Digital transformation of the thesis preparation and defence: case of Zhytomyr Polytechnic State University

The situation in which Ukraine has found itself since February 2022 has also contributed to the development of digitalisation of all processes in higher education. Thus, higher education institutions have forms of control such as course design, diploma design, various practices, etc. In this context, the issue of digitalising the process of diploma design is the most relevant since explanatory notes to qualification works must be kept at the university upon graduation and go through several stages to be admitted to defence. The article presents the experience of the Zhytomyr Polytechnic State University in digitalising the process of diploma design. The procedure of preparing and defending a qualification work with a detailed description of each step is presented. The article discusses the peculiarities of implementing an electronic digital signature in the Zhytomyr Polytechnic Porta

Marker-assisted identification of maize genotypes with improved protein quality

Currently, more than 70 % of maize is used for food and fodder; therefore, grain quality improvement can increase its nutritive and energy value. Deficiency of two essential amino acids (lysine and tryptophan) significantly reduces the nutritional quality of maize proteins. However, in comparison to conventional maize varieties, opaque2 (o2) mutants have greater contents of lysine and tryptophan in their endosperm proteins and their bioavailability is better. The aim of the study was identification of maize accessions with high-quality protein. A collection of maize accessions of various ecogeographical origins was studied by molecular methods. This approach was expected to improve maize breeding efficiency. We collected 54 maize genotypes differing in grain quality performance. Amplification with three specific markers to the opaque-2 gene (phi057, phi112 and umc1066) revealed homozygous recessive o2 genotypes, associated with improved nutritional quality of the protein. UREA-PAG electrophoresis of zein proteins was used for Quality Protein Maize (QPM) identification. In addition to the mutant o2 allele, QPM contains genetic modifiers that convert starchy endosperm of o2 mutant to the hard vitreous phenotype. The selected QPM accessions are of interest for maize breeding programs aimed at grain quality improvement. The use of the markers to o2 and modifier genes accelerates the development of QPM varieties and significantly reduces the labor and financial costs of their production

Dephasing time of disordered two-dimensional electron gas in modulated magnetic fields

The dephasing time of disordered two-dimensional electron gas in a modulated magnetic field is studied. It is shown that in the weak inhomogeneity limit, the dephasing rate is proportional to the field amplitude, while in strong inhomogeneity limit the dependence is quadratic. It is demonstrated that the origin of the dependence of dephasing time on field amplitude lies in the nature of corresponding single-particle motion. A semiclassical Monte Carlo algorithm is developed to study the dephasing time, which is of qualitative nature but efficient in uncovering the dependence of dephasing time on field amplitude for arbitrarily complicated magnetic-field modulation. Computer simulations support analytical results. The crossover from linear to quadratic dependence is then generalized to the situation with magnetic field modulated periodically in one direction with zero mean, and it is argued that this crossover can be expected for a large class of modulated magnetic fields.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figure

Resistance effects due to magnetic guiding orbits

The Hall and magnetoresistance of a two dimensional electron gas subjected to a magnetic field barrier parallel to the current direction is studied as function of the applied perpendicular magnetic field. The recent experimental results of Nogaret {\em et al.} [Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 84}, 2231 (2000)] for the magneto- and Hall resistance are explained using a semi-classical theory based on the Landauer-B\"{u}ttiker formula. The observed positive magnetoresistance peak is explained as due to a competition between a decrease of the number of conducting channels as a result of the growing magnetic field, from the fringe field of the ferromagnetic stripe as it becomes magnetized, and the disappearance of snake orbits and the subsequent appearance of cycloidlike orbits.Comment: 7 pages, 7 figure

ОЦЕНКА ПОЛИМОРФИЗМОВ ГЕНОВ LcyE И CrtRB1, АССОЦИИРОВАННЫХ С ПОВЫШЕННЫМ УРОВНЕМ ПРОВИТАМИНА А В ЗЕРНЕ КУКУРУЗЫ (ZEA MAYS L.), В КОЛЛЕКЦИИ ОБРАЗЦОВ РАЗЛИЧНОГО ЭКОЛОГО-ГЕОГРАФИЧЕСКОГО ПРОИСХОЖДЕНИЯ

The collection of 54 maize samples of different eco-geographical origin was evaluated for the key polymorphisms of the LcyE and CrtRB1 genes (LcyE 5′TE, LcyE 3′Indel and CrtRB1 3′TE) associated with the provitamin A content in maize grain. Favorable alleles of LcyE were not detected in the studied material. Selected genotypes with favorable allele 1 of СrtRB1 3′TE functional marker (35 % of the samples) are of interest for maize breeding programs aimed at improving the grain quality.Проведена оценка ключевых полиморфизмов генов LcyE и CrtRB1, ассоциированных с повышенным уровнем провитамина А в зерне кукурузы (LcyE 5′TE, LcyE 3′Indel и CrtRB1 3′TE), в коллекции из 54 образцов различного эколого-географического происхождения. В изученном материале не выявлено присутствия благоприятных аллелей гена LcyE. Выделены генотипы (35 % образцов), несущие благоприятный аллель 1 функционального маркера СrtRB1 3′TE, которые представляют интерес для селекционных программ кукурузы, направленных на повышение качества зерна

Diagnostic criteria for cancer cachexia: Reduced food intake and inflammation predict weight loss and survival in an international, multi-cohort analysis

Abstract Background Cancer‐associated weight loss (WL) associates with increased mortality. International consensus suggests that WL is driven by a variable combination of reduced food intake and/or altered metabolism, the latter often represented by the inflammatory biomarker C‐reactive protein (CRP). We aggregated data from Canadian and European research studies to evaluate the associations of reduced food intake and CRP with cancer‐associated WL (primary endpoint) and overall survival (OS, secondary endpoint). Methods The data set included a total of 12,253 patients at risk for cancer‐associated WL. Patient‐reported WL history (% in 6 months) and food intake (normal, moderately, or severely reduced) were measured in all patients; CRP (mg/L) and OS were measured in N = 4960 and N = 9952 patients, respectively. All measures were from a baseline assessment. Clinical variables potentially associated with WL and overall survival (OS) including age, sex, cancer diagnosis, disease stage, and performance status were evaluated using multinomial logistic regression MLR and Cox proportional hazards models, respectively. Results Patients had a mean weight change of −7.3% (±7.1), which was categorized as: ±2.4% (stable weight; 30.4%), 2.5–5.9% (19.7%), 6.0–10.0% (23.2%), 11.0–14.9% (12.0%), ≥15.0% (14.6%). Normal food intake, moderately, and severely reduced food intake occurred in 37.9%, 42.8%, and 19.4%, respectively. In MLR, severe WL (≥15%) (vs. stable weight) was more likely (P  100 mg/L: OR 2.30 (95% CI 1.62–3.26)]. Diagnosis, stage, and performance status, but not age or sex, were significantly associated with WL. Median OS was 9.9 months (95% CI 9.5–10.3), with median follow‐up of 39.7 months (95% CI 38.8–40.6). Moderately and severely reduced food intake and CRP independently predicted OS (P < 0.0001). Conclusions Modelling WL as the dependent variable is an approach that can help to identify clinical features and biomarkers associated with WL. Here, we identify criterion values for food intake impairment and CRP that may improve the diagnosis and classification of cancer‐associated cachexia

СВЯЗЬ ДИФФЕРЕНЦИАЛЬНОГО ДНК-ПОЛИМОРФИЗМА ТОМАТА (SOLANUM LYCOPERSICUM L.) С ГЕТЕРОТИЧЕСКИМ ПОТЕНЦИАЛОМ ГИБРИДОВ F1

To investigate the impact of differential DNA polymorphisms of initial breeding sources on the superior F1 performance, we carried out the screening of their allelic composition and performed the genetic analysis of lines and its hybrids in the test cross design. As a result, it is shown that the overall and locus-specific heterozygosity is important for the formation of the F1 heterotic response, and the evaluation of molecular polymorphisms could be useful for the prediction of promising crosscombinations.При изучении роли дифференциального ДНК-полиморфизма исходного материала в формирование гетерозиготного преимущества гибридов F1 выполнен скрининг аллельного состава микросателлитных локусов томата. Проведен генетический анализ линий и гибридов, полученных по схеме топкросса. В результате показано, что общая и локусспецифическая гетерозиготность имеют важное значение при формировании гетеротического ответа в F1 и оценка молекулярно-генетического полиморфизма может быть полезна для предсказания перспективных комбинаций

Определение статуса метилирования промоторных областей генов MARCH11, HOXA9, PTGDR и UNCX у пациентов с немелкоклеточным раком легкого

The aim of this study was to determine the methylation status of the promoter regions of MARCH11, HOXA9, PTGDR, and UNCX genes in the tumor and non-tumor lung tissue in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). A relative level of methylation of the promoter regions of MARCH11, HOXA9, PTGDR, and UNCX genes was determined by the quantitative methylation-specific PCR in 73 patients with NSCLC. The quantitative methylation-specific reaction was performed both for tumor tissue samples and non-tumor tissue samples of the same patient. For each of the samples, a reaction was set both by the investigated genes (MARCH11, UNCX, HOXA9, and PTGDR) and by the reference beta-actin gene (β-actin). Positive levels of methylation of the HOXA9 gene were established for 83.5 % patients; the MARCH11 gene – for 80.8 % patients; the PTGDR gene – for 68.4 % patients; the UNCX gene – for 84.9 % patients. In the study group of patients with NSCLC, significant differences were found in the relative levels of methylation of the promoter regions of MARCH11, HOXA9, PTGDR, and UNCX genes in the tumor and non-tumor lung tissue. The data suggest that hypermethylation of MARCH11, HOXA9, PTGDR, and UNCX genes may play a role in NSCLC tumor progression.Целью данного исследования было определение статуса метилирования промоторных областей генов MARCH11, HOXA9, PTGDR и UNCX в опухолевой и неопухолевой ткани легкого у пациентов с немелкоклеточным раком легкого (НМРЛ). Относительный уровень метилирования промоторных областей генов MARCH11, HOXA9, PTGDR, UNCX определяли методом количественной метилспецифической ПЦР у 73 пациентов с НМРЛ. Количественная метилспецифическая реакция проводилась как для образцов опухолевой ткани, так и для образцов неопухолевой ткани одного и того же пациента. Для каждого из образцов ставили реакцию по изучаемым генам (MARCH11, UNCX, HOXA9, PTGDR) и по референсному гену бета-актина (β-actin). Установлены положительные уровни метилирования гена HOXA9 у 83,5 % пациентов, гена MARCH11 – у 80,8 % пациентов, гена PTGDR – у 68,4 % пациентов, гена UNCX – у 84,9 % пациентов. В исследуемой группе пациентов с НМРЛ выявлены достоверные различия относительных уровней метилирования промоторных регионов генов MARCH11, HOXA9, PTGDR и UNCX в опухолевой и неопухолевой ткани легкого. Эти данные позволяют предположить, что гиперметилирование генов MARCH11, HOXA9, PTGDR и UNCX может играть роль в опухолевой прогрессии НМРЛ

Giant magnetoresistance induced by magnetic barriers

We present experimental results for hybrid ferromagnet/semiconductor devices in which 2D electrons propagate through sub-micron width magnet barriers. Magnetoresistances, MR, of similar to ∼1000% are found at low temperatures and similar to ∼1% at room temperature. We compared the measured behavior with numerical calculations and give the conditions needed to achieve large room temperature MR