Self-Organising Systems in the Context of Academic Environment

Introduction. In the era of globalisation, which affects all spheres of modern social life (political, financial, scientific, technical, religious, cultural), the processes of internationalisation and academic migration in higher education have significantly intensified. The rapidly growing mobility in higher education, when students study outside their country of residence, is accompanied by certain problems, which include students’ adaptation to the conditions of unfamiliar urban environment. The introduction of new methodological tools for teaching humanitarian disciplines in universities can contribute to the elimination of barriers and successful transition of students to another, different from their customary, socio-cultural environment. The aim of the research was to present the results of experimental work aimed at the development of students’ intercultural communicative tolerance within the foreign language learning, and to reveal the role of self-organising systems in the university international academic environment. Methodology and research methods. The study is based on the theory of self-organising systems. In the process of designing and application of the authors’ technology aimed at developing students’ intercultural communicative tolerance, experimental methods and the method of comparative analysis were used. Results and scientific novelty. It has been shown that academic migration is a self-organising system characterised by socio-cultural instability. The factors of human transition from one urboecological niche to another, which often disturbs the balance of social systems, have been described. Lacking knowledge about such processes in the theory and practice of pedagogy within higher education has been stated. Insufficient level of intercultural communicative tolerance of Russian (132 people) and foreign (40 people) students, who studied at the Ural Federal University (Ekaterinburg, Russia) in 2015, has proved the necessity of its systematic focused formation. The technology for the development of this type of tolerance within the framework of the ‘Foreign Language’ discipline has been proposed. The approbation of the technology has demonstrated its effectiveness. The students have not only acquired the necessary competencies, but also learned to adapt to the new academic environment, as well as had the opportunity to directly participate in the creation of their own academic programs. Practical significance. The research confirms the productivity of mutual adaptation of students to an unfamiliar socio-cultural academic environment. The author’s technology of intercultural communicative tolerance development can be used to optimise the pedagogical conditions of maintaining the processes of internationalisation and academic mobility within universities.Введение. В эпоху глобализации, затрагивающей все сферы жизнедеятельности в современном обществе: политическую, финансовую, научно-техническую, религиозную, культурную, в высшей школе заметно активизировались процессы интернационализации и академической миграции. Быстрые темпы роста мобильности высшего образования, когда студенты осваивают программы профессиональной подготовки за пределами страны, гражданами которой они являются, сопровождаются определенными проблемами, в том числе связанными с адаптацией обучающихся к условиям мало знакомой урбоэкологической среды. Устранению барьеров для успешного перехода студентов в иное, отличающееся от привычного социокультурное пространство может способствовать внедрение в вузовскую практику нового методического инструментария преподавания гуманитарных дисциплин. Цели публикации – представить результаты экспериментальной работы, направленной на развитие межкультурной коммуникативной толерантности студентов на занятиях по иностранному языку, и раскрыть роль самоорганизующихся систем в университетской международной образовательной среде. Методология и методики. Исследование осуществлялось с опорой на ключевые положения теории самоорганизующихся систем. При создании и апробации авторской технологии иноязычного обучения применялись опытно-экспериментальные методы и метод сравнительного анализа. Результаты и научная новизна. Показано, что академическая миграция является самоорганизующейся системой, характеризующейся социокультурной нестабильностью. Описаны факторы перемещения человека из одной урбоэкологической ниши в другую, которое нередко нарушает равновесие социальных систем. Констатируется малый объем информации о данных процессах в теории и практике педагогики высшей школы. Установленный в ходе мониторинга недостаточный уровень межкультурной коммуникативной толерантности у российских (132 человека) и иностранных (40 человек) студентов, обучающихся в Уральском федеральном университете (г. Екатеринбург, Россия) в 2015 году, убеждает в необходимости ее планомерного целенаправленного формирования. Предложена технология поступательного развития этого вида толерантности в рамках курса иностранного языка в вузе. Апробация технологии продемонстрировала ее эффективность. Студенты не только приобрели требующиеся компетенции, но и научились самостоятельно приспосабливаться к новой академической обстановке, а также получили возможность непосредственно участвовать в разработке собственных индивидуальных программ обучения. Практическая значимость. Проведенное исследование подтверждает продуктивность взаимоадаптации студентов, попадающих в незнакомое социокультурное образовательное пространство. Авторская технология развития межкультурной коммуникативной толерантности может использоваться для оптимизации педагогических условий сопровождения процессов интернационализации университетов и академической мобильности.the Russian Foundation for Basic Reserach №16–02–00164 “Scientific and Methodological Tools for Measuring, Assessing and Managing the Factors of Social and Economic Inequality in the System of Reproduction of the Labour Potential in Russian Regions”РФФИ, №16–02–00164 «Научно-методические инструментарии измерения, оценки и управления факторами социально-экономического неравенства в системе воспроизводства трудового потенциала регионов России

South American species <i>Solanum alandiae</i> Card. and <i>S. okadae</i> Hawkes et Hjerting as potential sources of genes for potato late blight resistance

For several decades, wild species of Solanum L. section Petota Dumort. have been involved in potato cultivar breeding for robust resistance to pests and diseases. Potato late blight (LB) is caused by oomycete Phytophthora infestans (Mont.) de Bary, and the genes for race-specific resistance to P. infestans (Rpi genes) have been introgressed into cultivated potatoes by remote crosses and trans- or cisgenesis, first from S. demissum Buk. and, more recently, from other wild species, such as S. bulbocastanum Dun., S. stoloniferum Schlechtd. et Bché, and S. venturii Hawkes et Hjerting (according to the nomenclature by Hawkes, 1990). Most wild species already involved in breeding for LB resistance came from North and Central Americas: series Bulbocastana (Rydb.) Hawkes, Demissa Buk. and Longipedicellata Buk., and some Rpi genes of these species have been already characterized in much detail. Rpi genes of South American species, including the series Tuberosa (Rydb.) Hawkes, have not been sufficiently investigated. Among the latter, this study focuses on the Rpi genes of S. alandiae Card. and S. okadae Hawkes et Hjerting. Four accessions of S. alandiae, one accession of S. okadae and 11 clones of interspecific potato hybrids comprising S. alandiae germplasm from the VIR collection were PCR-screened using specific SCAR (Sequence Characterized Amplified Region) markers for eight Rpi genes. SCAR amplicons of five Rpi genes registered in this study were validated by comparing their sequences with those of prototype genes deposited in the NCBI Genbank. Among the structural homologues of Rpi genes found in S. alandiae and S. okadae, of special interest are homologues of CC-NB-LRR resistance genes with broad specificity towards P. infestans races, in particular R2=Rpi-blb3, R8, R9a, Rpi-vnt1 and Rpi-blb2 (94–99, 94–99, 86–89, 92–98 and 91% identity with the prototype genes, respectively). Our data may help to better understand the process of Rpi gene divergence along with the evolution of tuberbearing Solanum species, particularly in the series Tuberosa

Harmonisation of Pharmacopoeial Requirements for Identification of Closely Related Species in Herbal Medicinal Products

Global interest in herbal medicinal products is growing, thus increasing the demand for medicinal plant raw materials. However, the growth in sales of raw materials entails the risk of a wider spread of counterfeit and substandard medicinal products. The use of such products can lead to serious complications and even death. This brings to the forefront the studies aiming at identification and quality control of herbal drugs. In addition, the relevance of these studies stems from the need for harmonisation of test methods for identification of related plant species as acceptable foreign elements in herbal medicinal products. The aim of the study was to determine the most widely used methods for identification of closely related plant species and to analyse the possibility of aligning the requirements of Russian standards and foreign pharmacopoeial monographs. According to the analysis of identification requirements, the main test method for identification of related plant species is thin-layer chromatography; morphological and anatomical characteristics of plants are also used. Methodological approaches of the European Pharmacopoeia to identification of closely related species in herbal medicinal products have found application in updating compendial standards of the Russian Pharmacopoeia. Russian standards are harmonised with the requirements described in monographs of leading pharmacopoeias and provide for the detection of unacceptable impurities in herbal medicinal products by morphological, anatomical and chromatographic characteristics

Combination Breeding and Marker-Assisted Selection to Develop Late Blight Resistant Potato Cultivars

(1) Background: Although resistance to pathogens and pests has been researched in many potato cultivars and breeding lines with DNA markers, there is scarce evidence as to the efficiency of the marker-assisted selection (MAS) for these traits when applied at the early stages of breeding. A goal of this study was to estimate the potential of affordable DNA markers to track resistance genes that are effective against the pathogen Phytophthora infestans (Rpi genes), as a practical breeding tool on a progeny of 68 clones derived from a cross between the cultivar Sudarynya and the hybrid 13/11-09. (2) Methods: this population was studied for four years to elucidate the distribution of late blight (LB) resistance and other agronomical desirable or simple to phenotype traits such as tuber and flower pigmentation, yield capacity and structure. LB resistance was phenotypically evaluated following natural and artificial infection and the presence/absence of nine Rpi genes was assessed with 11 sequence-characterized amplified region (SCAR) markers. To validate this analysis, the profile of Rpi genes in the 13/11-09 parent was established using diagnostic resistance gene enrichment sequencing (dRenSeq) as a gold standard. (3) Results: at the early stages of a breeding program, when screening the segregation of F1 offspring, MAS can halve the workload and selected SCAR markers for Rpi genes provide useful tools

Гармонизация фармакопейных требований при определении близкородственных видов в лекарственных средствах растительного происхождения

Global interest in herbal medicinal products is growing, thus increasing the demand for medicinal plant raw materials. However, the growth in sales of raw materials entails the risk of a wider spread of counterfeit and substandard medicinal products. The use of such products can lead to serious complications and even death. This brings to the forefront the studies aiming at identification and quality control of herbal drugs. In addition, the relevance of these studies stems from the need for harmonisation of test methods for identification of related plant species as acceptable foreign elements in herbal medicinal products. The aim of the study was to determine the most widely used methods for identification of closely related plant species and to analyse the possibility of aligning the requirements of Russian standards and foreign pharmacopoeial monographs. According to the analysis of identification requirements, the main test method for identification of related plant species is thin-layer chromatography; morphological and anatomical characteristics of plants are also used. Methodological approaches of the European Pharmacopoeia to identification of closely related species in herbal medicinal products have found application in updating compendial standards of the Russian Pharmacopoeia. Russian standards are harmonised with the requirements described in monographs of leading pharmacopoeias and provide for the detection of unacceptable impurities in herbal medicinal products by morphological, anatomical and chromatographic characteristics.Во всем мире растет интерес к лекарственным средствам растительного происхождения (ЛСРП), что вызывает увеличение спроса на лекарственное растительное сырье. Оборотной стороной роста объемов продаж лекарственного растительного сырья являются риски увеличения масштабов распространения фальсифицированных и недоброкачественных ЛСРП. Применение подобных средств может повлечь за собой развитие серьезных осложнений и даже летальный исход. Таким образом, увеличивается актуальность исследований с целью идентификации и контроля качества лекарственного растительного сырья. Актуальность проводимых исследований обусловлена также необходимостью гармонизации методов идентификации близкородственных видов как допустимых примесей в лекарственных средствах растительного происхождения. Цель работы  — выявить наиболее часто используемые методы идентификации близкородственных видов растений и оценить возможность гармонизации национальных стандартов качества с требованиями монографий зарубежных фармакопей. В результате проведенного анализа показателей подлинности установлено, что основным методом идентификации примесей близкородственных видов является метод хроматографии в тонком слое сорбента. При оценке подлинности также используются морфолого-анатомические характеристики растений. Методические подходы идентификации близкородственных видов в лекарственных средствах растительного происхождения, используемые в  Европейской фармакопее, нашли применение при актуализации фармакопейных стандартов Государственной фармакопеи Российской Федерации. Они гармонизированы с требованиями монографий ведущих зарубежных фармакопей и предусматривают обнаружение недопустимых примесей в лекарственных средствах растительного происхождения по морфолого-анатомическим и хроматографическим характеристикам

Self-Organising Systems in the Context of Academic Environment

Introduction. In the era of globalisation, which affects all spheres of modern social life (political, financial, scientific, technical, religious, cultural), the processes of internationalisation and academic migration in higher education have significantly intensified. The rapidly growing mobility in higher education, when students study outside their country of residence, is accompanied by certain problems, which include students’ adaptation to the conditions of unfamiliar urban environment. The introduction of new methodological tools for teaching humanitarian disciplines in universities can contribute to the elimination of barriers and successful transition of students to another, different from their customary, socio-cultural environment.The aim of the research was to present the results of experimental work aimed at the development of students’ intercultural communicative tolerance within the foreign language learning, and to reveal the role of self-organising systems in the university international academic environment.Methodology and research methods. The study is based on the theory of self-organising systems. In the process of designing and application of the authors’ technology aimed at developing students’ intercultural communicative tolerance, experimental methods and the method of comparative analysis were used.Results and scientific novelty. It has been shown that academic migration is a self-organising system characterised by socio-cultural instability. The factors of human transition from one urboecological niche to another, which often disturbs the balance of social systems, have been described. Lacking knowledge about such processes in the theory and practice of pedagogy within higher education has been stated. Insufficient level of intercultural communicative tolerance of Russian (132 people) and foreign (40 people) students, who studied at the Ural Federal University (Ekaterinburg, Russia) in 2015, has proved the necessity of its systematic focused formation. The technology for the development of this type of tolerance within the framework of the ‘Foreign Language’ discipline has been proposed. The approbation of the technology has demonstrated its effectiveness. The students have not only acquired the necessary competencies, but also learned to adapt to the new academic environment, as well as had the opportunity to directly participate in the creation of their own academic programs.Practical significance. The research confirms the productivity of mutual adaptation of students to an unfamiliar socio-cultural academic environment. The author’s technology of intercultural communicative tolerance development can be used to optimise the pedagogical conditions of maintaining the processes of internationalisation and academic mobility within universities

Improvement of Methods of Standardisation of Medicinal Products Made from Veratrum Lobelianum Rhizomes with Roots

Abstract. Identification of hellebore (Veratrum Lobelianum Bernh.) herbal substance, as well as hellebore-based herbal preparation and herbal medicinal product by the same group of biologically active substances using the same test method is in line with the so-called “consistent standardisation” principle.The aim of the study was to develop a harmonised approach to identification of steroidal alkaloids in hellebore products (hellebore water, hellebore tincture) and hellebore herbal substance (hellebore rhizomes with roots).Materials and methods: samples of hellebore water, hellebore tincture, and hellebore rhizomes with roots were analysed by high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) using an HPTLC plate.Results: the authors developed a harmonised identification procedure for products made from hellebore rhizomes with roots (herbal substance, herbal preparation, and herbal medicinal product) based on HPTLC detection of steroidal alkaloids. The results of the study will be used to prepare amendments to the Identification part of monograph FS.2.5.0104.18 “Hellebore rhizomes with roots”. The developed test procedure is proposed for inclusion into draft monographs “Hellebore rhizomes with roots, tincture” and “Hellebore rhizomes with roots, tincture, solution for external use”.Conclusions: the developed test procedure can be used as an identification test for a range of products from the hellebore herbal substance to hellebore-based herbal medicinal products, which is based on the detection of the same group of biologically active substances

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and immune-mediated inflammatory rheumatic diseases: at the crossroads of thromboinflammation and autoimmunity

Inflammation and coagulation are key basic mechanism of protection against all potentially pathogenic mechanical and biological factors targeting human organism from inner and outer environment. On the other hand, uncontrolled inflammation results in hypercoagulation, inhibition of anticoagulation and alteration of mechanisms responsible for resolution of inflammation, while production of “procoagulant” mediators (thrombin, tissue factor and others), activation of platelets and of vascular endothelial cells maintains inflammation. All factors taken together serve as the basis for a pathological process called thromboinflammation or immunothrombosis. Currently thromboinflammation is considered in the broad sense as a universal pathogenetic mechanism of numerous widespread acute and chronic conditions, including immune-mediated (autoimmune) inflammatory rheumatic diseases, oftentimes complicated by severe irreversible damage to vital organs. Thromboinflammation gained specific attention during СОVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic, caused by SARS-Cov-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus-2). COVID-19 is considered currently as systemic thromboinflammation syndrome, manifesting via generalized thrombosis of arterial and venous macro- and microvasculature, termed as COVID-19-coagulopathy. The paper discusses common pathogenetic coagulopathy mechanisms in COVID-19 and immune-mediated (autoimmune) inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IMRDs), associated with overproduction of antiphospholipid antibodies, activation of the complement system, and dis-regulated synthesis of proinflammatory cytokines, etc. Delineating the autoimmune subtype of thromboinflammation, identification of genetic (i.e., genes encoding the complement system and others) and molecular-biologic biomarkers associated with higher occurrence of COVID-19-coagulopathy are the most relevant undertakings for the current practice. Gaining insights into mechanisms of thromboinflammation and converting them into potential pharmacotherapies of IMDs would facilitate and accelerate the drafting of effective therapeutic strategies for COVID-19