Publication Activities of Pedagogical Universities: Quantitative and Qualitative Indicators

The article aims to study the effectiveness of teachers’ research activities at pedagogical universities. This indicator is measured by scientific publications that promote scientific research results and the dissemination of scientific flows that affect productivity and effectiveness of scientific activities at universities. The main methods of research are the quantitative analysis of the characteristics of teachers’ publication activity at pedagogical universities, the analysis of bibliometric data and their classification, statistical and comparative analysis. Within the framework of the study, a literature review is presented. The article highlights the results of the of the teachers’ publication activity analysis over the past five years and trends in the development of publication activity. The authors have also provided an analysis of the quality and the level of journals in which authors affiliated with pedagogical universities are published. In addition, the shortage of peer-reviewed journals for educational research publication is revealed. The conclusions are made about the specifics of promoting research of pedagogical universities: orientation of university teachers to publish research results in peer-reviewed journals; formation of collaborations with the leading Russian and foreign scientists or research groups for joint research. The authors also propose measures to eliminate difficulties in the teachers’ publication activities: training in the basics of legal literacy for intellectual activity results protection and promotion, as well as the formation of a support system for scientific and pedagogical staff for publishing research results in peer-reviewed journals

Fundamental social motives measured across forty-two cultures in two waves

How does psychology vary across human societies? The fundamental social motives framework adopts an evolutionary approach to capture the broad range of human social goals within a taxonomy of ancestrally recurring threats and opportunities. These motives—self-protection, disease avoidance, affiliation, status, mate acquisition, mate retention, and kin care—are high in fitness relevance and everyday salience, yet understudied cross-culturally. Here, we gathered data on these motives in 41 countries (N=15,885) in two cross-sectional waves, including 19 countries (N=11,095) for which data were gathered in both waves. Wave 1 was collected from 2016 through mid-2019 (32 countries, N=9353; 3537 male, 5574 female; Mage=24.58, SD=8.07). Wave 2 was collected from May through October 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic (N=6532; 2194 male, 4165 female; Mage=28.82, SD=11.49). These data can be used to assess differences and similarities in people’s fundamental social motives both across and within cultures, at different time points, and in relation to other commonly studied cultural indicators and outcomes

Retinoic Acid and Rapamycin Differentially Affect and Synergistically Promote the Ex Vivo Expansion of Natural Human T Regulatory Cells

Natural T regulatory cells (Tregs) are challenging to expand ex vivo, and this has severely hindered in vivo evaluation of their therapeutic potential. All trans retinoic acid (ATRA) plays an important role in mediating immune homeostasis in vivo, and we investigated whether ATRA could be used to promote the ex vivo expansion of Tregs purified from adult human peripheral blood. We found that ATRA helped maintain FOXP3 expression during the expansion process, but this effect was transient and serum-dependent. Furthermore, natural Tregs treated with rapamycin, but not with ATRA, suppressed cytokine production in co-cultured effector T cells. This suppressive activity correlated with the ability of expanded Tregs to induce FOXP3 expression in non-Treg cell populations. Examination of CD45RA+ and CD45RA− Treg subsets revealed that ATRA failed to maintain suppressive activity in either population, but interestingly, Tregs expanded in the presence of both rapamycin and ATRA displayed more suppressive activity and had a more favorable epigenetic status of the FOXP3 gene than Tregs expanded in the presence of rapamycin only. We conclude that while the use of ATRA as a single agent to expand Tregs for human therapy is not warranted, its use in combination with rapamycin may have benefit

THE RUSSIAN DATA OF INTERNATIONAL ENDORSE REGISTER (EPIDEMIOLOGIC INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR THE EVALUATION OF PATIENTS AT RISK OF VENOUS THROMBOSIS IN ACUTE HOSPITAL CARE SETTING)

Aim. To estimate a risk factor frequency of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients urgently hospitalized in hospitals, and also to estimate of patients part having effective prevention of VTE.Material and methods. ENDORSE (Epidemiologic International Day for the Evaluation of Patients at Risk of Venous Thrombosis in Acute Hospital Care Setting) is the international register. Patients of 40 years and older hospitalised in therapeutic departments as well as patients of 18 years and older hospitalised in surgical departments (358 hospitals in 32 countries) were included in the register. The case history analysis of all patients was performed for estimation of risk VTE and evaluation of preventive therapy quality according to American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) Recommendation 2004.Results. Totally 68 183 patients (including 30 827 (45%) surgical patients and 37 356 (55%) therapeutic patients) were enrolled in Global ENDORSE Register. Russian centers enrolled 4 788 patients (including 2 829 (59%) surgical patients and 1 959 (41%) therapeutic patients). Totally 35 329 (51,8%) patients enrolled in Global ENDORSE Register (64,4% of surgical patients (19 842) and 41,5% of therapeutic patients (15 487)) had VTE risks. In Russia 2 188 enrolled patients (45,7%) had VTE risks (52% of surgical patients (1 470) and 36,7% of therapeutic patients (718). Totally 17 732 (50,2%) patients enrolled in Global Register ENDORSE and having VTE risks received VTE preventive therapy according to АССР Recommendations 2004. In Russia 521 (23,8%) patients enrolled in Global ENDORSE Register and having VTE risks received VTE preventive therapy according to АССР Recommendations 2004. It is more than 2 times less in comparison with world level (р<0.001).Conclusion. There are a lot of patients with VTE risks in hospitals. It is necessary to improve preventive therapy of VTE due to better hospital management and more active use of АССР Recommendations 2004

The model of intermediate assessment of future teachers’ professional competencies

Introduction. The ideas of forming a unified educational space in the Russian Federation actualise the development of unified content and assessment components of teacher education programmes; therefore, there is the need to introduce innovative approaches to the process of assessing the learning outcomes of undergraduate pedagogical students. Currently, the system for assessing educational results in teacher education programmes is most often aimed at assessing the degree of mastery of disciplines (modules, practices), i.e. it has a disciplinary basis. However, in modern conditions, in order to assess the quality of pedagogical education, it is necessary to develop mechanisms for assessing the level of preparedness of a student (graduate) to solve real problems of professional pedagogical activity, including in the process of intermediate and final certification. New challenges require the construction of an assessment system in teacher education in accordance with social needs and requests. Aim. The present research aimed to develop a model for intermediate assessment of the level of professional competencies of undergraduate students in pedagogical areas of training in pedagogical universities. Methodology and research methods. The methodological basis of the article is the ideas of systemic, activity-based, person-oriented and competency-based approaches. In accordance with the research aim, the following methods were used: analysis and synthesis of scientific publications and regulatory legal documents, methods of comparative studies and analogies, a method for constructing a system of theoretical representations of the process to assess student achievements. Results and discussion. The authors proposed a competency-based model for intermediate assessment of the level of competency development among students studying in future teacher training programmes implemented from the standpoint of the unity of higher pedagogical education. The key characteristics of the model are: independence, continuity and consistency, openness, focus on the personal and professional development of the student, focus on the key professional competencies of the teacher, the use of assessment procedures and tools similar to those used in other assessment procedures (Unified State Exam, All-Russian Testing Papers, certification of teaching staff, international comparative studies); the possibility to use the results during the final certification of students. The study presents the main structural and dynamic components of the model for the intermediate assessment of professional competencies of students in pedagogical training programs. The implementation of the model for intermediate assessment of professional competencies of students in pedagogical training programmes, including at the level of universities, can be the basis for assessing the quality of teacher education. Scientific novelty. Based on a comparative analysis of international and Russian studies on the topic under investigation, the authors identified the relevance to study approaches to the design of assessment tools from the perspective of a competency-based approach in the context of the introduction of unified approaches into training programmes for future teachers. In the course of scientific research, based on generalisation and systematisation of research results on the topic, the model for intermediate assessment of professional competencies of students in pedagogical training programmes was developed and theoretically substantiated. A contribution has been made to the field of pedagogical science in terms of the development of the model focused on assessing the readiness of students in pedagogical programmes to carry out teaching activities, to solve problems of professional teaching activities that meet the professional standard. The results of the expert assessment suggest that the developed model is effective. Practical significance. The implementation of the proposed model in the process of assessing the professional competencies of students at pedagogical universities will make it possible to adjust the educational programmes for training teachers in terms of psychological, pedagogical, subject and methodological components, which can become a resource for transforming development programmes at pedagogical universities and educational programmes for training teachers.Введение. Идеи формирования единого образовательного пространства Российской Федерации актуализируют разработку единых содержательных и оценочных компонентов программ педагогического образования, что определяет необходимость внедрения инновационных подходов в процесс оценивания результатов обучения студентов педагогического бакалавриата. В настоящее время система оценки образовательных результатов по программам педагогического образования чаще всего направлена на оценку степени освоения дисциплин (модулей, практик), то есть имеет дисциплинарную основу. Однако в современных условиях для оценки качества педагогического образования необходима проработка механизмов оценки уровня подготовленности студента (выпускника) к решению реальных задач профессиональной педагогической деятельности, в том числе в процессе промежуточной и итоговой аттестации. Новые вызовы требуют построения системы оценки в педагогическом образовании в соответствии с социальными потребностями и запросом. Целью статьи является разработка модели промежуточной оценки уровня профессиональных компетенций студентов бакалавриата педагогических направлений подготовки в педагогических вузах. Методология, методы и методики. Методологической базой статьи являются идеи системного, деятельностного, личностно-ориентированного, компетентностного подходов. В соответствии с целью работы применены методы: анализ и синтез научных публикаций и нормативных правовых документов, методы компаративистики и аналогий, метод конструирования системы теоретических представлений процесса оценивания достижений обучающихся. Результаты. В работе предложена модель промежуточной оценки уровня развития компетенций у студентов, обучающихся по программам подготовки будущих учителей в условиях реализации единых требований к содержанию высшего педагогического образования, в основе которой лежит компетентностный подход. Ключевыми характеристиками модели являются независимость, непрерывность и последовательность, открытость, ориентация на личностное и профессиональное развитие студента, на ключевые профессиональные компетенции педагога, использование процедур и инструментария оценки, аналогичного применяемому в других оценочных процедурах (ЕГЭ, ВПР, аттестация педагогических кадров, международные сопоставительные исследования); возможность использования результатов при проведении итоговой аттестации студентов. В исследовании представлены основные структурно-динамические компоненты модели промежуточной оценки профессиональных компетенций обучающихся по программам педагогических направлений подготовки. Реализация модели промежуточной оценки профессиональных компетенций обучающихся по программам педагогических направлений подготовки, в том числе в разрезе вузов, может являться основой оценки качества педагогического образования. Научная новизна. На основе сравнительного анализа международных и российских исследований по теме работы выявлена актуальность изучения подходов к проектированию оценочных средств с позиций компетентностного подхода в условиях внедрения единых подходов в программы подготовки будущих учителей. В ходе научного поиска на основе обобщения и систематизации результатов исследований по теме разработана и теоретически обоснована модель промежуточной оценки профессиональных компетенций обучающихся по программам педагогических направлений подготовки. Осуществлен вклад в область педагогической науки в части разработки модели, ориентированной на оценку готовности студентов педагогических программ осуществлять педагогическую деятельность, решать задачи профессиональной педагогической деятельности, которые соответствуют профессиональному стандарту. Результаты экспертной оценки позволяют утверждать, что разработанная модель является эффективной. Практическая значимость. Реализация предложенной модели в процессе оценивания профессиональных компетенций студентов педагогических вузов позволит корректировать образовательные программы подготовки педагогических кадров в части психолого-педагогической, предметно-методической составляющих, что может стать ресурсом трансформации программ развития педагогических вузов и образовательных программ подготовки педагогов

Helios Expression Is a Marker of T Cell Activation and Proliferation

Foxp3+ T-regulatory cells (Tregs) normally serve to attenuate immune responses and are key to maintenance of immune homeostasis. Over the past decade, Treg cells have become a major focus of research for many groups, and various functional subsets have been characterized. Recently, the Ikaros family member, Helios, was reported as a marker to discriminate naturally occurring, thymic-derived Tregs from those peripherally induced from naïve CD4+ T cells. We investigated Helios expression in murine and human T cells under resting or activating conditions, using well-characterized molecules of naïve/effector/memory phenotypes, as well as a set of Treg-associated markers. We found that Helios-negative T cells are enriched for naïve T cell phenotypes and vice versa. Moreover, Helios can be induced during T cell activation and proliferation, but regresses in the same cells under resting conditions. We demonstrated comparable findings using human and murine CD4+Foxp3+ Tregs, as well as in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. Since Helios expression is associated with T cell activation and cellular division, regardless of the cell subset involved, it does not appear suitable as a marker to distinguish natural and induced Treg cells

Inhibition of SOC/Ca2+/NFAT pathway is involved in the anti-proliferative effect of sildenafil on pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Sildenafil, a potent phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor, has been proposed as a treatment for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The mechanism of its anti-proliferative effect on pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMC) is unclear. Nuclear translocation of nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NFAT) is thought to be involved in PASMC proliferation and PAH. Increase in cytosolic free [Ca²⁺] ([Ca²⁺]_i) is a prerequisite for NFAT nuclear translocation. Elevated [Ca²⁺]_iin PASMC of PAH patients has been demonstrated through up-regulation of store-operated Ca²⁺channels (SOC) which is encoded by the transient receptor potential (TRP) channel protein. Thus we investigated if: 1) up-regulation of TRPC1 channel expression which induces enhancement of SOC-mediated Ca²⁺influx and increase in [Ca²⁺]_iis involved in hypoxia-induced PASMC proliferation; 2) hypoxia-induced promotion of [Ca²⁺]_ileads to nuclear translocation of NFAT and regulates PASMC proliferation and TRPC1 expression; 3) the anti-proliferative effect of sildenafil is mediated by inhibition of this SOC/Ca²⁺/NFAT pathway.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Human PASMC were cultured under hypoxia (3% O₂) with or without sildenafil treatment for 72 h. Cell number and cell viability were determined with a hemocytometer and MTT assay respectively. [Ca²⁺]_iwas measured with a dynamic digital Ca²⁺imaging system by loading PASMC with fura 2-AM. TRPC1 mRNA and protein level were detected by RT-PCR and Western blotting respectively. Nuclear translocation of NFAT was determined by immunofluoresence microscopy.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Hypoxia induced PASMC proliferation with increases in basal [Ca²⁺]_iand Ca²⁺entry via SOC (SOCE). These were accompanied by up-regulation of TRPC1 gene and protein expression in PASMC. NFAT nuclear translocation was significantly enhanced by hypoxia, which was dependent on SOCE and sensitive to SOC inhibitor SKF96365 (SKF), as well as cGMP analogue, 8-brom-cGMP. Hypoxia-induced PASMC proliferation and TRPC1 up-regulation were inhibited by SKF and NFAT blocker (VIVIT and Cyclosporin A). Sildenafil treatment ameliorated hypoxia-induced PASMC proliferation and attenuated hypoxia-induced enhancement of basal [Ca²⁺]_i, SOCE, up-regulation of TRPC1 expression, and NFAT nuclear translocation.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The SOC/Ca²⁺/NFAT pathway is, at least in part, a downstream mediator for the anti-proliferative effect of sildenafil, and may have therapeutic potential for PAH treatment.</p

Capacitative calcium influx and proliferation of human osteoblastic-like MG-63 cells

Adult bone tissue is continuously being remodelled and bone mass is maintained by a balance between osteoclastic bone resorption and osteoblastic bone formation. Alteration of osteoblastic cell proliferation may account in part for lack of balance between these two processes in bone loss of osteoporosis. There is calcium (Ca2+) control in numerous cellular functions; however, involvement of capacitative Ca2+ entry (CCE) in proliferation of bone cells is less well investigated. OBJECTIVES: The study described here was aimed to investigate roles of CCE in the proliferation of osteoblast-like MG-63 cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pharmacological characterizations of CCE were undertaken in parallel, with evaluation of the expression of transient receptor potential canonical (TRPC) channels and of cell proliferation. RESULTS: Intracellular Ca2+ store depletion by thapsigargin induced CCE in MG-63 cells; this was characterized by a rapid transient increase of intracellular Ca2+ followed by significant CCE, induced by conditions that stimulated cell proliferation, namely serum and platelet-derived growth factor. Inhibitors of store-operated Ca2+ channels (2-APB and SKF-96365) prevented CCE, while voltage-dependent Ca2+ channel blockers had no effect. Expression of various TRPC channels was shown in the cells, some having been shown to be responsible for CCE. Voltage-dependent Ca2+ channel blockers had no effect on osteoblast proliferation while thapsigargin, 2-APB and SKF-96395, inhibited it. Cell cycle analysis showed that 2-APB and SKF-96395 lengthen the S and G2/M phases, which would account for the reduction in cell proliferation. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that CCE, likely attributed to the activation of TRPCs, might be the main route for Ca2+ influx involved in osteoblast proliferation

Молекулярно-биологические подтипы рака молочной железы у носителей мутаций в гене BRCA1

Background. According to the literature, BRCA1-associated breast cancer (BC) most often belongs to the triple negative (TNBC) molecular subtype. The data on the contribution of other molecular subtypes to this group of patients differ among different studies.The study objective is to evaluate the frequency of different tumor molecular subtypes in BC patients with BRCA1 gene mutation treated in N. N. Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology in the period from 2017 to 2020.Materials and methods. The study included BC patients with a mutation in the BRCA1 gene (n = 209) identified as a result BRCA1 mutation screening of patients with BC. DNA diagnostics was carried out on blood samples of patients using the real-time polymerase chain reaction method. After analyzing the patients primary documentation clinical and morphological data were taken into account: the age of diagnosis, the stage of the disease, the results of immunohistochemical studies (estrogen receptor status, progesterone receptor status, HER2 expression, Ki-67 proliferation index). The assignment to the particular molecular tumour subtypes was performed according to estrogen receptor status, progesterone receptor status, HER2 status and Ki67 value.Results. Clinical and pathomorphological data of 209 patients with BRCA1-associated BC were analyzed. The age at diagnosis ranged from 23 to 72 years, the median age was 40 years, the mean age was 41.46 ± 9.82 years. BC associated with BRCA1 was found to be TNBC in 71.3 % and luminal B, HER2 negative (LumB–) in 19.1 % of the cases. Other tumour subtypes were much less common: luminal B, HER2 positive (LumB+) in 7.2 %, luminal A (LumA) in 1 % and HER2-positive (HER2+) in 1.4 % of the cases. The frequency of subtypes was estimated in different age groups (1st – patients 23–34 (n = 53), 2nd – 35–49 (n = 111), and 3rd – 50–72 (n = 45) years old). TNBC frequency was 81.1 % in the 1st group, 73.9 % in the 2nd and 53.4 % in the 3rd group; LumB– frequency was 15.1, 15.3 and 33.3 % respectively. Using the Fisher test it was shown that the differences in frequencies were statistically significant between groups 1st and 3 rd, as well as between groups 2 nd and 3 rd (p &lt;0.05).Conclusion. TNBC was the main molecular subtype in all age groups of BC patients with BRCA1 germinal mutation, TNBC frequency was lower in the older age group. LumB– subtype was also common in BRCA1-associated tumors especially in older women.Введение. По данным опубликованных исследований, BRCA1-ассоциированный рак молочной железы (РМЖ) наиболее часто относится к тройному негативному молекулярному подтипу (triple-negative breast cancer, TNBC). Данные о соотношении других молекулярных подтипов среди этой группы пациентов различаются у разных авторов.Цель исследования – оценить частоту различных молекулярно-биологических подтипов опухолей в российской группе больных РМЖ с мутацией в гене BRCA1, находившихся на лечении в НМИЦ онкологии им. Н. Н. Блохина в период с 2017 по 2020 г.Материалы и методы. В исследование были отобраны пациенты с РМЖ с наличием мутации в гене BRCA1 (n = 209), выявленной в результате ДНК-диагностики при скрининге больных РМЖ. Для выявления герминальной мутации использовали ДНК пациентов, выделенную из лимфоцитов периферической крови, анализ проводили методом полимеразной цепной реакции в реальном времени. При анализе первичной документации больных были учтены клинико-морфологические данные: возраст постановки диагноза, стадия заболевания, результаты иммуногистохимического исследования (статус рецепторов эстрогена и прогестерона, HER2 и индекс пролиферации Ki-67). На основании оценки статуса рецепторов эстрогена и прогестерона, экспрессии HER2 и значения Ki-67 определена частота 5 молекулярных подтипов опухолей.Результаты. Проведен анализ клинических и патоморфологических данных 209 пациентов с BRCA1-accоциированным РМЖ. Возраст постановки диагноза варьировал в диапазоне 23–72 лет (медиана 40 лет; среднее значение 41,46 ± 9,82 года). РМЖ, ассоциированный с BRCA1, в 71,3 % случаев относился к TNBC, в 19,1 % – к люминальному В, HER2-отрицательному (LumB–). Другие подтипы опухолей встречались значительно реже: люминальный В, HER2-положительный (LumB+) – в 7,2 % случаев, люминальный А (LumA) – в 1,0 %, HER2-положительный (HER2+) – в 1,4 %. Проведена оценка встречаемости подтипов в разных возрастных подгруппах: 1-я – больные в возрасте 23–34 лет (n = 53); 2-я – 35–49 лет (n = 111); 3-я – 50–72 лет (n = 45). Частота TNBC составила 81,1 % в 1-й подгруппе, 73,9 % – во 2-й и 53,4 % – в 3-й; частота LumB– составила 15,1; 15,3 и 33,3 % соответственно. При использовании критерия Фишера показано, что различия в частотах между 1-й и 3-й, а также между 2-й и 3-й подгруппами статистически значимы (p &lt;0,05).Заключение. Во всех возрастных подгруппах пациентов с РМЖ, имеющих герминальную мутацию в гене BRCA1, основным молекулярным подтипом является TNBC, частота встречаемости которого ниже в старшей возрастной подгруппе. Подтип LumB– также характерен для BRCA1-ассоциированных опухолей, особенно у женщин старшего возраста