Immunogenetic analysis of the population structure of Duroc breed swine during acclimatization

The American Duroc pigs characterized by the specific immunogenetic structure and especially by the high level of B and Hp loci polymorphism, and by the amylase locus monomorphism as well. Immunogenetic analysis allows revealing changes in the genetic structure of the population induced by breeding and during adaptation.     

Effect of anions and redox state on the activity of manganese containing catalase from Thermus thermophilus

Catalase isolated from thermophilic bacterium Thermus thermophilus (Mn-catalase) is composed of six subunits, each containing binuclear manganese clusters at their active site. The enzyme is active when the metal is in the completely reduced (Mn²⁺---Mn²⁺) state in the pH range 7–10, and loses activity on oxidation. ESR data suggest that the metal turns thereby into the (Mn²⁺---Mn⁴⁺) state. The Mn-catalase activity is inhibited by chloride, nitrate, nitrite, azide, and other singly charged anions, except cyanide. The inhibitory effect of anions increases as the pH value is reduced. The inhibition by hydroxylamine takes place through a lag-phase and is weakly dependent on pH value. The reaction mechanism is discussed in relation with current concepts of catalase reactions of heme-proteins and low-molecular binuclear manganese complexes.     

Structural Organization of Gene Pool by Immunogenetic Markers in the Ukrainskaya Stepnaya Belaya Breed of Pigs

The study of structural organization of gene pool was conducted for eight blood-group genetic systems (transferrin, haptoglobin, and amilase) in three stock herds of pigs of the Ukrainskaya Stepnaya Belaya breed that were bred under the conditions of southern Ukraine. Typical gene combinations (complex genotypes) of this breed were detected, and the main breed-specific parameters of distribution of genetic markers were described.     

Differences in the Postural Responses to Approaching and Receding Sound Images in Subjects with Different Perceptual Styles

A hypothesis on the universal character of perceptual style for analyzing the surrounding space during sensory interactions has been tested. The indices of postural responses to moving and stationary auditory images in the groups of field-dependent and field-independent subjects, i.e., those who perceive spatial information about the object considering or ignoring the background, respectively, have been investigated. The differences in the sway parameters in both groups were revealed only in the case of moving auditory images. Body sway was more prominent in the group of field-independent subjects, whereas in the subjects from the field-dependent group, backward body displacement was observed during listening to approaching auditory images. Therefore, the perceptual style is reflected in the vertical postural responses to auditory information about the motion in the acoustic space.     

Working Memory for Low-Level Visual Features: Sensory Mechanisms for Detecting the Mismatch between the Current Orientations and Those Stored in Memory

The amplitudes of the P100 and N150 early components of evoked potentials in the visual cortex have been analyzed on 33 volunteers with normal vision during matching between the current orientation and that stored in memory. An increase in the P100 response in the occipital and parietal cortical areas was identified as an informative indicator of mismatch between the current and stored-in-memory orientations. This effect was not found for more complex stimuli, namely, spatial patterns. The N150 component demonstrated a similar effect, but in contrast to P100 it was not stimulus specific. Thus, in the first 100 ms, a signal of mismatch between the current and stored-in-memory orientations arises in the early visual areas that represents a mechanism for early implicit response to changes in the basic characteristics of the visual space.     

Dynamics of microevolutionary processes during the use of pigs of various types under conditions at an industrial complex

Breeding of pigs in a closed herd during three generations under industrial complex conditions does not essentially increase the number of animals with homozygous genotypes of polymorphic systems of blood groups. One of the possible causes of this phenomenon is selection favourable to animals with a higher heterozygosity.