Game technologies as a means of increasing the educational motivation of university students

Game technologies allow bringing the educational process as close as possible to professional activities, activating the cognitive interest of students in the study of professional disciplines. The purpose of the article is to analyze the experience of implementing gaming technologies in the preparation of students of higher educational institutions to increase their motivation for learning. Game technologies are a set of methods and techniques for organizing the educational process in the form of various games that stimulate cognitive activity. They allow you to simulate a real workflow and consolidate theoretical material. Motivation is defined as a set of internal motivations that explain the student’s behavior, orientation and activity in the educational process. Motivation acts as a continuous choice and decision-making based on weighing behavioral alternatives. The article presents a study of the impact of gaming technology on changing students' motivation. As a tool for the study of motivation, we used Dubovitskaya methodology for the diagnosis of motivation. The study reflects the impact of gaming technology on changing student motivation. The implementation of gaming technologies in the training of students of a higher educational institution helps to increase the motivation of students to study professional disciplines, the formation of professional competence

Evaluation of strawberry cultivars as sources of high winter hardiness and productivity

Background. The realization of high productivity potential in strawberry plants significantly depends on their adaptability to soil and climate conditions of their cultivation. Winter hardiness is the most important trait in the central part of Russia. With this in view, the purpose of this study was to identify sources of high winter hardiness combined with high productivity and yield potential among the studied cultivars.Materials and methods. The research was carried out at the primary variety testing site of the All-Russian Research Institute of Fruit Crop Breeding (VNIISPK), Orel Province, in accordance with the published program and methodology of fruit, berry and nut variety studies. The testing covered 23 domestic and foreign strawberry cultivars. An Espec PSL-2KPH climate chamber (Japan) and a Polair refrigerator cabinet (Russia) were used for artificial freezing.Results. Winter hardiness of strawberry cultivars was assessed under artificial freezing conditions. Cvs. ‘Korona’, ‘Tsaritsa’, ‘Solovushka’ and ‘Sara’ were the most winter-hardy cultivars. The study of the cultivars in the field made it possible to identify the most productive and large-fruited ones: ‘Alba’, ‘Azia’, ‘Bereginya’ and ‘Tsaritsa’. Cv. ‘Tsaritsa’ combines high winter hardiness and high yield productivity and yield potential, being a valuable source of these traits in breeding practice. According to a set of indicators ‘Tsaritsa’ is promising for large-scale cultivation in the Central Black Earth Region of Russia

Особенности прохождения фенологических фаз интродуцированных сортов земляники садовой в условиях Орловской области

Relevance. The study of the timing and duration of individual phases of the development of strawberry cultivars of different ecological and geographical origin in these climatic conditions is of great practical importance. The purpose of the study was the determination of the timing of the main phenophases of introduced strawberry cultivars in the Orel region, the compliance of the phenorhythms of the studied cultivars with climatic conditions, as well as the ranking of the cultivars by the terms of flowering and maturation.Methods and materials. The article presents the results of phenological observations for the period 2016-2019. 34 strawberry cultivars of domestic and foreign selection were studied. The research was carried out at the VNIISPK site of primary variety study.Results. Based on long - term observations, on the time of entry into the flowering and fruiting phase, the cultivars were ranked into early, medium and late-maturing. The influence of effective temperatures on the onset of phenophases was analyzed. The sum of effective temperatures necessary for the beginning of flowering of strawberry cultivars of different maturation periods in the conditions of the Orel region was determined. For the onset of strawberry flowering, it takes from126.68 to 260.37°effective temperatures. Early cultivars need the sum of effective temperatures of 126.68-197.55°, cultivars of middle maturation need 146.31-225.44°, late cultivars - 159.93-260.37 depending on the year of study. Fruiting occurs at the sum of effective temperatures in early cultivars from 351.73°C to 465.43°C, in middle-maturing cultivars from 390.96 to 535.44°C, in late-maturing cultivars from 450°C to 649°C.Актуальность. Изучение сроков наступления и продолжительности отдельных фаз развития сортов земляники садовой разного эколого-географического происхождения в данных климатических условиях имеет большое практическое значение.Целью исследования являлось определение сроков прохождения основных фенофаз интродуцированных сортов земляники в условиях Орловской области, соответствие феноритмов изучаемых сортов климатическим условиям, а также ранжирование сортов по срокам цветения и созревания.Материал и методы. В статье представлены результаты фенологических наблюдений за период 2016-2019 годов. Изучено 34 сорта земляники садовой отечественной и зарубежной селекции. Исследования выполнены на участке первичного сортоизучения ФГБНУ ВНИИСПК.Результаты. На основании многолетних наблюдений по времени вступления в фазу цветения и плодоношения сорта ранжированы на ранние, средне- и позднеспелые. Проанализировано влияние эффективных температур на сроки наступления фенофаз. Определена сумма эффективных температур, необходимая для начала цветения сортов земляники разных сроков созревания в условиях Орловской области. Для наступления цветения земляники требуется от 126,68 до 260,37° эффективных температур: ранним сортам – 126,68-197,55°, сренеспелым –146,31-225,44°, поздним – 159,93-260,37 в зависимости от года исследования. Плодоношение наступает при сумме эффективных температур у ранних сортов – от 351,73°С до 465,43°С, у среднеспелых – от 390,96 до 535,44°С, у позднеспелых – от 450°С, до 649°С

A synonymous variant in GCK gene as a cause of gestational diabetes mellitus

The diagnosis of MODY as a subtype of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is important for an adequate management during pregnancy and the postnatal period. The present report describes a case of GDM caused by a synonymous с.666C>G р.V222V substitution in the GCK gene. The variant, which was initially ranked as ‘likely benign’, was later proven to be pathogenic by in vitro studies. The с.666C>G substitution led to the use of a new donor splice site and synthesis of the aberrant mRNA with deletion of 16 base pairs. The case illustrates that additional clinical and experimental data may be required for the correct interpretation of sequence variants pathogenicity

sIgG4 и другие предикторы формирования толерантности при пищевой аллергии у детей раннего возраста

Despite modern achievements in child allergology, the question of evaluating tolerance formation and defining the safest time for expanding the child’s ration after an eliminatory diet remains open. This article contains the results of the authors’ own investigation concerning the practical meaning of specific immunoglobulins (sIg) class G4 as tolerance formation markers at food allergies in children. Thus, it has been found that high levels of sIgG4 are not only a favourable prognostic factor for light manifestations of food allergy, but also an index of a tolerance formation. The prevalence of high food allergy sIgG4 was statistically significantly higher in early age children from the comparison group than in patients with food allergy. Thus the authors suggest that the production of sIgG4 is a normal physiological process which hinders the development of hypersensitivity, while high levels of sIgG4 are evidence for the child’s immune system “contacting” this or that product. Clinical tolerance formation predictors define lighter clinical manifestations of food allergies, a non IgE-mediated form of food allergy and the retention of breastfeeding.Несмотря на современные достижения в детской аллергологии, вопрос об оценке формирования толерантности и определении времени наиболее безопасного расширения рациона ребенка после элиминационной диеты до сих пор остается открытым. В настоящей статье приведены результаты собственного исследования по изучению практического значения специфических иммуноглобулинов (sIg) класса G4 в качестве маркеров формирования толерантности при пищевой аллергии у детей раннего возраста. Так, выявлено, что высокие уровни sIgG4 являются благоприятным прогностическим признаком не только легких клинических проявлений пищевой аллергии, но также и показателем формирования толерантности. У детей раннего возраста из группы сравнения частота встречаемости высоких sIgG4 к пищевым аллергенам был статистически значимо выше, чем у пациентов с пищевой аллергией. В связи с этим высказывается предположение, что выработка sIgG4 является физиологическим, нормальным процессом, препятствующим развитию гиперчувствительности, а высокие уровни sIgG4 свидетельствуют о «контакте» иммунной системы ребенка с тем или иным продуктом. Клиническими предикторами формирования толерантности определены более легкие клинические проявления пищевой аллергии, ее не-IgE-опосредованные формы, а также сохранение грудного вскармливания

Clinical, hormonal and molecular-genetic characteristics of monogenic diabetes mellitus associated with the mutations in the <i>INS</i> gene

Background: Currently more than 50 mutations of the INS gene are known to affect the various stages of insulin biosynthesis in the beta cells of the pancreas. However only individual cases of diabetes mellitus (DM) associated with heterozygous mutations in the coding region of the INS gene were reported in Russian Federation. We report a group of patients with a clinical manifestation of DM caused by mutations in both coding and non-coding regions of the INS gene. The patients with a mutation in the intron of the INS gene are reported for the first time in Russian FederationMaterials and methods: 60 patients with an isolated course of neonatal DM (NDM), 52 patients with a manifestation of DM at the age of 7–12 months and the absence of the main autoimmune markers of type 1 DM, 650 patients with the MODY phenotype were included in the study. NGS technology was used for molecular genetic research. Author’s panel of primers (Custom DNA Panel) was used for multiplex PCR and sequencing using Ion Ampliseq™ technology. The author’s panel “­Diabetes Mellitus” included 28 genes (13 candidate genes of MODY and other genes associated with DM).Results: 13 heterozygous mutations were identified in 16 probands and 9 relatives. The majority of mutations were detected in patients with PNDM (18.75%) and in patients with an onset of DM at the age of 7–12 months (9.6%). Mutations in the INS gene were detected in 2 patients (0.3%) in the group with the MODY phenotype. Mutations in the INS gene were not detected in patients with transient NDM (TNDM). Analysis of clinical data in patients with PND and onset of diabetes at the age of 7–12 months did not show significant differences in the course of the disease. The clinical characteristics of the cases of MODY10 and diabetes caused by a mutation in the intron of the INS gene are reported in details.Conclusion: The role of INS gene mutations in NDM, MODY, and DM with an onset at the age of 7–12 months was analyzed in a large group of patients. The clinical characteristics of DM due to a mutation in the intron of the INS gene are reported for the first time in the Russian Federation

Spermatozoal sensitive biomarkers to defective protaminosis and fragmented DNA

Human sperm DNA damage may have adverse effects on reproductive outcome. Infertile men possess substantially more spermatozoa with damaged DNA compared to fertile donors. Although the extent of this abnormality is closely related to sperm function, the underlying etiology of ensuing male infertility is still largely controversial. Both intra-testicular and post-testicular events have been postulated and different mechanisms have been proposed to explain the presence of damaged DNA in human spermatozoa. Three among them, i.e. abnormal chromatin packaging, oxidative stress and apoptosis, are the most studied and discussed in the present review. Furthermore, results from numerous investigations are presented, including our own findings on these pathological conditions, as well as the techniques applied for their evaluation. The crucial points of each methodology on the successful detection of DNA damage and their validity on the appraisal of infertile patients are also discussed. Along with the conventional parameters examined in the standard semen analysis, evaluation of damaged sperm DNA seems to complement the investigation of factors affecting male fertility and may prove an efficient diagnostic tool in the prediction of pregnancy outcome

Опыт вакцинации 13-валентной конъюгированной пневмококковой вакциной пациентки с ювенильным идиопатическим артритом с частыми респираторными инфекциями на фоне терапии метотрексатом

The article presents the experience of vaccination with a pneumococcal 13-valent conjugate vaccine (PCV13) of a patient aged 5 years with oligoarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) receiving methotrexate at a dose of 15 mg/m2 per week subcutaneously. Treatment with methotrexate provided a remission of JIA, but was accompanied by frequent respiratory infections — up to 8 times a year. During infection progression, methotrexate injections were omitted. Gaps in the treatment with methotrexate were accompanied by an exacerbation of the underlying condition. Vaccination of the patient with PCV13 reduced the frequency of respiratory infections to 2 times a year, which was accompanied by the development of persistent remission of the disease. Adverse events and exacerbation of JIA in a child after vaccination with PCV13 were not registered.Представлен опыт вакцинации 13-валентной конъюгированной пневмококковой вакциной (13ПКВ) пациентки в возрасте 5 лет с олигоартикулярным ювенильным идиопатическим артритом (ЮИА), получавшей метотрексат в дозе 15 мг/м2 в неделю подкожно. Лечение метотрексатом обеспечило ремиссию ЮИА, но сопровождалось частыми респираторными инфекциями — до 8 раз в год. При развитии инфекций инъекции метотрексата пропускались. Перерывы в лечении метотрексатом сопровождались обострением основного заболевания. Вакцинация пациентки 13ПКВ обеспечила снижение частоты респираторных инфекций до 2 раз в год, что сопровождалось развитием стойкой ремиссии заболевания. Нежелательных явлений и обострения ЮИА у ребенка на фоне вакцинации 13ПКВ не зарегистрировано