Institutional Environment of Education and Competitiveness of Educational Services of Russian Universities

The article discusses the concept of “institutional environment education”, “educational service”, “competitiveness of educational services”, clarifying their contents. The authors analyzed the nature and content of the competitive educational services offered criteria for the competitiveness of educational institutions in terms of the value-oriented approach. The authors examined the effect of the institutional environment of education at institute of education and justify the link between the institutional environment of education and competitiveness of educational institutions and educational services. Improving the Russian education system, the institutional environment of education and competitiveness of educational services of Russian universities is only possible on the basis of a deep and comprehensive study of the described relationship

WAYS TO REDUCE THE RISKS OF INFECTION WHILE TRAINING FOR WORK WITH MICROORGANISMS OF THE I–II GROUPS OF PATHOGENICITY (HAZARD)

Minimization of risks of infection when training the specialists to work with microorganisms – agents of particularly dangerous infectious diseases – is one of the key objectives for staff members of the Department for specialists training and curricula development at the FGHI RusRAPI “Microbe”. The paper discusses the ways to reduce the risks of infection with agents of particularly dangerous infectious diseases among the attendee and the tutors of qualification courses while studying how to work with this group of microorganisms. Outlined are priority areas: usage of attenuated, avirulent strains of the agents, as well as recombinant strains of nonpathogenic bacteria; exploitation of the state-of-the-art technical equipment; insure the skills of safe PBA handling and professionally significant traits of character in the process of realization of currently existing academic programs. Identified has been the optimum approach to the assessment of reliability and safety of professional activities among the personnel working with PBA of the I–II groups of hazard. Developed has been the algorithm for competence level evaluation in the specialists who are allowed to work with PBA of the I–II groups of hazard; job profile diagrams have been charted. Designed methods of expert evaluation of professionally significant skills and traits of the staff provide for personnel identification using a range of psychological tests and play an important role in vocational selection and orientation, both during the job placement and advanced training of the staff, as well as in the reduction of risks associated with the factor of human error

On exact solution of the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang equation with determinate spatially-inhomogeneous source

This work was supported by RFBR, grant N 18-08-01356-a

Dummy <I>Yersinia pestis </I>Strains: Selection Criteria, Usage Guidelines

Objective of the work was to develop selection criteria for the dummy Y. pestis strains, as well as principles of the setting-up a panel and its application for practicing laboratory and differential diagnostics of plague. Studied were the RF regulations, statutory documents and methodological recommendations on the laboratory diagnostics of plague and safety of works with microorganisms; training courses for specialists to qualify for work with the agents of particularly dangerous infections. Research method: analytical. Consequently, established were the term for “dummy strain”; selection criteria for the Y. pestis strains used in the practical course within the frames of the training programme “Microbiology and Laboratory Diagnosis of Plague”; and algorithm of the course application in view of biological risk mitigation during the process of education

Chronometry as a Method to Assess the Formation of Skills Required for Work with the Agents of Particularly Dangerous Infections in the Course of Professional Retraining

The aim of the study is to assess how successfully the trainees obtain skills of post mortem examination of laboratory animals, with strict observance of the rules of safe work with pathogenic biological agents of I-II groups, during their training at professional retraining courses. Individual continuous chronometry is offered as the assessment method. The obtained results can be used for planning of practical training, drafting the time-table, standardization of work of instructors

Atomic force microscopy in the model’s development of polymeric functional materials formation on inert supports

This work was supported by the RFBR (project No. 18-08-01356 A)

PLAGUE INFECTION SIMULATING IN CASE OF INOCULATION WITH AVIRULENT YERSINIA PESTIS STRAINS

Biological method of investigation is specified for the laboratory diagnostics of plague. Mastering of this method by the trainees within the frames of further vocational education is associated with the use of avirulent Yersinia pestis strains and vaccine Y. pestis strain EV line, which while providing safety does not allow for typical pathomorphological pattern on biomodels, as well as for isolation of microorganisms from internal organs. Objective of the study is to select avirulent Yersinia pestis strains and to conduct comparative analysis of the simulation techniques for plague on biomodels. Materials and methods. Utilized were Y. pestis strains. Virulence was evaluated both, in vitro (polymerase chain reaction) and in vivo (LD50 for white mice). Results and conclusions. Set forward have been avirulent Y. pestis strains, prospective in terms of mastering biological method of laboratory diagnostics of plague, and means of their application for simulating plague in biomodels. The designed approach allows for exercising biological methods of plague investigation to the fullest extent, enhancing biological safety of practical studies and reducing the time line for isolation and accumulation of pure bacterial culture

Synthesis and properties of novel polyurethanes based on amino ethers of boric acid for gas separation membranes

© The Royal Society of Chemistry. Herein we present the structural and mechanical properties of polyurethanes synthesized from amino ethers of boric acid for gas separation. The polymers were characterized by light scattering methods, conductivity measurements, thermal gravimetric analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy. Additionally, the permeability of ammonia and carbon dioxide, as well as the selectivity for their diffusion and resultant impurity are presented. The results illustrate the steric hindrance, resulting in a branched architecture borate formation, leads to intermolecular complexation which may assist the polymer in ammonia diffusion selectivity

Intraspecific Differentiation of <i>Francisella tularensis</i> Strains Using Multilocus Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction

The aim of the study was to develop a method for intraspecific differentiation of the tularemia microbe: subspecies tularensis (subpopulations AI and AII), holarctica (biovars japonica, EryS/R), mediasiatica, and novicida using multilocus real-time PCR. Materials and methods. We used 48 strains of F. tularensis of various subspecies, biovars, and subpopulations. Intraspecific appurtenance of the strains was carried out on the basis of the analysis of the RD-1 region variability applying PCR, the sdhA gene by Sanger fragment sequencing and by the disk diffusion method using disks with erythromycin. The selection of primers and probes was performed using the software available at www.genscript.com and GeneRunner 6.5.52. Sequence homology was assessed using the BLAST algorithm and the GenBank NCBI database. Results and discussion. New data on the structure and occurrence of the differentiation regions RD-8, RD-12, RD-28 of FTT1122c gene and its homologous sequences in strains of tularemia microbe of various subspecies have been obtained. Novel RDhm 346 bp in size, characteristic of strains of the subsp. mediasiatica, holarctica, which is deleted in subsp. tularensis and absent in subsp. novicida has been detected. Based on the detection of the FTT1670, FTT1122с, FTT1067, FTW_2084 loci, a multilocus real-time PCR has been developed – “F. tularensis 4c”, providing for identification of all subspecies of the tularemia microbe, separately for the biovar japonica of the Holarctic subspecies and subpopulations AI, AII of the subspecies tularensis. The PCR specificity was confirmed in the study of strains of tularemia microbe from the fund of the “State Collection of Pathogenic Bacteria” at the premises of the Russian Reserarch Anti-Plague Institute “Microbe”. The results obtained expand the concept of intraspecific genetic heterogeneity of tularemia microbe and possibilities of identifying the causative agent of tularemia using molecular-genetic methods. They are important for understanding the processes of adaptation of the pathogen to circulation in the host organism and environmental objects, the course of evolution and formation of new species of Francisella

Fungal Planet description sheets: 868-950

Novel species of fungi described in this study include those from various countries as follows: Australia, Chaetomella pseudocircinoseta and Coniella pseudodiospyri on Eucalyptus microcorys leaves, Cladophialophora eucalypti, Teratosphaeria dunnii and Vermiculariopsiella dunnii on Eucalyptus dunnii leaves, Cylindrium grande and Hypsotheca eucalyptorum on Eucalyptus grandis leaves, Elsinoe salignae on Eucalyptus saligna leaves, Marasmius lebeliae on litter of regenerating subtropical rainforest, Phialoseptomonium eucalypti (incl. Phialoseptomonium gen. nov.) on Eucalyptus grandis × camaldulensis leaves, Phlogicylindrium pawpawense on Eucalyptus tereticornis leaves, Phyllosticta longicauda as an endophyte from healthy Eustrephus latifolius leaves, Pseudosydowia eucalyptorum on Eucalyptus sp. leaves, Saitozyma wallum on Banksia aemula leaves, Teratosphaeria henryi on Corymbia henryi leaves. Brazil, Aspergillus bezerrae, Backusella azygospora, Mariannaea terricola and Talaromyces pernambucoensis from soil, Calonectria matogrossensis on Eucalyptus urophylla leaves, Calvatia brasiliensis on soil, Carcinomyces nordestinensis on Bromelia antiacantha leaves, Dendryphiella stromaticola on small branches of an unidentified plant, Nigrospora brasiliensis on Nopalea cochenillifera leaves, Penicillium alagoense as a leaf endophyte on a Miconia sp., Podosordaria nigrobrunnea on dung, Spegazzinia bromeliacearum as a leaf endophyte on Tilandsia catimbauensis, Xylobolus brasiliensis on decaying wood. Bulgaria, Kazachstania molopis from the gut of the beetle Molops piceus. Croatia, Mollisia endocrystallina from a fallen decorticated Picea abies tree trunk. Ecuador, Hygrocybe rodomaculata on soil. Hungary, Alfoldia vorosii (incl.Alfoldia gen. nov.) from Juniperus communis roots, Kiskunsagia ubrizsyi (incl. Kiskunsagia gen. nov.) from Fumana procumbens roots. India, Aureobasidium tremulum as laboratory contaminant, Leucosporidium himalayensis and Naganishia indica from windblown dust on glaciers. Italy, Neodevriesia cycadicola on Cycas sp. leaves, Pseudocercospora pseudomyrticola on Myrtus communis leaves, Ramularia pistaciae on Pistacia lentiscus leaves, Neognomoniopsis quercina (incl. Neognomoniopsis gen. nov.) on Quercus ilex leaves. Japan, Diaporthe fructicola on Passiflora edulis × P. edulis f. flavicarpa fruit, Entoloma nipponicum on leaf litter in a mixed Cryptomeria japonica and Acer spp. forest. Macedonia, Astraeus macedonicus on soil. Malaysia, Fusicladium eucalyptigenum on Eucalyptus sp. twigs, Neoacrodontiella eucalypti (incl. Neoacrodontiella gen. nov.) on Eucalyptus urophylla leaves. Mozambique, Meliola gorongosensis on dead Philenoptera violacea leaflets. Nepal, Coniochaeta dendrobiicola from Dendriobium lognicornu roots. New Zealand, Neodevriesia sexualis and Thozetella neonivea on Archontophoenix cunninghamiana leaves. Norway, Calophoma sandfjordenica from a piece of board on a rocky shoreline, Clavaria parvispora on soil, Didymella finnmarkica from a piece of Pinus sylvestris driftwood. Poland, Sugiyamaella trypani from soil. Portugal, Colletotrichum feijoicola from Acca sellowiana. Russia, Crepidotus tobolensis on Populus tremula debris, Entoloma ekaterinae, Entoloma erhardii and Suillus gastroflavus on soil, Nakazawaea ambrosiae from the galleries of Ips typographus under the bark of Picea abies. Slovenia, Pluteus ludwigii on twigs of broadleaved trees. South Africa, Anungitiomyces stellenboschiensis (incl. Anungitiomyces gen. nov.) and Niesslia stellenboschiana on Eucalyptus sp. leaves, Beltraniella pseudoportoricensis on Podocarpus falcatus leaf litter, Corynespora encephalarti on Encephalartos sp. leaves, Cytospora pavettae on Pavetta revoluta leaves, Helminthosporium erythrinicola on Erythrina humeana leaves, Helminthosporium syzygii on a Syzygium sp. barkcanker, Libertasomyces aloeticus on Aloe sp. leaves, Penicillium lunae from Musa sp. fruit, Phyllosticta lauridiae on Lauridia tetragona leaves, Pseudotruncatella bolusanthi (incl. Pseudotruncatellaceae fam. nov.) and Dactylella bolusanthi on Bolusanthus speciosus leaves. Spain, Apenidiella foetida on submerged plant debris, Inocybe grammatoides on Quercus ilex subsp. ilex forest humus, Ossicaulis salomii on soil, Phialemonium guarroi from soil. Thailand, Pantospora chromolaenae on Chromolaena odorata leaves. Ukraine, Cadophora helianthi from Helianthus annuus stems. USA, Boletus pseudopinophilus on soil under slash pine, Botryotrichum foricae, Penicillium americanum and Penicillium minnesotense from air. Vietnam, Lycoperdon vietnamense on soil. Morphological and culture characteristics are supported by DNA barcodes