Plio-Pliocene vole fauna from Zverinogolovskoye locality (Southern Trans-Urals region)

The Plio-Pleistocene arvicoline fauna of Zverinogolovskoye is revised. The molar morphology of Pliomys sp., Borsodia praehungarica, Pitymimomys ex gr. inceptor, Pitymimomys baschkiricus, Mimomys ex gr. hajnackensis, Mimomys polonicus, Mimomys hintoni, and M. cf. reidi is described. Biozones of most forms indicate the Late Pliocene-earliest Pleistocene interval (Villanyian European Land Mammal Age, zones MN16 to MN17). The vole fauna includes common species occurring in Western Europe, the Russian Plain, and West Siberia. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd and INQUA

Folklore and literary tradition in the riddles of Basil Levshin

В статье рассматриваются прозаические загадки писателя второй половины XVIII века Василия Левшина в контексте русской фольклорной и литературной традиций. Загадки классифицируются по их тематической направленности, способам создания интерпретационного поля, субъектно-объектной организации. В процессе сопоставительного анализа автор приходит к заключению, что большинству загадок писателя свойственна познавательно-эвристическая направленность. В них нашла отражение как когнитивная картина мира в представлении современного писателю общества, так и специфические особенности национальной концептосферы, а также — представления самого автора о мифологической модели мира.At the article the prosaic riddles of Basil Levshin, the writer of the second half of the XVIII century, are considered in the context of Russian folklore and literary traditions. Riddles are classified according to their thematic focus, a way to create interpretive field, the subject-object organization. In the process of comparative analysis, the author comes to the conclusion that most of the riddles of the writer characterized by cognitive and heuristic orientation. They reflected both cognitive picture of the world in the representation of contemporary society, and the specifics of the national concept sphere, as well as the submission of the author of the mythological model of the world

‘Good fences make good neighbours’: Concepts and records of range dynamics in ground squirrels and geographical barriers in the Pleistocene of the Circum-Black Sea area

Ground squirrels were an important member of the Pleistocene steppe-tundra mammal community. They evolved ecological specialisations and exhibit behaviours that make them particularly informative subjects to study palaeoenvironmental constraints affecting species distribution and speciation. Interspecific competition and isolating geographical barriers are considered as the principal factors that define species range boundaries. The present paper provides a first comprehensive compilation of the living and extinct Spermophilus species in Europe. These data suggest ‘patchwork quilt’ model for the expansion and spatial distribution of ground squirrel species. Here we consider mainly small-sized Spermophilus species because large-sized (e.g., S. superciliosus) ground squirrels consist another ‘patchwork quilt’, which overlap the first one. This overlapping of the species ranges is possible because of the size difference that lowers interspecific competition (Hutchinson's rule). We consider two main types of range boundaries. One type includes roughly ‘sub-parallel’ boundaries that oscillate in concert with climatic and vegetational changes (a case of climatically controlled competitive exclusion). The other type consists of roughly ‘sub-meridional’ boundaries corresponding to geographical barriers (e.g., water barriers, mountain ridges); these boundaries are rather stable. Examples of ‘sub-parallel range modifications include: oscillations of boundaries between S. pygmaeus and S. suslicus; the immigration of S. citellus into the Pre-Carpathian area; the branching of S. suslicus from S. pygmaeus; the regional appearance of the Late Pleistocene species S. severskensis and S. citelloides. Examples of ‘sub-meridional events’ are: the crossing of the Danube by S. citellus; the appearance of an isolated population of S. pygmaeus on right bank of the Dnieper during the Late Pleistocene to Middle Holocene; a crossing of the Dnieper river by S. pygmaeus, which resulted in the appearance of S. odessanus; the intrusion of eastern populations of S. pygmaeus into the Trans-Volga areas. © 2018 Elsevier Ltd and INQU

Surgical treatment of the severe and malignant arterial hypertension

Study objective - assessment of surgical methods in combine treatment of the severe and malignant arterial hypertension (AH). Material and methods. Hospital and follow up results have been studied in 80 pts. Core of surgical method was suprarenal blood flow portalization. Inclusion criteria were ineffective medical treatment in gravely hypertensive patients. Clinical assessment of pts was based on ESC/ESAH recommendations. Early postoperative period demonstrated good and satisfactory results in 77 (96.2%) pts. These pts sustained acceptable levels of blood pressure after 5 years follow up. Better immediate results were marked in essential AH pts. More prolonged antihypertensive effect was observed in pts subjected to cross-bypass methods of surgical portalization. These methods positively influenced central circulation, aldosteron, potassium and sodium serum levels. Early postoperative mortality rate was 1.25%. Long term survival was 90% after 5 and 65% after 10-year period.Цель исследования - изучение эффективности хирургических методов в комплексном лечении тяжелой и злокачественной артериальной гипертензии. Материал и методы. Изучены ближайшие и отдаленные результаты комплексного лечения тяжелой и злокачественной артериальной гипертензии (АГ) у 80 пациентов, где методы различной хирургической коррекции (портализация надпочечного кровооттока) являлись основными в связи с низкой эффективностью консервативного лечения. Всем больным проведено обследование с учетом рекомендаций ЕОК/ЕОАГ. В раннем послеоперационном периоде хорошие и удовлетворительные результаты получены у 77 пациентов (96,2%). У этих же больных отмечено сохранение оптимального уровня артериального давления (АД) в течение 5 лет. Лучшие непосредственные результаты отмечены у больных с эссенциальной АГ. Более длительный антигипертензионный эффект наблюдали у больных после перекрестных способов шунтирования. Отмечено положительное воздействие оперативного лечения на центральную гемодинамику, показатели альдостерона, калия и натрия плазмы крови. Ранняя послеоперационная летальность -1,25%. В отдаленном периоде выживаемость пациентов составила 90% (через 5 лет) и 65% (через 10 лет)

Ancient DNA of narrow-headed vole reveal common features of the Late Pleistocene population dynamics in cold-adapted small mammals

The narrow-headed vole, collared lemming and common vole were the most abundant small mammal species across the Eurasian Late Pleistocene steppe-tundra environment. Previous ancient DNA studies of the collared lemming and common vole have revealed dynamic population histories shaped by climatic fluctuations. To investigate the extent to which species with similar adaptations share common evolutionary histories, we generated a dataset comprised the mitochondrial genomes of 139 ancient and 6 modern narrow-headed voles from several sites across Europe and northwestern Asia covering approximately the last 100 thousand years (kyr). We inferred Bayesian time-aware phylogenies using 11 radiocarbon-dated samples to calibrate the molecular clock. Divergence of the main mtDNA lineages across the three species occurred during marine isotope stages (MIS) 7 and MIS 5, suggesting a common response of species adapted to open habitat during interglacials. We identified several time-structured mtDNA lineages in European narrow-headed vole, suggesting lineage turnover. The timing of some of these turnovers was synchronous across the three species, allowing us to identify the main drivers of the Late Pleistocene dynamics of steppe- and cold-adapted species.NWOVI.C.191.070Human Origin

Folklore and literary tradition in the riddles of Basil Levshin

В статье рассматриваются прозаические загадки писателя второй половины XVIII века Василия Левшина в контексте русской фольклорной и литературной традиций. Загадки классифицируются по их тематической направленности, способам создания интерпретационного поля, субъектно-объектной организации. В процессе сопоставительного анализа автор приходит к заключению, что большинству загадок писателя свойственна познавательно-эвристическая направленность. В них нашла отражение как когнитивная картина мира в представлении современного писателю общества, так и специфические особенности национальной концептосферы, а также — представления самого автора о мифологической модели мира.At the article the prosaic riddles of Basil Levshin, the writer of the second half of the XVIII century, are considered in the context of Russian folklore and literary traditions. Riddles are classified according to their thematic focus, a way to create interpretive field, the subject-object organization. In the process of comparative analysis, the author comes to the conclusion that most of the riddles of the writer characterized by cognitive and heuristic orientation. They reflected both cognitive picture of the world in the representation of contemporary society, and the specifics of the national concept sphere, as well as the submission of the author of the mythological model of the world