Similar Substrates Research Articles

Clinical features of sleep-related hypermotor epilepsy in relation to the seizure-onset zone: A review of 135 surgically treated cases.

Sleep-related hypermotor epilepsy (SHE), formerly nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy, is characterized by abrupt and typically sleep-related seizures with motor patterns of variable complexity and duration. They seizures arise more frequently in the frontal lobe than in the extrafrontal regions but identifying the seizure onset-zone (SOZ) may be challenging. In this study, we aimed to describe the clinical features of both frontal and extrafrontal SHE, focusing on ictal semiologic patterns in order to increase diagnostic accuracy. We retrospectively analyzed the clinical features of patients with drug-resistant SHE seen in our center for epilepsy surgery. Patients were divided into frontal and extrafrontal SHE (temporal, operculoinsular, and posterior SHE). We classified seizure semiology according to four semiology patterns (SPs): elementary motor signs (SP1), unnatural hypermotor movements (SP2), integrated hypermotor movements (SP3), and gestural behaviors with high emotional content (SP4). Early nonmotor manifestations were also assessed. Our case series consisted of 91 frontal SHE and 44 extrafrontal SHE cases. Frontal and extrafrontal SHE shared many features such as young age at onset, high seizure-frequency rate, high rate of scalp electroencephalography (EEG) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) abnormalities, similar histopathologic substrates, and good postsurgical outcome. Within the frontal lobe, SPs were organized in a posteroanterior gradient (SP1-4) with respect to the SOZ. In temporal SHE, SP1 was rare and SP3-4 frequent, whereas in operculoinsular and posterior SHE, SP4 was absent. Nonmotor manifestations were frequent (70%) and some could provide valuable localizing information. Our study shows that the presence of certain SP and nonmotor manifestations may provide helpful information to localize seizure onset in patients with SHE.

Rep and UvrD Antagonize One Another at Stalled Replication Forks and This Is Exacerbated by SSB

The Rep and UvrD DNA helicases are proposed to act at stalled DNA replication forks to facilitate replication restart when RNA polymerase stalls forks. To clarify the role of these DNA helicases in fork rescue, we used a coupled spectrophotometric ATPase assay to determine how they act on model fork substrates. For both enzymes, activity is low on regressed fork structures, suggesting that they act prior to the regression step that generates a Holliday junction. In fact, the preferred cofactors for both enzymes are forks with a gap in the nascent leading strand, consistent with the 3′–5′ direction of translocation. Surprisingly, for Rep, this specificity is altered in the presence of stoichiometric amounts of a single-strand DNA-binding protein (SSB) relative to a fork with a gap in the nascent lagging strand. Even though Rep and UvrD are similar in structure, elevated concentrations of SSB inhibit Rep, but they have little to no effect on UvrD. Furthermore, Rep and UvrD antagonize one another at a fork. This is surprising given that these helicases have been shown to form a heterodimer and are proposed to act together to rescue an RNA polymerase-stalled fork. Consequently, the results herein indicate that although Rep and UvrD can act on similar fork substrates, they cannot function on the same fork simultaneously.

Effects of Lid 1 Mutagenesis on Lid Displacement, Catalytic Performances and Thermostability of Cold-active Pseudomonas AMS8 Lipase in Toluene

Pseudomonas fluorescens AMS8 lipase lid 1 structure is rigid and holds unclear roles due to the absence of solvent-interactions. Lid 1 region was stabilized by 17 hydrogen bond linkages and displayed lower mean hydrophobicity (0.596) compared to MIS38 lipase. Mutating lid 1 residues, Thr-52 and Gly-55 to aromatic hydrophobic-polar tyrosine would churned more side-chain interactions between lid 1 and water or toluene. This study revealed that T52Y leads G55Y and its recombinant towards achieving higher solvent-accessible surface area and longer half-life at 25 to 37 °C in 0.5% (v/v) toluene. T52Y also exhibited better substrate affinity with long-chain carbon substrate in aqueous media. The affinity for pNP palmitate, laurate and caprylate increased in 0.5% (v/v) toluene in recombinant AMS8, but the affinity in similar substrates was substantially declined in lid 1 mutated lipases. Regarding enzyme efficiency, the recombinant AMS8 lipase displayed highest value of kcat/Km in 0.5% (v/v) toluene, mainly with pNPC. In both hydrolysis reactions with 0% and 0.5% (v/v) toluene, the enzyme efficiency of G55Y was found higher than T52Y for pNPL and pNPP. At 0.5% (v/v) toluene, both mutants showed reductions in activation energy and enthalpy values as temperature increased from 25 to 35 °C, displaying better catalytic functions. Only T52Y exhibited increase in entropy values at 0.5% (v/v) toluene indicating structure stability. As a conclusion, Thr-52 and Gly-55 are important residues for lid 1 stability as their existence helps to retain the geometrical structure of alpha-helix and connecting hinge.

Moonlighting Enzymes: How Often Are We Missing Secondary Functions?

We think of enzymes as highly specific catalysts that carry out one reaction and show nearly absolute substrate specificity. However, absolute specificity is the exception, not the rule, as most enzymes accept several structurally similar substrates. Moreover, many enzymes catalyze alternative

General rhodium-catalyzed oxidative cross-coupling reactions between anilines: synthesis of unsymmetrical 2,2'-diaminobiaryls.

Described herein is a dual chelation-assisted RhCl3-catalyzed oxidative C-H/C-H cross-coupling reaction of aniline derivatives. The highlight of this methodology is the chemo- and regioselective cross-coupling between electronically similar substrates, which represents a highly challenging task in oxidative Ar-H/Ar-H cross-coupling reactions. Furthermore, this Cp*-free catalytic reaction tolerates a range of functional groups and requires only a low molar ratio of coupling partners. These features expedite the synthesis of unsymmetrical 2,2'-diaminobiaryls.

Effect of process parameters on the formation of single track in pulsed laser powder bed fusion

There has been increasing interest in Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF) of metallic materials as a promising manufacturing technology. Although most L-PBF systems utilize laser beams with continuous wave emission (L-PBF(CW)), the possibility of using pulsed lasers (L-PBF(P)) has become available in some industrial L-PBF machines over the past few years. Previous studies suggest that the use of pulsed lasers could enable larger control of heat input and melt pool formation during the process, and could thus enable improvement of spatial resolution and feature sizes in L-PBF. In this study, the experiments were implemented using a pulsed laser in combination with continuous scanning movement instead of the ‘point-and-shoot’ method typically used by industrial L-PBF(P) machines of today. The experiments were executed using a trial L-PBF system (IPG ytterbium fiber laser, wavelength 1075 nm) for gas-atomized stainless steel 316L powder on compositionally similar substrates. Single tracks were melted with three different pulse lengths (50, 100, and 200 µs) by using a constant layer thickness of 50 µm, while varying pulse repetition rate, scanning speed and laser power based on six preset values of volume energy density (VED) of 36-120 J/mm3. In order to allow a comparison to be made, additional samples were manufactured by using the CW emission of the same laser. It was observed that the L-PBF(P) samples yielded narrower tracks in comparison to the samples manufactured using CW emission. In addition, the results of the experiments show that, while maintaining constant VED values, decreasing the pulse length or scanning speed decreased the widths of the tracks and their penetration into the substrate. Consequently, it was noticed that shorter pulse lengths require more overlap between consecutive pulses in order to produce continuous tracks. Pulsed emission shows potential for improving the spatial resolution of the L-PBF process.

PZT/PZT and PZT/BiT Composite Piezo-Sensors in Aerospace SHM Applications: Photochemical Metal Organic + Infiltration Deposition and Characterization.

The composition of fine-ground lead zirconate-titanate powder Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3, suspended in PZT and bismuth titanate (BiT) solutions, is deposited on the curved surface of IN718 and IN738 nickel-based supper alloy substrates up to 100 µm thickness. Photochemical metal organic and infiltration techniques are implemented to produce smooth, semi-dense, and crack-free random orientated thick piezoelectric films as piezo-sensors, free of any dopants or thickening polymers. Every single layer of the deposited films is heated at 200 °C with 10 wt.% excess PbO, irradiated by ultraviolet lamp (365 nm, 6 watt) for 10 min, pyrolyzed at 400 °C, and subsequently annealed at 700 °C for one hour. This process is repeated successively until reaching the desired thickness. Au and Pt thin films are deposited as the bottom and top electrodes using evaporation and sputtering methods, respectively. PZT/PZT and PZT/BiT composite films are then characterized and compared to similar PZT and BiT thick films deposited on the similar substrates. The effect of the composition and deposition process is also investigated on the crystalline phase development and microstructure morphology as well as the dielectric, ferroelectric, and piezoelectric properties of piezo-films. The maximum remnant polarization of Pr = 22.37 ± 0.01, 30.01 ± 0.01 µC/cm2, the permittivity of εr = 298 ± 3, 566 ± 5, and piezoelectric charge coefficient of d33 = 126, 148 m/V were measured versus the minimum coercive field of Ec = 50, 20 kV/cm for the PZT/PZT and PZT/BiT thick films, respectively. The thick film piezo-sensors are developed to be potentially used at frequency bandwidth of 1–5 MHz for rotary structural health monitoring and also in other industrial or medical applications as a transceiver.

Evaporation and instability of an unbounded-axisymmetric liquid bridge between chemically similar and different substrates

HypothesisIn this manuscript we examine the stability of an evaporating-unbounded axisymmetric liquid bridge confined between parallel-planar similar or chemically different substrates using both theory and experiments. With a quasistatic assumption we use hydrostatics to estimate the minimum stable volume Vmin via the Young-Laplace equation for Bond numbers 0⩽Bo⩽1, and top/bottom wall contact angles 5°<θ<175° although the primary focus is on wetting and partial wetting fluids. Solving the Young-Laplace equation requires knowledge of appropriate capillary pressure values, which appear as a constant, and may not provide unique solution. To examine uniqueness of numerical solutions and volume minima determined from the Young-Laplace equation for unbounded-axisymmetric liquid bridges we analyzed capillary pressure for large and small liquid volume-asymptotic limits at zero Bond number. ExperimentsExperiments were performed to compare with the volume minima calculations for Bond numbers 0.04⩽Bo⩽0.65. Three substrates of varying surface energy were used, with purified water as the primary liquid. Volume estimates and contact angle data were extracted via image analysis and evaporation rates measured from this data are reported. FindingsVolume minima were in the range 0.1<Vmin<20 μl depending on Bond number. There was good agreement when comparing predicted volume minima and those determined from experiments for the range of parameters studied.

Year‐to‐year variability of epifaunal assemblages on a mobile hard substrate—Case study from high latitudes

AbstractPast polar regional studies on temporal trends of benthic systems have mostly been performed on soft bottom communities. Fewer studies have dealt with hard bottom, and none have been performed with mobile hard substrates, yet these are common, abundant and host high biodiversity—usually higher than similar substrates even if the latter were larger in size. In this study, we analysed the variability of epifaunal assemblages on a mobile hard substrate (Buccinum sp. and Littorina sp. shells utilized by hermit crab Pagurus pubescens) collected annually during 5 years (2005–2009) in Spitsbergen Island (Svalbard Archipelago, 78° N) and Northern Norway (68° N). The epifaunal assemblages were variable over the observed period, with differences in abundance, diversity (S, H′) and assemblage structure. Among the species that contributed the most to the observed differences were barnacle Semibalanus balanoides, serpulid polychaetes (Circeis armoricana, Spirobranchus triqueter) and foraminiferans (Discorbis rosacea, Lobatula lobatula), which dominate the assemblages. Analyses indicated that epifauna found on hermit crab shells is mostly influenced by environmental effects linked to NAO, its seasonal values (esp. winter), sometimes lagged. Strong changes were coinciding with a NAO phase shift. Years with positive NAO tend do have higher number of species, abundance and diversity. Differences between Spitsbergen and Northern Norway are most likely driven by geographic setting of the sites and its implications (e.g., hydrography). By exploring the sensitivity to large‐scale climate variability and its direct consequences, the study helps assess the potential of environment monitoring through hermit crabs epifauna. It provides also a baseline data allowing comparative, or after disturbance, studies in future.

Rhodium(III)-Based Inhibitor of the JMJD3-H3K27me3 Interaction and Modulator of the Inflammatory Response.

We describe in this study a rhodium(III) complex 1 as a new JMJD3 inhibitor and proinflammatory mediator. Complex 1 selectively inhibited the demethylation of H3K27me3 over other similar substrates, indicating its selectivity for JMJD3 over other histone demethylases, including JMJD2D and KDM5A. In terms of mechanism, complex 1 inhibited the JMJD3-H3K27me3 interaction in mouse macrophage cells and down-regulated the expression of TNF-α. To our knowledge, complex 1 is the first metal-based inhibitor of JMJD3 activity and only the second class of JMJD3 inhibitor reported overall.

Exposing latent fingermarks on problematic metal surfaces using time of flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy

Fingermarks are a key form of physical evidence for identifying persons of interest and linking them to the scene of a crime. Visualising latent (hidden) fingermarks can be difficult and the correct choice of techniques is essential to develop and preserve any fingermarks or other (e.g. DNA) evidence that might be present. Metal surfaces (stainless steel in particular) have proven to be challenging substrates from which to reliably obtain fingermarks. This is a great cause for concern among police forces around the globe as many of the firearms, knives and other metal weapons used in violent crime are potentially valuable sources of fingermark evidence. In this study, a highly sensitive and non-destructive surface science technique called time of flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy (ToF-SIMS) was used to image fingermarks on metal surfaces. This technique was compared to a conventional superglue based fuming technique that was accompanied by a series of contrast enhancing dyes (basic yellow 40 (BY40), crystal violet (CV) and sudan black (SB)) on three different metal surfaces. The conventional techniques showed little to no evidence of fingermarks being present on the metal surfaces after a few days. However, ToF-SIMS revealed fingermarks on the same and similar substrates with an exceptional level of detail. The ToF-SIMS images demonstrated clear ridge definition as well as detail about sweat pore position and shape. All structures were found to persist for over 26 days after deposition when the samples were stored under ambient conditions.

Three-Component [1 + 1 + 1] Cyclopropanation with Ruthenium(II)

We report a one-step, Ru(II)-catalyzed cyclopropanation reaction that is conceptually different from the previously reported protocols that include Corey–Chaykovsky, Simmons–Smith, and metal-catalyzed carbene attack on olefins. Under the current protocol, various alcohols and esters are transformed into sulfone substituted cyclopropanes with excellent isolated yields and diastereoselectivities. This new reaction forms highly congested cyclopropane products with three new C–C bonds, three or two new chiral centers and one new quaternary carbon center. Twenty-two examples of isolated substrates are given. Previously reported synthetic routes for similar substrates are all multistep, linear routes that proceed with overall low yields and poor control of stereochemistry. Commercially available Ru(II) dehydrogenation catalysts, that were recently developed for the dehydrogenative synthesis of esters and amides from alcohol and amine substrates, were used in the reaction, with the best catalyst showing excellen...

Inactivation of the interpositus nucleus blocks the acquisition of conditioned responses and timing changes in conditioning-specific reflex modification of the rabbit eyeblink response.

Conditioning-specific reflex modification (CRM) of the rabbit eyeblink response is an associative phenomenon characterized by increases in the frequency, size, and peak latency of the reflexive unconditioned eyeblink response (UR) when the periorbital shock unconditioned stimulus (US) is presented alone following conditioning, particularly to lower intensity USs that produced minimal responding prior to conditioning. Previous work has shown that CRM shares many commonalities with the conditioned eyeblink response (CR) including a similar response topography, suggesting the two may share similar neural substrates. The following study examined the hypothesis that the interpositus nucleus (IP) of the cerebellum, an essential part of the neural circuitry of eyeblink conditioning, is also required for the acquisition of CRM. Tests for CRM occurred following delay conditioning under muscimol inactivation of the IP and also after additional conditioning without IP inactivation. Results showed that IP inactivation blocked acquisition of CRs and the timing aspect of CRM but did not prevent increases in UR amplitude and area. Following the cessation of inactivation, CRs and CRM latency changes developed similarly to controls with intact IP functioning, but with some indication that CRs may have been facilitated in muscimol rabbits. In conclusion, CRM timing and CRs both likely require the development of plasticity in the IP, but other associative UR changes may involve non-cerebellar structures interacting with the eyeblink conditioning circuitry, a strong candidate being the amygdala, which is also likely involved in the facilitation of conditioning. Other candidates worth consideration include the cerebellar cortex, prefrontal and motor cortices.

Dark fermentation metabolic models to study strategies for hydrogen consumers inhibition

A Flux Balance Analysis (FBA) metabolic model of dark fermentation was developed for anaerobic mixed cultures. In particular, the model was applied to evaluate the effect of a specific inoculum pre-treatment strategy, addition of waste frying oil (WFO) on H2-producing and H2-consuming metabolic pathways. Productions of volatile fatty acid (VFAs), CO2, H2 and CH4 measured through triplicate batch experiments, were used as constraints for the FBA model, to compute fluxes trough different metabolic pathways. FBA model could estimate the effect of pre-treatment with WFO on major microbial populations present in the mixed community (H2 producing bacteria, homoacetogen and methanogens). Results revealed that low concentrations of WFO did not completely inhibited hydrogenotrophic methanogens. FBA showed that acetoclastic methanogens were more sensitive to WFO, in comparison to hydrogenotrophic methanogens. The proposed model can be used to study H2 production by any other mixed microbial culture with similar substrates.

Environmental novelty modulates the induction and expression of single injection-induced behavioral sensitization to morphine

Opioid addiction is a growing public health problem, being currently considered an epidemic in the United States. Investigating the behavioral effects of opioids and the factors influencing their development becomes of major importance. In animals, the effects of drugs of abuse can be assessed using the behavioral sensitization model, which shares similar neuronal substrates with drug craving in humans. Importantly, novelty plays a critical role on the development of behavioral sensitization. The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of a new environment on both the induction and expression phases of morphine (Mor)-induced behavioral sensitization in the two-injection protocol. Mice were initially treated with saline, 15 or 30 mg/kg Mor (induction phase), and subsequently challenged 7 days later with 15 mg/Kg Mor (expression phase). Locomotor frequency was evaluated during behavioral sessions, performed as follow: induction session on a novel environment and expression on a familiar open-filed apparatus; induction session on animals' home-cage (familiar environment) and expression session on an unknown open-filed apparatus; both sessions on novel environments; and both sessions on familiar contexts. Mor-induced behavioral sensitization was only observed when animals were exclusively exposed to novelty during the induction phase, not being observed when both the induction and expression sessions were performed on similar (novel or familiar) environments. Our results suggest that the development of behavioral sensitization to Mor depends on the exposure to novelty during the induction phase and absence of novelty during the expression phase, indicating a complex relationship between novelty and Mor-induced behavioral effects.

Reclaimed mine soil substrates and tree stands vs. successional forest floor vegetation: A case study of developing ecosystems on afforested mine sites

This study presents an analysis of the relationships among tree species, the type of mine soil substrate vs. vegetation development and features of plant communities. The study was conducted on two types of afforested mine sites (open strip sulphur and sand pit mine) built from various parential rocks: mixed quaternary sands and Neogene clays (QsNc) and quaternary loams (Ql). The study plots were arranged in stands of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), European larch (Larix decidua Mill.), silver birch (Betula pendula Roth) and black alder (Alnus glutinosa Gaertn.) from 25 to 35 years old. Tree stand parameter measurements and analyses of soil substrate properties and vegetation characteristics based on phytosociological surveys were done. The diversity expressed as the number of species (S) and Shannon-Wiener index (H), the Simpson dominance index (C) and ecological indicator values of vascular plants (EIVP) were assayed. We hypothesised that in similar substrates (parent rock conditions) the influence of tree stand species in the early phase of reclaimed ecosystem development is significant. Based on the results, we concluded that forest floor vegetation under deciduous species had clearly more herb layer cover and less moss in comparison to vegetation under coniferous species, which confirmed a significant influence only on the level of the ecological group of trees and not at the level of individual tree species. In contrast, the diversity of plant communities was influenced mainly by tree stand species. The highest diversity indexes (H) of communities were under birch and larch, and the lowest H was noted under alder. This phenomenon may be explained by the impact of the alder on soil nitrogen content, which led to the domination of communities by highly competitive species such as Aegopodium podagraria L. and Geranium robertianum L. on QsNc and Calamagrostis epigejos (L.) Roth on Ql. Only EIVP values depended more strongly on soil substrate than tree stand species, and these were only slightly affected by tree stand species composition. Among the tree species, alder significantly increased the value of trophy indicators.

Distribution of ovigerous American lobsters near the Isles of Shoals, New Hampshire

Aggregations of egg bearing (ovigerous) American lobsters, Homarus americanus (H. Milne-Edwards, 1837), have been documented throughout the species range, but it is not clear why they tend to accumulate in these areas. One such aggregation occurs near the Isles of Shoals (IOS), New Hampshire, USA. The overall goal of our study was to determine if reproductive status, depth, temperature, and/ or current might explain their presence in this area. In 2013 and 2014, research traps were fished at three depth strata (5– 15, 16–25, and 26–35 m), on similar substrates, on both the eastern and western side of the IOS to quantify population demographics. Traps fished on the eastern side of the IOS caught significantly larger female lobsters and approximately 3 times more ovigerous lobsters than those on the western side. Interestingly, the catch rate of females carrying eggs that were hatching was significantly higher in the deep-water stratum (26–35 m) compared to shallow areas (5–15 m), when combining data from both sides of the IOS. In contrast, late stage prehatch animals were significantly more abundant in shallow water. Thus, it appears that female lobsters move to deeper water prior to to the time when their eggs are due to hatch. We hypothesize that lobsters accumulate in specific areas, like IOS, to brood their eggs in part because of their proximity to preferred deep water and high-current hatching locations.

Preclinical characterization of INCB053914, a novel pan-PIM kinase inhibitor, alone and in combination with anticancer agents, in models of hematologic malignancies.

The Proviral Integration site of Moloney murine leukemia virus (PIM) serine/threonine protein kinases are overexpressed in many hematologic and solid tumor malignancies and play central roles in intracellular signaling networks important in tumorigenesis, including the Janus kinase–signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT) and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT pathways. The three PIM kinase isozymes (PIM1, PIM2, and PIM3) share similar downstream substrates with other key oncogenic kinases and have differing but mutually compensatory functions across tumors. This supports the therapeutic potential of pan-PIM kinase inhibitors, especially in combination with other anticancer agents chosen based on their role in overlapping signaling networks. Reported here is a preclinical characterization of INCB053914, a novel, potent, and selective adenosine triphosphate-competitive pan-PIM kinase inhibitor. In vitro, INCB053914 inhibited proliferation and the phosphorylation of downstream substrates in cell lines from multiple hematologic malignancies. Effects were confirmed in primary bone marrow blasts from patients with acute myeloid leukemia treated ex vivo and in blood samples from patients receiving INCB053914 in an ongoing phase 1 dose-escalation study. In vivo, single-agent INCB053914 inhibited Bcl-2–associated death promoter protein phosphorylation and dose-dependently inhibited tumor growth in acute myeloid leukemia and multiple myeloma xenografts. Additive or synergistic inhibition of tumor growth was observed when INCB053914 was combined with selective PI3Kδ inhibition, selective JAK1 or JAK1/2 inhibition, or cytarabine. Based on these data, pan-PIM kinase inhibitors, including INCB053914, may have therapeutic utility in hematologic malignancies when combined with other inhibitors of oncogenic kinases or standard chemotherapeutics.

Sensitivity optimization of micro-machined thermo-resistive flow-rate sensors on silicon substrates

We report on an optimized micro-machined thermal flow-rate sensor as part of an autonomous multi-parameter sensing device for water network monitoring. The sensor has been optimized under the following constraints: low power consumption and high sensitivity, while employing a large thermal conductivity substrate, namely silicon. The resulting device consists of a platinum resistive heater deposited on a thin silicon pillar ~100 µm high and 5 µm wide in the middle of a nearly 100 µm wide cavity. Operated under the anemometric scheme, the reported sensor shows a larger sensitivity in the velocity range up to 1 m s−1 compared to different sensors based on similar high conductivity substrates such as bulk silicon or silicon membrane with a power consumption of 44 mW. Obtained performances are assessed with both CFD simulation and experimental characterization.

Fatty-Acid and Stable-Isotope Compositions in Shallow-Water Bivalve Mollusks and their Food

We conducted a comparative analysis of the fatty acid (FA) composition and the ratios of stable isotopes of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) in soft tissues of ten species of bivalve mollusks collected simultaneously on adjacent biotopes in shallow Vostok Bay (the Sea of Japan). Comparison of the FA composition of the lipids of digestive gland and all soft tissues showed that the percentages of C16 and C18 marker FAs were greater in the digestive gland and the levels of marker C20 and C22 FAs were, in most cases, higher in soft tissues. According to the results of cluster analysis and principal component analysis, four groups of samples were identified with a similarity of the FA composition of more than 80% within groups. The carbon stableisotope ratios varied within very wide limits in the studied species of bivalves; the range of δ13C variations was 8.1‰. The range of δ15N variations was much smaller, 2.5‰. Two pairs of species of mollusks (Saxidomus purpurata–Protothaca euglypta and P. jedoensis–Diplodonta semiasperoides) did not differ in the values of both δ15N and δ13C, the remaining species differed in at least one of these parameters. The greatest similarity of the FA composition and stable-isotope ratios was found in species that inhabit similar substrates, except Macoma irus and D. semiasperoides. Particularly marked differences in the FA composition and stable-isotope ratios were found between a filter-/surface deposit-feeder M. irus and filter-feeders Arca boucardi and Mytilus coruscus that live next to this species.