BackgroundThe partnership between Yale University (USA) and Kazan State Medical University (KSMU, Russia) was established in 1996 and transitioned to Western Connecticut Health Network (WCHN)/University of Vermont Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine (USA) in 2012 with the goal of modernizing medical education at KSMU primarily through introduction of the American medical education structure, role modeling, and educational capacity building. It was centered on the formation of a select group of Russian junior faculty members familiar with American medical education who would then initiate a gradual change in medical education at KSMU. Here we describe the 20 year partnership, rooted in local capacity building, through which a sustainable, mutually rewarding international collaboration was established. In addition, we evaluate the program’s outcomes and impact on medical education at Kazan State Medical University, and assess its influence on Russian program participants.MethodsSenior residents and faculty were sent to KSMU to conduct teaching sessions with local faculty and trainees. Their responsibilities included familiarizing Russian colleagues with specific topics in clinical medicine, importing knowledge about the basics of teaching, clinical epidemiology and evidence based medicine, and creating, in consistency with the American model, a “Clinical Teaching Team Structure” that integrates patient care with clinical education. Furthermore, 44 of selected KSMU members, including 13 junior faculty (29.5%), 14 clinical PhD students (31.8%), 12 interns/residents (27.3%), and five medical students (11.4%), were trained at Yale/WCHN or one of their major affiliated community hospitals for a period of 1 to 12 months for a total of 844 participant-weeks of training.ResultsThirty (68.2%) individuals who were trained in the U.S. are currently working in Kazan primarily as faculty at KSMU. Among them, three trainees (10%) have become heads of their department, eight (26.7%) hold senior faculty positions, and two (6.7%) have clinical and educational administrative leadership positions. Two major clinical departments have adopted the “Clinical Teaching Team Structure.” As a result of the collaboration, three teaching courses – Evidence-Based Medicine, Tropical Medicine, and HIV/AIDS Medicine – have been designed and incorporated into the curriculum.ConclusionThis partnership has been instrumental in introducing the American medical education model and expanding the medical knowledge of faculty, residents, and students of KSMU on infectious diseases, HIV/AIDS, tropical medicine, renal diseases, and global health topics. Capacity building through the Yale/WCHN-KSMU exchange program has greatly contributed to the quality of medical education at Kazan State Medical University.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12909-017-0861-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Aim. To study the presence and localization of the P2X and P2Y receptor subtypes in the human cystic artery and great saphenous vein (with and without varicose disease).Methods. Segments of the human blood vessels were stained using a standard two-step immunohistochemical analysis using primary and secondary antibodies. In the experiments primary antibodies to the following receptors were used: Р2Х1, Р2Х2, Р2Х3, Р2Х4, Р2Y1, Р2Y2, Р2Y4. In order to determine the presence of a receptor in a vessel sample a comparison was made between staining of the experimental and the control samples, which were not treated with primary antibodies.Results. Immunohistochemical analysis of the cystic artery showed the presence of Р2Х1, Р2Х3, Р2Y1, Р2Y2 receptors. All receptor subtypes were found to be located in the muscular layer of the artery, whereas the P2Y1 receptor was also expressed on the surface of the endothelial cells. In the great saphenous vein without varicose disease Р2Х1, Р2Х2 и Р2Y1 receptor subtypes were identified, all of which were found to be located on the smooth muscle cells of the vein. Similarly to the cystic artery, the Р2Y1 receptor was also found within the endothelial layer of the vein. At the same time, only Р2Х2 и Р2Y1 receptor subtypes were expressed in the muscular layer of the great saphenous vein affected by varicose disease. No P2 receptor subtypes were identified on the endothelial layer of the varicose-diseased vein.Conclusion. Different P2 receptor subtypes were found to be present in the smooth muscle and endothelial layers of the human cystic artery and great saphenous vein. The identified differences in the receptor subtypes between samples of great saphenous veins with and without varicose disease are, most likely, explained by the restructuring of the receptor apparatus as a result of varicose disease progression.

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