Vol 485, No 1 (2019)

Changes in the blood flow in the shin skin were observed by laser Doppler flowmetry after transcutaneous electrical spinal cord stimulation (TSCS) by subthreshold bipolar pulses with a frequency of 30 Hz in 12 healthy subjects. It was found that TSCS in the area of the T₁₁ and L₁ vertebrae led to a significant increase in skin blood flow. The microcirculation rate increased by more than 85% relative to the baseline at a stimulus intensity of 90% of the motor threshold. Cutaneous blood flow activization by TSCS is implemented mainly through the antidromic stimulation of sensory nerve fibers. Nitric oxide (NO) is an important mediator that contributes to vasodilation and increase in cutaneous blood flow upon TSCS. NO is predominantly of endothelial origin.

The brassinosteroid (BS) profiles in shoots and roots of the potato plants were shown to be organ-specific and dependent on the term of variety ripening. The amount of all studied groups of steroid phytohormones proved to be an order of magnitude higher in roots than in shoots. In roots, the brassinosteroid lactones predominated, while in shoots, their biogenetic precursors, 6-ketones, were prevailing. The early-ripening variety Zhukovsky Early is characterized by a high content of almost all BS groups (first of all, brassinolide group) and a relatively high content of B-lactones in shoots. With aging, the content of B-lactones in plants decreases, while that of B-ketones grows up.

We describe a vertebrate assemblage from the Pleistocene deposits of the Taurida karst cave discovered in 2018 in central Crimea (Zuya village, Belogorsk raion). The assemblage is correlated with Late Villafranchian faunas of the Eastern Mediterranean and has an approximate age of 1.8–1.5 Ma.

Genetic studies of the ferret badgers Melogale conducted in Vietnam have shown that this area is inhabited by three species, M. moschata, M. personata, and M. cucphuongensis, which can be attributed to sibling species (cryptic species). M. personata was found to be widespread not only in southern and central Vietnam, but also in the northern provinces (Lang Son, Ha Giang, Ninh Binh), while M. cucphuongensis was found in the provinces Lang Son, Ha Giang, Cao Bang, and Dak Lak, apart from Ninh Binh, from where it was described. The data obtained suggest a sympatric distribution of all three species over the Vietnam area and confirm sympatry of M. personata and M. moschata in southern Vietnam, which has been earlier established on the basis of morphological data.

The ultrastructure of the nephron subcellular organelles was studied in healthy mink kidneys. The data obtained were compared with the results of transmission electron microscopy. The renal cell nanomorphology proved to be similar when electronograms and the atomic force microscopy images were analyzed. The methods used enabled us to visualize the glomerular capillary endotheliocytes with cytolemma pits in the area of fenestrae that provide blood filtration; in the proximal nephron part, on the apical pole of the epithelial cells, brush-border soft microvilli were observed. The microvilli were characterized by a well-organized structure along their entire length and the membrane integrity. The data obtained show morphological parameters of the healthy mink organ and can be helpful in diagnosing of nephropathology.

The described microbiotesting technique provides the recording of pH changes, redox potential, electrical conductivity, optical density, light scattering and luminescence intensities, and other parameters of samples with viable test microorganisms incubated in a liquid nutrient medium in the presence and absence of the tested factors. The results of using this system for the analysis of pro- and antibiotic activity of various oil products, as well as weak electromagnetic fields of the megahertz range, are presented. It has been shown that the proposed technique, compared to the standard methods, yields more detailed and objective information and is less time- and labor-consuming.