Semantic context clues in expository texts for toefl ibt reading section preparation

© 2015 Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences. All rights received. TOEFL iBT (Test of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based Test) exam as an important component of the global educational environment attracts the attention of both linguists and educators. The problem of semantic context clues relating to TOEFL seems worth exploring as the results of the research can be applied by both test makers and test takers. Expository texts as the first type of texts explored constitute the material of the research, which was aimed at the revealing the types of semantic context clues employed in expository texts, their types and significance. The results of the research revealed 13 single semantic clues types and 15 patterns for double semantic clues. The primary importance is given to single direct context clues, followed by indirect description and restatement due to their structural clarity and explicit definition of the unknown word. Double context clues are employed where a single context clue is not enough to disclose the meaning of an unfamiliar vocabulary item, facilitating the process of unknown word clarification and performing the function of a supplementary informational resource. The aim of the current research is to find out the most common types of semantic clues applied in the text influencing the test-takers excerpt comprehension and educe possible ways where semantic clues can be used in determining sentence meaning. The methodology described will enable teachers to successful development in their TOEFL preparation training courses and aid potential test-takers to overcome language barrier when taking the exam

Examination text structure as an indicator of examination task type and complexity (On the basis of GCSE English language unit 1 section A reading)

© 2015, Mediterranean Center of Social and Educational Research. All rights reserved. This paper investigates expository and narrative structures of examination texts for reading purposes implemented in General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) English Language Unit 1 Section A Reading). 48 texts (taken from real exam papers GCSE English Language Foundation and Higher, developed and used by Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (AQA) in 2011-2013) constituted the material of the study. The aim of the research is to define the organizational structure of the examination texts in order to help the candidates cope with tasks successfully. Such research methods as semantic analysis, qualitative and quantitative methods, descriptive statistics have led to the results, which can be applied by both testmakers and candidates. Thorough investigation of their structural features, content and keywords as well as tasks accompanying the texts revealed that text structure has a direct impact on the type of tasks and questions proposed to a candidate in exam likewise their complexity. When developing examination tasks and questions test-makers should take into consideration peculiarities of each text structure and establish methodological guidelines for the potential candidates to pass the exam swimmingly

Cognitive and Simulation Modeling of Regional Economic System Development

Sustainable development of regional economy is the declared as a strategic objective of the state. From these positions, studying of the regional socio-economic phenomena and processes, development of the corresponding research and managerial tools are actual tasks. Authors consider the regional economy as a complex hierarchical system. This requires identification of its state, structure, particularities in its development and governance. These factors are investigated using the means of simulation modeling. Authors suggest to use the developed cognitive and simulation modeling methodology, which is based on cognitive approach, the theory of hierarchical multilevel structures, fixed and fuzzy directed graphs. The study illustrates possibilities of cognitive-simulation modeling and foresight of the socio-economic system development at the regional level. Keywords: simulation modeling, regional development, sustainable development JEL Classifications: C63, R5

New interaction paradigm of ecological, social and economic structures of human activity

Realities of the XXI century demand searching and grounding measures on changing economic, political, and the main thing, ideological institutions that determine trends of evolution and managing vital human activity at national and over-national levels. Using synergetic approach, the authors made an attempt to synthesize conclusions and main theses of neo-institutionalism theory, onto-psychology, as well as results of biological evolution for determining the way to overcome global ecological crisis at nano-level and to form a model of the mankind's optimal evolution on the base of principle "priorities through parities", using DNAsymbol as a code of survival, through co-evolution of economy and ecology. The main problem, existing even in economically developed countries, is the realization of the fact that the paradigm of the stationary economy is the only condition for the mankind's survival. To solve this problem serious transformation of ideological institutions is necessary, at the expense of comprehensive and based on onto-psychological methods program of ecological literacy, that should harmonically blend with the presented by the authors triads of state strategic management and achieving the goal of development. It is the transformation of the national matrix, content and direction of which are set in order to ensure a balance of interests of all participants in ecological and economic development, will lay the necessary rules, both formal and informal, in the style of human behavior, social groups, the national economy. Realization of the program ecological literacy within the national policy on ecological development of the regions is one of the most important conditions for a natural, not imposed from the outside, prepare to use the paradigm of a sustainable economy as the basis of economic, political and ideological institutions of modern society, which is primarily the formation of a new paradigm of human device - devices nano-level decision-making, consumer behavior

Genetic determinants of the development and course of membranous nephropathy

Membranous nephropathy (MN) is one of the most common causes of nephrotic syndrome in adults and is classified as either primary (idiopatic) or secondary MN according to underlying etiology (the later result from some known disease such as systemic autoimmune diseases, infections, malignancies, drugs, etc). In recent years, phospholipase A2 receptor 1 (PLA2R) and thrombospondin type-1 domain-containing 7A (THSD7A) were identified as two major podocytic antigens involved in the pathogenesis of idiopatic MN (IMN). And the discovery of circulating antibodies specific for these target antigens has transformed the diagnostic workup and significally improved management of IMN. However why do such antibodies develop is not conclusively established. The role of underlying genetic factors is discussed. The review presents the results of recent studies, that have shown significant associations of specific genetic factors (particularly human leucocyte antigen class II and PLA2R1 genes) with IMN

Аcinetobacter baumannii bv Tryptophandestruens bv nov. isolated from clinical samples

The aim of the study was to determine the taxonomic status of a group consisting of atypical strains of Acinetobacter baumannii, outline relevant characteristics and methods necessary for their identification. There were examined 10 strains of A. baumannii (6 of them primary comprised) bearing similar profile of atypical features isolated from clinical samples (urine, sputum) in 2017–2019 at the Military Medical Academy. Сlinical strains of typical A. baumannii (n = 36), Acinetobacter nosocomialis (n = 14), Acinetobacter pittii (n = 9) and 1 strain of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus isolated from the external environment were used in comparative studies. Atypical strains had the characteristics of A. calcoaceticus — A. baumannii (ACB) complex bacteria and were identified as A. baumannii. The utilization of substrates as the only carbon source was studied on a dense synthetic medium added with 0.2 % substrate during incubation for 72 hours at 37°C. Carbohydrate oxidation coupled to acid formation was detected on the Hugh–Leifson medium by using a micromethod. Aromatic amino acid biotransformation was carried out in liquid and dense nutrient media assessed in chromogenic reaction. The rpoB gene was used for strain genetic characterization. Amplification of two 940 and 1210 base pair (bp)-long fragments from the rpoB gene was performed by the routine polymerase chain reaction using primers with previously described sequences. Amplification products were sequenced by Sanger using Big Dye Terminator v3.1 (Applied Biosystems, USA) and capillary electrophoresis on an automatic sequencer ABI PRISM 3130 (Applied Biosystems, USA), followed by using methods for determining the similarity levels of sequenced fragments with the rpoB gene sequences of the reference strain A. baumannii ATCC 17978 (GenBank accession no. CP053098.1). It was found that all strains belonging to atypical A. baumannii spp. had a specific set of features that distinguish them from typical strains of A. baumannii as well as other types of the ACB complex: detected biotransformation of L-tryptophan (via anthranilate pathway) and anthranilic acid under unambiguous lack of such signs in other bacteria; lack of utilized sodium hippurate and L-arabinose being unambiguously evident in other bacteria; lack of utilized L-tryptophan, putrescine, L-ornithine being utilized in the majority of strains of belonging to other bacterial species. Genetic analysis showed that the control strains of typical A. baumannii displayed 99.20–99.21% similarity within the sequenced fragments of the rpoB gene with those from the rpoB gene of the reference strain. All 10 strains of atypical A. baumannii had similar features (99.20–99.21%). At the same time, parameters of control strains from other bacterial species significantly differed: A. nosocomialis (95.10–95.97%), A. pittii (94.63–94.92%), A. calcoaceticus (93.00%). Hence, the strains of atypical and typical A. baumannii are genetically homogeneous and belong to the same species. The data presented allow us to consider this group of atypical A. baumannii strains as a new biovar. We propose the name for this new biovar — tryptophandestruens (tryptophan-destroying) stemming from the Latin word destruens — destroying. Identification of A. baumannii bv. tryptophandestruens bacteria can be carried out in laboratory of any level by using tests for L-tryptophan biotransformation as well as sodium hippurate utilization

Migraine aura: retracting particle-like waves in weakly susceptible cortex

Cortical spreading depression (SD) has been suggested to underlie migraine aura. Despite a precise match in speed, the spatio-temporal patterns of SD and aura symptoms on the cortical surface ordinarily differ in aspects of size and shape. We show that this mismatch is reconciled by utilizing that both pattern types bifurcate from an instability point of generic reaction-diffusion models. To classify these spatio-temporal pattern we suggest a susceptibility scale having the value [sigma]=1 at the instability point. We predict that human cortex is only weakly susceptible to SD ([sigma]<1), and support this prediction by directly matching visual aura symptoms with anatomical landmarks using fMRI retinotopic mapping. We discuss the increased dynamical repertoire of cortical tissue close to [sigma]=1, in particular, the resulting implications on migraine pharmacology that is hitherto tested in the regime ([sigma]>>1), and potentially silent aura occurring below a second bifurcation point at [sigma]=0 on the susceptible scale

Тенденции в эндопротезировании крупных суставов у пациентов с ревматическими заболеваниями: опыт специализированного травматолого-ортопедического отделения

Total knee and hip arthroplasty (TKA and THA respectively) is frequently used in severe structural changes in patients with osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).Objective: to evaluate the dynamics of the number of TKA of THA in patients with OA and RA treated in the Department of Traumatology and Orthopedics of V.A. Nasonova Research Institute of Rheumatology.Material and methods. The analysis of 11-year period (from 2012 to 2022) of surgical activity of the Department of Traumatology and Orthopedics of V.A. Nasonova Research Institute of Rheumatology.Results and discussion. Within the mentioned period, 2955 TKA and THA were performed in 1590 patients with OA and 1365 with RA. From 2012 to 2018, the number of surgeries in patients with OA and RA was approximately the same, but since 2019 there has been a significant increase in the number of total arthroplasties (TA) in OA. The median delta (Δ) of the number of TKA and THA performed annually over 11 years was 13.5 [-17.5; 75.7] in patients with OA and 2.5 [-10.25; 25.0] in patients with RA (p=0.032).Conclusion. In the last 11 years there was no significant dynamics in the number of TKA and THA in patients with RA. At the same time, there is a statistically significant increase in the number of TA in patients with OA, which is in line with the global trend.Тотальное эндопротезирование (ТЭ) коленного сустава (КС) и тазобедренного (ТБС) суставов широко используется при их тяжелых структурных изменениях у больных остеоартритом (ОА) и ревматоидным артритом (РА).Цель исследования – оценить динамику числа ТЭ КС и ТБС у пациентов с ОА и РА, находившихся на стационарном лечении в травматолого-ортопедическом отделении ФГБНУ «Научно-исследовательский институт ревматологии им. В.А. Насоновой» (НИИР им. В.А. Насоновой).Материал и методы. Проведен анализ хирургической активности травматолого-ортопедического отделения НИИР им. В.А. Насоновой за 11 лет (2012–2022 гг.).Результаты и обсуждение. За указанный период было выполнено 2955 ТЭ КС и ТБС у 1590 – больных ОА и 1365 – РА. С 2012 г. по 2018 г. число операций, проведенных пациентам с ОА и РА, было примерно одинаковым, однако с 2019 г. отмечается значительный рост числа ТЭ при ОА. Медиана дельты (Δ) числа выполнявшихся ежегодно ТЭ КС и ТБС за 11 лет у больных ОА составила 13,5 [-17,5; 75,7], у больных РА – 2,5 [-10,25; 25,0], p=0,032.Заключение. За последние 11 лет не отмечено существенной динамики числа ТЭ КС и ТБС у больных РА. В то же время число ТЭ у больных ОА статистически значимо увеличивается, что соответствует общемировой тенденции