Social Media as a Development Tool English Communicative Competence

The purpose of the research is to determine the effectiveness of the practical application of social media based on Web 2.0 technologies, aimed at developing students' English-speaking communicative competence. To implement the tasks and test the hypothesis put forward, the following scientific research methods were used: empirical (experimental learning using social media based on Web 2.0); diagnostic: observation, testing of students; statistical method - mathematical analysis of the data obtained during the experiment; descriptive: description and verbal recording of results. The results of the experimental study showed the correctness of the hypothesis put forward that the formation of English-speaking communicative competence among students will become more effective when creating a methodology using social media formed on technologies Web 2.0. For practical implementation of obtained theoretical conclusions after the experiment, it is necessary to have certain pedagogical conditions. Among these: taking into account the peculiarities of the educational environment, enhancing the speech activity of students with the participation of social media based on Web 2.0 technologies. They were developed on the basis of the results of diagnostics of the level of formation of the English-speaking communicative competence in the process of teaching students in streaming mode. Future scientific searches are possible in the direction of theoretical substantiation and practical application of new social media based on Web 2.0 technology in other training courses and other (non-philological) specialties. This vector of research is especially necessary during distance learning as an alternative to the traditional educational process

Business diagnostics as a universal tool for stady of state and determination of corporations development directions and strategies

The aim of the article is to show how the use of diagnostic methods allows identifying patterns and problems of corporations functioning, providing identification of directions and strategies for further development of their business. Theoretical and methodological basis of the research is a scientific works of scientists in the field of business diagnostics and strategic development, who studied diagnostics in the system of responding to business development problems, identifying areas for improving strategic management, financial statements of corporations of Daimler Group (Germany), Tesla Motors (USA) and Toyota Motor (Japan) and own research results. The methodological basis of the study is a set of general and special methods used to achieve the goal of the research and includes: theoretical generalization and synthesis – in analyzing the content of scientific works on business diagnostics and strategic management; observation – to obtain primary information about the state of business of automotive companies in the world; indicator and integrated assessment – to assess the state of business and the effectiveness of strategic management of automotive corporations; information and logical analysis – when determining the issues and patterns of business development of corporations; problem-target method – to justify the choice of business development strategies; causation-result method – to obtain definitive conclusions. The results of the study of the state of business of the world's leading automotive corporations revealed the dependence of business efficiency on the degree of efficiency of strategic management of their activities, and identified types of strategies that will promote further development of automotive corporations – integrated, concentrated, diversified or globalized growth. The practical significance of the obtained results lies in their usefulness for strategic management for Daimler Group, Tesla Motors, Toyota Motor Corporation

Identification of Novel Antistaphylococcal Hit Compounds Targeting Sortase A

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a causative agent of many hospital- and community-acquired infections with the tendency to develop resistance to all known antibiotics. Therefore, the development of novel antistaphylococcal agents is of urgent need. Sortase A is considered a promising molecular target for the development of antistaphylococcal agents. The main aim of this study was to identify novel sortase A inhibitors. In order to find novel antistaphylococcal agents, we performed phenotypic screening of a library containing 15512 compounds against S. aureus ATCC43300. The molecular docking of hits was performed using the DOCK program and 10 compounds were selected for in vitro enzymatic activity inhibition assay. Two inhibitors were identified, N,N-diethyl-N′-(5-nitro-2-(quinazolin-2-yl)phenyl)propane-1,3-diamine (1) and acridin-9-yl-(1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl)-amine (2), which decrease sortase A activity with IC50 values of 160.3 µM and 207.01 µM, respectively. It was found that compounds 1 and 2 possess antibacterial activity toward 29 tested multidrug resistant S. aureus strains with MIC values ranging from 78.12 to 312.5 mg/L. These compounds can be used for further structural optimization and biological research

Non-enzymatic activation of prothrombin induced by interaction with fibrin β26-42 region

We have discovered that addition of monomeric desAB fibrin to prothrombin leads to appearance of the thrombin-like activity of prothrombin towards S2238 chromogenic substrate. DesA and desABβ(15-42)2 fibrin forms did not cause any activation of prothrombin. From this observation we could suggested that amino acid residues of the 15-42 fragment of BβN-domain presented in desAB fibrin, cleaved in desABβ(15-42)2 fibrin and protected in desA fibrin, play a crucial role in the non-enzymatic activation of prothrombin. To identify the Bβ amino acid residues involved in the fibrin-prothrombin binding we used monoclonal antibodies 1-5G and 2d2a with epitopes in Bβ26-42 and Bβ12-26 fibrin fragments respectively. The thrombin-like activity in the mixture of prothrombin and desAB fibrin was monitored in the presence of each of these monoclonal antibodies. It was found that anti-Bβ12-26 antibody does not exhibit any inhibitory effect on the thombin-like activity of the mixture. In contrast, adding of Bβ26-42 antibody into the mixture of desAB fibrin with prothrombin diminished the thrombin-like activity by 70%. Recombinant dimeric peptides Bβ(15-44)2 and Bβ(15-66)2 that mimic amino acid residues in fibrin were also tested for their ability to activate prothrombin. It was found that both peptides were able to induce non-enzymatic activation of prothrombin. The activation was more evident in the case of Bβ(15-44)2 peptide. From the data obtained we can conclude that desAB fibrin binds to prothrombin through the Bβ26-42 amino acid residues and the formation of such a complex caused a non-enzymatic activation of prothrombin

Identification of Novel Antistaphylococcal Hit Compounds Targeting Sortase A

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a causative agent of many hospital- and community-acquired infections with the tendency to develop resistance to all known antibiotics. Therefore, the development of novel antistaphylococcal agents is of urgent need. Sortase A is considered a promising molecular target for the development of antistaphylococcal agents. The main aim of this study was to identify novel sortase A inhibitors. In order to find novel antistaphylococcal agents, we performed phenotypic screening of a library containing 15512 compounds against S. aureus ATCC43300. The molecular docking of hits was performed using the DOCK program and 10 compounds were selected for in vitro enzymatic activity inhibition assay. Two inhibitors were identified, N,N-diethyl-N′-(5-nitro-2-(quinazolin-2-yl)phenyl)propane-1,3-diamine (1) and acridin-9-yl-(1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl)-amine (2), which decrease sortase A activity with IC50 values of 160.3 µM and 207.01 µM, respectively. It was found that compounds 1 and 2 possess antibacterial activity toward 29 tested multidrug resistant S. aureus strains with MIC values ranging from 78.12 to 312.5 mg/L. These compounds can be used for further structural optimization and biological research