The compliance of master's degree studies with the economic needs of the country

In the system of higher university education, Master's degree programmes of study making its second stage are of major importance. Therefore, determining the effectiveness of these programmes is a significant problem. The main factor determining Master's degree programme effectiveness is based on how well it meets the needs of state economy. As a complex phenomenon, it can be described only by a set of criteria. To determine which Master's degree programme directions satisfy the market needs better is possible only when all the above criteria are integrated into a single quantity. Multicriteria evaluation methods are most suitable for solving such problems. All the criteria significances or weights should be known in this case. In the present research, 6 directions of studies have been established, e.g. biomedicine, physical, social, technological sciences, humanities and art studies. Multicriteria evaluation has shown that the programme of art studies is the best in satisfying the needs of the state economy. It is followed by the programmes of technological, biomedicine and social sciences, as well as humanities and physical sciences. Santrauka Aukštojo universitetinio mokslo sistemoje ypatingas vaidmuo tenka antrajai jo pakopai – magistrantūrai, todėl svarbi problema yra jos efektyvumas. Esminis efektyvumo rodiklis yra magistrantūros atitiktis šalies ūkio poreikiams. Ją apibūdinti galima tik daugeliu rodiklių, nes tai yra sudėtingas kompleksinis reiškinys. Apibendrintai pasakyti, kuri magistrantūros studijų kryptis geriau atitinka rinkos poreikius, o kuri blogiau, galima tik visus minėtus rodiklius sujungus į vieną dydį. Tokiems uždaviniams spręsti gerai tinka daugiakriteriniai metodai. Juos taikant reikia žinoti lyginamąsias visų rodiklių reikšmes ir svorius. Tiriant buvo nustatytos šešios studijų kryptys – biomedicina, fiziniai, socialiniai, technologiniai, humanitariniai mokslai ir meno studijos. Daugiakriterinės analizės rezultatai parodė, kad šalies ūkio poreikius geriausiai atitinka meno studijos. Po jų eina technologiniai, biomedicinos, socialiniai ir humanitariniai bei fiziniai mokslai. First published online: 21 Oct 2010 Reikšminiai žodžiai: magistrantūros efektyvumas, daugiakriteriniai vertinimo būdai

CKM Gene rs8111989 Polymorphism and Power Athlete Status.

Multiple genetic variants are known to influence athletic performance. These include polymorphisms of the muscle-specific creatine kinase (CKM) gene, which have been associated with endurance and/or power phenotypes. However, independent replication is required to support those findings. The aim of the present study was to determine whether the CKM (rs8111989, c.*800A>G) polymorphism is associated with power athlete status in professional Russian and Lithuanian competitors. Genomic DNA was collected from 693 national and international standard athletes from Russia (n = 458) and Lithuania (n = 235), and 500 healthy non-athlete subjects from Russia (n = 291) and Lithuania (n = 209). Genotyping for the CKM rs8111989 (A/G) polymorphism was performed using PCR or micro-array analysis. Genotype and allele frequencies were compared between all athletes and non-athletes, and between non-athletes and athletes, segregated according to population and sporting discipline (from anaerobic-type events). No statistically significant differences in genotype or allele frequencies were observed between non-athletes and power athletes (strength-, sprint- and speed/strength-oriented) athletes. The present study reports the non-association of the CKM rs8111989 with elite status in athletes from sports in which anaerobic energy pathways determine success

Bibliometric and scientometric analysis on biomarkers and molecular mechanisms for physical frailty and sarcopenia

Introduction: The influence of physical frailty and sarcopenia (PFS) on the well-being of older people and continuous pressure on the healthcare systems has prompted a research on the pathophysiology and molecular mechanisms of these conditions. Nonetheless some biomarkers have been suggested as potential markers for PFS none of them have been shown to highlight the complex nature of PFS, which reveals that there is a need for an understanding of the possible biomarker candidates. The aim of this study was to identify the current research hotspots, status, and trends in the field of biomarkers and molecular mechanisms for PFS. Methods: The bibliometric and scientometric analyses were performed using VOSviewer (version 1.6.18) and open source software platform Cytoscape v.3.9 (for visualizing and constructing a network of keywords). Data of publications (from 1997 to 2023) related to biomarkers and molecular mechanisms of PFS were obtained (in May 2023) from the database of Science Citation Index Expanded of Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed. The keywords obtained from the Scopus database were used to perform a meaningful keyword analysis. A network of keyword relationships was build using Cytoscape. Results: In this study, we present biomarker keywords for PFS in relation to other keywords potentially designating processes and mechanisms and reveal the biomarker identities and current contexts in which these biomarker identities are discussed. Conclusions: Over recent years, scientific interest in the field of PFS has increased and focused on the inflammatory process and probably will be concentrated on myokines (such as cytokines and small proteins) that are synthetized and released by skeletal muscles in response to physical activity. Moreover, proteomic and genetic markers are deeply involved in PFS

Athlome Project Consortium: a concerted effort to discover genomic and other "omic" markers of athletic performance.

Despite numerous attempts to discover genetic variants associated with elite athletic performance, injury predisposition, and elite/world-class athletic status, there has been limited progress to date. Past reliance on candidate gene studies predominantly focusing on genotyping a limited number of single nucleotide polymorphisms or the insertion/deletion variants in small, often heterogeneous cohorts (i.e., made up of athletes of quite different sport specialties) have not generated the kind of results that could offer solid opportunities to bridge the gap between basic research in exercise sciences and deliverables in biomedicine. A retrospective view of genetic association studies with complex disease traits indicates that transition to hypothesis-free genome-wide approaches will be more fruitful. In studies of complex disease, it is well recognized that the magnitude of genetic association is often smaller than initially anticipated, and, as such, large sample sizes are required to identify the gene effects robustly. A symposium was held in Athens and on the Greek island of Santorini from 14-17 May 2015 to review the main findings in exercise genetics and genomics and to explore promising trends and possibilities. The symposium also offered a forum for the development of a position stand (the Santorini Declaration). Among the participants, many were involved in ongoing collaborative studies (e.g., ELITE, GAMES, Gene SMART, GENESIS, and POWERGENE). A consensus emerged among participants that it would be advantageous to bring together all current studies and those recently launched into one new large collaborative initiative, which was subsequently named the Athlome Project Consortium

Žmogaus genomo sričių, susijusių su greita ir ilgalaike adaptacija fiziniam krūviui, įvairovės analizė

The genetic diversity of physical capacity in the Lithuanian population has a pattern similar to that of other populations. The knowledge of the individual genomes of the athletes is especially important for sports theory, practice and medicine. This research is devoted to the issue of the effect of genetic factors on the components of sporting physical capacity. We have accumulated a sample of the Lithuanian elite athletes which was studied genetically according to a phenotype. We have created a DNA biobase of the Lithuanian elite athletes of various sporting disciplines and collected information about the genotypes and phenotypes of physical development and functional capacity of the athletes. This is the first time in Lithuania that the elite athletes were investigated according to allelic distribution of 6 candidate gene variants most associated with physical capacity. The genetic diversity of the physical capacity in the Lithuanian population has a pattern manifested by variation in the allele/genotype frequencies of the selected candidate gene markers in the Lithuanian athlete groups and general population. The indexes of physical development and functional capacity of the Lithuanian athletes correspond to the elite levels. Inherited qualities and adaptation to physical loads of the athletes can be assessed by statistical analysis of phenotypic indexes. Each group of athletes investigated had a typical genotype/allele combination. The genotypes of the gene variants studied have different influence on the physical capacity of males and females and are statistically significantly associated with phenotypic indexes. We have also determined that speed and strength qualities are more inherited than acquired compared to the endurance qualities

Analysis of the variety of human genome loci associated with fast and long–lasting adaptation to the load of physical activity

The genetic diversity of physical capacity in the Lithuanian population has a pattern similar to that of other populations. The knowledge of the individual genomes of the athletes is especially important for sports theory, practice and medicine. This research is devoted to the issue of the effect of genetic factors on the components of sporting physical capacity. We have accumulated a sample of the Lithuanian elite athletes which was studied genetically according to a phenotype. We have created a DNA biobase of the Lithuanian elite athletes of various sporting disciplines and collected information about the genotypes and phenotypes of physical development and functional capacity of the athletes. This is the first time in Lithuania that the elite athletes were investigated according to allelic distribution of 6 candidate gene variants most associated with physical capacity. The genetic diversity of the physical capacity in the Lithuanian population has a pattern manifested by variation in the allele/genotype frequencies of the selected candidate gene markers in the Lithuanian athlete groups and general population. The indexes of physical development and functional capacity of the Lithuanian athletes correspond to the elite levels. Inherited qualities and adaptation to physical loads of the athletes can be assessed by statistical analysis of phenotypic indexes. Each group of athletes investigated had a typical genotype/allele combination. The genotypes of the gene variants studied have different influence on the physical capacity of males and females and are statistically significantly associated with phenotypic indexes. We have also determined that speed and strength qualities are more inherited than acquired compared to the endurance qualities

The investigation of t-lymphocytes proliferation receptors and apoptosis initiative receptors in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and peripheral blood of patients with lung sarcoidosis

Sarcoidosis is a chronic granulomatous lung disease of unknown origin. The accumulation of activated CD4+ T cells at sites of inflammation represents an early stage in granuloma formation. Antigenic presentation stimulates T cells to proliferate via the production of interleukin IL-2. In the last few years evidence has arisen for dysregulation of apoptosis in a number of different pulmonary diseases. Mechanisms governing the normal resolution of inflammatory processes are poorly understood. CD95, also known as Fas antigen, has the ability to activate the cellular death program „apoptosis“, which can be critical for limiting an inflammatory response. This study aimed to investigate the apoptotic and proliferating markers of lung and peripheral blood T-lymphocytes. MATERIAL. The invesigation material was gathered in Vilnius University hospital „Santariškių klinikos“ in the Immunological laboratory. 45 patients with sarcoidosis (the average age was 38,8±10,5 years) were investigated. The patients were divided into two groups: the ones having an active form of sarcoidosis (n=20) and the others non-active form of sarcoidosis (n=22). In addition, 5 healthy volunteers participated in the invesigation. Lymphocyte analysis was performed using flow cytometric method. RESULTS. The percentage of lymphocytes expressing IL-2 receptor &#945; chain (CD25) in patients with sarcoidosis (active form (21.0±7,7%) and non-active form (16,0±8,2%)) in BAL fluid is higher (p<0,05) comparend with healthy controls (10,5±6,2%). The percentage of CD3+CD25+ lymphocytes in blood of patients with sarcoidosis of active form was significantly higher than in the blood of healthy controls (29,9±4,9% versus 22,2±4,7%). During the invesigation of the expression of apoptosis initiative receptor (CD95) on the T-lymphocytes we observed that the percentage of CD3+CD95+ lymphocytes in BAL fluid was significantly higher than in peripheral blood (p<0,05) when comparing sarcoidic patients with active and non-active forms and healthy controls. In both patients’ groups (active form 84,8±7,2%; non-active form 85,4±8,8%) there were more BAL fluid CD3+CD95+ lymphocytes (p<0,05) than in BAL fluid samples of healthy controls (46,3±12,2%). CONCLUSIONS. Our results shows that BAL fluid lymphocytes seem to be resistant to apoptosis and it might contribute to the accumulation of inflammatory cells in the lungs, persistenie of inflammation, and the development and maintenance of granuloma

Association of COL12A1 rs970547 polymorphism with elite athlete status

The role of genetics, as an intrinsic factor, in research of sports performance increases with every passing year. The polymorphism rs970547 of the COL12A1 gene is one of the most promising genetic markers linked to soft-tissue injuries. This study aimed to investigate whether COL12A1 rs970547 genotypes are associated with elite Lithuanian athletes from high-risk various sports, such as running, throwing, jumping, and football. The study involved 293 Lithuanian elite athletes and 287 healthy untrained individuals from the Lithuanian population. The results of this study suggest that the rs970547 T allele and TT genotype were significantly over-represented in the total athlete group compared to controls (p < 0.05). There was a significantly lower C allele frequency in the sprint/power group (16.9%) as well as in footballers (19.4%) compared to controls (33.3%, p < 0.05). Positive selection analysis results showed that the derived allele experiences selection pressure within the general population of Lithuanians. Taken together, the findings of this study suggested that COL12A1 rs970547 (T allele and TT genotype) is associated with elite athlete status, especially with sprint/power athlete and footballer`s performance. However, larger-scale studies within dif- ferent ethnic backgrounds are still warranted to confirm the findings of our study

The lessons learned from the admission of applicants to the first-stage and continuous university studies in 2009

Higher education reform in Lithuania has increased competition between universities for financing because, under current conditions, it completely depends on the number of school-leavers entering a university. The number of the obtained ‘baskets’ by a higher school in 2009, compared to the number of the state-financed positions in 2008, reflects the popularity of this higher school in the best way. The university budget also depends on the number of students paying for studies. The results of admission have shown that higher schools which obtained a great number of “baskets” did not get many students paying for studies. This may be accounted for by the fact that school leavers who did not get state financing chose the cheapest programmes of studies. Therefore, social sciences, whose programmes of studies are the cheapest, are among the most popular disciplines