New opportunities in the treatment of asthenic symptoms after a new coronavirus infection

Introduction. Asthenia is an urgent problem during the pandemic of new coronavirus infection (COVID-19) because of its high frequency regardless of the severity of the disease.The purpose of this subanalysis of data from the multicenter controlled randomized clinical trial TONUS was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of meldonium therapy for аsthenia in COVID-19 survivors.Materials and methods. A total of 880 patients with asthenia who underwent COVID-19 within the last 6 months were included in the analysis. The efficacy of asthenia therapy was assessed by the MFI-20 scale, Schulte tables, and the General Clinical Impression (CGI) scale. All patients were previously randomized in two parallel branches of the TONUS study, including patients without concomitant disease in TONUS-1 (who received meldonium 500 mg/day for 14 days in the main group) and patients with cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease in TONUS-2, who received meldonium at a dose of 1000 mg/day for 42 days in the main group. In both arms of the study, the drugs in the comparison groups were multivitamin complexes.Results. For the TONUS-1 groups.In the group of patients receiving meldonium compared with the control group (p < 0.001): total MFI-20 score decreased and was 31 (25; 40); MFI-20 –35 (–46; 23); performance value –5 (–11; –2) seconds; proportion of patients with significant improvement (by CGI-I) by the end of follow-up was 92.8%. For TONUS-2 groups.In the group of patients receiving meldonium compared with the control group (p < 0.001): total MFI-20 score decreased to 35 (27; 44); MFI-20 –34 (–46; –21), performance value –5 (–11; –2), proportion of patients with significant improvement (by CGI-I) by end of follow-up – 90.8%.Conclusion. Significant positive dynamics and regression of asthenia were noted in the groups of patients receiving meldonium in comparison with the control groups

Managing the digital transformation of education as part of the Chinese national project of a “Great Unity” society

The article deals with the phenomenon of digital transformation of the Chinese educational space as the main component of knowledge management system in the society of “Great Unity”. Using the comparative, hermeneutic, historical and philosophical methods, the authors analyse three problem areas – social ideal, forecasting, and national education in China. The conclusion is made that the traditional project of a society of “Great Unity”, that is, the Confucian model of the ideal Datong society, can be transformed into a national foresight project. A well-developed educational system and equal access to education are the key components of this project, digitalization of education being the most important direction of the modern Chinese educational reform. Based on the findings of studies carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic and other materials, various trends in the current digitalization process are described. Historical features of and socio-cultural preconditions for the development of the educational system existing in China today are analysed. The authors conclude that the system rests on a solid socio-cultural foundation and is aimed towards the digital future of the Chinese society

Interaction between Earthworms and Soil-Inhabiting Anthrax Microbe Spores

Studied are phenotypic and genetic properties of anthrax agent strains, isolated from earthworms retained in infected soil for a period of 20 and 30 days. Discovered is the fact that the presence of worms in the biotope reduces the number of Bacillus anthracis spores by 30-50 %. However, the rest of the spores preserve original properties, and biological and genetic virulence dominants

Different progressive hematoxylin stains for histological examination of myocardium, blood vessels, liver and spleen

Aim of the study was to compare the distinct types of progressive hematoxylin stains and to optimize the protocols of hematoxylin and eosin staining of blood vessels, heart, liver and spleen.Material and methods. Heart (ventricles), abdominal aorta, liver (right lobe) and spleen (left part) of the Wistar rats were excised, fixed in 10% neutral phosphate buffered formalin for 24 h, washed in tap water for 2 h, dehydrated in ascending ethanol series (70 % 80 %, and 95 %) and isopropanol, embedded into paraffin and then sectioned (5 pm) using rotary microtome. Staining was performed using Mayer’s, Gill’s, or Carazzi’s hematoxylin during 2, 5, or 15 minutes and 1 % alcoholic/aqueous eosin for 2 minutes without differentiative solution. Results were assessed by three independent histologists.Results. All examined progressive hematoxylin stains had their distinctive features. Mayer’s hematoxylin demonstrated the most intensive nuclear staining; however, staining for 15 minutes could lead to the bluing of cytoplasm and extracellular matrix. In contrast, Gill’s hematoxylin was characterized by less intensive nuclear staining and achieved clear blue-violet shade only after 15 minutes of staining. Carazzi’s hematoxylin showed balanced coloration of nuclei and cytoplasm/ extracellular matrix and did not change the red/pink shades of eosin, yet the intensity of nuclear staining was less as compared to Mayer’s hematoxylin. Short-term (2 minutes) staining was insufficient to reach intensive nuclear staining.Conclusion. The optimal hematoxylin and eosin staining protocol is to use eosin for 2 minutes following staining by Carazzi’s hematoxylin for 15 minutes (for aorta), Carazzi’s or Gill’s hematoxylin for 15 minutes or Mayer’s hematoxylin for 5 minutes (for liver), Carazzi’s or Gill’s hematoxylin for 15 minutes (for heart), and Carazzi’s hematoxylin for 5 minutes (for spleen)

DIGITAL CULTURE – A HISTORICAL STAGE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE INFORMATION CULTURE OF SOCIETY

Different scientific approaches to digital culture have been analysed in the article: digital culture is considered as a special form of being, a special integral design that includes audiovisual, semiotic, technological, logical, communication, network and other subsystems that exists at five levels: material, functional, symbolic, mental and spiritual; and as a set of values ofmodern society based on digital coding; and as a system of changes in practices, products of human activity associated with the culture of the digital age; and as a special level of digital literacy and competency. The anthropological aspect of digital culture has been emphasized. The main causes and stages of the development of digital culture as a modern stage in the development of the information culture of society also have been considered

Managing academic mobility as a tool of «soft power» in contemporary China

The paper deals with the phenomenon of academic mobility in the context of internationalization of higher education in modern China. It focuses on such problems as specificity of Chinese approach to internationalization of higher education and functioning of academic mobility in the context of transformation of international educational space. It is shown that the image of the future educated China is based on the traditional project of “Great Unity” society (Datong society in Confucian concept of social ideal). At the same time the idea of a united humanity is not exceptionally Chinese, but has deep historical roots and a universal nature. Cautious about the supranational extrapolation of this idea, modern China is nevertheless expanding international cooperation and strengthening cross-national contacts, using cross-border academic mobility as one of its “soft power” tools

Effect of the Predecessor and the Nitrogen Rate on Productivity and Essential Oil Content of Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) in Southeast Bulgaria

Received: May 31st, 2022 ; Accepted: August 13th, 2022 ; Published: September 19th, 2022 ; Correspondence: [email protected] (Coriandrum sativum L.) is one of the most important essential oil crops on a global scale. Coriander productivity is determined by the genotype, the environmental factors, as well the agronomic practices. A field experiment was conducted in Southeast Bulgaria during three vegetation seasons (2015, 2016, and 2017). The present study aimed at analysing the influence of two crop predecessors (winter wheat and sunflower) and four nitrogen (N) levels (0, 40, 80, and 120 kg ha-1 ). Productivity elements, seed yield, and seed essential oil content of coriander (cv. Mesten drebnoploden) were under evaluation. The results obtained showed that winter wheat was a more suitable predecessor of coriander in comparison to sunflower. The highest results regarding the number of umbels per plant, the umbel’s diameter, the number of umbellets per umbel, the number of seeds per umbel, the seed weight per plant, the 1,000 seed mass, as well as the seed yield for the rate of 80 kg ha-1 of N were recorded. The highest essential oil content after applying 120 kg ha-1 of N was established. Increasing the N level from 0 to 120 kg ha-1 led to a positive and significant effect on essential oil yield. No significant differences between the N rates of 80 and 120 kg ha-1 were recorded. The received results contributed for the evaluatation of the optimum nitrogen level, as well as for the determination of a more suitable predecessor of coriander in order to obtain the highest yield of better quality in the region of Southeast Bulgaria

THE ISSUE OF “CULTURAL AMNESIA” IN THE CONTEXT OF DIGITAL CULTURAL HERITAGE MANAGEMENT

The issue of the dual impact of innovative technologies on the sphere of spiritual culture has been considered. On the one hand, the digitalization of cultural values gives hope for their longevity, compared with traditional storage methods. On the other hand, the preservation of cultural heritage is facing new, previously unmet difficulties: the life of digital documents is short due to constant technological improvement and the rapid obsolescence of technology; not all artifacts can be digitized; when knowledge is transmitted through the media, its reduction, vulgarization occurs; finally, the person is changing, for whose sake the preservation of the cultural heritage takes place. Generations possessing clip thinking will have to deal with the fragmented, unsystematic cultural heritage, which is fraught with real cultural amnesia. The new approaches to digital information management and, specifically, digital cultural heritage have been proposed in the article

Transforming educational space under the impact of the pandemic: student and teacher well-being in higher education

The article presents the study of some areas of educational space transformation under the COVID-19 pandemic influence. The focus of attention is on such problems as the cognitive well-being of the student, the tutor model of teacherstudent relations in the digitalising educational space, the functioning of academic mobility institution in a pandemic and post-pandemic world. Cognitive well-being of students implies mastering digital literacy with strict adherence to the norms of digital ethics. A tutor in modern education plays the role of not only a developer of an individual educational trajectory, but also a controller and educator. For the successful implementation of tutoring functions, the teaching staff of universities needs additional training. The main trends in academic mobility are internal and virtual mobility. The authors conclude that educational organisations need for adequate infrastructural policy, and educational space – inevitable transformations in budget financing. The results of the article can be used in further research on the higher education transformation problems, in the development of proposals and recommendations for specialists in the of higher education management field for use in practice

SOCIOLOGY OF KNOWLEDGE SECURITY IN THE DIGITAL EDUCATIONAL SPACE

The article deals with the spread of digital technologies in education and digital learning as a special stage of digital socialization, changing the social roles of the teacher and student. Artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies, big data analysis, robotics and virtualization have taken their place in the educational process, and traditional offline teaching methods require revision. The problem of knowledge alienation in the digital educational space has been analysed and ways to solve this problem have been proposed. Particular attention has been paid to the problem of the safety of knowledge in the educational space. It has been concluded about the need for such a reorganization of the digital space in which cognitive conditions for the safe functioning of knowledge will be provided