Textbook as Text: Statement of the Problem

Рассматривается актуальная методологическая проблема современной отечественной теории школьного учебника - пересмотр подходов к определению феномена учебника как ключевого компонента образовательной системы. В границах сферы преподавания иностранных языков с позиций методической школы, трактующей учебник как феномен сферы иноязычного образования, предлагается и обосновывается подход к учебнику не как к сумме вербальных и невербальных материалов, а как к единой знаковой системе. Перечисляются условия, при которых отобранные и представленные в учебнике факты культуры могут быть восприняты и интерпретированы обучающимся как знаки иной культуры, имеющие для него смысл, а также условия, обеспечивающие включенность учебника в семиотическое пространство ученика как субъекта деятельности. Доказывается, что при данном подходе учебник может стать средством реализации главной цели образования - формирования человека духовного, носителя национальных ценностей, способного воспринять и сделать своими ценности и смыслы иных культур.The article is devoted to the setting of the current methodological problem of the modern domestic theory of school textbook - the revision of approaches to the definition of the textbook phenomenon as a key component of the educational system from the perspective of the indigenous socio-cultural changes of the beginning of the 21st century, which entailed the transformation of the social order and the change of the educational paradigm from knowledgeable to cultural: changes in the picture of the world, in worldview positions, within the boundaries of the information sphere, in the nature of intercultural contacts, etc

Immunological factor development of external genital endometriosis

External genital endometriosis (EGE) is one of the common gynecological diseases of women of reproductive age with a relapsing, progressive course that worsens the quality of life of patients due to pain, emotional imbalance, fear of relapse and possible surgical intervention. Currently, endometriosis is recognized as one of the most common diseases associated with infertility. Thus, among fertile women with preserved childbearing function, the disease is generally diagnosed in approximately 6-7%, while among patients suffering from infertility, its frequency can reach 20-48%.However, the causes that determine reproductive dysfunction in patients with EGE are not well understood. Much attention is currently paid to the role of immunity in the formation of endometriosis. Patients with EGE show changes in both local immunity factors and immunological components of circulating blood.Purpose of the study: the study of factors of innate and adaptive immunity in patients of reproductive age with external genital endometriosis (EGE).The study included 71 patients with various stages of external genital endometriosis, the control group included 24 patients without endometriosis. Determination of the population composition of peripheral blood lymphocytes, the level of monocytes expressing TLR, activation markers, was carried out by laser flow cytometry — Immunotex (France), Caltag (USA), FITC (fluorescein isothiocynate) — labeled CD3, CD4, CD8, CD16, CD19, HLA-DR, CD282, CD284 and PE (phycoerythrin) - labeled with CD25, CD69, CD95, CD107a, CD14.External genital endometriosis is characterized by: at stages I-II of the disease - a violation of the early stages of the innate immune response (an increase in the number of monocytes expressing TLR-4, a violation of the activation and differentiation processes of immunocompetent cells, which is reflected in a decrease in the expression of CD16, CD8, CD16+HLA-DR+, CD16+CD107a+, CD8+CD107a+, at III-IV stages of the disease, there is a decrease in the level of CD16 and activation markers CD69, HLA-DR, CD107a on their surface, which is combined with a decrease in the expression of CD8, CD16, HLADR and CD107a on their surface. CD95+ and CD8+CD95+ were found at various stages of EGE.The results obtained allow us to understand the features of the functioning of innate and adaptive immunity at various stages of external genital endometriosis, and the studied immunological parameters can be used as diagnostic criteria for the formation of various stages of EGE. These data can serve as a theoretical basis for further identification of markers of EGE progression, as well as the mechanisms underlying immune inflammation

«Психопатология» повседневной жизни: к вопросу о нарциссизме и классификации нарциссических черт личности

This work is devoted to an actual and debatable problem – the socio-psychological role of narcissism in the individualistic culture prosperity, as well as the cultural determination of narcissistic personality manifestation. The authors note that at present there is a need to investigate the phenomenon of narcissism precisely in its non-clinical  form, which in modern society is becoming more prevalent, and acts as  a psychopathology of everyday life. The work objective is to analyze the theories of narcissism and narcissistic personality traits in domestic and foreign psychology in accordance with cultural patterns of human behavior in modern society. The research methodology is based on the key principles of psychology: consistency, cultural determination, and the principle of the external influences and internal condition unity. The main study methods are theoretical analysis, comparison, and  generalization. The article provides an overview of main definitions of  the “narcissism” concept, gives an analysis of key theories and approaches to study narcissism in domestic and foreign psychology. The  author’s reasoning originates from the works by Z. Freud, whom the first semantic concept of narcissism belongs, and then moves in two  directions, as a personality disorder (O. Kernberg) and a personal process (H. Kohut). Particular attention is paid to considering narcissism  as a mental norm socio-psychological phenomenon. A  review of main classifications of narcissistic personality traits takes a separate place in the work. It has been shown that the narcissistic trait  classifications, in general, include the most frequently cited traits of narcissistic personalities, both in the manual of mental disorders and in research on understanding narcissism in the context of personality  changes within the mental norm. Based on theoretical research, the authors conclude that modern society supports the development of  narcissistic traits and personality states, encouraging freedom of expression, belief in unlimited success, arrogant behavior, functionality and manipulative in relationships, etc.Cтатья посвящена актуальной и дискуссионной проблеме – социально-психологической роли нарциссизма в процветании индивидуалистичных культур, а также культурной детерминации нарциссических проявлений личности. Авторами отмечается, что в настоящее время существует необходимость исследовать феномен нарциссизма именно в его неклинической форме, который в современном обществе приобретает все большую распространенность и выступает в качестве психопатологии повседневной жизни. Целью настоящей работы является анализ теорий нарциссизма и нарциссических черт личности в отечественной и зарубежной психологии в соответствии с культурными образцами поведения человека в современном обществе. Методология исследования базируется на  ключевых принципах психологии: принципе системности, культурной детерминации и принципе единства внешних воздействий и внутренних условий. Основными методами исследования выступают теоретический анализ, сравнение, обобщение. В статье представлен обзор основных определений понятия «нарциссизм», приведен анализ ключевых теорий и подходов к исследованию нарциссизма в отечественной и зарубежной  психологии. Рассуждения автора берут свое начало от работ З. Фрейда, которому принадлежит первая смысловая концепция нарциссизма, и двигаются в двух направлениях:  как личностном расстройстве (О. Кернберг) и личностном процессе (Х. Кохут). Особое внимание уделяется рассмотрению нарциссизма как социально-психологического явления психической нормы. Отдельное место в работе занимает обзор основных классификаций нарциссических черт личности. Показано, что классификации  нарциссических черт включают в себя наиболее часто упоминаемые черты нарциссических  личностей как в руководстве по психическим расстройствам, так и в исследованиях, посвященных пониманию нарциссизма в контексте личностных изменений в пределах психической нормы. В результате теоретического исследования авторы приходят к выводу,  что современное общество поддерживает развитие нарциссических черт и состояний личности, поощряя свободу самовыражения, веру в безграничный успех, надменное  поведение, функциональность и манипулятивность в отношениях и т. д

Results of Epizootiological Monitoring of Natural Foci for Bacterial Vector-Borne Infections in Caucasian Mineral Waters Region of the Stavropol Territory in 2018–2020

The aim of the study was to assess the epizootiological situation on bacterial vector-borne infections in Caucasian Mineral Waters area of the Stavropol Territory over the period of 2018–2020.Materials and methods. 3494 specimens of ticks (473 pools), 257 specimens of small mammals, 9 regurgitates of birds of prey and mammals, 7 excreta samples of small mammals, and 2 water samples were tested. Laboratory research of the field material was carried out using molecular-genetic, serological, biological methods. Statistical analysis of laboratory results was conducted using Microsoft Excel 2010. The data were mapped using QGIS 2.18 software.Results and discussion. The study revealed that the 44.8 % of collected ticks were positive for tick-borne borreliosis, 21.5 % – for tick-borne rickettsiosis, 10.3% – for human granulocytic anaplasmosis, 2.7 % – for Q fever, 0.84 % – for tularemia. There has been an increase in the percentage of positives for tick-borne borreliosis agent samples (more than three times) and a decrease in this indicator for human granulocytic anaplasmosis (1.5 times) as compared with 2010–2012. Investigation of tick infection with the agents of Q fever and tick-borne rickettsioses has not been previously conducted in the region. During the period under review, 19 pools of ticks had mixed infection, which indicates that there are combined foci of bacterial natural-focal infections with vector-borne transmission in the recreation zone of the Stavropol Territory. This necessitates preventive measures and systematical epizootiological surveys in the Caucasian Mineral Waters region

Interactions among the A and T Units of an ECF-Type Biotin Transporter Analyzed by Site-Specific Crosslinking

Energy-coupling factor (ECF) transporters are a huge group of micronutrient importers in prokaryotes. They are composed of a substrate-specific transmembrane protein (S component) and a module consisting of a moderately conserved transmembrane protein (T component) and two ABC ATPase domains (A components). Modules of A and T units may be dedicated to a specific S component or shared by many different S units in an organism. The mode of subunit interactions in ECF transporters is largely unknown. BioMNY, the focus of the present study, is a biotin transporter with a dedicated AT module. It consists of the S unit BioY, the A unit BioM and the T unit BioN. Like all T units, BioN contains two three-amino-acid signatures with a central Arg residue in a cytoplasmic helical region. Our previous work had demonstrated a central role of the two motifs in T units for stability and function of BioMNY and other ECF transporters. Here we show by site-specific crosslinking of pairs of mono-cysteine variants that the Ala-Arg-Ser and Ala-Arg-Gly signatures in BioN are coupling sites to the BioM ATPases. Analysis of 64 BioN-BioM pairs uncovered interactions of both signatures predominantly with a segment of ∼13 amino acid residues C-terminal of the Q loop of BioM. Our results further demonstrate that portions of all BioN variants with single Cys residues in the two signatures are crosslinked to homodimers. This finding may point to a dimeric architecture of the T unit in BioMNY complexes

Heterozygous CAPN3 missense variants causing autosomal-dominant calpainopathy in seven unrelated families

[Aims] Recessive variants in CAPN3 gene are the cause of the commonest form of autosomal recessive limb girdle muscle dystrophy. However, two distinct in-frame deletions in CAPN3 (NM_000070.3:c.643_663del21 and c.598_621del15) and more recently, Gly445Arg and Arg572Pro substitutions have been linked to autosomal dominant (AD) forms of calpainopathy. We report 21 affected individuals from seven unrelated families presenting with an autosomal dominant form of muscular dystrophy associated with five different heterozygous missense variants in CAPN.[Methods] We have used massively parallel gene sequencing (MPS) to determine the genetic basis of a dominant form of limb girdle muscular dystrophy in affected individuals from seven unrelated families.[Results] The c.700G> A, [p.(Gly234Arg)], c.1327T> C [p.(Ser443Pro], c.1333G> A [p.(Gly445Arg)], c.1661A> C [p.(Tyr554Ser)] and c.1706T> C [p.(Phe569Ser)] CAPN3 variants were identified. Affected individuals presented in young adulthood with progressive proximal and axial weakness, waddling walking and scapular winging or with isolated hyperCKaemia. Muscle imaging showed fatty replacement of paraspinal muscles, variable degrees of involvement of the gluteal muscles, and the posterior compartment of the thigh and minor changes at the mid-leg level. Muscle biopsies revealed mild myopathic changes. Western blot analysis revealed a clear reduction in calpain 3 in skeletal muscle relative to controls. Protein modelling of these variants on the predicted structure of calpain 3 revealed that all variants are located in proximity to the calmodulin-binding site and are predicted to interfere with proteolytic activation.[Conclusions] We expand the genotypic spectrum of CAPN3-associated muscular dystrophy due to autosomal dominant missense variants.This study was funded in part by Instituto de Salud Carlos III through the project PI14/00738 to M. O. (co-funded by European Regional Development Fund. ERDF, a way to build Europe). We thank CERCA Programme / Generalitat de Catalunya for institutional support NGL (APP1117510) and GR (APP1122952) are supported by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). This work is also funded by an NHMRC Project Grant (APP1080587).Peer reviewe

Calpain 3 is important for muscle regeneration: Evidence from patients with limb girdle muscular dystrophies

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Limb girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD) type 2A is caused by mutations in the CAPN3 gene and complete lack of functional calpain 3 leads to the most severe muscle wasting. Calpain 3 is suggested to be involved in maturation of contractile elements after muscle degeneration. The aim of this study was to investigate how mutations in the four functional domains of calpain 3 affect muscle regeneration.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We studied muscle regeneration in 22 patients with LGMD2A with calpain 3 deficiency, in five patients with LGMD2I, with a secondary reduction in calpain 3, and in five patients with Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) with normal calpain 3 levels. Regeneration was assessed by using the developmental markers neonatal myosin heavy chain (nMHC), vimentin, MyoD and myogenin and counting internally nucleated fibers.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We found that the recent regeneration as determined by the number of nMHC/vimentin-positive fibers was greatly diminished in severely affected LGMD2A patients compared to similarly affected patients with LGMD2I and BMD. Whorled fibers, a sign of aberrant regeneration, was highly elevated in patients with a complete lack of calpain 3 compared to patients with residual calpain 3. Regeneration is not affected by location of the mutation in the <it>CAPN3 </it>gene.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our findings suggest that calpain 3 is needed for the regenerative process probably during sarcomere remodeling as the complete lack of functional calpain 3 leads to the most severe phenotypes.</p

Integration of Evolutionary Features for the Identification of Functionally Important Residues in Major Facilitator Superfamily Transporters

The identification of functionally important residues is an important challenge for understanding the molecular mechanisms of proteins. Membrane protein transporters operate two-state allosteric conformational changes using functionally important cooperative residues that mediate long-range communication from the substrate binding site to the translocation pathway. In this study, we identified functionally important cooperative residues of membrane protein transporters by integrating sequence conservation and co-evolutionary information. A newly derived evolutionary feature, the co-evolutionary coupling number, was introduced to measure the connectivity of co-evolving residue pairs and was integrated with the sequence conservation score. We tested this method on three Major Facilitator Superfamily (MFS) transporters, LacY, GlpT, and EmrD. MFS transporters are an important family of membrane protein transporters, which utilize diverse substrates, catalyze different modes of transport using unique combinations of functional residues, and have enough characterized functional residues to validate the performance of our method. We found that the conserved cores of evolutionarily coupled residues are involved in specific substrate recognition and translocation of MFS transporters. Furthermore, a subset of the residues forms an interaction network connecting functional sites in the protein structure. We also confirmed that our method is effective on other membrane protein transporters. Our results provide insight into the location of functional residues important for the molecular mechanisms of membrane protein transporters

Practical Approaches to Adaptive Resource Allocation in OFDM Systems

Whenever a communication system operates in a time-frequency dispersive radio channel, the link adaptation provides a benefit in terms of any system performance metric by employing time, frequency, and, in case of multiple users, multiuser diversities. With respect to an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) system, link adaptation includes bit, power, and subcarrier allocations. While the well-known water-filling principle provides the optimal solution for both margin-maximization and rate-maximization problems, implementation complexity often makes difficult its application in practical systems. This paper presents a few suboptimal (low-complexity) adaptive loading algorithms for both single- and multiuser OFDM systems. We show that the single-user system performance can be improved by suitable power loading and an algorithm based on the incomplete channel state information is derived. At the same time, the power loading in a multiuser system only slightly affects performance while the initial subcarrier allocation has a rather big impact. A number of subcarrier allocation algorithms are discussed and the best one is derived on the basis of the order statistics theory