The diaphragm is a unique skeletal muscle, it is active throughout the life and therefore differs from locomotor muscles in the properties of muscle fibers and the mechanisms blood supply control. In this review, we aimed to survey the structural characteristics of diaphragm muscle tissue, which provide its integral contractile properties, to compare the activity of vascular tone control mechanisms in the diaphragm and locomotor muscles and to explore their relationship with the regulation of contractile function. The diaphragm differs from most other skeletal muscles with a high content of both slow, fatigue-resistant muscle fibers of type I and fast fibers of type IIb, which provides endurance and high speed-power characteristics of the diaphragm. The muscle fibers in the diaphragm are smaller, and the density of capillarization is much higher than in locomotor muscles. Arteries and arterioles that regulate blood supply to the diaphragm capillary bed combine the properties of arteries from muscles composed mainly of oxidative or glycolytic fibers, which provides blood flow in the diaphragm, adequate to its functional load with various patterns of activity. Compared to locomotor muscles, the mechanisms of vasoregulation in the diaphragm can qualitatively differ in the proximal and distal parts of the vascular bed. The functional properties of the proximal arteries can be explained, in particular, by their proximity to the aorta and their small length. The contractile characteristics and blood supply of the diaphragm in various conditions should be taken into account when conducting respiratory muscle training in sports and rehabilitation medicine.

Gastrointestinal diseases and eating disorders are among the most common pathologies in the world. One of the most widespread and dangerous consequence of many eating disorders is an uncontrolled weight gain that often leads to obesity. This review focuses on the 15-year-long studies of obestatin – one of the potential regulators of the eating behavior. This peptide contains 23 amino-acids and appears due to the processing of preproghrelin responsible for the coding of another orexigenic protein ghrelin. Obestatin and ghrelin have multiple physiological functions including the appetite regulation. Obestatin was originally obtained from the gastric mucosa in rats, but subsequent studies showed that it could be expressed in various tissues and had different effects in various organs and tissues. This review emphasizes possible anorexigenic effects of this peptide and their mechanisms. Despite the 15 years of research on obestatin, its influence on different organs and the mechanism of anorexigenic effects, in particular, bring about a lot of discussion. This is primarily due to the ambiguity of the peptide receptors determination, and is also related to the possible degradation of the molecule into the small fragments, which, in turn, can have their own effects. The local effects of obestatin and its derivatives in peripheral tissues and the possible effect at the central level indicate the potential of these peptides for the further studies. For example, these compounds can be considered as the potential therapeutic substances for eating disorders treatment. The aim of this work was to describe the relevance of the problem connected with obesity treatment and to summarize the results of numerous studies on obestatin and its fragments and their effects on the appetite regulation in order to explain its possible mechanisms.

Aegopodium podagraria possesses a lot of economically valuable traits: food, excellent honey, high feed value, and also has antirheumatic, diuretic, sedative and wound healing effects. In this work, we used A. podagraria plants for cytogenetic studies. The collection of A. podagraria was obtained in the expedition on different Russian regions. During the expedition, A. podagraria was not found at droughts places with drying soil. Preparation of cytological slides of A. podagraria metaphase chromosomes was carried out by our method of spreading a suspension of cells. The method we created combines the advantages of various methods, and surpasses them in the quality and quantity of metaphases in the slides. As a result, it was found that the plants from the collection had 42 chromosomes. No significant differences in the karyotypes of A. podagraria from different regions were found, since these differences were no more than the individual differences in the metaphase plates of one plant. For more accurate identification of chromosomes and their individual sectors to accompany the selection process, it is necessary to continue the work and to create cytogenetic markers.

The possibility of applying the methods and approaches of biotechnology of higher plants for the conservation and reproduction of Lilium pensylvanicum is shown. The use of seeds as primary explants allowed introducing the species into an in vitro culture without causing damage to the donor mother plants. Subculture of bulbs aseptic plants on the Hamburg medium with half the composition of salts micro and macro elements enriched in kinetin (5 mg/l) and indolylacetic acid (1 mg/l) caused the formation of three bulbs per explant. Subsequent passages on four media options allowed to isolate Murashige-Skoog medium supplemented with 6-benzylaminopurine (0.4 mg/l), which stimulated the best development of bulbs and shoot growth. Rooting was performed on hormone-free media. For the first time, long-term observations of the acclimatization of ex situ regenerated plants were carried out. Five-year field observations in the conditions of the collection nursery of the Yakutsk Botanical Garden for the survival, growth and development of regenerated plants (n = 30) showed that 77% of individuals successfully acclimatized. Mass flowering and fruiting were noted in the fourth year. Ontogenetic features of the development of young plants were revealed, which were expressed by the morphological polyvariance of the flowers and the high variability of the stem height. The developed protocol for the clonal micropropagation of Lilium pensylvanicum the results of long-term observations of the growth of regenerated plants allow us to recommend this method for propagating endangered cenopopulations.

Molecular analysis of new Plum pox virus (PPV) isolates found in peach, apricot, and plum cultivar collections of the Nikita botanical gardens–National scientific center of the Russian Academy of Sciences (NBS), as well as in wild myrobalans growing in the surrounding area was performed. Nineteen new PPV isolates were detected using ELISA and immunocapture reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Most of them belonged to the strain D; one isolate of the strain Rec and another one belonging to the strain M were also found. 3’-terminal genomic sequences of new isolates encompassing the coat protein (CP) gene and flanking sequences of the NIb gene and 3’-untranslated region were sequenced. Phylogenetic analysis of the 3’-terminal sequences assigned PPV-D isolates to several clusters or clades. The average level of divergence of new and previously characterized Crimean PPV-D isolates was 2%. The comparatively high genetic diversity of the strain D isolates from the Crimea suggests a long-standing introduction of their ancestors to the NBS. The H23 isolate found in the apricot cultivar collection belonged to the strain M. This is the first PPV-M detection in the Crimea. The strain Rec Al-Ch isolate was revealed on a wild myrobalan tree. A K59T mutation was found in the СP of the K87 isolate (strain D), which impairs its recognition by PPV-D-specific monoclonal antibody 4DG5. Аmino acid substitutions were found in position 68 of the CP of the Al-Ch as well as previously characterized Russian K28 and Kisl-1pl strain Rec isolates. These substitutions did not affect the recognition of these isolates by PPV-M-specific monoclonal antibody AL suggesting that position 68 seems to be outside the epitope. In all likelihood, PPV entered the NBS as a result of several independent introductions of the infected stone fruit crops from various regions of the world and spread along the plantings by aphids.

The collection Fund of the laboratory of ornamental plants of the Main Botanical garden of the Russian Academy of Sciences has existed since 1947. Currently, it includes 1055 species and varieties, as well as 4995 varieties and garden forms. The current policy of forming collections is aimed at creating unique collections. The status of large mono-collections includes the generic complexes Paeonia, Rosa, Syringa and Tulipa. Varieties of domestic selection dominate in the collections of Dendranthema, Lilium, Phlox, Clematis. Collections of Narcissus, Hemerocallis, and Tulipa are focused on preserving retro varieties. The main stages of micro-evolutionary development of culture are demonstrated by the example of the genera Astilbe and Iris.

Both male and female Wistar rats with experimental model of autism spectrum disorders induced by prenatal administration of valproate sodium at a dose of 500 mg/kg have behavioral abnormalities similar for people with these disorders, including abnormalities of social interaction, locomotor, orientation and exploratory behaviour, coordination of movement, spatial exploration behavior and hyperactivity in previously explored “familiar” environments. The severity of behavioral abnormalities in rats with fetal valproate syndrome exhibits sex differences, which must be taken into account when conducting experimental studies on this model.