Individual identity of alarm calls in wild-living Brandt's voles (Lasiopodomys brandtii).

We investigated acoustic variation responsible for the individuality of alarm calls produced by 50 Brandt's voles Lasiopodomys brandtii derived from 50 different wild-living colonies. For the first time, we described the calling pattern of Brandt's voles, producing a long series of short alarm calls with short inter-call intervals. The alarm calls displayed four different contours of fundamental frequency but were nevertheless strongly individually distinct within a series of 50 successive alarm calls per caller (2500 analyzed alarm calls).

In Vitro Hemocompatibility of Arabinogalactan, Betulin, and Betulin Derivatives.

The hemocompatibility of arabinogalactan, betulin and its derivatives was evaluated in vitro and samples suitable for creation of nanostructures or materials in contact with blood were selected. The prospects of arabinogalactan as a component of the construct (nanostructure) for drug delivery are due to the fact that it did not affect blood/plasma coagulation (at concentrations of 0.0033-3.

Sex-determining region complements traditionally used in phylogenetic studies nuclear and chloroplast sequences in investigation of Duby and Spach poplars (genus L., Salicaceae).

Members of the genus L. play an important role in the formation of forests in the northern hemisphere and are used in urban landscaping and timber production. species of closely related sections show extensive hybridization.

Comparison of ultrasonic isolation calls of pure-breeding and interspecies hybrid Phodopus dwarf hamster pups.

In mammalian cross-species hybrids, parameters of voice calls, produced by vocal fold vibrations, are intermediate between parental species. Inheritance of ultrasonic calls, produced by whistle mechanism, is unstudied for hybrids. We examined 4000 pup ultrasonic isolation-induced calls for peak power of call fundamental frequency and for call duration in 4-8-day-old captive hamsters of four Study Groups: pure Phodopus sungorus; pure P.

Meeting with a male can lead to stress: Female reaction to a pairing with a partner in Felidae.

The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that the level of sexual dimorphism modulates the effects of male-female social interaction on the female physiological condition in felids. We predicted that: 1 - contacts of females with males in species with low level of sexual dimorphism in body size will not lead to significant changes in the activity of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (female stress); 2 - contacts of females with males in species with a high level of sexual dimorphism can result in significant increase in the cortisol level in females. Our study did not support these hypotheses.

Sulfation of Birch Wood Microcrystalline Cellulose with Sulfamic Acid Using Ion-Exchange Resins as Catalysts.

Cellulose sulfates are important biologically active substances with a wide range of useful properties. The development of new methods for the production of cellulose sulfates is an urgent task. In this work, we investigated ion-exchange resins as catalysts for the sulfation of cellulose with sulfamic acid.

New Azo Derivatives of Ethanol Lignin: Synthesis, Structure, and Photosensitive Properties.

Water-soluble azo derivatives of lignin were synthesized by the azo coupling reaction using organosolv ethanol lignin and diazonium salts based on sulfanilic acid and p-nitroaniline. The structure of azo derivatives of lignin were studied by nuclear magnetic resonance, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and gel permeation chromatography. It was found that the azobenzene bonds formed in the azo coupling reaction of macromolecules impart the photosensitive properties to the synthesized polymers via cis-trans photoisomerization of the diazobenzene group.

Juvenile survival curves in a solitary ground squirrel with a prolonged hibernation: effects of individual characteristics, environment, and maternal investment.

Juvenile survival is a key life-history influence on population dynamics and adaptive evolution. We analyzed the effects of individual characteristics, early environment, and maternal investment on juvenile survival in a large solitary hibernating rodent-yellow ground squirrel using Cox mixed-effects models. Only 48% of weaned pups survived to dispersal and 17% survived to hibernation.

Development of Neuroprotective Agents for the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease using Conjugates of Serotonin with Sesquiterpene Lactones.

Background: Sesquiterpene lactones are secondary plant metabolites with a wide variety of biological activities. The process of lactone conjugation to other pharmacophores can increase the efficacy and specificity of the conjugated agent effect on molecular targets in various diseases, including brain pathologies. Derivatives of biogenic indoles, including neurotransmitter serotonin, are of considerable interest as potential pharmacophores.

Sulfation of Wheat Straw Soda Lignin with Sulfamic Acid over Solid Catalysts.

Soda lignin is a by-product of the soda process for producing cellulose from grassy raw materials. Since a method for the industrial processing of lignin of this type is still lacking, several research teams have been working on solving this problem. We first propose a modification of soda lignin with sulfamic acid over solid catalysts.

Food Xanthan Polysaccharide Sulfation Process with Sulfamic Acid.

Xanthan is an important polysaccharide with many beneficial properties. Sulfated xanthan derivatives have anticoagulant and antithrombotic activity. This work proposes a new method for the synthesis of xanthan sulfates using sulfamic acid.

Non-individualistic ultrasonic and audible isolation calls throughout ontogeny in a rodent, Eolagurus luteus.

Acoustic individuality is present in diverse taxa of mammals and birds, becoming especially prominent in those age groups for which discriminating conspecifics by voice is critically important. This study compares, for the first time, the ontogenetic changes of acoustic individuality of ultrasonic and audible calls (USVs and AUDs) across 12 age-classes (from neonates to adults) in captive yellow steppe lemmings Eolagurus luteus. We found that, in this rodent species, the isolation-induced USVs and AUDs are not individually distinct at any age.

Sulfation of Diethylaminoethyl-Cellulose: QTAIM Topological Analysis and Experimental and DFT Studies of the Properties.

Sulfated cellulose derivatives are biologically active substances with anticoagulant properties. In this study, a new sulfated diethylaminoethyl (DEAE)-cellulose derivative has been obtained. The effect of a solvent on the sulfation process has been investigated.

Theoretical and experimental study of guar gum sulfation.

The synthesis of guar gum sulfates by a complex of sulfur trioxide with 1,4-dioxane was studied. The influence of temperature, process duration, and the volume of chlorosulfonic acid on the degree of substitution of guar gum sulfates was studied. The sulfation process has been optimized using the Box-Behnken design.

Atypical Acetylcholine Receptors on the Neurons of the Turkish Snail.

Using electrophysiology, the effect of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) ligands on acetylcholine-induced depolarization in the neurons of Helix lucorum snail was studied. It was found that the α-conotoxin PnIA [R9, L10], a selective antagonist of α7 nAChR, and α-cobratoxin (antagonist of α7 and muscle-type nAChR) suppressed neuronal depolarization. Fluorescence microscopy showed staining of the neurons with fluorescently labeled α-bungarotoxin; this staining was reduced by pretreatment with α-cobratoxin.

Early predictors of female lifetime reproductive success in a solitary hibernator: evidence for "silver spoon" effect.

Fitness consequences of early-life conditions remain unclear and poorly studied in mammals. Based on long-term observations of yellow ground squirrels (Spermophilus fulvus), we identified early determinants of female fitness by analyzing the effects of early-life individual and environmental characteristics (weaning weight, weight gain rate, date of natal emergence, natal litter size, location of the natal burrow, local density of juveniles, population density and precipitation in the post-weaning period) on lifetime reproductive success (LRS). We found high variation and right-skewed distribution in all five LRS components (survival to adulthood, adult lifespan, and lifetime numbers of weaned litters, weanlings, and yearling offspring).

Toward a locally adaptive optical protection filtering for human eyes and technical vision sensors.

In the presence of direct sunlight or superbright light from artificial optical sources, the distribution of light intensity (brightness) over perceived scene objects typically has a dynamic range several orders of magnitude greater than the dynamic range of most optical sensors. In this paper, the locally adaptive optical protection (LAOP) filtering systems for technical vision sensors and human eyes (human visual system) are suggested. The LAOP filtering provides the reliable perception of the perceived scene objects with normal brightness simultaneously with preventing saturation ("blinding") of the optical sensors by light from the brightest objects.

On the winter enhancement of adaptive humoral immunity: hypothesis testing in desert hamsters (Phodopus roborovskii: Cricetidae, Rodentia) kept under long-day and short-day photoperiod.

We tested the winter immunity enhancement hypothesis (WIEH) on male desert hamsters (Phodopus roborovskii) kept under long-day (LD) and short-day (SD) photoperiods. We assumed that under SD in a laboratory, the adaptive humoral immune responsiveness to the antigenic challenge would be enhanced due to the lack of winter physical stressors and food shortages and/or because of the action of an endogenous winter bolstering mechanism, while under LD the immune responsiveness would be suppressed by the activity of the reproductive system. The results support the WIEH in part.

Wave-Like Dose-Dependence of the Stimulating Effects of Dimebon on Cognition in a Wide Dose Range.

Comparison of the cognition-stimulating effects of Dimebon in a wide dose range revealed a non-monotonic and nontrivial wave-like dose-dependence of its activity. Positive results were obtained at low (0.02-0.

Behavioural impairments in mice of a novel FUS transgenic line recapitulate features of frontotemporal lobar degeneration.

Multiple clinical and experimental evidences suggest that amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) are members of a disease continuum. Pathological inclusions of fused in sarcoma (FUS) protein have been observed in subsets of patients with these diseases but their anatomical distribution is different for two diseases. These structures are present in motor neurons in ALS cases but in cortical neurons in FTLD cases.

Sociability and pair-bonding in gerbils: a comparative experimental study.

In a study of gerbils with contrasting social and mating systems (group-living monogamous Mongolian gerbil , solitary nonterritorial promiscuous midday jird , and solitary territorial promiscuous pale gerbil ), we employed partner preference tests (PPTs) to assess among-species variation in sociability and pair-bonding patterns and tested whether the nature of contact between individuals: direct contact (DC) versus nondirect contact (NDC) affected our results. We measured male preferences as the time: 1) spent alone, 2) with familiar (partner), and 3) unfamiliar (stranger) female in the 3-chambered apparatus. Gerbil species differed strongly in sociability and male partner preferences.

Between-year vocal aging in female red deer (Cervus elaphus).

Objectives: Studying animal vocal aging has potential implication in the field of animal welfare and for modeling human voice aging. The objective was to examine, using a repeated measures approach, the between-year changes of weight, social discomfort score (bites of other hinds on hind pelt), body condition score (fat reserves) and acoustic variables of the nasal (closed-mouth) and the oral (open-mouth) contact calls produced by farmed red deer hinds (Cervus elaphus) toward their young.

Results: Repeated measures ANOVA revealed that with an increase of hind age for 1 year, the acoustic variables of their nasal contact calls (the beginning and maximum fundamental frequencies, the depth of frequency modulation and the peak frequency) decreased, whereas in their oral contact calls only the end fundamental frequency decreased.

The method matters: The effect of handling time on cortisol level and blood parameters in wild cats.

Blood analysis has recently become a popular tool to assess the welfare of the wild cats. However, the estimates of blood parameters may depend on the sampling method. We have tested (1) if the sampling procedure influences blood parameters and (2) what parameters are the most efficient in assessing the physiological status in wild cat species.

Females choose gentle, but not healthy or macho males in Campbell dwarf hamsters ( Thomas 1905).

Androgen-dependent male sexual traits (STs) as well as immunocompetence are theoretically assumed to be key indicators of a male's quality for the mate-choosing female. We studied mate choice by sexually motivated (SM) females of Campbell's dwarf hamsters. Females chose between 2 tethered male siblings that differed in expression of STs.