[Scale invariance of biosystems: from embryo to community].

Abstract-Phenomena having the property of a scale invariance (that is, maintaining invariable structure in certain range of scales) are typical for biosystems of different levels. In this review, main manifestations of the scale-invariant phenomena at different levels of biological organization (including ontogenetic aspects) are stated, and the reasons of such wide distribution of fractal structures in biology are discussed. Almost all biological systems can be described in terms of synergetics as open nonequilibrium systems that exist due to substance and energy flow passing through them.

Multifractal analysis of neutral community spatial structure.

The spatial structure of neutral communities has nontrivial properties, which are described traditionally by the Species-area relationship (SAR) and the Species Abundance Distribution, (SAD). Fractal analysis is an alternative way to describe community structure, the final product of which - a multifractal spectrum - combines information both on the scaling parameters of species richness (similar to SAR), and about species' relative abundances (similar to SAD). We conducted a multifractal analysis of community spatial structure in a neutral lattice-based model.

[Multifractal analysis of the species structure of freshwater hydrobiocenoses].

The principles and methods of fractal analysis of the species structure of freshwater phytoplankton, zooplankton, and macrozoobenthos communities of plain water reservoirs and urban waterbodies are discussed. The theoretical foundation and experimental verification are provided for the authors' concept of self-similar (quasi-fractal) nature of the species structure of communities. According to this concept, the adequate mathematical image of species richness accumulation with growing sampling effort is quasi-monofractals, while the generalized geometric image of the species structure of the community is a multifractal spectrum.

[Application of the group theory to description of biological objects pseudosymmetry].

The application of the group theory to description of biological objects pseudosymmetry is introduced and substantiated by the example of rotatory symmetry of actinomorphic and zygomorphic flowers. Problems of biosymmetrics terminology are considered; point symmetry elements are characterized as being applied to description of flower symmetry; central constructs of the group theory are stated. Application of the Curie principle to biological objects is outlined.

[Fractal aspects of the taxic diversity].

Two approaches are suggested for describing taxic diversity as a fractal, or self-similar, object. One of them called "sampling approach" is based on necessity of taking into account the sampling process and on proceeding from the real ecological practice of exploration of the community structure. Verification of this approach is fulfilled using a multifractal analysis of the generic diversity of vascular plants of the National Park "Samarskaya Luka".

[Power-law species richness accumulation as manifestation of the fractal community structure].

Applications of the fractal to describing the species structure of communities are discussed. Fundamental notions of fractal geometry are explained in the first part. The problem of applying the concept of fractal to describe the spatial allocation of particular species and of community as a whole is reviewed in the second part.

[Structural and bioindicative aspects of fluctuated asymmetry of bilateral organisms].

We have proposed and validated a method for quantitative assessment of phenotypic diversity of natural populations. Method is based on the fluctuated asymmetry (FA) indices of bilateral organisms, and it is applicable for biondicative investigations. Convolution of functions was proposed to estimate the mean (population) value of FA complex of features.

[Natural toxins in inter- and intraspecies interaction of human being (elements of ethnotoxinology)].

The author considers the application of natural toxins as arrow poison by Homo sapiens from ancient time till today for hunting and ethnic wars on the example of natives of Asia, Africa, South America and Oceania. Geographic isolation was important determining the spectrum of natural toxin sources and the methods of their application. Cellular and molecular mechanisms of arrow poisons effects are considered in biogeographical context: aconitin and strychnin in Asia, diamphotoxin in Africa, indole alcaloids of plants and steroid alcaloids of amphibian in Central and South America, palytoxin in Oceania islands.

[The stimulation of the delayed hypersensitivity reaction by the venom of the blunt-nosed viper Vipera lebetina and by its liposomal form].

Native poison of middleasia viper Vipera lebetina has been included into liposomes in order to get an effective preparation for immunotherapy. The preparation reduces the risk of complications taking place during the use of traditional methods. The immunomodulating action of the liposomal form of viper poison has been investigated on the model of reaction of hypersensitivity of delayed type.

[Hygienic aspects of the use of liquid wastes from oil-refining and chemical plants].

It is established that utilization of pond's acid tar and n-butyl-acrylate vat residue for the binding roadway covering composition and its further application are associated with the release of a significant amount of noxious substances into the air of the work zone and inhabited areas. A set of activities, directed at the reduction of negative influence of the given technology on the sanitary state of the workplace and community air has been developed.

[Disorders of neurohumoral regulation in rats exposed to the poison of the scorpion Buthus eupeus].

The intraperitoneal injection of Buthus eupeus to rats (2,5 mg/kg) results in increasing of catecholamines and cyclic nucleotides content in blood. The hyperinsulinemia is observed simultaneously with the development of hyperglycaemia. It is believed that the activation of the cyclic system is a key mechanism of the neuro-humoral disturbances of homeostasis in case of scorpion venom influence.

[Changes in the levels of 3',5'-cAMP and 3',5'-cGMP in brain and heart tissues after exposure to toxins of Buthus eupeus scorpion venom].

Toxins isolated from Buthus eupeus scorpion stimulated the generation of cAMP and cGMP in mouse cerebellar and forebrain slices, as well as in isolated guinea-pig heart. Pharmacological analysis of neurotropic and cardiotropic effects of toxins has ascertained the relationship between the increased level of cyclic nucleotides and catecholaminergic and cholinergic effects of toxins.

[Pharmacology of the venom from the scorpion, Buthus eupeus].

Reactions induced by venom from the scorpion Buthus eupeus and by toxin of the venom have been studied on isolated organs and tissues as well as on intact body. It has been shown that substances interfering with the conduction of nerve excitation, with the mediator storage and interaction of the latter with synaptic receptors prevent the reactions induced by the venom and toxin, whereas ganglion-blocking agents do not affect these reactions. The catecholamine content in rat blood plasma has been found to be increased.

[The effect of neurotropic agents on evoked potentials of the association and projection regions of the cat neocortex].

Intensive non-specific inactivation of the cortex by means of its local cooling, in the cat anasthetized with nembutal, blocks in a similar way the early component of associative responses (ECAR) in the parietal area and the primary responses (PR) in the projection areas. In the case of local application of neurotropic drugs possessing specific and differentiated action on postsynaptic activity, the same ECAR changes require a somewhat higher concentration of the reagents as compared with the concentration that produces a similar PR transformation. The higher threshold of chemical sensitivity in ECAR than in the PR depends on the characteristics of the morpho-functional organization of the cortical formations.