Novel coronaviruses and mammarenaviruses of hedgehogs from Russia including the comparison of viral communities of hibernating and active specimens.

Introduction: Small mammals, especially rodents and bats, are known reservoirs of zoonotic viruses, but little is known about the viromes of insectivorous species including hedgehogs (order Eulipotyphla), which often live near human settlements and come into contact with humans.

Methods: We used high-throughput sequencing and metaviromic analysis to describe the viromes of 21 hedgehogs (Erinaceus sp.) sampled from summer 2022 to spring 2023.

Comparative analysis of optional hunting behavior in Cricetinae hamsters using the data compression approach.

Research into the hunting behavior in members of the Cricetidae family offers an opportunity to reveal what changes in the predatory behavioral sequences occur when a rodent species shifts from an omnivorous to a predatory lifestyle. The study tests the following hypotheses: are there phylogenetic differences in the divergence of species' predatory lifestyles in hamsters or do ecological factors lead to shaping their hunting behavior? We applied the data compression approach for performing comparative analysis of hunting patterns as biological "texts." The study presents a comparative analysis of hunting behaviors in five Cricetinae species, focusing on the new data obtained for the desert hamster Phodopus roborovskii whose behavior has never been studied before.

Acoustic complexity of pup isolation calls in Mongolian hamsters: 3-frequency phenomena and chaos.

Studying pup isolation calls of wild rodents provides background for developing new early-life animal models for biomedical research and drug testing. This study discovered a highly complex acoustic phenotype of pup isolation calls in 4-5-day-old Mongolian hamsters . We analyzed the acoustic structure of 5,010 isolation calls emitted in the broad range of frequencies (sonic, below 20 kHz, and ultrasonic, from 20 to 128 kHz) by 23 pups during 2-min isolation test trials, 1 trial per pup.

High C values in red squirrels explained by a reliance on conifer seeds.

Eurasian red squirrels have unusually high C values compared to other forest rodents, which is seemingly related to the consumption of C-enriched conifer seeds. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed the hair of wild and zoo-kept red squirrels, seeds of pine and spruce, and feathers of specialized and opportunistic consumers of conifer seeds, crossbills spp., and woodpeckers .

Phylogeography of the common hamster (Cricetus cricetus): paleoclimatic reconstructions of Late Pleistocene colonization.

The phylogeographic structure of Cricetus cricetus is described across the whole range of the species for the first time. The modern phylogenetic structure was formed 70-45 kyr BP. The most favorable conditions for the species are those of interglacial periods rather than of the periods of glaciations.

Karyotypic and molecular evidence supports the endemic Tibetan hamsters as a separate divergent lineage of Cricetinae.

The genus status of Urocricetus was defined recently based on morphological and molecular data. Even though the amount of evidence for a separate phylogenetic position of this genus among Cricetinae continues to increase, there is still no consensus on its relationship to other groups. Here we give the first comprehensive description of the U.

Cooling-Triggered Release from Mesoporous Poly(-isopropylacrylamide) Microgels at Physiological Conditions.

Poly(-isopropylacrylamide) (pNIPAM) hydrogels have broad potential applications as drug delivery vehicles because of their thermoresponsive behavior. pNIPAM loading/release performances are directly affected by the gel network structure. Therefore, there is a need with the approaches for accurate design of 3D pNIPAM assemblies with the structure ordered at the nanoscale.

Inter-protein interactions govern protein loading into porous vaterite CaCO crystals.

The fast development of protein therapeutics has resulted in a high demand for advanced delivery carriers that can effectively host therapeutic proteins, preserve their bioactivity and release them on demand. Accordingly, vaterite CaCO crystals have attracted special attention as sacrificial templates for protein encapsulation in micro- and nanoparticles (capsules and beads, respectively) under mild biofriendly conditions. This study aimed to better understand the mechanism of protein loading into crystals as a primary step for protein encapsulation.

Two novel cricetine mitogenomes: Insight into the mitogenomic characteristics and phylogeny in Cricetinae (Rodentia: Cricetidae).

Both Cricetus cricetus and Phodopus sungorus mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) were sequenced and elaborated for the first time in the present study. Their mitogenomes contained 37 genes and showed typical characteristics of the vertebrate mitogenome. Comparative analysis of 10 cricetine mitogenomes indicated that they shared similar characteristics with those of other cricetines in terms of genes arrangement, nucleotide composition, codon usage, tRNA structure, nucleotide skew and the origin of replication of light strand.

Circle of life: the common hamster (Cricetus cricetus) adaptations to the urban environment.

Traditionally, urbanization has been seen as a negative phenomenon for biota. However, changes in the environmental parameters induced by urbanization might be favorable for some species. Over the past half-century, the common hamster has actively populated cities, establishing populations in some European, Russian and Kazakhstan cities.

Using the Data-Compression Method for Studying Hunting Behavior in Small Mammals.

Using the data-compression method we revealed a similarity between hunting behaviors of the common shrew, which is insectivorous, and several rodent species with different types of diet. Seven rodent species studied displayed succinct, highly predictable hunting stereotypes, in which it was easy for the data compressor to find regularities. The generalist Norway rat, with its changeable manipulation of prey and less predictable transitions between stereotype elements, significantly differs from other species.

The mechanism of catalase loading into porous vaterite CaCO crystals by co-synthesis.

Porous vaterite CaCO3 crystals are nowadays extensively used as high-capacity bio-friendly sacrificial templates for the fabrication of such protein-containing nano- and micro-particles as capsules and beads. The first step in the protein encapsulation is performed through loading of the protein molecules into the crystals. Co-synthesis is one of the most useful and simple methods proven to effectively load crystals with proteins; however, the loading mechanism is still unknown.

Phylogeographic structure of the Common hamster (Cricetus cricetus L.): Late Pleistocene connections between Caucasus and Western European populations.

The Common hamster (Cricetus cricetus) is one of the most endangered mammals in Western and Central Europe. Its genetic diversity in Russia and Kazakhstan was investigated for the first time. The analysis of sequences of an mtDNA control region and cytochrome b gene revealed at least three phylogenetic lineages.

Seasonal Changes in Blood Cells and Biochemical Parameters in the Mongolian Hamster (Allocricetulus curtatus).

It was shown previously that the Mongolian hamster (Allocricetulus curtatus) is a mammalian species with irregular short hibernation. The purpose of the present study was to determine how this status affects seasonal changes in the biochemical and hematological parameters in A. curtatus males under a natural temperature and light regime.

[Genetic Structure of Urban Population of the Common Hamster (Cricetus cricetus)].

Over the past half-century, the common hamster (Cricetus cricetus), along with range-wide decline of natural populations, has actively populated the cities. The study of the genetic structure of urban populations of common hamster may shed light on features of the habitation of this species in urban landscapes. This article is focused on the genetic structure of common hamster populations in Simferopol (Crimea), one of the largest known urban populations of this species.

Controlling the Vaterite CaCO3 Crystal Pores. Design of Tailor-Made Polymer Based Microcapsules by Hard Templating.

The spherical vaterite CaCO3 microcrystals are nowadays widely used as sacrificial templates for fabrication of various microcarriers made of biopolymers (e.g., proteins, nucleic acids, enzymes) due to porous structure and mild template elimination conditions.

Protein-Containing Multilayer Capsules by Templating on Mesoporous CaCO3 Particles: POST- and PRE-Loading Approaches.

Encapsulation of model proteins (catalase, insulin, aprotinin) into multilayer dextran sulphate/protamin capsules by templating on CaCO3 microparticles is investigated employing: (i) PRE-loading into CaCO3 particles by adsorption or co-synthesis and (ii) POST-loading into performed capsules. Protein encapsulation is governed by both its size and electrostatic interactions with the carbonate microparticles and multilayer shell. PRE-loading enables improved encapsulation compared to POST-loading (catalase content in capsules 630 and 70 mg · g(-1)).

Cryopreservation and In Vitro culture of Preimplantation Embryos in Djungarian Hamster (Phodopus sungorus).

Although embryo cryobanking was applied to Syrian golden and to Campbell's hamsters, no attempt has been made at freezing embryos in Djungarian hamsters. Four-cell stage embryos were flushed from the reproductive ducts of pregnant females before noon of the third-day post coitum and frozen in 0.25-ml straws according to standard procedures of slow cooling.

Protein loading into porous CaCO3 microspheres: adsorption equilibrium and bioactivity retention.

Formulation of proteins into particulate form is a principal strategy to achieve controlled and targeted delivery, as well as to protect fragile protein molecules. Control over size, mechanical properties, and surface area (porosity) of particulate proteins has been successfully achieved by hard templating under mild conditions using porous CaCO3 microspheres. A crucial step in this approach, which determines protein content, is the loading of proteins into the CaCO3 microspheres.

Microporous polymeric 3D scaffolds templated by the layer-by-layer self-assembly.

Polymeric scaffolds serve as valuable supports for biological cells since they offer essential features for guiding cellular organization and tissue development. The main challenges for scaffold fabrication are i) to tune an internal structure and ii) to load bio-molecules such as growth factors and control their local concentration and distribution. Here, a new approach for the design of hollow polymeric scaffolds using porous CaCO3 particles (cores) as templates is presented.

Comparative cytogenetics of hamsters of the genus Allocricetulus argyropulo 1932 (Cricetidae, Rodentia).

Chromosome painting and G-banding analyses were used to delimit homologous chromosomal segments among 4 taxa of the hamsters genus Allocricetulus Argyropulo 1932 (Cricetidae, Murоidea, Rodentia)--A. curtatus (2n = 20), A. eversmanni eversmanni, A.

[Seasonal peculiarities of female hormonal response of females to conspecific chemical signals of the male in two species of the genus Phodopus].

Changes in diestrous female blood plasma progesterone, estradiol, and cortisol in response to odors of urine and midventral gland secretion (MVGS) of conspecific males during different seasons have been studied in the desert hamster (Phodopus roborowskii and Djungarian hamster (Phodopus sungorus). In desert hamster females, a statistically significant (p < or = 0.05) increase in the plasma hormonal level was observed: for progesterone in response to conspecific male MGVS in all seasons except winter, and to conspecific male urine in spring and summer; for cortisol in response to male MVGS and urine in all seasons except spring; and for estradiol in response to male MGVS in autumn.

[Decorative forms of hamsters Phodopus (Mammalia, Cricetinae): an analysis of genetic lines distribution and peculiarities of hair changes].

Three species of dwarf hamsters (genus Phodopus, family Cricetidae) inhabit some regions of Russia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and China, each having quite extensive range. In recent decades, the dwarf hamsters became widely spread all over the world, initially as laboratory animals and later as popular pets. By now, there is lot of decorative breed lines and colored forms of these animals.

[Analysis of genetic diversity of the Roborovski hamster (Phodopus roborovskii) in the northern part of its habitat].

An analysis of sequences of the cytochrome b gene and control region of mitochondrial DNA of 30 Roborovski hamsters (Phodopus roborovskii; Rodentia: Cricetinae) captured at ten geographical points from Zaisanskaya Depression (Kazakhstan) in the northwest to the Shilin-Gol area (China) in the southeast was conducted. The absence of a connection between the similarity of the discovered haplotypes and their geographical distribution allows us to assume that the modern genetic diversity of the species on the studied territory formed owing to migration waves from more southern areas.

[Seasonal changes of steroid levels in blood plasma of three Phodopus species (Mammalia, Cricetinae)].

Seasonal change of the base plasma level of testosterone and cortisol in males and progesterone, estradiol, and cortisol levels in females were analyzed in three Phodopus species: Ph. campbelli (Campbell's dwarf hamster), Ph. sungorus (Russian dwarf hamster), and Ph.