetrazoles.

Unlabelled: The reaction of 5-aryl--tetrazoles with adamantan-1-ol in concentrated sulfuric acid proceeds regioselectively with the formation of the corresponding 2-adamantyl-5-aryl-2-tetrazoles. Nitration of these compounds leads to 2-(adamantan-1-yl)-5-(3-nitroaryl)-2tetrazoles. The structures and composition of the obtained novel 2-adamantyl-5-aryltetrazoles were proven by IR spectroscopy, H and C NMR spectroscopy, high-resolution mass spectrometry, and also by X-ray structural analysis.

Expanding the Averievite Family, ()CuO(O) ( = P, V; = K, Rb, Cs, Cu; = Cl, Br): Synthesis and Single-Crystal X-ray Diffraction Study.

Averievite-type compounds with the general formula ()[CuO(O)], where = alkali metal, = halogen and = P, V, have been synthesized by crystallization from gases and structurally characterized for six different compositions: ( = Cs; = Cl; = P), ( = Cs; = Cl; = V), ( = Rb; = Cl; = P), ( = K; = Br; = P), ( = K; = Cl; = P) and ( = Cu; = Cl; = V). The crystal structures of the compounds are based upon the same structural unit, the layer consisting of a kagome lattice of Cu ions and are composed from corner-sharing (OCu) anion-centered tetrahedra. Each tetrahedron shares common corners with three neighboring tetrahedra, forming hexagonal rings, linked into the two-dimensional [OCu] sheets parallel to (001).

Phagocytic Activity of Leukocytes in Harp Seals.

Phagocytic and cytochemical parameters of peripheral blood leukocytes in adult and 1.5-month-old harp seal pups were studied. Phagocytic number, proportion of phagocytic leukocytes, and phagocytic activity, average number of absorbed latex particles per leukocyte, were determined.

Evolution of the adaptogenic concept from traditional use to medical systems: Pharmacology of stress- and aging-related diseases.

Adaptogens comprise a category of herbal medicinal and nutritional products promoting adaptability, resilience, and survival of living organisms in stress. The aim of this review was to summarize the growing knowledge about common adaptogenic plants used in various traditional medical systems (TMS) and conventional medicine and to provide a modern rationale for their use in the treatment of stress-induced and aging-related disorders. Adaptogens have pharmacologically pleiotropic effects on the neuroendocrine-immune system, which explain their traditional use for the treatment of a wide range of conditions.

High-temperature Fe oxidation coupled with redistribution of framework cations in lobanovite, KNa(FeMgNa)Ti(SiO)O(OH) - the first titanosilicate case.

The high-temperature (HT) behaviour of lobanovite, KNa(FeMgNa)Ti(SiO)O(OH), was studied using in situ powder X-ray diffraction in the temperature range 25-1000°C and ex situ single-crystal X-ray diffraction of 17 crystals quenched from different temperatures. HT iron oxidation associated with dehydroxylation starts at 450°C, similar to other ferrous-hydroxy-rich heterophyllosilicates such as astrophyllite and bafertisite. A prominent feature of lobanovite HT crystal chemistry is the redistribution of Fe and Mg+Mn cations over the M(2), M(3), M(4) sites of the octahedral (O) layer that accompanies iron oxidation and dehydroxylation.

Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents for the Extraction of Phenyletanes and Phenylpropanoids of L.

The extraction of rhizomes using natural deep eutectic solvent (NADES) consisting of lactic acid, glucose, fructose, and water was investigated. A two-level Plackett-Burman design with five variables, followed by the steepest ascent method, was undertaken to determine the optimal extraction conditions. Among the five parameters tested, particle size, extraction modulus, and water content were found to have the highest impact on the extrability of phenyletanes and phenylpropanoids.

Polyoxometalate chemistry at volcanoes: discovery of a novel class of polyoxocuprate nanoclusters in fumarolic minerals.

Polyoxometalate (POM) chemistry is an important avenue of comprehensive chemical research, due to the broad chemical, topological and structural variations of multinuclear polyoxoanions that result in advanced functionality of their derivatives. The majority of compounds in the polyoxometalate kingdom are synthesized under laboratory conditions. However, Nature has its own labs with the conditions often unconceivable to the mankind.