Vol 145, No 1 (2025)

Prostate cancer remains one of the most common oncological diseases among men. Gelatinases, such as MMP-13 and MMP-7, play a key role in tumor invasion and metastasis. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and metalloproteinases are considered as potential biomarkers and targets for prostate cancer diagnosis and therapy. The study used gelatin zymography to assess gelatinase activity in the PC-3 prostate cancer cell line. The results showed the presence of protein bands corresponding to gelatinase activity in the size range of 20, 28 and 37 kDa, which coincides with the activity of MMP-13, MMP-7 and PSA in PC-3 cells. The results showed the presence of protein bands corresponding to the proteolytic activity of gelatinases in the size range of 20, 28 and 37 kDa, which coincides with the activity of MMP-13, MMP-7 and PSA. Thus, gelatinases MMP-13, MMP-7 and PSA were identified in prostate cancer cells, which can be used as markers of aggressiveness and progression of prostate cancer.

Elite cross-country skier K.D., a member of the men’s national team of the Republic of Tatarstan, Master of sports of Russia, had his heart rate variability (HRV) recorded sequentially (for 5 minutes) almost daily during two ski seasons (2018–2019 and 2019–2020) during the preparatory, competitive and transition periods under conditions of clinostasis and then under conditions of active orthostasis. The values of 8 spectral and 6 temporal indicators of clino-HRV and ortho-HRV were compared (taking into account the five “working pulse” zones) with the total duration of the load (TDL_1-5), as well as with the duration of aerobic (DL_1-3) or anaerobic (DL_4-5) loads. It was shown that during endurance training the influence of the sympathetic division (SD) of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) on the heart increases, and especially the influence of the parasympathetic division (PD) of the autonomic nervous system (ANS), including due to the appearance of non-neuronal acetylcholine (NN-ACh) synthesis in cardiomyocytes as a component of the anti-apoptotic, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory system. It was established that the nature of the statistically significant dependence of the medians (11 out of 14) of the HRV indicators on the total duration of the load (TDL_1-5), as well as on the duration of aerobic (DL_1-3) or anaerobic (DL_4-5) loads in elite cross-country skier K.D., depends on the conditions under which the HRV is recorded – in clinostasis or in active orthostasis. The change in the nature of the dependence of the HRV parameters under active orthostasis is explained by the presence of non-neuronal acetylcholine (NN-ACh), the synthesis of which by cardiomyocytes occurs during endurance training. Based on the nature of the change in the dependence of the medians of the HRV parameters on the duration of training or competitive loads observed during active orthostasis (in comparison with clinostasis), 9 criteria for the presence of NN-ACh synthesis in the heart of an athlete training for endurance are proposed.

The limited distribution of tarsiers and their strict adherence to tropical forests, which are subject to extensive degeneration, puts all taxonomic groups of tarsiers at risk of extinction. Therefore, one of the ways to preserve tarsiers may be to create viable populations of them, bred in artificial conditions. Taking into account this problem, the article examines the issues of systematics, ecology, biology, morphology, anatomy, as well as the experience of keeping, feeding and producing offspring of oriental (Tarsius), Western (Cephalopachus) and Philippine (Carlito) tarsiers from the point of view of creating optimal conditions for their stay in a zoo.

A qualitative assessment of the adaptive reactions of the pine needles pigment complex under conditions of various types of industrial pollution of the South Ural region is given. The study area: Sterlitamak Industrial Center (SIC, aerotechnogenic polymetallic pollution), Karabash Copper Smelting Plant (KCSP, aerotechnogenic polymetallic pollution combined with sulfur dioxide), Uchaly Mining and Processing Plant (UMPP, polymetallic pollution in the conditions of dumps of copper-pyrite mining industry), Kumertau brown coal mine (KBCM, polymetallic pollution in the conditions of dumps of brown coal industry), Ufa Industrial Center (UIC, aerotechnogenic petrochemical pollution). It shown the pigment complex balance under UMPP conditions and imbalance under SIC, KCSP, KBCM and UIC conditions, which is expressed in the lack of coherence between the adaptive reactions of pigments and pigment ratios. The consistency between adaptive reactions of pigments and pigment ratios under UMPP conditions and the lack of consistency under SIC, KCSP, KBCM and UIC conditions is shown. Despite the lack of consistency, a common adaptive reaction is clearly distinguished for each industrial center: in the SIC and KCSP the pigment complex is characterized by a “neutral” adaptive reaction, in the KBCM – by a “moderately-tolerant”, in the UIC – by a “tolerant”, in the UMPP – by a “moderately-stressful”. According to the degree of increase in imbalance in the pigment complex the industrial centers form a series of increases: SIC and UIC → KCSP → KBCM. With the exception of UMPP, in all industrial centers, the ratio Chl a/Chl b demonstrates the absence of differences between pollution and control, which characterizes the stable balance of chlorophylls, but in conditions of copper-pyrite dumps there is a decrease in the share of Chl a with an increase in the share of Chl b is observed, which defines this type of pollution as a more significant stress factor for pine. The ratio (Chl a + Chl b)/Carotenoids is characterized by a lack of balance in all types of pollution, and pollution in the UMPP and SIC are defines as more significant stress factors for pine.