An Insight Into Beneficial Pseudomonas bacteria

Pseudomonas is a widespread bacterial genus embracing a vast number of species. Various genosystematic methods are used to identify Pseudomonas and differentiate these bacteria from species of the same genus and species of other genera. Ability to degrade and produce a whole spectrum of compounds makes these species perspective in industrial applications. It also makes possible to use various media, including wastes, for cultivation of Pseudomonas. Pseudomonads may be applied in bioremediation, production of polymers and low-molecular-weight compounds, biocontrol. Recent studies open up new frontiers for further use of Pseudomonas in various areas

Virtual Class Management

The COVID-19 outbreak locked down the university classrooms and transferred the teaching and learning activities to a virtual space. This paper discusses the challenges the teachers faced due to this dramatic transfer from habitual classrooms to virtual on-line classes. This small-scale empirical research focuses on two research questions: Which challenges and problems did the teachers face, which solutions did they find to overcome them? The study also investigates the techniques of synchronous on-line classes management employed by the teachers after the COVID-19 restrictions were imposed on traditional delivery modes in higher education. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 10 university teaching staff members who commenced giving online classes in March 2020. The research findings revealed that the main challenge for teachers was to find a learning platform providing videoconferencing tools, and the solutions were found basically through asking their colleagues for advice. The findings also identified one of the teachers’ concerns related to handling students’ misbehaviour during online classes, and a general need in developing teachers’ virtual class management skills

Development of a Mechanism for the Management of University Research Activities Based on the Principles of Sustainable Development

The article is devoted to the topical issues of performance evaluation and management of university research groups for its sustainable development. Scientific groups are one of the effective levers for increasing and activation of research activities in the university, as they cover all areas of its activities: performance of research and development work, building a portfolio of orders, preparation of applications for intellectual property objects, preparation of articles and reports, training of highly qualified personnel and implementation of expert activities. To develop a methodology for assessing the effectiveness of research teams, the existing methods for analyzing the management of research activities of universities in Russian and world practice were considered, where their advantages and disadvantages were identified. The university’s organizational and economic mechanism of research activities management was developed based on the above and the principles of sustainable development of higher education institutions

Associations of SNPs of the ADIPOQ Gene with Serum Adiponectin Levels, Unstable Angina, and Coronary Artery Disease

Adiponectin is encoded by the ADIPOQ gene and participates in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. The goal of the study was to assess associations of rs17300539, rs266729, rs182052, rs2241766, and rs17366743 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the ADIPOQ gene with concentrations of serum adiponectin and with coronary atherosclerosis and type 2 diabetes mellitus in 447 patients (316 men and 131 women) subjected to coronary angiography. SNPs of the ADIPOQ gene of the study participants were genotyped using real-time PCR. Multivariate linear regression adjusted for covariates revealed significant association between rs182052 SNP and serum adiponectin concentration (β= –0.11; 95% confidence interval (95%CI): –0.19, –0.03; p = 0.016). Regression analysis revealed an increase in prevalence of unstable angina (OR (odds ratio) = 2.55; 95%CI 1.4–4.82; p = 0.018) and coronary artery disease (OR = 1.55; 95%CI 1.15–2.09; p = 0.021) per copy of the rs182052 A allele. Prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus was higher in subjects with the rs182052 A allele (OR = 2.29; 95%CI 1.29-4.21; p = 0.024). Regression analysis of rs266729 showed that prevalence of unstable angina was increased (OR = 3.59; 95%CI 1.17–10.01; p = 0.045) in the subjects with the GG genotype and prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD) was significantly increased (OR = 1.48; 95%CI 1.09–2.03; p = 0.045) per copy of the G allele. Haplotype analysis revealed that the subjects with the GCATT haplotype have lower adiponectin levels (β= –0.15; p = 0.042) and higher prevalence of unstable angina (OR = 3.597; p = 0.007) compared with reference haplotype carriers. Thus, the results indicate that minor A allele of rs182052 of the ADIPOQ gene is significantly associated with a decrease in serum adiponectin levels, and two SNPs (rs182052 and rs266729) of the ADIPOQ gene are significantly associated with cardiovascular and metabolic diseases