The genus Caspiohydrobia belongs to the less-known taxa of the family Hydrobiidae. According to a conchologically-based system, developed in the 1970-1980s by Yaroslav I. Starobogatov and his co-authors, the genus includes around 30 living species. However, the most recent data based on molecular evidence indicate that most (if not all) of these morpho-species should be considered junior synonyms of a widely distributed species, Ecrobia grimmi. However, the vast majority of nominal species described in the genus Caspiohydrobia have never been reassessed by molecular taxonomic methods. In this work, the genetic diversity of Caspiohydrobia spp. was studied based on a large sample taken in Lake Elanach in the Kurgan region (Trans-Urals, Russia). Conchological analysis made it possible to identify 7 nominal species of the genus Caspiohydrobia in the sample, whereas genetically all the studied individuals were the same, sharing a single COI haplotype. A phylogenetic tree of Ecrobia spp. has shown that all studied genetically specimens of Caspiohydrobia (including newly sequenced ones) forms a separate cluster on a cladogram, which can be identified as Ecrobia grimmi s. lato. However, a higher genetic diversity was revealed in a population of Caspiohydrobia spp., from a lake adjacent to the Caspian Sea (West Kazakhstan). Distinct morphotypes in the structure of the protoconch were found in samples of Caspiohydrobia spp. from the Caspian and Aral Seas. Although the characteristics of the protoconch (size, sculpture) do not give grounds to distinguish ‘good’ species within the group, the genetic and morphological diversity described in this work makes it possible to assume the ongoing microevolutionary processes within the discussed group and, possibly, the existence of young (incipient) species in Central Asia. Based on the study of the morphology of the protoconch, it has been suggested that the development of molluscs of the genus Caspiohydrobia (= Ecrobia, partim) can include the free-swimming larval stage; this hypothesis is, however, not supported by other evidence and needs to be carefully verified.

Juvenile and subadult individuals of the Painter’s mussel Unio pictorum (Linnaeus, 1788) were recorded in dredge samples from the Om’ River in the Omsk City (southwestern part of Western Siberia). Information on the size-weight characteristics of U. pictorum from the site, its abundance and biomass are given. Possible consequences of the introduction of this neobiotic species into aquatic ecosystems of the Irtysh River basin are discussed.

In reservoirs and watercourses of the Upper Ob basin (southern Western Siberia), two representatives of the family Valvatidae (Valvatidae) of the subgenus Sibirovalvata , having a planispiral shell, have been noted. It is shown that two species of planispiral mollusks from this subgenus live in the region: Valvata ( Sibirovalvata ) frigida and V. ( S. ) sibirica . On the material from the Upper Ob basin, significant conchological differences between V. ( S. ) frigida and V. ( S. ) sibirica in regards to key morphometric indices have been noted. According to the results of a comparison with the material from the northern Western Siberia, it is found that the shells of the northern (basin of the Taz River) and southern (basin of the Upper Ob) populations of V. ( S. ) frigida and V. ( S. ) sibirica differ very slightly in morphometric indices, which indicates a slight variability of these traits within the range. At the same time, the detected significant differences between the northern and southern populations in the absolute size of the shell can presumably be explained by the conditions of specific habitats. At the same time, a more favorable temperature regime in the south may be offset by a lack of oxygen, including during the summer–autumn low water period.

In reservoirs and watercourses of the Upper Ob basin (south of Western Siberia) two representatives of the family Valvatidae (Valvatidae) of the subgenus Sibirovalvata, having a planispiral shell, have been noted. It is shown that two species of planispiral mollusks from this subgenus live in the region: Valvata (Sibirovalvata) frigida and V. (S.) sibirica. On the material from the Upper Ob basin, significant conchological differences between V. (S.) frigida and V. (S.) sibirica by key morphometric indices. According to the results of comparison with the material from the north of Western Siberia, it was found that the shells of the northern (basin of the Taz River) and southern (basin of the Upper Ob) populations of V. (S.) frigida and V. (S.) sibirica differ very slightly in morphometric indices, which indicates a slight variability of these traits within the range. At the same time, the detected significant differences between the northern and southern populations in the absolute size of the shell can presumably be explained by the conditions of specific habitats. At the same time, a more favorable temperature regime in the south may be offset by a lack of oxygen, including during the summer-autumn low water period.

The typology of inland water bodies remains a topical issue in limnology. Numerous classifications of freshwater habitats have been proposed, but none of them has gained the universal acceptance. Current global changes and the increasing human impact on freshwater ecosystems make it important to understand the ecological relationships between freshwater animals and their environment. In this study, we tested a typology of the so-called “minor water bodies” proposed in the 1960s by the Polish ecologist Klimowicz. The term “minor water bodies” refers to a group of semi- or impermanent habitats that are prone to periodical or occasional desiccation. The division of habitat categories within this typology was based on qualitative features, and the validity of this classification has never been tested statistically. Here, we used the data on occurrences of 18 species of freshwater and semiaquatic gastropods observed in 86 minor water bodies of the Bolshoy Yugan River basin (Western Siberia, Russia) to test the hypothesis that each type of minor water body, in accordance with the aforementioned classification, maintains its own unique set of species. The statistical analysis confirmed the significant differences between the three habitat types on the basis of their gastropod communities, whereas one type (groundwater springs) appeared to be indistinguishable from the others. Our results show that freshwater gastropod communities are a suitable tool for habitat classification, and, at the same time, they highlight the need to apply statistical methods to a priori classifications based on the qualitative approach to the division of habitat types.

The work is based on a study of long-term collections of molluscs of the family Bithyniidae from the waterbodies of the Tyumen region (Western Siberia), located within the world’s largest Ob-Irtysh natural focus of opisthorchiasis. Difficulties with species identifications of bithyniid snails, the first intermediate hosts of Opisthorchis , necessitate the publication of photographic images of Bithyniidae shells and an identification key based on discrete morphological characters. It has been established that 14 species of Bithyniidae belonging to five genera inhabit the Tyumen region, an annotated list of species is given, and a brief zoogeographical description is given. The most abundant species are Digyrcidum starobogatovi and Boreoelona sibirica, whereas Paraelona milachevitchi were found solitary.

In reservoirs and watercourses of the Upper Ob basin (south of Western Siberia) two representatives of the family Valvatidae (Valvatidae) of the subgenus Sibirovalvata, having a planispiral shell, have been noted. It is shown that two species of planispiral mollusks from this subgenus live in the region: Valvata (Sibirovalvata) frigida and V. (S.) sibirica. On the material from the Upper Ob basin, significant conchological differences between V. (S.) frigida and V. (S.) sibirica by key morphometric indices. According to the results of comparison with the material from the north of Western Siberia, it was found that the shells of the northern (basin of the Taz River) and southern (basin of the Upper Ob) populations of V. (S.) frigida and V. (S.) sibirica differ very slightly in morphometric indices, which indicates a slight variability of these traits within the range. At the same time, the detected significant differences between the northern and southern populations in the absolute size of the shell can presumably be explained by the conditions of specific habitats. At the same time, a more favorable temperature regime in the south may be offset by a lack of oxygen, including during the summer-autumn low water period.

The paper reviews all available information on the species content, distribution and ecology of brackishwater hydrobiid snails belonging to the genus Caspiohydrobia Starobogatov, 1970. The annotated list of nominal species with remarks on their taxonomy, nomenclature and distribution is provided as well as photographic images of some type specimens and/or topotypes. In total, the genus includes 31 nominal species distributed almost exclusively within the former Paratethys basin. The lectotype for the species C. cylindrica Logvinenko et Starobogatov, 1969 is designated. A short overview of the known habitat preferences of various Caspiohydrobia species is provided. We consider Caspiohydrobia a genus of Ponto-Caspian origin, whose range extends southwards to Iraq, Iran and Tajikistan and northwards to West Siberia. The actual species content of the genus as well as its generic independence require a further integrative revision, since most of the nominal species of Caspiohydrobia are still known from dried shells only and may actually be synonyms of a few (or even a single) species.

Представлены новые сведения о пресноводном брюхоногом моллюске Opistorchophorus valvatoides (Caenogastropoda: Bithyniidae) из водоемов Урала и юга Западной Сибири, а также из нескольких местообитаний в Европе, в т.ч. о распространении, морфологии раковины и копулятивного аппарата.

The fauna of the rivers of the north of Western Siberia that do not belong to the Ob’ River basin is of particular interest from the point of view of zoogeography and understanding of the processes of formation of the freshwater malacofauna. Starting in the taiga zone, these rivers flow north and cannot serve as a way of interzonal dispersal of species from lower latitudes. However, information about the fresh-water malacofauna of these river basins is poorly presented in the scientific literature, some of the published species findings are doubtful or erroneous. The gastropod mollusks of the family Valvatidae of the Taz river basin (Western Siberia) are considered. The basin is located closer to the Yenisei than to the Ob’ River basin. The study was based on original authors’ material represented by both qualitative and quantitative samples. It has been found that eight species of mollusks of the genus Valvata occurs in the water reservoirs and streams of the Taz basin, an annotated list of species is presented, and a brief zoogeographic characteristic is given. Three species (Valvata helicoidea, V. sorensis and V. korotnevi) are for the first time recorded from the basin, one of them (V. korotnevi) is for the first time recorded from the Western Siberia waterbodies.

The article is devoted to the fauna of Bivalvia (family Sphaeriidae) of waterbodies and water-courses of the eastern slope of the Polar and Pre-Polar Urals. The fauna of freshwater clams of this region remains practically unexplored. This study aimed at identification of the species content of Bivalvia and publication of images of their shells. We analyzed both qualitative and quantitative samples of molluscs as well as fish stomach contents. The identification of the material was based on conchological features, including the hinge structure. In total, 31 sphaeriid species is reported, and the annotated check-list, brief zoogeographic characteristics of the fauna, and shell images are provided. Most species demonstrate a limited spatial distribution within the studied area. The causes of discrepancies between published lists of sphaeriid species are discussed.

Ten species of halophilic gastropods of the genus Caspiohydrobia are identified for the first time from the Lantsug and Gor’kaya Rechka salt rivers, tributaries of Lakes Elton and Baskunchak, respectively. The genus was previously known from the Caspian and Aral seas and some salt water bodies of Kazakhstan and Chelyabinsk and Kurgan regions. Since the hydrological and hydrochemical regimes of salt rivers critically depend on climatic conditions, Caspiohydrobia living in these habitats can be considered endangered.

The findings of the freshwater snail endemic to the Far East from the waterbodies of Yakutsk City are described. It is shown on the basis of dissections of snails and morphometric study of their shells that there are no statistically significant differences between the males and females of .

The locations of Boreoelona contortrix in the waterbodies of Western Siberia and Kazakhstan are reported as well as the data on morphology of shells and copulatory apparatus of the species from different parts of its range. The interpopulation variation is considered. On the basis of anatomical and morphometric study, it has been shown that there are no statistically significant differences between males and females of B. contortrix. Problems of taxonomy of the Boreoelona species are discussed.

On the basis of dissections and shell measurements we studied sexual dimorphism in shell shape in Parafossarulus manchouricus taken from the bay of the Bira River (Russian Far East). It is shown that there are no statistically significant differences in shells of males and females in P. manchouricus .

The data on the fauna and distribution of Bivalvia in the Malyi Yugan River basin (Western Siberia, Tyumen Region) are provided. The aquatic malacofauna of this territory has not been studied previously. In 2013-2014, the Malyi Yugan River as well as seven its tributaries, two connected waterbodies, seven floodplain lakes and a single moraine lake have been sampled. As a results, the data on average density and biomass of bivalves in the waterbodies, a list of 49 species belonging to 4 families, and a brief zoogeographical characteristic of the fauna are provided. The malacofauna of rivers whose drainage basins are situated in swampy areas proved to be rather specific due to unusual life conditions for molluscs. Some peculiarities of behavior of molluscs in different habitats are discussed. The species composition of bivalves in sampled by us rivers drastically differs between waterbodies.

This review deals with the problem of mollusk invasions into the inland waters of the Western Siberian region. The data on all the alien species of snails and bivalves registered up to now in water bodies of the region are provided. Possible ways and mechanisms of penetration of the alien species into the Western Siberian water bodies are discussed. The most well-studied case of mollusk invasion, that of the European river snail, Viviparus viviparus (L., 1758), into water bodies of the Ob-Irtysh basin, is considered in detail. An ecological and geographical classification of the invader species is proposed. It includes three categories: (1) exotic species, (2) species belonging to the boreal European complex which regain the lost part of their range, and (3) heat-loving species of South European origin. We hypothesize that, in the foreseeable future, the inflow of the alien mollusk species to the Western Siberian inland waters will remain low owing to some physical-geographical peculiarities of this area.

В настоящее время метформин является основным сахароснижающим препаратом для лечения сахарного диабета 2 типа. Основной антигипергликемический эффект метформина – подавление печеночного глюконеогенеза и гликолиза. Однако сахарный диабет 2 типа, как правило, ассоциирован с другими сопутствующими заболеваниями и коморбидными состояниями, что требует полифармакологического лечения. Американские исследователи под руководством H. Wang в опытах in vitro показали, что метформин может воздействовать на метаболизм и клиренс лекарственных препаратов, являющихся субстратами гена CYP2B6 (ген системы цитохрома Р450). В этом исследовании авторы доказали, что в гепатоцитах человека метформин мощно подавляет лекарственно – индуцированную экспрессию гена CYP2B6 (характерного таргетного гена CAR – конститутивного андростанового рецептора) за счет увеличения фосфорилирования CAR и его деактивации. CAR является ксенобиотическим сенсором, который регулирует транскрипцию многих печеночных ферментов и транспортеров и влияет на метаболизм и клиренс как эндобиотических, так и ксенобиотических веществ, включающих лекарственные препараты. В отличие от большинства ядерных рецепторов активация CAR может быть осуществлена как через прямой механизм (CITCO – [6-(4-хлорофенил) имидазо [2,1-бета] 1,3тиазол-5-карбальдегид о-(3,4 – дихлорбензил) оксим), так и через косвен