Life Cycles of Ground Beetles (Coleoptera,Carabidae) from the Mountain Taiga and Mountain Forest-Steppe in the Eastern Sayan

Seasonal dynamics and demographic structure was studied in 15 dominant ground beetle species in the mountain taiga and mountain forest-steppe belts of the Eastern Sayan (Okinskoe Plateau). Life cycles of the dominant ground beetle species were classified by developmental time, seasonal dynamics, and intrapopulation groups with different reproduction timing. The strategies of carabid life cycles adapted to severe mountain conditions of the Eastern Sayan were revealed.     

Effect of bacterial endotoxin on migration of gonadotropin-releasing hormone-producing neurons in rat embryogenesis

The effect of bacterial lipopolysaccharide endotoxin (LPS), immune system activator, on differentiation and migration of gonadotropin-releasing hormone-producing neurons in rat embryogenesis has been studied. Intraperitoneal injection with LPS (18 μg/kg) into pregnant rats on the 12th day of pregnancy led to 50% decrease in total number of GnRH-neurons in the forebrain of 17-day-old embryos and 17% decrease in 19-day-old embryos. At the same time, the number of GnRH-neurons in the nasal area of the head of 17- and 19-day-old embryos was increased by 40 and 50%, respectively, whereas it increased by 20% in olfactory bulbs of 17-day-old embryos and was not changed in olfactory bulbs of 19-day-old embryos. Neither the total number of neurons nor their distribution patterns were affected by LPS injection into pregnant rats on the 15th day of pregnancy. Singular localization of GnRH-neurons in embryo forebrain was observed after LPS administration, whereas the neurons were located by groups of 3–4 cells in rostral areas. Therefore, at the early stages of pregnancy, LPS was shown to suppress initial stages of differentiation and migration of GnRH-producing neurons. The effects observed in our study may be mediated by LPS-induced proinflammatory cytokines.     

Rat brain reactions to acute brain stem lesion on dynamics of parameters of cerebral electric activity

Despite an old history of a question, adaptive brain reactions that develop after an acute brainstem lesion have not been adequately investigated. With the aim to study the central mechanisms of compensation/decompensation and to specify the character of involvement of orbitofrontal cortex and hippocampus into these processes the spatiotemporal organization of brain electric activity was analyzed in 8 rats before and after electrolytic brainstem lesion at the level of the lateral vestibular nucleus Deiters (VND). The electric activity was recorded from symmetric frontal and somatosensory cortical areas, hippocampal areas CA1, and intact VND. Spectralcoherent analysis showed that adaptive reactions are most clearly manifested by changes in the spatiotemporal organization of the theata activity: 1) early brainstemhippocampal synchronization of the electric activity in the frequency range of 6-7 Hz with subsequent involvement of anterior cortical regions is characteristic of survived animals; 2) independent hippocampal-cortical hemispheric system of excitation in the frequency of 4-5 Hz precedes the fatal outcome. On the day before the fatal outcome the interhemispheric coherence in the orbitofrontal cortex dropped, which suggests the involvement of these brain regions into the processes of visceral regulation.     

The low-frequency EEG component in the healthy subject and its changes as affected by acutely developing foci at the level of the diencephalon and brain stem structures

The data are given of the analysis of the low-frequency EEG component (LF EEG--0.2--2.0 Hz) of 34 healthy subjects and 36 patients examined in dynamics in the acute period after operations: ablation of a tumour localized at the level of the diencephalon and the level of the brainstem. The LF EEGs were analyzed by a special program: auto- and crosscorrelation functions and power spectra were estimated. In the norm LF EEGs were characterized by mosaics, various frequencies and periodicity in various cortical areas, they appeared with interhemispheric asymmetry, depended on the EEG type--dominance or lack of the alpha-rhythm. In patients in the post-operative period the LF EEGs were changed; in favourable terminations, at first the period of oscillations and the coefficient of correlation increased, then they tended to normalization. In unfavourable terminations, with gross pathological foci in these areas, the LF EEGs acquired a synchronized character, with a higher frequency than in the norm.     

Wavelet-synchrony of Brain Evoked Responses during Listening to Naturalistic Stimuli in the Prognosis of Consciousness Recovery (Study 1: Wavelet-synchrony during Listening to Instrumental Music)

The features and prognostic value of wavelet-synchrony of evoked responses during the listening to realistic stimuli (music) were revealed in the study. Musical passages were selected according the patients’ preferences by their relations consultation. Wavelet-connections were calculated for each melody in the range from 0 to 1000 ms from stimuli. Total 22 examinees in 12 patients being in unconsciousness state were carried out. Resting state values of wavelet-connectivity were poorer in vegetative patients in comparison to healthy subjects regardless of consciousness recovery degree in future while wavelet-connections in mutism were higher in comparison to healthy subjects. Absolute value of wavelet-synchrony was lower than in norm. In patients with compete consciousness recovery in the future the maximal values of wavelet-synchrony were revealed in the temporal-occipital area while in patients who in the future have been revealed in the lesser degree the maximal values of wavelet-synchrony are shown in frontal-central areas. In chronic unconsciousness patients during the listening to instrumental music the maximal wavelet-connections values were determined in the right frontal area.     

Special traits of tissue lipids of whitefish <Emphasis Type="Italic">Coregonus lavaretus</Emphasis> living in water bodies with different anthropogenous load

The impact of water pollution on the content of lipid components of the liver and eggs of whitefish Coregonus lavaretus is investigated. The content of triacylglycerols (TAG), sphingomyelin (SPM), phosphatidylinositol (PI), and phosphatidylserine (PS) is higher in the liver of whitefish from polluted waters being a part of adaptogenous reactions (modification of permeability of biomembranes, of activity of membrane enzymes, etc.) providing a possibility of the survival of fish under unfavorable ecological factors. The lipid spectra of whitefish gonads are more stable in comparison with the liver. This may be related to protection of the reproductive system from external influences.     

Native structure of rat liver immune proteasomes

Native structure of active forms of rat liver immune proteasomes has been studied by two-dimensional electrophoresis method modified for analysis of unpurified protein fractions. The developed method allowed revealing the proteasome immune subunits LMP7 and LMP2 in 20S subparticles and in the structures bound to one or two PA28αβ activators, but not to the PA700 activator, which is involved in the hydrolysis of ubiquitinated proteins. The results obtained indicate the participation of the immune proteasomes in delicate regulatory mechanisms based on the production of biologically active peptides and exclude their participation in processes of crude degradation of “rotated” ubiquitinated proteins.     

Pattern of MHC class I and immune proteasome expression in Walker 256 tumor during growth and regression in Brattleboro rats with the hereditary defect of arginine-vasopressin synthesis

Dynamics of the expression of MHC class I, immune proteasomes and proteasome regulators 19S, PA28, total proteasome pool and proteasome chymotrypsin-like activity in Walker 256 tumor after implantation into Brattleboro rats with the hereditary defect of arginine-vasopressin synthesis was studied. The tumor growth and regression in Brattleboro rats were accompanied by changes in the proteasome subunit level unlike the tumor growth in WAG rats with normal expression of arginine-vasopressin gene. In the tumor implanted into Brattleboro rats the immune proteasome level was maximal between days 14 and 17, when the tumor underwent regression. Conversely, the expression of proteasome regulators tended to decrease during this period. Immune proteasomes are known to produce antigen epitopes for MHC class I to be presented to CD8+ T lymphocytes. Enhanced expression of immune proteasomes coincided with the recovery of MHC class I expression, suggesting the efficient presentation of tumor antigens in Brattleboro rats.