SWOT analysis as a strategic tool for developing the quality management system of an educational organization

The article discusses the need to implement effective risk management tools in the quality management system of an educational organization, due to the increasing requirements of the external environment, increasing competition, and the globalization of the educational space. The main focus is on SWOT analysis as one of the reliable and effective tools for qualitative analysis of the organization's strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats. The article highlights the features of using SWOT analysis in the process of risk management of an educational organizatio

The Ghrelin Signalling System Is Involved in the Consumption of Sweets

The gastric-derived orexigenic peptide ghrelin affects brain circuits involved in energy balance as well as in reward. Indeed, ghrelin activates an important reward circuit involved in natural- as well as drug-induced reward, the cholinergic-dopaminergic reward link. It has been hypothesized that there is a common reward mechanism for alcohol and sweet substances in both animals and humans. Alcohol dependent individuals have higher craving for sweets than do healthy controls and the hedonic response to sweet taste may, at least in part, depend on genetic factors. Rat selectively bred for high sucrose intake have higher alcohol consumption than non-sucrose preferring rats and vice versa. In the present study a group of alcohol-consuming individuals selected from a population cohort was investigated for genetic variants of the ghrelin signalling system in relation to both their alcohol and sucrose consumption. Moreover, the effects of GHS-R1A antagonism on voluntary sucrose- intake and operant self-administration, as well as saccharin intake were investigated in preclinical studies using rodents. The effects of peripheral grelin administration on sucrose intake were also examined. Here we found associations with the ghrelin gene haplotypes and increased sucrose consumption, and a trend for the same association was seen in the high alcohol consumers. The preclinical data show that a GHS-R1A antagonist reduces the intake and self-administration of sucrose in rats as well as saccharin intake in mice. Further, ghrelin increases the intake of sucrose in rats. Collectively, our data provide a clear indication that the GHS-R1A antagonists reduces and ghrelin increases the intake of rewarding substances and hence, the central ghrelin signalling system provides a novel target for the development of drug strategies to treat addictive behaviours

Sweet taste pleasantness is modulated by morphine and naltrexone

Rodent models highlight the key role of µ-opioid receptor (MOR) signaling in palatable food consumption. In humans however, the effects of MOR stimulation on eating and food liking remain unclear. In a bidirectional psychopharmacological cross-over study, 49 healthy men underwent a sweet taste paradigm following double-blind administration of the MOR agonist morphine, placebo, and the opioid antagonist nalt rexone. We hypothesized that behaviors regulated by the endogenous MOR system would be enhanced by MOR agonism, and decreased by antagonism. The strongest drug effects were expected for the sweetest (high-calorie) sucrose solution, as reported in rodents. However, very sweet sucrose-water solutions are considered sickly and aversive by many people (called sweet dislikers). Since both sweet likers and dislikers were tested, we were able to assess whether MOR manipulations affect pleasantness ratings differently depending on both subjective and objective value. As hypothesized, MOR stimulation with morphine increased pleasantness of the sweetest of five sucrose solutions, without enhancing pleasantness of the lower-sucrose solutions. For opioid antagonism, an opposite pattern was observed for the sweetest drink only. This bidirectional effect of agonist and antagonist treatment is consistent with rodent findings that MOR manipulations most strongly affect the highest-calorie foods. Importantly, the observed drug effects on pleasantness of the sweetest drink did not differ between sweet likers and dislikers. We speculate that the MOR system promotes survival in part by increasing concordance between the objective (caloric) and subjective (hedonic) value of food stimuli, so that feeding behaviour becomes more focused on the richest food available

The Human Sweet Tooth

Humans love the taste of sugar and the word "sweet" is used to describe not only this basic taste quality but also something that is desirable or pleasurable, e.g., la dolce vita. Although sugar or sweetened foods are generally among the most preferred choices, not everyone likes sugar, especially at high concentrations. The focus of my group's research is to understand why some people have a sweet tooth and others do not. We have used genetic and molecular techniques in humans, rats, mice, cats and primates to understand the origins of sweet taste perception. Our studies demonstrate that there are two sweet receptor genes (TAS1R2 and TAS1R3), and alleles of one of the two genes predict the avidity with which some mammals drink sweet solutions. We also find a relationship between sweet and bitter perception. Children who are genetically more sensitive to bitter compounds report that very sweet solutions are more pleasant and they prefer sweet carbonated beverages more than milk, relative to less bitter-sensitive peers. Overall, people differ in their ability to perceive the basic tastes, and particular constellations of genes and experience may drive some people, but not others, toward a caries-inducing sweet diet. Future studies will be designed to understand how a genetic preference for sweet food and drink might contribute to the development of dental caries

Behavioral genetics and taste

This review focuses on behavioral genetic studies of sweet, umami, bitter and salt taste responses in mammals. Studies involving mouse inbred strain comparisons and genetic analyses, and their impact on elucidation of taste receptors and transduction mechanisms are discussed. Finally, the effect of genetic variation in taste responsiveness on complex traits such as drug intake is considered. Recent advances in development of genomic resources make behavioral genetics a powerful approach for understanding mechanisms of taste

Peculiarities of teaching students with mosaic thinking

As the aim of the research, the author set the task of searching for new ways of conducting educational activity when teaching Project Management at the university taking into account the dominating mosaic thinking of modern students. There is a need to teach students of the given field logical thinking, the ability to work in the financial and humanitarian spheres of current business. In order to get a result, the analysis of the existing scientific views and approaches to teaching students with dominating mosaic thinking was conducted. The existing views by both Russian and foreign authors of mosaic thinking were considered, its different educational, psychological and philosophical aspects. As a result of the synthesis of the given approaches, taking into account the author’s inventions, proposals were developed on solving the problems of mosaic thinking in teaching students. Taking a constructive approach as a basis, the mosaic thinking is suggested to be considered as a phenomenon having both advantages and disadvantages. Changing the content of the educational process is done through updating standard methods and patterns of education, wide use of innovation approaches, intensifying cooperation and online collaboration of the teacher and the student in the process of study. The basis is formed by the emotional impact on the student in the course of studies, which will allow using logic and form the intention to learn the presented fact. Teaching Project Management to students is proposed taking into account their mosaic thinking, in four stages. During the lecture students receive a chain of images structured by the lecturer in the sequence embracing basic issues of the theme under consideration and presented in such a way as to inspire them to study the given questions independently. At the second stage, the students search for the solution of the assigned tasks in the course of independent work with the opportunities available for their level of perception. During the seminar classes (practical studies) at the third stage, the lecturer evaluates the quantity and quality of the solutions of practical tasks (case problems) found by the students. In the course of discussion, the students share their variants of solving practical problems, grounding the relevance of the proposed variants. At the fourth stage (midterm assessment – examination) the students develop a project as a whole or one of its stages, solving a set of interrelated practical problems. Since mosaic thinking is the reality of a new information society now, a conclusion was made of the necessity not to fight mosaic thinking, but to reorganize the educational process taking into account, on the one hand, the peculiarities of students having mosaic thinking, on the other hand, needs of business which requires project managers capable of both processing great amounts of information and arranging logical chains and determining cause and effect relationships. The given modification of education is proposed to be implemented in regards to changing the content of lectures and seminar classes, adding figurativeness and emotionalism into them, which will make it possible to set the cognitive activity of the students having mosaic thinking, and changing the direction and content of students’ independent work, setting the independent search for solving problems and case tasks as its goal

Маркетинговые аспекты псевдопраздного потребления и качество жизни: на примере Республики Казахстан

Демонстративне псевдомарнотратне споживання є бичем сучасних пострадянських суспільств, який розвиненим країнам вдалося перемогти з великими труднощами. Цей феномен заважає економічним суб'єктам вести співрозмірне з рівнем доходу існування в рамках і без того нестабільних систем ресурсоорієнтованих економік, що розвиваються. Найгіршим у цій ситуації є не сам феномен, а байдуже ставлення до нього з боку громадян і держави в цілому. Сліпе і невірне слідування традиціям, хибним реаліями нового часу, підштовхує народ до необгрунтованого марнотратного споживання благ, що все більше заганяє його в борги. Подібна проблема багато в чому пов'язана з малим досвідом громадян цих держав і Казахстану зокрема в проживанні в молодому капіталістичному суспільстві. Однак якщо республіка бере курс на входження до числа найбільш розвинених країн світу, їй необхідно якомога швидше прищепити своїм громадянам прагнення до добробуту і процвітання, що є принципом розвинених держав в аспекті якості життя. А для цього необхідно підтримувати високий рівень культури споживання, стримуючи її негативні прояви в аспекті псевдомарнотратного споживання різних, часто імпортованих благ, яке вганяє населення в борги перед банками, псуючи тим самим і показники якості життя, і загальну ситуацію у фінансовій сфері держави, яка підривається зниженням довіри банків до нераціональних та неплатоспроможних суб'єктів кредитування.Демонстративное псевдопраздное потребление является бичом современных постсоветских обществ, который развитым странам удалось победить с большим трудом. Данный феномен мешает экономическим субъектам вести соразмеренное с располагаемым уровнем дохода существование в рамках и без того нестабильной системы ресурсоориентированных развивающихся экономик. Хуже всего в данной ситуации не само явления, а попустительское отношение к нему со стороны граждан и государства в целом. Слепое и неверное следование традициям, извращенных реалиями нового времени, подталкивает народ к необоснованному потреблению праздных благ, которое все больше загоняет его в кредитные долги и грядущие бедствия. Подобная проблема во многом связана с малым опытом граждан этих государств и Казахстана в частности в проживании в молодом капиталистическом обществе. Однако, если республика берет курс на вхождение в число наиболее развитых стран мира, ей необходимо как можно быстрее привить своим гражданам стремление к благосостоянию и процветанию, что является принципом развитых государств в аспекте качества жизни. А для этого необходимо поддерживать высокий уровень культуры потребления, сдерживая её негативные проявления в аспекте псевдопраздного потребления различных, зачастую импортируемых благ, которое вгоняет население в долги перед банками, портя тем самым и показатели качества жизни и общую ситуацию в финансовой сфере государства, которая подрывается снижением доверия банков к нерациональным и неплатежеспособным субъектам кредитования.Conspicuous pseudo-leisure consumption is a nowadays whip of modern post-Soviet societies, what was overcame by developed countries with a hard work. This phenomenon prevents for economical subjects to exist in balance with disposable level of incomes in boarders of unstable system of resource – oriented developing economies. The worst thing in this situation is not this phenomenon by itself, but an affliction attitude for it from the side of citizens and state in general. Sightless and incorrect following the traditions, which are perverted with modern realities, pushes people to unreasonable consumption of leisure goods and this fact makes them "hunted" into some credit regards and future adversities. This problem is related to a small experience of citizens in these states about living in immature capitalistic society and Kazakhstan is not an exception as well. However, if republic takes course for moving into the tops of mostly developed world counties, it will be necessary to adopt them a habit to move for a wealth and prosperity, as fast as it possible, because such approach is based on the principals of developed states in aspect of quality of living. For realization of this point it is very important to keep a high level of consumption culture, prevent its negative exertions in aspect of consumption of different imported goods, what pushes population into banking debts. This fact spoils all indexes of living qualities and total situation in financial sphere of state's life, what explodes by decreasing confidence of banks to unreasonable and unreliable subjects for potential lending

Enhancement of photon–magnon coupling strength by inverted split-ring resonator at GHz

A series of inverse split-ring resonators (ISRR) loaded with an yttrium iron garnet (YIG) film were numerically and experimentally studied to provide strong photon–magnon coupling strength and cooperativity enhancement. An increase in the photon–magnon coupling strength and cooperativity has been achieved due to the simultaneous increase in the spatial overlapping between the ISRR microwave electromagnetic field magnetic component and the uniform magnon mode in the YIG, and the appearance of spatial areas with higher ISRR electromagnetic field magnetic component strength. Practically, this was reached for the ISRR by increasing the conducting gap length and changing the conducting gap shape by protrusions forming. Higher values of spin-number-normalized photon–magnon coupling strength gN and cooperativity C were reached in all cases for the ISRR with protrusion (compared with ISSR with identical conducting gap length but without protrusion). All resonators presented in this paper seem to be more prospective for the realization in quantum hybrid systems than conventional split-ring resonators and ISRR