Vol 486, No 1 (2019)

The electrophysiological mechanism of the atrial myocardium resistance to the cold-induced arrhythmias was studied in the hibernating ground squirrel Citellus undulatus. The atrial action potentials (APs) and refractoriness were recorded with microelectrodes in isolated multicellular preparations of the atrial myocardium taken from the hibernating and summer active ground squirrels (HS and SAS, respectively) at 37, 27, and 17°С to estimate the AP and refractoriness durations. In both HS and SAS, hypothermia increased the duration of the AP and refractoriness period (APD and RD, respectively), and in both animal groups RD was longer than APD under hypothermia but not at 37°С. This last observation can be a result of the postrepolarization refractoriness (PRR), which seems to contribute substantially to the atrial myocardium tolerance of the hibernating animals to the hypothermia-induced arrhythmias because it prevents afterdepolarizations.

The geographic and bathymetric distribution of siboglinids in the Sea of Okhotsk was studied. At least 75% of all siboglinid findings were at a depth up to 400 m. Most of them were concentrated in the northwestern part of the shelf. Comparison of the data on siboglinid distribution in the Sea of Okhotsk and the aggregate geological data on hydrocarbon distribution showed that, in the Sea of Okhotsk, siboglinids were mostly in the regions of hydrocarbon manifestations, but they were absent in the central areas with the minimum methane and hydrocarbon concentrations in both benthic sediments and the uppermost water layers.

In small mammals, the degree of micro- and mesowear of molars depends on the feed hardness, abrasiveness, and some other characteristics. Analysis of micro- and mesorelief of the paleontological material is used for reconstruction of some animal diet parameters. Small mammals pass through a series of complex transformations on the way from the objects of biocenosis to paleontological objects. Bone remains underwent transformations during accumulation and fossilization. In particular, bone remains from ornithogenous deposits were exposed to the bird digestive system elements. We have experimentally studied changes in some parameters of the narrow-headed vole (Microtus gregalis) molars derived from the owl pellets. Comparison of the same samples before and after exposure to the digestive system of the polar owl (Nyctea scandiaca) and eagle owl (Bubo bubo) showed that the tooth enamel microrelief undergoes serious changes and therefore, provides no information on the intravital diet of voles. A different degree of preservation of the characteristics of the mesorelief was shown. Depending on this, an assessment of their applicability to paleoreconstructions was given.

The remains of porcupines from the Lower Pleistocene deposits of the Taurida karstic cave discovered in 2018 in central Crimea (Zuya village, Belogorsk district) are referred to Hystrix (Acanthion) vinogradovi Argyropulo, 1941. This species is quite common for the Pleistocene of Eurasia. In Crimea, several isolated teeth of this species were described from the Lower Pleistocene of Tarkhankut previously.

Anodization of titanium implants is accompanied by the formation of titanium oxide nanotubes improving osseointegration. An excessive fibroblast adhesion on the surface might lead to the formation of fibrous capsule resulting in implant rejection. In our research, we demonstrated that the adhesion activity of human dermal fibroblasts on anodized surface was not elevated, which is promising for the use of titanium with nanotube-layered surface for implantology.