The University as a Center of Concentration of Knowledge and Reproduction of the Intellectual Elite

AbstractThe article is devoted to the university as a center of concentration of knowledge and reproduction of the intellectual elite. The process of innovation development of the university as a center of knowledge presupposes the existence of the three key phases of activity:1. analysis of the innovation potential of the university; 2. development of an innovative strategy for human development at the University; 3. implementation and development of the intellectual elite with the innovation strategy of the university as a tool of regional development. In this research we check three main hypotheses: - changes of the methodological principles, patterns, forms, methods and criteria of the university as an integrator of knowledge related to the process of modernization of the economy and the nature of the relationship between business entities; - to develop theoretical concepts of economic theory about the intellectual elite - “innovative person” as a special subject of economic relations, forming a new innovation system; - develop the concepts of the process of reproduction of the intellectual elite, with justification the author's approach to its classification. The authors also describe the current state of the education system in universities and suggest a number of necessary conditions for the successful implementation of the concept of the knowledge triangle and the formation of the intellectual elite

The «Project Method Vs» Conventional Teaching

In recent years an interest towards the ‘project method has been resumed in Russia. It was suggested by American pedagogues in the beginning of the XX century and was widely used in Soviet school in the 1920s. However, in the 1930s it was rejected. For this reason it is necessary to regard prospects for the Project Method application in the school of future having evaluated its merits and demerits in the context of modern psychological and pedagogical knowledge. As the means of psychological grounding of the project method use we review a process of forming the idea about complex intellectual operations, partly or completely un-observable, such as generalization, analysis, synthesis, etc. Theoretical research was enhanced by the experimental work of a general kind which included organizing and conducting the contest of projects on mathematics during four years on the basis of Physics and Mathematics Faculty of Bunin Elets State University. Competition results revealed new problems that must be taken into account in the organization of project activities. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n5s4p17

A global look at time: a 24-country study of the equivalence of the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory

In this article, we assess the structural equivalence of the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (ZTPI) across 26 samples from 24 countries (N = 12,200). The ZTPI is proven to be a valid and reliable index of individual differences in time perspective across five temporal categories: Past Negative, Past Positive, Present Fatalistic, Present Hedonistic, and Future. We obtained evidence for invariance of 36 items (out of 56) and also the five-factor structure of ZTPI across 23 countries. The short ZTPI scales are reliable for country-level analysis, whereas we recommend the use of the full scales for individual-level analysis. The short version of ZTPI will further promote integration of research in the time perspective domain in relation to many different psycho-social processes

Nutrigenetics - one new direction in medicine

Нутригеномиката и нутригенетиката са нови направления в медицинските науки. Те се занимават с изучаването на молекулните механизми, чрез които обикновените химически вещества в диетата оказват влияние върху здравето и могат да модулират риска от развитие на заболяване при определен генетичен терен, включващ комбинации от вариации в няколко гена. През последните две десетилетия тези две дисциплини набират скорост, като в момента най-много резултати са получени чрез изследване на определени генетични вариации - еднонуклеотидни полиморфизми (ЕНП), които са подходящ молекулярен инструмент за изследване на ролята на храненето в човешкото здраве, болестите и идентифицирането на оптимална диета. Хранителните вещества и геномът взаимодействат чрез потискане / индуциране на генната експресия или чрез разликите в активността на рецептори, ензими и пр., участващи във важни метаболитни пътища, като по този начин повлияват концентрацията на циркулиращите вещества и техните метаболити, както и способността на нутриентите да взаимодействат с отделните гени. Изясняването на тези механизми е от съществено значение за извършването на адекватна профилактика и повишаване ефективността от лечението при редица социално-значими заболявания като диабет тип 2, затлъстяване, сърдечно-съдови заболявания и някои видове рак.Nutrigenomics and nutrigenetics are new fields in medical sciences. They are concerned with studying the molecular mechanisms by which numerous dietary chemicals affect health and can modulate the risk of developing a disease on a particular genetic site, including combinations of variations in several genes. Over the past two decades, these two disciplines have been gaining momentum, with the most results currently being obtained by examining certain genetic variations, the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), which are a powerful molecular tool for studying the role of nutrition in human health and management of optimal diet conditions. Different nutrients and genome interact by suppressing / inducing the gene expression or by differences in the activity of receptors, enzymes, etc. involved in important metabolic pathways thus affecting the concentration of circulating substances and their metabolites, as well as the ability of nutrients to interact with individual genes. Clarification of these molecular mechanisms is essential for ad equate prophylaxis and increased treatment efficacy in a number of socially-significant diseases, such as type-2 diabetes mellitus, obesity, cardiovascular disease and some cancers

Glial Cultures Differentiated from iPSCs of Patients with <i>PARK2</i>-Associated Parkinson’s Disease Demonstrate a Pro-Inflammatory Shift and Reduced Response to TNFα Stimulation

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative diseases characterized by progressive loss of midbrain dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. Mutations in the PARK2 gene are a frequent cause of familial forms of PD. Sustained chronic neuroinflammation in the central nervous system makes a significant contribution to neurodegeneration events. In response to inflammatory factors produced by activated microglia, astrocytes change their transcriptional programs and secretion profiles, thus acting as immunocompetent cells. Here, we investigated iPSC-derived glial cell cultures obtained from healthy donors (HD) and from PD patients with PARK2 mutations in resting state and upon stimulation by TNFα. The non-stimulated glia of PD patients demonstrated higher IL1B and IL6 expression levels and increased IL6 protein synthesis, while BDNF and GDNF expression was down-regulated when compared to that of the glial cells of HDs. In the presence of TNFα, all of the glial cultures displayed a multiplied expression of genes encoding inflammatory cytokines: TNFA, IL1B, and IL6, as well as IL6 protein synthesis, although PD glia responded to TNFα stimulation less strongly than HD glia. Our results demonstrated a pro-inflammatory shift, a suppression of the neuroprotective gene program, and some depletion of reactivity to TNFα in PARK2-deficient glia compared to glial cells of HDs

Glial Cultures Differentiated from iPSCs of Patients with PARK2-Associated Parkinson&rsquo;s Disease Demonstrate a Pro-Inflammatory Shift and Reduced Response to TNF&alpha; Stimulation

Parkinson&rsquo;s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative diseases characterized by progressive loss of midbrain dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. Mutations in the PARK2 gene are a frequent cause of familial forms of PD. Sustained chronic neuroinflammation in the central nervous system makes a significant contribution to neurodegeneration events. In response to inflammatory factors produced by activated microglia, astrocytes change their transcriptional programs and secretion profiles, thus acting as immunocompetent cells. Here, we investigated iPSC-derived glial cell cultures obtained from healthy donors (HD) and from PD patients with PARK2 mutations in resting state and upon stimulation by TNF&alpha;. The non-stimulated glia of PD patients demonstrated higher IL1B and IL6 expression levels and increased IL6 protein synthesis, while BDNF and GDNF expression was down-regulated when compared to that of the glial cells of HDs. In the presence of TNF&alpha;, all of the glial cultures displayed a multiplied expression of genes encoding inflammatory cytokines: TNFA, IL1B, and IL6, as well as IL6 protein synthesis, although PD glia responded to TNF&alpha; stimulation less strongly than HD glia. Our results demonstrated a pro-inflammatory shift, a suppression of the neuroprotective gene program, and some depletion of reactivity to TNF&alpha; in PARK2-deficient glia compared to glial cells of HDs

Time perspective profiles of cultures

This chapter summarises some results of the International Time Perspective Research Project, which is a collaborative cross-cultural study of time perspective carried out in 24 countries. The highlights of structural equivalence assessment study are presented, showing the cross-cultural invariance of 36 items of the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (ZTPI) scale. The associations between country-level ZTPI scores and other culture-level indicators, including the Human Development Index and Hofstede cultural dimensions, are presented and discussed. Using hierarchical cluster analysis, five distinct profiles of time perspective were found (future-oriented, present-oriented, balanced, moderately fatalistic, and negative), and significant differences in the prevalence of these profiles across cultures were found. Implications and perspectives for future research are discussed

A Global Look at Time

International audienc