ELECTIVE COURSE AT THE THEORETICAL DEPARTMENT AS A BASIS FOR PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES FORMATION OF A PHYSICIAN

Introduction. One of the problems of the higher school is mismatch of activities of the Theoretical and Degree Granting (main) Departments to form the students’ competencies. The use of fundamental knowledge in contents of professional preparation components quite often has formal character. The violation of integrity and continuity of training in higher education institution turns out to be the consequence of it. In medical educational institutions the situation is complicated by the fact that each of numerous clinical departments has its own specifics defining inquiries to the content of the particular theoretical discipline. The aim of the article is justify the need for designing elective courses at theoretical departments in medical universities, which enable future physicians to acquire both the fundamental knowledge and required professional competencies. Methodology and research methods. The framework of the article is based on activity, practice-oriented and competency-based approaches to education. When selecting educational material for elective courses, the foundations of contextual (motivational) approach to education, the method of expert evaluations, the dialectic principles of systemacity and variability of the educational material content, unity of integration and differentiation of fundamental knowledge were used. Results and scientific novelty. The author describes the experience of designing elective courses for students of various specialties and training programs at the Department of Histology, Cytology and Embryology of the Donetsk National Medical University named after M. Gorky. Since there are currently no general programs for Histology elective courses within the competency-based concept of education, their designing is a topical issue of Didactics. The principles of the content selection for such courses are formulated in accordance with their main purpose – cross-disciplinary integration of fundamental and applied knowledge. Practical significance. The publication findings could be useful for managerial personnel and lecturers of medical universities when designing integrated courses the content of which is interdisciplinary.Введение. Одной из проблем высшей школы является рассогласованность деятельности теоретических и выпускающих (профилирующих) кафедр по формированию компетенций студентов. Использование фундаментальных знаний в содержании профессиональной компоненты подготовки нередко носит формальный характер. Следствием этого становится нарушение целостности и преемственности обучения в вузе. В медицинских образовательных учреждениях ситуация осложняется тем, что у каждой из многочисленных клинических кафедр есть своя специфика, определяющая запросы к содержанию конкретной теоретической дисциплины. Цель статьи – обосновать необходимость разработки на теоретических кафедрах медицинского вуза вариативных курсов, обеспечивающих освоение будущими врачами как базисных, фундаментальных знаний, так и требующихся профессиональных компетенций. Методология и методы. Работа осуществлялась с опорой на деятельностный, практико-ориентированный и компетентностный подходы к образованию. При отборе учебного материала для вариативных курсов использовались положения контекстного (мотивационного) подхода к обучению, метод экспертных оценок, диалектические принципы системности и вариативности содержания учебного материала, единства интеграции и дифференциации фундаментальных знаний. Результаты и научная новизна. Описан опыт кафедры гистологии, цитологии и эмбриологии Донецкого национального медицинского университета по проектированию вариативных курсов для студентов разных специализаций и направлений подготовки. Поскольку в настоящее время в рамках компетентностной концепции образования не существует стандартных программ вариативных курсов по гистологии, их конструирование является актуальной проблемой дидактики. Сформулированы принципы отбора содержания таких курсов, предназначение которых состоит в междисциплинарной интеграции фундаментальных и прикладных знаний. Практическая значимость. Материалы публикации могут быть полезны руководителям и преподавателям кафедр медицинских вузов при разработке интегрированных курсов, содержание которых находится на стыке фундаментальных и прикладных дисциплин

Organization of students’ self-guided work in biomedical departments of medical university using distant learning technology

The aim of the investigation to substantiate and analyze the practical implementation of using distance learning technologies (DLT) for managing the formation of basic knowledge during students’ individual work in the Department of Histology, Cytology and Embryology, Human Anatomy and Biological Chemistry. Methods. The methods involve analysis of an individual students’ work. Results. Questionnaires showed that the use of distance learning technologies during preparation for the practical classes allows to achieve the same result for most students as in the traditional forms of preparing (without DLT), to reach a significant saving of time. Respondents note the increased meaningfulness of individual work; the appearance of motivation to study the practical material; an increase of educational efficiency on the stage of extracurricular study due to the operative removal of arising question during the consulting process; as well as satisfaction with this form of education. Under control of knowledge and skills during practical classes, the increasing of students’ performance quality was noted. Scientific novelty. Using a basic knowledge standard of medicine; regulated methodical support for individual work and the introduction of DLT in the medical and biological departments of the university provides the continuity of teaching and fundamental knowledge integration, the formation of professional competencies of students. Practical significance. The demand of theoretical subjects’ content for students of 4–6 courses and the possibility of distance access for appropriate educational resources of biomedical departments would achieve a real interdisciplinary integration and support the necessary level of basic knowledge of young specialists in relation to a specific professional activityЦель статьи – обосновать и проанализировать практическую реализацию использования дистанционных обучающих технологий (ДОТ) для управления процессом формирования фундаментальных знаний во время внеаудиторной самостоятельной работы студентов на кафедрах гистологии, цитологии и эмбриологии, анатомии человека и биологической химии.Методики исследования: анализ практики организации самостоятельной работы студентов. Результаты. Анкетирование показало: использование дистанционных обучающих технологий при подготовке к практическим занятиям позволяет большинству студентов для достижения того же результата, что и при традиционных формах подготовки (без применения ДОТ), добиваться существенной экономии времени. Респонденты отмечают возросшую осмысленность самостоятельной работы, появление мотивации к изучению учебного материала, повышение эффективности обучения на этапе внеаудиторной подготовки благодаря оперативному устранению возникающих вопросов в процессе консультирования. При контроле знаний и умений на практических занятиях отмечено существенное повышение качественной успеваемости студентов. Научная новизна. Использование стандарта фундаментальных знаний медицины, регламентированное методическое сопровождение самостоятельной работы и внедрение дистанционных обучающих технологий на медико-биологических кафедрах университета обеспечивают преемственность преподавания и успешное формирование профессиональных компетенций у студентов. Практическая значимость. Дистанционный доступ к образовательным ресурсам медико-биологических кафедр позволяет достигнуть реальной междисциплинарной интеграции и поддерживать необходимый уровень фундаментальных знаний у молодых специалистов с учетом их конкретной специализаци

Why a pregnant age can be the risk factor in chronic obstructive pyelonephritis?

The aim of the study was to identify possible mechanisms that could reproduce the recurrence of CVD in older men against the background of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics, thereby justifying why age and sex may be risk factors for acute pyelonephritis in urolithiasis. Material and methods. The results of a study of 88 men with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, including 45 patients over 65 years of age (mean age 74.0 ± 1.3 years) and 43 patients in the age range of 55-65 years (mean age of patients 61.0 ± 0, 8 year). In the phase of remission of CVD, 48 patients were examined and in the phase of relapse-40 patients. The study included patients who took non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and antibiotics in a standard dose of at least 5-10 days before hospitalization. From the peripheral blood by centrifugation, plasma-enriched plasma was isolated. Platelet content in 1 μl was 200,000 ± 20,000. To stimulate platelets, adrenaline and ADP (Sigma, USA) were used at an effective concentration (EC50) of 5 μM, which caused platelet aggregation (ATC) in healthy individuals (10 donors) at the level of 50 ± 5%. The aggregation of Tc was evaluated on a Chrono log analyzer (USA). The formation of platelet-leukocyte aggregates (TPA) was modeled in vitro by incubation of stimulated platelets (epinephrine at a concentration of EC50) and intact leukocytes isolated from the peripheral blood of patients with CVD. The number of intact TL was assessed after the color of blood smears according to the Romanovsky-Giemsa method. Results. In the phase of remission of CVD on the background of the appointment of NSAIDs and antibiotics, in patients of the two age groups studied, it was not possible to detect differences in the response of leukocytes. Recurrence of CVD in patients age range 55-65 years was characterized by leukocytosis, neutrophilocytosis, increased ESR (

Results from the Baksan Experiment on Sterile Transitions (BEST)

The Baksan Experiment on Sterile Transitions (BEST) was designed to investigate the deficit of electron neutrinos, $\nu_{e}$, observed in previous gallium-based radiochemical measurements with high-intensity neutrino sources, commonly referred to as the \textit{gallium anomaly}, which could be interpreted as evidence for oscillations between $\nu_e$ and sterile neutrino ($\nu_s$) states. A 3.414-MCi \nuc{51}{Cr} $\nu_e$ source was placed at the center of two nested Ga volumes and measurements were made of the production of \nuc{71}{Ge} through the charged current reaction, \nuc{71}{Ga}($\nu_e$,e$^-$)\nuc{71}{Ge}, at two average distances. The measured production rates for the inner and the outer targets respectively are (54.9^{+2.5}_{-2.4}(\mbox{stat})\pm1.4 (\mbox{syst})) and (55.6^{+2.7}_{-2.6}(\mbox{stat})\pm1.4 (\mbox{syst})) atoms of \nuc{71}{Ge}/d. The ratio ($R$) of the measured rate of \nuc{71}{Ge} production at each distance to the expected rate from the known cross section and experimental efficiencies are $R_{in}=0.79\pm0.05$ and $R_{out}= 0.77\pm0.05$. The ratio of the outer to the inner result is 0.97$\pm$0.07, which is consistent with unity within uncertainty. The rates at each distance were found to be similar, but 20-24\% lower than expected, thus reaffirming the anomaly. These results are consistent with $\nu_e \rightarrow \nu_s$ oscillations with a relatively large $\Delta m^2$ ($>$0.5 eV$^2$) and mixing sin$^2 2\theta$ ($\approx$0.4).Comment: Paper updated to final versio

Whole proteome analyses on Ruminiclostridium cellulolyticum show a modulation of the cellulolysis machinery in response to cellulosic materials with subtle differences in chemical and structural properties

Lignocellulosic materials from municipal solid waste emerge as attractive resources for anaerobic digestion biorefinery. To increase the knowledge required for establishing efficient bioprocesses, dynamics of batch fermentation by the cellulolytic bacterium Ruminiclostridium cellulolyticum were compared using three cellulosic materials, paper handkerchief, cotton discs and Whatman filter paper. Fermentation of paper handkerchief occurred the fastest and resulted in a specific metabolic profile: it resulted in the lowest acetate-to-lactate and acetate-to-ethanol ratios. By shotgun proteomic analyses of paper handkerchief and Whatman paper incubations, 151 proteins with significantly different levels were detected, including 20 of the 65 cellulosomal components, 8 non-cellulosomal CAZymes and 44 distinct extracytoplasmic proteins. Consistent with the specific metabolic profile observed, many enzymes from the central carbon catabolic pathways had higher levels in paper handkerchief incubations. Among the quantified CAZymes and cellulosomal components, 10 endoglucanases mainly from the GH9 families and 7 other cellulosomal subunits had lower levels in paper handkerchief incubations. An in-depth characterization of the materials used showed that the lower levels of endoglucanases in paper handkerchief incubations could hypothetically result from its lower crystallinity index (50%) and degree of polymerization (970). By contrast, the higher hemicellulose rate in paper handkerchief (13.87%) did not result in the enhanced expression of enzyme with xylanase as primary activity, including enzymes from the xyl-doc cluster. It suggests the absence, in this material, of molecular structures that specifically lead to xylanase induction. The integrated approach developed in this work shows that subtle differences among cellulosic materials regarding chemical and structural characteristics have significant effects on expressed bacterial functions, in particular the cellulolysis machinery, resulting in different metabolic patterns and degradation dynamics.This work was supported by a grant [R2DS 2010-08] from Conseil Regional d'Ile-de-France through DIM R2DS programs (http://www.r2ds-ile-de-france.com/). Irstea (www.irstea.fr/) contributed to the funding of a PhD grant for the first author. The funders provided support in the form of salaries for author [NB], funding for consumables and laboratory equipment, but did not have any additional role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Omics Services provided support in the form of salaries for authors [VS, MD], but did not have any additional role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. The specific roles of these authors [NB, VS, MD] are articulated in the 'author contributions' section.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The Complete Genome of Propionibacterium freudenreichii CIRM-BIA1T, a Hardy Actinobacterium with Food and Probiotic Applications

Background: Propionibacterium freudenreichii is essential as a ripening culture in Swiss-type cheeses and is also considered for its probiotic use [1]. This species exhibits slow growth, low nutritional requirements, and hardiness in many habitats. It belongs to the taxonomic group of dairy propionibacteria, in contrast to the cutaneous species P. acnes. The genome of the type strain, P. freudenreichii subsp. shermanii CIRM-BIA1 (CIP 103027T), was sequenced with an 11-fold coverage. Methodology/Principal Findings: The circular chromosome of 2.7 Mb of the CIRM-BIA1 strain has a GC-content of 67% and contains 22 different insertion sequences (3.5% of the genome in base pairs). Using a proteomic approach, 490 of the 2439 predicted proteins were confirmed. The annotation revealed the genetic basis for the hardiness of P. freudenreichii, as the bacterium possesses a complete enzymatic arsenal for de novo biosynthesis of aminoacids and vitamins (except panthotenate and biotin) as well as sequences involved in metabolism of various carbon sources, immunity against phages, duplicated chaperone genes and, interestingly, genes involved in the management of polyphosphate, glycogen and trehalose storage. The complete biosynthesis pathway for a bifidogenic compound is described, as well as a high number of surface proteins involved in interactions with the host and present in other probiotic bacteria. By comparative genomics, no pathogenicity factors found in P. acnes or in other pathogenic microbial species were identified in P. freudenreichii, which is consistent with the Generally Recognized As Safe and Qualified Presumption of Safety status of P. freudenreichii. Various pathways for formation of cheese flavor compounds were identified: the Wood-Werkman cycle for propionic acid formation, amino acid degradation pathways resulting in the formation of volatile branched chain fatty acids, and esterases involved in the formation of free fatty acids and esters. Conclusions/Significance: With the exception of its ability to degrade lactose, P. freudenreichii seems poorly adapted to dairy niches. This genome annotation opens up new prospects for the understanding of the P. freudenreichii probiotic activity

Evidence for Reductive Genome Evolution and Lateral Acquisition of Virulence Functions in Two Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis Strains

Ruiz JC, D'Afonseca V, Silva A, et al. Evidence for Reductive Genome Evolution and Lateral Acquisition of Virulence Functions in Two Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis Strains. PLoS ONE. 2011;6(4): e18551.Background: Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, a Gram-positive, facultative intracellular pathogen, is the etiologic agent of the disease known as caseous lymphadenitis (CL). CL mainly affects small ruminants, such as goats and sheep; it also causes infections in humans, though rarely. This species is distributed worldwide, but it has the most serious economic impact in Oceania, Africa and South America. Although C. pseudotuberculosis causes major health and productivity problems for livestock, little is known about the molecular basis of its pathogenicity. Methodology and Findings: We characterized two C. pseudotuberculosis genomes (Cp1002, isolated from goats; and CpC231, isolated from sheep). Analysis of the predicted genomes showed high similarity in genomic architecture, gene content and genetic order. When C. pseudotuberculosis was compared with other Corynebacterium species, it became evident that this pathogenic species has lost numerous genes, resulting in one of the smallest genomes in the genus. Other differences that could be part of the adaptation to pathogenicity include a lower GC content, of about 52%, and a reduced gene repertoire. The C. pseudotuberculosis genome also includes seven putative pathogenicity islands, which contain several classical virulence factors, including genes for fimbrial subunits, adhesion factors, iron uptake and secreted toxins. Additionally, all of the virulence factors in the islands have characteristics that indicate horizontal transfer. Conclusions: These particular genome characteristics of C. pseudotuberculosis, as well as its acquired virulence factors in pathogenicity islands, provide evidence of its lifestyle and of the pathogenicity pathways used by this pathogen in the infection process. All genomes cited in this study are available in the NCBI Genbank database (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genbank/) under accession numbers CP001809 and CP001829