A brief overview of the ideas of the possibility of using the cell kinetic model developed by the author in the 1980s to test, in experiments on cell cultures, potential geroprotectors and geropromoters, which slow down or accelerate, respectively, the aging of animals and humans. The process of the evolution of this model is considered – from the estimation of only the cell reproduction rate and saturation density in a non-subcultured cell culture to the constructing of survival curves in the stationary phase of growth, and further – to an analysis of the possible interrelation between all parts of the curve of cells’ growth and subsequent dying out. Possible approaches to mathematical and statistical analysis of the data obtained within the framework of this model system are analyzed. It is emphasized that such studies can be carried out on cells of very different nature (normal and transformed human and animal cells, plant cells, yeast, mycoplasmas, bacteria, etc.), which makes possible an evolutionary approach to the interpretation of the results obtained. At the same time, in the author’s opinion, the most promising experiments are those carried out on immortalized cells of humans and animals, since they are not cancerous on the one hand, and on the other have an unlimited mitotic potential and, therefore, do not “age” in the process of numerous divisions, as, for example, normal human diploid fibroblasts do. It is assumed that the appropriate mathematical analysis of the entire growth and dying out curve of a non-subcultured cell culture (from seeding into a culture flask to the complete death of all cells) may allow us to clarify certain relationships between the development and aging of a multicellular organism, and to increase the reliability of identifying promising geroprotectors.

Inherited epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is a heterogeneous group of rare genodermatoses with a high skin fragility manifested by the formation of destructive blisters and non-healing erosions on the skin and mucous membranes as a reaction to minor mechanical influences. There are three main types of EB: simple, junctional and dystrophic, each is caused by mutations in genes that encode epidermal, zones of the basement membrane or dermis proteins, respectively. The fourth type of EB is also described – hemidesmosomal or Kindler syndrome with impairments in kindlin-1 protein encoded by the FERMT1 gene. The existing ways to improve the living conditions of patients with EB are at different stages of development: some of them are already used in the clinic, while others are still under laboratory research. Various strategies are used, depending on the type of EB and the nature of mutation inheritance: from the functional gene replacement therapy based on the viral expression to the genome editing methods by programmable synthetic nucleases. The accumulated experience of allogeneic and autologous transplants of skin equivalents opens the prospect for using new approaches to functional gene and cell therapy ex vivo.

Inflammation is a protective response of a multicellular organism to injury. The function of inflammation is to localize and eliminate harmful stimuli, as well as repair (or replace) damaged tissues. There is increasing evidence that reactive oxygen species (ROS) participate in the initiation, progression and resolution of an inflammatory reaction. In this case, ROS act as bactericidal agents and “second messengers” in intracellular signaling. The latter function is performed by post-translational modification of proteins containing redox-sensitive cysteine residues, which are susceptible to oxidation. At the same time, overproduction of ROS can lead to cell and tissue injury and contribute to chronic inflammation underlying many neurodegenerative, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. In this review, we focus on the role of ROS in critical inflammatory events, including increased vascular permeability and leukocyte extravasation, respiratory burst and phagocytosis, angiogenesis, as well as some events leading to the resolution of inflammation. In addition, we discuss the pathological role of ROS in oxidative stress.

Common root rot is a widespread disease caused by the fungus Bipolaris sorokoniana that parasitizes on cereals. The influence of the fungal infection on light reactions of wheat photosynthesis was studied by means of simultaneous recording of the induction curves of fast and delayed chlorophyll fluorescence, as well as the redox state of P700. A decrease in the quantum yield of electron transport in photosystem II (φE0) and in the performance index (PIABS), an increase in the energy dissipation per reaction center (DI0/RC) and ΔpH-dependent non-photochemical fluorescence quenching (qE) in infected plants has been revealed. A decrease in the induction peak of delayed chlorophyll fluorescence at 10–50 ms is shown. The reactions of photosystem I exhibited greater resistance to fungal infection compared with photosystem II. The parameters of chlorophyll a fluorescence induction are convenient for early diagnostics of the physiological condition of plants impacted by fungal infection.

The seed morphology and germination of 17 Aristolochia species (A. arborea, A. baetica, A. inflata, A. gigantea, A. gracilis, A. clematitis, A. contorta, A. fimbriata, A. labiata, A. littoralis, A. macrophylla, A. manshuriensis, A. maxima, A. rotunda, A. sempervirens, A. tomentosa, A. trilobata) were studied. The highest seed morphometric parameters were observed for A. clematitis, A. contorta, A. trilobata, A. labiata and A. maxima, as well as for all representatives of the section Siphisia, whose seeds had no wings. The seed weight characteristics of species growing in tropical climatic conditions (the Gymnolobus section) were an order of magnitude lower than those of the species of other two sections, growing in temperate climates. The greater weight of seeds studied for the species of Siphisia and Diplolobus sections is associated with the presence of a voluminous endosperm, which enabled the seed to be alive during a long period from dissemination to germination. The period from seed sowing to beginning of germination and length of the germination period are individual for each species, and take from 1 mo. to 3,5 yr. The seeds of the species that grow in the temperate climatic zone (sections Diplolobus and Siphisia) are characterized by a morphophysiological shallow dormancy. They began to germinate 1–11 mos after sowing. Intervals in germination from 2 to 12 mo. were observed for the species of Diplolobus section, after which the seeds continued to germinate. Seeds of the majority of the Gymnolobus section species from the tropics have a morphological type of dormancy and germinate without intervals. The prolonged germination period and non-deep simple morphophysiological dormancy of seeds have adaptive value for the species conservation and survival in situ and ex situ.

Species composition and biomass of phytoplankton (Bsum), concentrations of chlorophyll “a” and nutrients, as well as hydrophysical conditions were studied from 5th to 12th of July, 2011 at 29 stations in the White Sea. With the exception of indicators for two stations in the surface layer of the water column, the values of chlorophyll “a” and Bsum corresponded to the level of phytoplankton bloom (> 1 mg/m3 and > 30 mg C/m3, respectively). The biomass dominance of diatom Thalassiosira angulata was first noted in vast area of the White Sea, its abundance and biomass in the surface layer reached 24·103 cells/l and 34.56 mg C/m3, respectively. Still higher values were noted at one of the coastal stations at a depth of 3 m (179·103 cells/l and 258 mg C/m3). The main factors responsible for the spatial variability of the T. angulata biomass were the stability of the water column (positive relation) and salinity (negative relation).

One of the approaches in rehabilitation after a stroke is mental training by representation of the movement using brain-computer interface (BCI), which allows to control the result of every attempt of imaginary movement. BCI technology based on online EEG analysis, detecting moments of imaginary movement representation and presenting these events in a form of changing scenes on the computer screen or triggering electro-mechanical devices, which essentially is a feedback. Traditionally used visual feedback is not always optimal for post-stroke patients. Earlier, we studied the effectiveness of tactile feedback, triggered only after a long-time mental representation of the movement, for several seconds or more. In this paper, the efficiency of fast tactile feedback with motor imaginary based BCI was investigated during classification of short (0.5 s) EEG segments. It was shown that fast tactile feedback is not inferior to the visual feedback and that it is possible to create BCI with tactile feedback which allow fast reward of physiologically effective attempts of motor imaginary and operate with acceptable accuracy for practical use. Furthermore, under certain conditions, tactile feedback can lead to the greater degree of sensorimotor rhythm desynchronization in subjects, in comparison with the visual feedback, which can serve as a basis for constructing effective neurointerface training system.

Allometry of wing shape is very common among insects, since wing-air interaction and aerodynamics of flight are largely depend on body size. In the present work we have studied allometry of wing shape and venation on wide range of representatives of Hymenoptera. It has been shown that by increase in body size the aspect ratio of forewings grows, and the center of the area shifts towards the base; similar parameters of hindwings do not correlate with size of the insects. Geometric morphometric methods permitted to reveal the allometric tendencies in arrangement of wing vein elements common for the hymenopterans studied. At increase of body size, the cells of central region of forewings stretch in longitudinal direction, the cells of distal and proximal regions reduce in length. Concerning hindwings, most families with increase in body size show elongation of the cells in proximal zone and shortening of the cells in distal zone.