[Osphradial chemosensory organ as a probable trigger of the cardiac system adaptive reaction to the effect of heavy metals in aquatic mollusks].

The responses of osphradium in the fresh-water mollusk Viviparus sp. and single osphradial neurons in the pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis to L-glutamine and L-asparagine as well as the changes in these responses under the effect of heavy metals (Cu, Cd) were recorded electrophysiologically. The functional connections of osphradium with the identified neurons of the central pattern generator of respiratory movements and cardiac activity as well as the modification of these connections under the effect of short-term application of HgCl2 solution on the snail's osphradium were investigated.

[Study of circadian activity in the crayfish Pontastacus leptodactylus during their multimonth stay in the river water flow].

By the method of non-invasive on-line recording and processing of photoplethysmograms of testaceous invertebrates, the circadian rhythm of cardiac activity was studied in the crayfish Pontastacus leptodactylus by recording for several months the heart rate (HR) and stress-index (characteristics of variational pulsometry). The crayfish were kept in the natural running water in the regime of natural illumination alteration (the first group) or at constant artificial illumination of low intensity (the second group). The circadian rhythm was more frequent and more distinct in crayfish of the first group.

The role of motivation in the performance of conditioned reflex switching of a maze skill in response to substitution of food reward quality in ants of the species Myrmica rubra.

The characteristics of learning in ants - active Myrmica rubra foragers - were studied in a maze at different levels of colony carbohydrate food need with reinforcement consisting of carbohydrate (sugar syrup) or protein (pupae of Lasius niger ants). Measures of the maze skill during learning reinforced with syrup were somewhat worse than those during learning reinforced with pupae, especially in terms of time-based measures. Ants were able to modify the acquired conditioned reflex reaction when the quality of reinforcement changed.

[The role of motivation in the performance of a conditioned switching-over of the maze habit in ants Myrmica rubra after a change in the quality of the food reinforcement].

Active foragers Myrmica rubra were trained in a maze under conditions of different levels of colony need in food with carbohydrate (sugar syrup) or protein (ants Lasius niger pupae) reinforcement. Acquisition of the maze habit was better under conditions of reinforcement with pupae, especially by its time indices. Ants were able to modify the acquired habit when the reinforcement quality was changed.

The behavior of ants in a maze in response to a change from food motivation to protective motivation.

The ability of Myrmica rubra scout ants to modify the foraging habit, formed in a symmetrical multiple-choice maze, in the situation in which the reinforcement (syrup) was replaced with a brood of the same species was studied. When the "test" was performed at the same high level of food motivation of the family as applied during training, the ants were able successfully to transfer to another type of social behavior - transporting of the brood. When the high-level food motivation was replaced with a low-level motivation, some of the ants were unable to modify the habit.

[Ant maze behavior during switch from food motivation to defense motivation].

It was shown that scout ants Myrmica rubra are capable for an adequate modification of foraging habit acquired in a multichoice symmetrical maze following a reward change (syrup for the species brood). Under conditions of the high level of food motivation of a family both during learning and "examination" (i.e.

Behavioral strategies in ants in changing conditions of food motivation.

Learning in ants was studied in a multiple choice symmetrical maze at different levels of social food motivation. Myrmica rubra scout ants were found to be able to change their behavioral strategy rapidly when families were suddenly changed from a low level of motivation to a high level and vice versa. In the "sated" state, there was clearly evident investigative activity, which led to high levels of variability and instability in the maze habit.

[The behavioral strategy of ants with a change in the level of food motivation].

Learning of ants was studied in a symmetrical multi-choice maze at different levels of food "social" motivation. A capability was shown of scout ants Myrmica rubra for changing rapidly behavioral strategy when the motivation level of a family changed from the low one for the high or vice versa. In the satiated state the ants demonstrated a clear-cut research activity.

[The participation of the right and left hemispheres in the realization of the maze habit in male mice of the BALB/c strain].

Motor, Searching and alimentary activity of male mice BALB/c as well as spatiomotor asymmetry was studied under conditions of training in symmetrical multi-alternative maze. In the period of realization of the stable optimal habit the right-side spatially motor asymmetry was observed in intact males. In animals with inactivated left or right hemisphere motor and alimentary activity was reduced and the structure of elaborated maze habit was broken.

[The capacity of ants for multiple alterations in the maze habit].

Ability was shown of ants Myrmica rubra to multiple reconstructions of the habit elaborated in symmetrical multialternative maze under motivation of care for the progeny (transportation of breed of the own species). Reconstruction consisted in the change of reinforcement location on the left or right aim spot. The ants showed the ability to carry out the series of eight reconstructions during one-two days.

[The hemispheric lateralization of the recognition of noisy visual stimuli in man].

At tachistoscopic unilateral presentation of noisy visual stimuli and application of "yes-no" method in man predominance was found of the right hemisphere by the number and "yes" reaction time and of the left hemisphere by the number of responses "no". At verbal mnemic load preceding the presentation of visual patterns the left hemisphere asymmetry was observed by the number of "yes" responses and reactions time of both types. FMA was more clearly expressed in men in the first case and in women--in the second one.

Behavioral plasticity of Myrmica rubra ants during learning in a multi-alternative symmetrical labyrinth.

The problem of behavioral plasticity in insects was studied with red ants, Myrmica rubra, by altering a habit developed in a multi-alternative labyrinth with care for offspring as motivation. In altering the habit, location of reinforcement was changed: in the first series, the brood was transferred from the target areas to relatively symmetrical areas of the transverse axis of the labyrinth; in the second, reinforcement was left on one area that had not been preferred during learning of the target area. In both situations, the ants displayed the ability to alter labyrinth habits.

[The asymmetry of movement direction in freshwater shrimp (Gammarus oceanicus) in the open-field test].

Behaviour of Gammarus oceanicus was studied in the open field test. For the whole except (n = 204) spatial-motor asymmetry was found. It was manifested in significantly greater number of movements clockwise (to the right) than counterclockwise (to the left).

[Typhus infection (Brill's disease) in the environment of a large city].

The data on the epidemiological analysis of 675 cases of infection of the typhus nature, detected in Leningrad in 1974-1986, are presented. The seasonal morbidity curve, the age structure of patients, the character of the clinical course of the disease and other data gave a reason for the diagnosis of Brill's disease. The comparison of the relative data on morbidity rates in typhus at different periods of the current century was made.

[Plasticity of the behavior of Myrmica rubra ants during learning in a multi-alternative symmetric labyrinth].

The ability was studied of Myrmica rubra ants to change the habit of passing through a multialternative symmetric labyrinth at motivation of the care for posterity. In exams the location of reinforcement was changed: in the first exam the progeny was carried from both aim places to those symmetric to them relatively to labyrinth cross axis; in the second exam the reinforcement was left on one aim place non-preferred during learning. The first exam was passed by 62.

[Hemispheric participation in the shaping of spatial-motor asymmetry in visual recognition in rats].

Asymmetry of movement direction was found in Wistar rats at establishing of motor alimentary conditioned reflex to simultaneously presented visual stimuli. In the course of learning the asymmetry weakened on the whole, but some individuals retained right- or left side preference. The analysis of asymmetry change before and after unilateral cortical inactivation revealed a special role of right hemisphere influences for the formation of right-side preference and of the left hemisphere--for the choice of the left direction.

[Hemisphere asymmetry of motor-feeding behavior of mice in a multi-alternative symmetrical maze].

The behaviour of mice of BALB/c line was studied in a symmetrical multialternative Y-maze: their motor, alimentary and investigating activities as well as spatial-motor asymmetry. In animals with inactivated left hemisphere, as compared to intact ones, the motor and alimentary activities were lowered, and the investigating one augmented. Instead of the weak left-side asymmetry a distinct left-side preference appeared of most Y-maze sections, and right-side preference for approaches to the feeders.

[Asymmetry of movement direction of Myrmica rubra ants during maze learning motivated by food].

Asymmetry in direction of motion was found in Myrmica rubra ants at their learning in a symmetrical multi-alternative maze in conditions of "social" alimentary motivation. It was manifested in the form of preferable stay in the right half of the maze and was significant by several parameters: total number of motions, approaches to "false" spots and right turns. Unequal degrees of spatial-motor asymmetry (individual and for the whole sample) was revealed by various parameters.