Romance Etymology: Tendencies and Prospects

The article is devoted to the methodology, theory and practice of etymological research in Romance linguistics. The paper presents general regularities of the construction of the Romance etymological dictionaries and the main directions in the modern Romance etymology. The relevance of the work is determined by the special importance of etymology for the Romance languages, which origin and development is well documented, as well as by the limited use of Romance material outside the circle of novelists. Special attention is paid to dictionaries of French and Italian languages. The novelty of the study is due to the fact that the paper identifies the main lines of development of modern etymological studies both in retrospect and in prospect. The article shows how the etymological method that establishes the origin of the word and the historical analysis that recreates the history of the word are combined in the application to the Romance languages, as well as how the phonetic, morphological and semantic components are correlated in the etymological study

Reflection of University Students’ Interethnic Tolerance in Russian Media Education: Past and Present

The article is devoted to the analysis of the issue of students’ interethnic tolerance in Russian scientific research. The aim is to identify the main periods of the development of interethnic tolerance issue in the post-Soviet times. Analyzing social and cultural, theoretical and methodological aspects of the research in the context of media education is strategically important for defining the main approaches to the further development of media education.The research was carried out with the financial support of the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (RFBR) as a part of the scientific project No. 19-013-00030 “Reflection of the issue of interethnic tolerance of the student youth in Russian and English-language media education in the post-Soviet period (1992–2020)” carried out at the Rostov State University of Economics. The project manager is PhD in Pedagogy, Associate Professor I. V. Chelysheva

Theoretical Aspects of the Problem of Forming the Culture of Tolerance of Students in the Media Space

In the process of reforming and modernizing modern Russian education, the problems of searching for new methods, technologies, techniques and methods of the educational process in the work with the younger generation, presented in Russian and foreign pedagogical science, are actualized. This is the reason for the interest in the problems of education by means and on the material of mass media (television, radio, cinema, the press, the Internet, etc.). Modern QMS have a significant impact on the worldview, life priorities and interests of young people, as well as the enormous opportunities that media education offers for the development of analytical thinking, media security and social adaptation of young people in a rapidly growing information flow. The intensification of this process in connection with the active introduction of the Internet, communication networks and the increasing media threat associated with manifestations of extremism, terrorism and, as a result, the need to ensure the media safety of student youth has increased significantly in recent decades. The life of the modern generation is closely connected with the media of communication and information, which in turn actualizes the need to develop analytical skills, independent thinking and safe strategies of existence in the media space. Of particular relevance is the problem of forming a culture of inter-ethnic tolerance in the work with students, including representatives of different ethnic groups living in the Russian Federation, their personal social position, level of inter-ethnic culture. In the context of the intensification of the media flow and the rapid development of media in all spheres of life of today's students, the tasks related to identifying the main prospects for media education for the development of inter-ethnic tolerance are actualized. Theoretical analysis of the use of media education potential, including forms and methods aimed at the development of interethnic tolerance of modern students, the reduction of media attitudes related to extremist orientation, which will contribute to the development of their independent, conscious attitude of respect, trust and peace-loving attitude towards other peoples based on constructive dialogue positions, non-violent interaction and intercultural exchange opportunities.В процессе реформирования и модернизации современного российского образования актуализируются проблемы поиска новых методик, технологий, приемов и методов образовательного процесса в работе с подрастающим поколением, представленных в отечественной и зарубежной педагогической науке. Этим обусловлен интерес к проблемам образования средствами и на материале средств массовой коммуникации (телевидения, радио, кинематографа, прессы, сети Интернет и т.д.). Современные СМК оказывают значительное влияние на мировоззрение, жизненные приоритеты и интересы молодежи, а также огромными возможностями, которые открывает медиаобразование для развития аналитического мышления, медиабезопасности и социальной адаптации молодых людей в условиях стремительно растущего информационного потока. Интенсификация данного процесса в связи с активным внедрением Интернет, коммуникационных сетей и возрастанием медиаугроз, связанных с проявлениями экстремизма, терроризма и, как следствие – необходимостью обеспечения медиабезопасности студенческой молодежи существенно возросла в последние десятилетия. Жизнь современного поколения тесно связана со средствами массовой коммуникации и информации, что в свою очередь актуализирует необходимость развития аналитических навыков, самостоятельного мышления и безопасных стратегий существования в медиапространстве. Особую актуальность проблема формирования культуры межэтнической толерантности приобретает в работе со студенческой молодежью, включая представителей разных народностей, проживающих в РФ, их личной социальной позиции, уровня межнациональной культуры. В условиях интенсификации медийного потока и бурного развития медиа во всех сферах жизни современной студенческой молодежи актуализируются задачи, связанные с выявлением основных перспектив медиаобразования для развития межэтнической толерантности. Теоретический анализ использования потенциала медиаобразования, включая формы и методы, направленные на развитие межэтнической толерантности современного студенчества, снижению медиарисков, связанных с экстремистской направленностью, которые будут способствовать выработке их самостоятельной, сознательной позиции уважения, доверия и миролюбивого отношения к другим народам, основанного на конструктивных диалогических позициях, ненасильственном взаимодействии и возможностях межкультурного обмена.Исследование выполнено при финансовой поддержке Российского фонда фундаментальный исследований (РФФИ) в рамках научного проекта № 19-013-00030 «Отражение проблемы межэтнической толерантности студенческой молодежи в российском и англоязычном медиаобразовании постсоветского периода (1992-2020)», выполняемого в Ростовском государственном экономическом университете

Transcriptome Analysis of the Arabidopsis Megaspore Mother Cell Uncovers the Importance of RNA Helicases for Plant Germline Development

Germ line specification is a crucial step in the life cycle of all organisms. For sexual plant reproduction, the megaspore mother cell (MMC) is of crucial importance: it marks the first cell of the plant “germline” lineage that gets committed to undergo meiosis. One of the meiotic products, the functional megaspore, subsequently gives rise to the haploid, multicellular female gametophyte that harbours the female gametes. The MMC is formed by selection and differentiation of a single somatic, sub-epidermal cell in the ovule. The transcriptional network underlying MMC specification and differentiation is largely unknown. We provide the first transcriptome analysis of an MMC using the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana with a combination of laser-assisted microdissection and microarray hybridizations. Statistical analyses identified an over-representation of translational regulation control pathways and a significant enrichment of DEAD/DEAH-box helicases in the MMC transcriptome, paralleling important features of the animal germline. Analysis of two independent T-DNA insertion lines suggests an important role of an enriched helicase, MNEME (MEM), in MMC differentiation and the restriction of the germline fate to only one cell per ovule primordium. In heterozygous mem mutants, additional enlarged MMC-like cells, which sometimes initiate female gametophyte development, were observed at higher frequencies than in the wild type. This closely resembles the phenotype of mutants affected in the small RNA and DNA-methylation pathways important for epigenetic regulation. Importantly, the mem phenotype shows features of apospory, as female gametophytes initiate from two non-sister cells in these mutants. Moreover, in mem gametophytic nuclei, both higher order chromatin structure and the distribution of LIKE HETEROCHROMATIN PROTEIN1 were affected, indicating epigenetic perturbations. In summary, the MMC transcriptome sets the stage for future functional characterization as illustrated by the identification of MEM, a novel gene involved in the restriction of germline fate

News from Arabidopsis on the Meiotic Roles of Blap75/Rmi1 and Top3α

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Meiosis-Specific Loading of the Centromere-Specific Histone CENH3 in Arabidopsis thaliana

Centromere behavior is specialized in meiosis I, so that sister chromatids of homologous chromosomes are pulled toward the same side of the spindle (through kinetochore mono-orientation) and chromosome number is reduced. Factors required for mono-orientation have been identified in yeast. However, comparatively little is known about how meiotic centromere behavior is specialized in animals and plants that typically have large tandem repeat centromeres. Kinetochores are nucleated by the centromere-specific histone CENH3. Unlike conventional histone H3s, CENH3 is rapidly evolving, particularly in its N-terminal tail domain. Here we describe chimeric variants of CENH3 with alterations in the N-terminal tail that are specifically defective in meiosis. Arabidopsis thaliana cenh3 mutants expressing a GFP-tagged chimeric protein containing the H3 N-terminal tail and the CENH3 C-terminus (termed GFP-tailswap) are sterile because of random meiotic chromosome segregation. These defects result from the specific depletion of GFP-tailswap protein from meiotic kinetochores, which contrasts with its normal localization in mitotic cells. Loss of the GFP-tailswap CENH3 variant in meiosis affects recruitment of the essential kinetochore protein MIS12. Our findings suggest that CENH3 loading dynamics might be regulated differently in mitosis and meiosis. As further support for our hypothesis, we show that GFP-tailswap protein is recruited back to centromeres in a subset of pollen grains in GFP-tailswap once they resume haploid mitosis. Meiotic recruitment of the GFP-tailswap CENH3 variant is not restored by removal of the meiosis-specific cohesin subunit REC8. Our results reveal the existence of a specialized loading pathway for CENH3 during meiosis that is likely to involve the hypervariable N-terminal tail. Meiosis-specific CENH3 dynamics may play a role in modulating meiotic centromere behavior

The CYCLIN-A CYCA1;2/TAM Is Required for the Meiosis I to Meiosis II Transition and Cooperates with OSD1 for the Prophase to First Meiotic Division Transition

Meiosis halves the chromosome number because its two divisions follow a single round of DNA replication. This process involves two cell transitions, the transition from prophase to the first meiotic division (meiosis I) and the unique meiosis I to meiosis II transition. We show here that the A-type cyclin CYCA1;2/TAM plays a major role in both transitions in Arabidopsis. A series of tam mutants failed to enter meiosis II and thus produced diploid spores and functional diploid gametes. These diploid gametes had a recombined genotype produced through the single meiosis I division. In addition, by combining the tam-2 mutation with AtSpo11-1 and Atrec8, we obtained plants producing diploid gametes through a mitotic-like division that were genetically identical to their parents. Thus tam alleles displayed phenotypes very similar to that of the previously described osd1 mutant. Combining tam and osd1 mutations leads to a failure in the prophase to meiosis I transition during male meiosis and to the production of tetraploid spores and gametes. This suggests that TAM and OSD1 are involved in the control of both meiotic transitions

Detection of Alpha-Rod Protein Repeats Using a Neural Network and Application to Huntingtin

A growing number of solved protein structures display an elongated structural domain, denoted here as alpha-rod, composed of stacked pairs of anti-parallel alpha-helices. Alpha-rods are flexible and expose a large surface, which makes them suitable for protein interaction. Although most likely originating by tandem duplication of a two-helix unit, their detection using sequence similarity between repeats is poor. Here, we show that alpha-rod repeats can be detected using a neural network. The network detects more repeats than are identified by domain databases using multiple profiles, with a low level of false positives (<10%). We identify alpha-rod repeats in approximately 0.4% of proteins in eukaryotic genomes. We then investigate the results for all human proteins, identifying alpha-rod repeats for the first time in six protein families, including proteins STAG1-3, SERAC1, and PSMD1-2 & 5. We also characterize a short version of these repeats in eight protein families of Archaeal, Bacterial, and Fungal species. Finally, we demonstrate the utility of these predictions in directing experimental work to demarcate three alpha-rods in huntingtin, a protein mutated in Huntington's disease. Using yeast two hybrid analysis and an immunoprecipitation technique, we show that the huntingtin fragments containing alpha-rods associate with each other. This is the first definition of domains in huntingtin and the first validation of predicted interactions between fragments of huntingtin, which sets up directions toward functional characterization of this protein. An implementation of the repeat detection algorithm is available as a Web server with a simple graphical output: http://www.ogic.ca/projects/ard. This can be further visualized using BiasViz, a graphic tool for representation of multiple sequence alignments