N-Methyl-D-Aspartate receptors in acquisition of the short-term memory in the honeybeeApis mellifera

Role of NMDA receptors in the process of associative learning has been studied in the honeybeeApis mellifera L. in behavior experiments, using method of conditional reflexes. To determine pharmacological profile of NMDA receptors, effects of Mg²⁺ ions, NMDA, glycine (Gly), antagonist of the glycine site 5,7-dichlorokynurenic acid (DCK), competitive antagonists of NMDA receptors: D,L-2-aminophosphovalerate (APV), L-2-aminophosphobutyrate (APB), and D-glutamyl-aminomethylphosphonic acid (GAMP) as well of antagonists of NMDA receptor ion channels MK-801 and ketamine (Ket) were studied on acquisition of alimentary conditional reflex and its retention in memory. NMDA increased capacity for learning by stimulating shortterm memory. The NMDA receptor co-agonist Gly activated this NMDA effect. DCK eliminated the NMDA and Gly stimulatoty effects. All tested antagonists at millimolar concentrations inhibited associative function. The data obtained confirm our hypothesis about participation of NMDA receptors in processes of formation of short-term memory in the honeybeeApis mellifera and suggest that functional characteristics of the NMDA receptors involved in the process of associative learning in the honeybee resemble those in mammals.     

Cartographic analysis of the population of amphibians,reptiles, and birds of the West Siberian plain and Altai

For the entire territory of West Siberia, including its plain and mountainous parts, two maps were constructed for populations of amphibians together with reptiles, and of birds. Communities of these classes of vertebrates differ from one another in their spatial differentiation. The differences are demonstrated for the plain and mountainous territories considered jointly and separately.     

中国皿蛛科蜘蛛一新属和一新种记述(蛛形纲:蜘蛛目)

本文记述采自新疆的皿蛛科蜘蛛一新届——颚齿蛛属Maxillodens gen.nov.及其一新种——鞭状颚齿蛛M.flageuatus sp.nov。     

BSA Adsorption on Porous Scaffolds Prepared from BioPEGylated Poly(3-Hydroxybutyrate)

Porous scaffolds for tissue engineering have been prepared from poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) and a copolymer of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) and polyethylene glycol (PHB-PEG) produced by bioPEGylation. The morphology of the scaffolds and their capacity for adsorption of the model protein bovine serum albumin (BSA) have been studied. Scaffolds produced from bioPEGylated PHB adsorbed more BSA, whereas the share of protein irreversibly adsorbed on these scaffolds was significantly lower (33%) than in the case of PHB homopolymer-based scaffolds (47%). The effect of protein adsorption on scaffold biocompatibility in vitro was tested in an experiment that involved the cultivation of fibroblasts (line COS-1) on the scaffolds. PHB-PEG scaffolds had a higher capacity for supporting cell growth than PHB-based scaffolds. Thus, the bioPEGylated PHB-based polymer scaffolds developed in the present study have considerable potential for use in soft tissue engineering.     

Mode of sample preparation for pseudotuberculosis laboratory diagnosis by polymer chain reaction method

A mode of feces sample preparation was developed for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. It was based on alkaline treatment of the material. This treatment killed the most part of indigenous microflora, whereas Yersinia survived, because it was relatively resistant to alkaline. The mode was tested using human feces artificially contaminated with Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. Positive responses in samples containing 10(3)-10(8) microbial cells per ml were obtained by PCR assay with Yersi and Yers2, Invl and Inv2, YP3 and YP4 primers. Diagnostic efficiency of PCR for patients, small mammals, and washings from environmental objects was 4.75, 1.66, and 2.12 times higher than diagnostic efficiency of bacteriological analysis of these samples, respectively. Positive results in PCR were obtained at the day of the material collection and treatment, whereas Y. pseudotuberculosis was isolated only after 8-20 days. Positive samples in PCR and in bacteriological analysis were found to coincide. A brief scheme of the Y. pseudotuberculosis laboratory diagnosis is suggested. According to this scheme, target-oriented bacteriological assay is performed only in those samples, in which preliminary PCR assay after 1-3 days of incubation gave positive results of Y. pseudotuberculosis DNA detection.     

Dysbacteriosis in patients with colon polyposis

The study revealed the most profound changes in the composition of intestinal microflora in patients with polyposis of the large intestine. In these patients anaerobic microflora (bifidobacteria, lactic acid bacteria) was more often suppressed than in other examined groups, in particular, patients with cholelithic disease. The associations of hemolytic Escherichia with Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Citrobacter freundii were often observed as well as the increased content of enterococci and fungi of the genus Candida. The determination of frequency and degree of manifestations showed that dysbacteriosis was registered in the absolute majority of patients (97.4%) with polyposis of the large intestine. Among patients with cholelithic disease disturbances in microbiocenosis were detected in 60.0% of cases, the profundity and character of the microflora composition changes being less pronounced.     

Sleep changes during degeneration of neurons in the substantia nigra induced by inhibitor of proteasomes lactacystin in rats

A decrease in activity of ubiquitin proteasome system results in accumulation of toxic forms of protein and cell degeneration, including dopamine (DA)-ergic neurons in the substantia nigra; these neurons are remarkable for their low proteolytic activity of proteosomes that makes them more vulnerable, especially when subjected to the neurotoxin action or Parkinson's disease (PD). The goal of the present study is to develop a model on the basis of inhibition of proteasome activity of nigral cell degeneration which is not accompanied by disturbances in motor behavior but leads to changes in sleep-wake cycle characteristic of the non-motor behaviour. We determined the optimal dose of natural inhibitor of proteasome lactacystin (0.4 mkg) and developed a preclinical model of PD in Wistar rats. We established that on the 14th day following lactacystin double (with one-week interval) bilateral injection into the substantia nigra the developing effects involved 28 % degeneration of DA-ergic neurons in the compact part of the substantia nigra, absence of disorders in motor behaviour, and increase in the total time of rapid eye movement sleep by 37 % at the second half of inactive day phase. These data and an increase in the level of key enzyme of DA synthesis tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in survived neurons in the substantia nigra as well as the presence of the inverse correlation dependency (r = -0.8, p < 0.01) between the number of survived neurons and the level of TH inside them suggest a hypothesis that the increase in the duration of rapid eye movement sleep could be a non-motor marker of the preclinical stage of PD reflecting a reservation of compensatory potentials in the nigrostriatal system.