Personalizing the Way of Teaching LSP

Introduction. The problem of effective teaching language for special purposes (LSP) to the students of non-linguistic professions has been discussed for a long time and in full details by academicians both in Russia and foreign countries. As the result of multiple and thorough surveys general problems of the given situation have been revealed, the way out being defined as special training/retraining of LSP teachers. But in language education publications it is hardly possible to find the description of the program aiming at the training of the above mentioned teachers. The aim of the article is to present effective approaches to teaching LSP and offer the developed master program “Methods of teaching LSP” as a means to solve the problems mentioned above. Materials and Methods. The research methods used are a combination of analytical review of studies by Russian and foreign researchers and interpretation of the results obtained by interviewing university teachers specializing in teaching foreign languages to students completing Bachelorʼs or Masterʼs degree programs. The survey was conducted to assess the level of readiness of professional educators to design the structure and content of programs for teaching LSP, and actually conduct classes within the specified language-teaching area, 81 teachers being responders. Results. As a result of the undertaken review of theoretical works and analysis of the conducted survey a master program “Methods of teaching LSP” was designed for training graduates who will then teach English or Russian as a foreign language at industry-specific higher schools. The developed program focuses on instructing future LSP educators to work out a personalized educational route adjusted to the level of foreign language skills of a student and their prospective professional activities. Discussion and Conclusion. The master program developed by the authors as well as the content of the subjects suggested as its integral part are expected to become a productive way of training LSP educators who are supposed to acquire a number of special skills and competences described in the article. Distant learning and e-learning technologies are also engaged in the program to facilitate learners’ more efficient independent activities. The master program is seen as one of the means of modernizing LSP teachers’ professional training which meets the long-term needs of the Russian education system

El desarrollo de la cultura de gestión ambiental en estudiantes de secundaria en educación no formal con enfoque cultural y ecológico

The purpose of the article is to develop the educational paradigm of the culture of environmental management for advanced education aimed at sustainable development. The methodological foundations of the research are established, presented by cultural-ecological, axiological, personal-activity, integral-situational methodological approaches. The key research methods are defined: system-structural analysis, generalization, systematization, design, and pedagogical experiment. Criteria, indicators and methods for diagnosing the formation of the components of the culture of nature management are revealed. Because of the research, a methodology for the formation of a culture of environmental management in the context of non-formal education was developed, including the goal, content, stages and technology of culturally oriented integral situations. To implement this methodology in educational practice, a program of activities for school “green teams” was developed: “We are in the cultural landscape of estates of our native land”, its purpose, content is revealed, the interconnection of the sections of the program with the technology of culturally oriented integral situations is shown. The results of a pedagogical experiment organized at the experimental sites of Minin University are presented. The results of the experiment, in which 360 high school students took part, made it possible to draw a conclusion about the effectiveness of the formation of a culture of environmental management among students in the context of non-formal education of cultural and ecological orientation.El propósito del artículo es desarrollar el paradigma educativo de la cultura de la gestión ambiental para una educación avanzada orientada al desarrollo sostenible. Se establecen los fundamentos metodológicos de la investigación, presentados por enfoques metodológicos culturales-ecológicos, axiológicos, de actividad personal, integrales-situacionales. Se definen los principales métodos de investigación: análisis sistémico-estructural, generalización, sistematización, diseño y experimentación pedagógica. Se revelan los criterios, indicadores y métodos para diagnosticar la formación de los componentes de la cultura de gestión de la naturaleza. A partir de la investigación se desarrolló una metodología para la formación de una cultura de gestión ambiental en el contexto de la educación no formal, que incluye el objetivo, el contenido, las etapas y la tecnología de las situaciones integrales de orientación cultural. Para implementar esta metodología en la práctica educativa, se desarrolló un programa de actividades para “equipos verdes” escolares: “Estamos en el paisaje cultural de las fincas de nuestra tierra natal”, se revela su objetivo, contenido, se muestra la interconexión de las secciones del programa con la tecnología de situaciones integrales culturalmente orientadas. Se presentan los resultados de un experimento pedagógico organizado en los sitios experimentales de la Universidad de Minin. Los resultados del experimento, en el que participaron 360 estudiantes de secundaria, permitieron sacar una conclusión sobre la eficacia de la formación de una cultura de gestión ambiental entre los estudiantes en el contexto de la educación no formal de orientación cultural y ecológica

Comparison of American mink embryonic stem and induced pluripotent stem cell transcriptomes

BACKGROUND: Recently fibroblasts of many mammalian species have been reprogrammed to pluripotent state using overexpression of several transcription factors. This technology allows production of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells with properties similar to embryonic stem (ES) cells. The completeness of reprogramming process is well studied in such species as mouse and human but there is not enough data on other species. We produced American mink (Neovison vison) ES and iPS cells and compared these cells using transcriptome analysis. RESULTS: We report the generation of 10 mink ES and 22 iPS cell lines. The majority of the analyzed cell lines had normal diploid chromosome number. The only ES cell line with XX chromosome set had both X-chromosomes in active state that is characteristic of pluripotent cells. The pluripotency of ES and iPS cell lines was confirmed by formation of teratomas with cell types representing all three germ layers. Transcriptome analysis of mink embryonic fibroblasts (EF), two ES and two iPS cell lines allowed us to identify 11831 assembled contigs which were annotated. These led to a number of 6891 unique genes. Of these 3201 were differentially expressed between mink EF and ES cells. We analyzed expression levels of these genes in iPS cell lines. This allowed us to show that 80% of genes were correctly reprogrammed in iPS cells, whereas approximately 6% had an intermediate expression pattern, about 7% were not reprogrammed and about 5% had a "novel" expression pattern. We observed expression of pluripotency marker genes such as Oct4, Sox2 and Rex1 in ES and iPS cell lines with notable exception of Nanog. CONCLUSIONS: We had produced and characterized American mink ES and iPS cells. These cells were pluripotent by a number of criteria and iPS cells exhibited effective reprogramming. Interestingly, we had showed lack of Nanog expression and consider it as a species-specific feature

Dimebon Does Not Ameliorate Pathological Changes Caused by Expression of Truncated (1–120) Human Alpha-Synuclein in Dopaminergic Neurons of Transgenic Mice

Background: Recent clinical studies have demonstrated that dimebon, a drug originally designed and used as a non-selective antihistamine, ameliorates symptoms and delays progress of mild to moderate forms of Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s diseases. Although the mechanism of dimebon action on pathological processes in degenerating brain is elusive, results of studies carried out in cell cultures and animal models suggested that this drug might affect the process of pathological accumulation and aggregation of various proteins involved in the pathogenesis of proteinopathies. However, the effect of this drug on the pathology caused by overexpression and aggregation of alpha-synuclein, including Parkinson’s disease (PD), has not been assessed. Objective: To test if dimebon affected alpha-synuclein-induced pathology using a transgenic animal model. Methods: We studied the effects of chronic dimebon treatment on transgenic mice expressing the C-terminally truncated (1–120) form of human alpha-synuclein in dopaminergic neurons, a mouse model that recapitulates several biochemical, histopathological and behavioral characteristics of the early stage of PD. Results: Dimebon did not improve balance and coordination of aging transgenic animals or increase the level of striatal dopamine, nor did it prevent accumulation of alpha-synuclein in cell bodies of dopaminergic neurons. Conclusion: Our observations suggest that in the studied model of alpha-synucleinopathy dimebon has very limited effect on certain pathological alterations typical of PD and related diseases

Genetic modification of mammalian genome at chromosome level

The review is concerned with a progress in genetic modification of a mammalian genome in vitro and in vivo at chromosomal level. Recently three new approaches for the chromosome biotechnology have been developed: Using Cre/loxP-system a researcher is able to produce targeted rearrangements of whole chromosomes or their segments or particular genes within the genome, and therefore to modify the set, position and copy number of the endogenous elements of the genome. Mammalian artificial chromosomes (MACs) provide a possibility to introduce into genome relatively large segments of alien chromosome material, either artificially constructed or derived from the genome of different species. Using ES-somatic cell hybrids allows to transfer whole chromosomes or their fragments between different genomes within and between species. Advantages and limitations of these approaches are discussed

Tauopathy and cognitive impairment in experimental diabetes mellitus

Currently, diabetes mellitus (DM) is the most common metabolic disorder, which is manifested by hyperglycemia and leads to vascular and cognitive impairment. Mechanisms of cognitive dysfunction in patients with DM remain highly unclear, thus complicating the search for effective strategies for the prevention and treatment of dementia. Recently, scientists have discussed the issues regarding the relationship between DM and Alzheimers disease (AD), such as risk factors that trigger the cascade of pathological reactions. Patients with DM show an increased risk of developing AD. Similarly, patients with AD have been shown to have impaired insulin and glucose metabolism. Both these diseases have common nosology, pathology and biochemical basics, including oxidative stress, formation of advanced glycation end products, dysregulation of glucose metabolism and altered insulin signaling pathways. The microtubule-associated tau protein is involved in one of the causative mechanisms underlying the development of AD. We provide an overview of the major domestic and foreign data analyses regarding tau protein and the development of cognitive disorders in experimental DM

Project Work Management Addressing the Needs of BVI Learners of EFL

Introduction: it is known that inclusive education that opens access to education and facilitates students with special educational needs to socialize successfully is concentrated in special schools whilst mainstream teachers generally lack the methodology of teaching disabled students inclusively. The aim of the article is searching the best ways of educating students with special needs and providing specific conditions of the educational process in mainstream schools. Materials and Methods: the research is based on the results of fulfillment of a number of projects that deal with teaching and educating blind and visually impaired learners and in which all the authors of the article were involved. The problematic approach, the logical method and observation were applied to the research; analysis, comparison, generalization being the most important components of the study. The quantitative data were collected, analyzed and resumed as well. Results: the impact of project work implementation on academic and social skills development of blind and visually impaired students is shown and various types of projects that can be made by visually impaired learners are presented. The authors give their comments when analyzing different ways of adapting research activities to the needs of BVI learners. When speaking in detail on the role of web tools as maximizers of students’ potential the authors refer to their own experience in implementing web tools in project work with blind and visually impaired learners. Discussion and Conclusions: university teacher-training programs should be revised and improved by offering additional courses aimed at educating impaired students through doing research or project work. Special attention should be paid to developing the instructors’ project management skills in terms of teaching English as a foreign language to learners with special needs. It should be noted that different methods and various technological tools are to be used in order to develop research and creative skills of blind and visually impaired learners in an EFL classroom. The article itself, its references and links can be used within the course of lectures and seminars on Methodology of Teaching Foreign Languages, and can also be applied when developing a course of re-training of in-service teachers with particular focus on teaching foreign languages to students (pupils) with special educational needs

Nomadic Burial Mednyi Borok (a Preliminary Report)

Формирование средневековых культур Западной Сибири происходило под влиянием тюркских кочевнических государственных объединений I тыс. н. э., однако конкретные сюжеты социально-экономических и миграционных процессов остаются неизученными. В статье публикуются новые материалы средневекового могильника Медный борок, открытого при раскопках многослойного селища Старо-Лыбаевское-1б. Данный некрополь расположен рядом с одноименной деревней в Заводоуковском районе Тюменской области на левом берегу р. Тобол. В ходе работы исследовано 21 погребение, большая часть которых нарушена грабителями. По расположению непотревоженных костей людей, останков скелетов лошади, сопроводительного инвентаря и керамики реконструированы элементы погребальной практики средневекового населения Западной Сибири. Выделены как одиночные, так и парные захоронения взрослых людей, а также отдельные детские погребения. Имеются ингумации в позе вытянутого на спине головой на северо-запад или юго-запад, а также вторичные погребения. Десять захоронений сопровождались останками головы и четырех конечностей лошади (шкура?), а одно — цельной тушей взнузданного жеребца, уложенного в яму. Находки представлены серьгами, бубенчиками, элементами конской упряжи, наконечниками стрел, ножами, подвесками и пронизями из оловянис-той бронзы. Керамика относится к бакальской, юдинской и усть-ишимской культурам. Аналогии захоронениям с конем и инвентарем видим в культуре кимако-кипчакских групп и предварительно датируем некрополь IX-XII вв. н. э. Памятник позволяет расширить корпус источников по вопросам взаимодействия тюркских кочевников с лесостепным населением Западной . The cultural genesis of the West-Siberian population was influenced by Turkic Khaganates during the I millennium AD. Yet, concrete themes of migration processes and social-economic factors have not been studied. The description of the new materials of the medieval ground burial Mednyi Borok, that was found in the excavation process at a multi-layer settlement Staro-Lybaevo-1b, is published in this article. This burial complex is located near Staro-Lybaevo village in the Zavodoukovsk district of the Tyumen Region on the left bank of the Tobol River. 21 graves were investigated during the last two years. However, their wholeness was destroyed by robbers and erosion of sandy soils. It was possible to reconstruct some burial practices of the medieval West-Siberian population by the places of undisturbed bones of people, remains of horses’ skeletons, goods and pots. Separate children’s and single and paired adults’ graves were identified. The corpses were in poses elongated on the back, oriented to the North-West or the South-West. There were some secondary burials as well. 10 graves contained remains of horses’ heads, skin and legs, and 1 grave had a carcass of a bridled horse put in the grave. Artifacts are presented by earrings, bells, elements of horse trappings, arrow’s tips, knives, glass beads and bronze figural pendants. The pottery, discovered in the graves, belongs to Bakalsk, Yudino and Ust’-Ishim archaeological cultures. We find analogies to the graves with a horse and funeral equipment in Kimek culture. They are presumably identified as IX-XII AD necropolis. New materials from the site expand the corpus on the issues of Turkic nomads’ interaction with forest-steppe population of West-Siberia