Method of using anticholinesterase preparations in combination with the method of direct electrical stimulation at peripheral nerve neuropathies. Three cases report

An anticholinesterase preparation was introduced in 3 patients 30 minutes before direct electrical stimulation with low-intensity current in order to reduce treatment time, to increase muscle tension and to decrease sensitive disorders in the zone of innervation of the brachial plexus and peripheral nerve. 1,0 ml of 0,05% proserin solution was injected. Once reaching maximum concentration in blood proserin allowed to achieve potentiating the effect of electrical stimulation, increasing patient's muscle strength and independent muscle contractions, as well as 0,18 mV, on the average, increasing voluntary activity of the muscles tested according to EMG results which corresponds to 37-45 % of physical activity of the tested muscle group. The proposed method allowed to reduce treatment periods, to regress focal symptoms, to increase muscle tension and to decrease sensitive disorders in the zone of peripheral nerve innervation

Host species determines egg size in Oriental cuckoo

© 2018 The Zoological Society of London.The Oriental cuckoo Cuculus optatus is an obligate brood parasite associated with species of the genus Phylloscopus. Four distinct phenotypes of Oriental cuckoo eggs, matching eggshell colour patterns of Arctic warbler Phylloscopus borealis, common chiffchaff (Siberian) P. collybita tristis, yellow-browed warbler P. inornatus and Pallas's leaf warbler P. proregulus, have been identified in the Russian part of its breeding area. We compared egg length, breadth and volume of Oriental cuckoo egg phenotypes with eggs of the corresponding hosts from three geographical regions in Russia: the Urals, Siberia and the Far East. We found significant oometric differences between Oriental cuckoo egg phenotypes. Egg breadth of each cuckoo group matched the egg breadth of the host species, while the length of cuckoo eggs did not match egg length in host species. Our results can be explained in terms of clutch geometry. An egg sticking out above the clutch is likely to be rejected by the host and so breadth should match the host's egg. This constrains cuckoos in maintaining large egg volumes, which are essential for providing a cuckoo chick with the energy required to eject the host eggs and chicks. An increased egg length might compensate for breadth constraints. We suggest that the size of cuckoo eggs might also be affected by parental care - when only one parent is involved in feeding, eggs need to be larger. This might explain why the longest cuckoo eggs belonged to the phenotype parasitizing the smallest host, Pallas's leaf warbler, where only one parent feeds the chicks. In our view, differences in egg sizes of Oriental cuckoo phenotypes provide evidence of their adaptations to brood parasitism on small leaf warbler species.Peer reviewe

Evolution and genetic architecture of sex-limited polymorphism in cuckoos

Sex-limited polymorphism has evolved in many species including our own. Yet, we lack a detailed understanding of the underlying genetic variation and evolutionary processes at work. The brood parasitic common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) is a prime example of female-limited color polymorphism, where adult males are monochromatic gray and females exhibit either gray or rufous plumage. This polymorphism has been hypothesized to be governed by negative frequency-dependent selection whereby the rarer female morph is protected against harassment by males or from mobbing by parasitized host species. Here, we show that female plumage dichromatism maps to the female-restricted genome. We further demonstrate that, consistent with balancing selection, ancestry of the rufous phenotype is shared with the likewise female dichromatic sister species, the oriental cuckoo (Cuculus optatus). This study shows that sex-specific polymorphism in trait variation can be resolved by genetic variation residing on a sex-limited chromosome and be maintained across species boundaries

Biological Earth observation with animal sensors.

Space-based tracking technology using low-cost miniature tags is now delivering data on fine-scale animal movement at near-global scale. Linked with remotely sensed environmental data, this offers a biological lens on habitat integrity and connectivity for conservation and human health; a global network of animal sentinels of environmen-tal change

Biological Earth observation with animal sensors

Space-based tracking technology using low-cost miniature tags is now delivering data on fine-scale animal movement at near-global scale. Linked with remotely sensed environmental data, this offers a biological lens on habitat integrity and connectivity for conservation and human health; a global network of animal sentinels of environmen-tal change

Previously unknown behavior in parasitic cuckoo females: male-like vocalization during migratory activity

Abstract Background In the last decade, enigmatic male-like cuckoo calls have been reported several times in East Asia. These calls exhibited a combination of vocal traits of both Oriental Cuckoo (Cuculus optatus) and Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) advertising calls, and some authors therefore suggested that the enigmatic calls were produced by either Common × Oriental Cuckoo male hybrids or Common Cuckoo males having a gene mutation. However, the exact identity of calling birds are still unknown. Methods We recorded previously unknown male-like calls from three captive Oriental Cuckoo females, and compared these calls with enigmatic vocalizations recorded in the wild as well as with advertising vocalizations of Common and Oriental Cuckoo males. To achieve this, we measured calls automatically. Besides, we video-recorded captive female emitting male-like calls, and compared these recordings with the YouTube recordings of calling males of both Common and Oriental Cuckoos to get insight into the mechanism of call production. Results The analysis showed that female male-like calls recorded in captivity were similar to enigmatic calls recorded in the wild. Therefore, Oriental Cuckoo females might produce the latter calls. Two features of these female calls appeared to be unusual among birds. First, females produced male-like calls at the time of spring and autumn migratory activity and on migration in the wild. Because of this, functional significance of this call remained puzzling. Secondly, the male-like female call unexpectedly combined features of both closed-mouth (closed beak and simultaneous inflation of the ‘throat sac’) and open-mouth (prominent harmonic spectrum and the maximum neck extension observed at the beginning of a sound) vocal behaviors. Conclusions The Cuculus vocalizations outside the reproductive season remain poorly understood. Here, we found for the first time that Oriental Cuckoo females can produce male-like calls in that time. Because of its rarity, this call might be an atavism. Indeed, female male-like vocalizations are still known in non-parasitic tropical and apparently more basal cuckoos only. Therefore, our findings may shed light on the evolution of vocal communication in avian brood parasites

Ecologization and digitalization of preschool education for sustainable development: problems and prospects

The paper is devoted to the problems of modernization of the preschool education in Russia. The general scientific and private scientific methods formed the methodological basis of the research. There are two directions in the development of the Russian education system over the past few years: ecologization and digitalization. The ideas of the “green economy” are actively entering the field of education. The federal state educational standards provide the opportunity of forming the basics of children’s ecological literacy, ecological culture and ecological intellection in schools, but not in preschool educational organizations. The process of digital transformation is more focused on school and colleges and less on kindergartens. These problems slow down the pace of sustainable development because preschool education is the foundation of a child’s personal development in the future. This paper presents the promising directions for improving the preschool educational system for sustainable development

Structural-functional characteristics of two song types in Phylloscopus humei (Phylloscopidae)

Several songbird species use two singing modes, which are functionally different. The first mode is preferentially used at the beginning of the breeding cycle, and serves to attract females, while the second mode is used later in the season as well as during territorial countersigning. The two singing modes are well known in many Parulidae species from North America. The repeat mode (type I songs) comprises repetitions of a single song type. The serial mode (type II songs) consists of several song types sung in a versatile sequence. In Eurasia, a similar acoustic behaviour is known in several Phylloscopus species. However, these data are still scarce. Additionally, it is not yet fully understood whether the song structure per se or the song bout organisation (e.g. song-type diversity) plays a primary role in communication of the aforementioned songbirds. In this respect, it could be useful to analyse acoustic behaviour of Phylloscopus humei because its males have only two song types, namely song type I and song type II. These song types differ greatly in structure. In this study, we used playback experiments to ask whether these song types differ in their function. The study has been conducted in 2019–2021 in the federal State Nature Sanctuary «Posarym» (Republic of Khakassia, Russia) at the beginning of the breeding cycle of Phylloscopus humei. While singing spontaneously, males predominantly use song type I. The use of song type II is increased immediately after playback presentation. In contrast, males did not increase the rate of song type II during the playback. Instead, they produced two call types at that time, which apparently serves as an aggressive signal. Our study has shown that the use of two song types is different. Song type I is predominately used for advertising the territory and attracting a female. In contrast, song type II is more often used in countersigning between neighbouring males, although not at a time of direct aggression, i.e. during the playback. Noteworthy, we also found that males can share song type II but not song type I from their repertoires. In turn, the song sharing is thought to play a role in male-male interaction

Digitalization of the Russian Economy as a National Goal

The gist of this article boils down to the legal conditions for the formation of a unified system of digitalization of the economy based on the improvement of normative regulation of the digital environment are considered; creation of information infrastructure of the economy; providing the digital economy with competent personnel; ensuring information security. The authors conclude that the state concept of "digital transformation" has not yet been implemented, but the first steps in this direction have been taken. Achieving the national goal of digitalizing the economy will entail the creation of a new legal framework for relations between citizens, business and the state, which is necessary (and even inevitable) due to the development of digital technologies