Selecting Drought-Tolerance Markers: An Exploratory Analysis in Contrasting Soybeans

Identifying high-yield genotypes under low water availability is an important goal for soybean breeding. However, a major bottleneck lies in phenotyping, particularly in selecting cost-efficient markers associated with stress tolerance and yield stabilization. Here, we conducted in-depth phenotyping experiments using two soybean genotypes with contrasting drought tolerance, MUNASQA (tolerant) and TJ2049 (susceptible), aiming to identify and statistically validate stress tolerance and yield stabilization markers. Firstly, at the R5 critical reproductive stage, the molecular differences between the genotypes responses to mild water deficit were explored through massive analysis of cDNA ends (MACE)-transcriptomic and gene ontology. MUNASQA transcriptional profile, compared to TJ2049, revealed significant differences when responding to drought. Next, both genotypes were phenotyped under mild water deficit, imposed in vegetative (V3) and R5 stages, by evaluating 22 stress-response, growth and water-use markers, which were subsequently correlated between phenological stages and with yield. Several markers showed high consistency, independent of the phenological stage, demonstrating the effectiveness of the phenotyping methodology and its possible use for early selection. Finally, these markers were classified and selected according to their cost-feasibility, statistical weight and correlation with yield. Here, pubescence, stomatal density and canopy temperature depression emerged as promising markers for early selection of drought-tolerant soybeans.

Derivation of structural weight estimation for Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV)

Estimation of the structural weight of an Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) during conceptual design has proven to be a significant challenge mainly due to its unconventional configuration. We investigate development of a customised approach for structural weight estimation of UCAV based on statistical weight of the manned fighter’s components by applying minor modifications on weight formulations of fuselage, wing, empennage, power plant and landing gear. The modifications are applied by considering the corresponding differences between manned fighters and UCAVs such as manned requirements and mission variances. Some new empirical formulas for estimating the weight of UCAV’s components are proposed. Results for the empty weight estimation are validated against actual values of some well-known UCAVs. Moreover, the structural weight is validated against the benchmark UCAV case studies. The results show that the ratio of structural to takeoff weight for UCAVs is approximately between 20% to 10%. Finally, a generalised equation is developed for estimating the structural weight of UCAVs in conceptual design phase.

Influence of sow resistance indices on the growth of their offspring

Relevance. Pig breeding is primarily aimed at improving their reproductive and fattening qualities. To a lesser extent, the selection takes into account the indicators of the immune status of animals and their resistance to conditionally pathogenic microflora, apparently because due to the significant variability of individual blood parameters in ontogenesis, work with animals of many generations is required to improve these signs by breeding. The urgent task is to accelerate this process.Methods. 6 groups of animals were formed, including: 2 groups of 20 young sows of the Durock breed and large white breed and 2 groups of piglets, their offspring; 10 piglets from each group were weighed monthly, their linear measurements were determined. The study of natural resistance was carried out according to the following indicators: lysozyme, bactericidal and complementary activity of blood serum were measuredby conventional methods and in the author’s modification, hemagglutination reactionand bacterial agglutination — by conventional methods, indicators of phagocytosis were determined by conventional methods and in the author's modification.Results. A new method of comprehensive assessment of the level of natural resistance of pigs based on eight blood parameters — the resistance index (IR) — has been developed. For the first time, two coefficients — repeatability (rw) and persistence (h2) — were used as the statistical weight of traits. It was found that the live weight gain was higher in the offspring obtained from sows with an IR > 60 points. The offspring of highly resistant sows also had an advantage in linear torso measurements.

DOES DISPARITY IN INCOME AND CONSUMPTION EVER INCITE TERRORISM IN AFRICA?

Does disparity in income and consumption incite terrorism in Africa? To answer this important question, we investigate the empirical linkages between inequality and terrorism by separately regressing income and consumption inequalities on four indicators of terrorism: domestic, transnational, unclear, and total over the period 1980–2012. Employing a negative binomial regression across a panel dataset covering 46 African economies, the following findings are established. First, both income and consumption inequalities have decreasing impacts on all terrorism measures—with the exception of uncertain terrorism (the impact of which is negligible). Second, both income and consumption inequalities exert more statistical influence on transnational terrorism than domestic terrorism. Third, income inequality exerts more statistical weight on terrorism measures than consumption inequality across the model specifications. Last, the non-trivial impact of confounding variables—such as the lagged value of terrorism, surface areas, and conflicts—are validated across the terrorism models. In line with these empirical outcomes, policy implications and suggestions for further studies are offered.

MONTE CARLO SIMULATION OF LIGHT SCATTERING IN HUMAN SKIN LAYERS BY SPATIAL PHOTOMETRY METHODS

The ability to register and analyze the spatial distribution of light scattered within the full solid angle is the basis for the development and improvement of information-measuring systems and software and hardware complexes for problems of optical biomedical diagnostics. The greatest contribution to light scattering at non-invasive methods of biomedical research are made by the layers of human skin, affecting the depth of probing and the resolution of diagnostic systems. The significant individual variability of the optical properties of biological tissues does not allow practically (clinically) assessing their effect on the light scattering characteristics; therefore, the use of methods for modeling the optical radiation propagation in media in the measuring tools functioning context makes it possible to provide such a prognostic analysis. The goal of this work is a comparative evaluation of the results of the light propagation in human skin layers by Monte Carlo simulation using information-measuring systems of a biomedical photometer with ellipsoidal reflectors and a goniophotometer. The Monte Carlo simulation results of light scattering in dermis and epidermis at a wavelength of 632.8 nm using spatial photometry methods and the "BT_Mod" software, as well as coordinates, direction, and statistical weight of photons, allows the ray-tracing in a biomedical photometer with ellipsoidal reflectors are presented in this work. As a result of modeling, graphs of the dependence of optical coefficients (transmission T, diffuse reflection Rd, and absorption A) for the studied tissues of various thicknesses on the value of the scattering anisotropy factor were obtained, as well as photometric images of the second focal plane of ellipsoidal reflectors when receiving a scattering spot in reflected and transmitted light. Diagrams of the averaged scattering indicatrix at three thicknesses of the epidermis and dermis were obtained for a set of biophysically significant values of the scattering anisotropy factor, based on which the integral distribution of the photons statistical weight in diffuse scattered light was analyzed. A quantitative assessment of the illuminance level of images is carried out according to the zone analysis principles in photometry by ellipsoidal reflectors. The resulting graphs of the illuminance dependence the external and middle rings of photometric images in reflected and transmitted light. The results of the research make it possible to analyze the spatial distribution of light scattered by the human skin layers (epidermis and dermis) within the full solid angle, which can be used in problems of optical dosimetry and medical imaging in diagnostic, endoscopic, and therapeutic methods of biophotonics.

The Role of Experience, Perceived Match Importance, and Anxiety on Cortisol Response in an Official Esports Competition

The aim of the present study was to analyse the neuroendocrine stress response, psychological anxiety response, and perceived match importance (PMI) between expert and non-expert control gamers in an official competitive context. We analyzed, in 25 expert esports players and 20 control participants, modifications in their somatic anxiety, cognitive anxiety, self-confidence, PMI, and cortisol in a League of Legends competition. We found how expert esports players presented higher cortisol concentrations (Z = 155.5; p = 0.03; Cohen’s d = −0.66), cognitive anxiety (Z = 99.5; p = 0.001), and PMI (Z = 50.5; p < 0.001) before the competition than non-experts participants. We found a greater statistical weight in the cognitive variables than in the physiological ones. The results obtained suggest that real competitive context and player’s expertise were factors associated with an anticipatory stress response. The PMI proved to be a differentiating variable between both groups, highlighting the necessity to include subjective variables that contrast objective measurements.

Quantitative Investigation of the Panteleymon Gospel Dating from the Late 12th to the Early 13th Centuries (Three Statistical Experiments)

The work presents the results of the quantitative and statistical comparative analysis of the most frequent word forms and combinations of the Old Russian of the Panteleymon Gospel (RNB, Sof. 1). The work aims to reveal the degree of closeness of the Panteleymon Gospel to the other gospels and the medieval Slavonic texts of other genres, represented in sub-corpora of historical corpus "Manuscript: Slavic Written Heritage". The work was carried out with the help of the special modules of statistics and n-grams. The comparison of the lists of single-, two- and three-component linguistic units, automatically extracted from the manuscripts, with the respective lists of several sub-corpora points to the presence of the quantitative-statistical characteristics of the linguistic components of the manuscripts which can be recognized as important. The data of the three experiments are summarized. The first experiment showed that the smallest differences of the frequency lists exist between the Panteleymon Gospel and the sub-corpus of complete aprakoses and the greatest differences between the manuscript being analyzed and the sub-corpus of short aprakoses. This makes possible to recognize that the composition of the lists, the order and the relative frequency of the forms in them are the important characteristics of the manuscript or the sub-corpus. The application of the Weirdness measure helped to extract from the Panteleymon Gospel the word forms which are supposed to be significant – those, having the highest weight within the sub-corpora of different genres (вамъ, имъ, азъ, емоу, рече, аще). It has been established that the volume and composition of contrasted sub-corpus do not influence the result, and the use of the collections of complete and short aprakoses as contrast sub-corpora helped to specify the list of such forms (яко, къ, бо, о(т), имъ, есть, аще). The investigation of two- and three-component combinations, extracted with the help of the statistical measure T-score, gave the following results: a list of fixed combinations – invariable composition formulas (ев[ан](г)[елие] ѡ(т) ма[т](ѳ)[ея] etc.), inherent to all gospels, was made; entire grammatical structures (ѧже далъ ѥси etc.) were listed, as well as stable semantic complexes and their parts ([да] любите дроугъ дроуга etc.). Statistically important sequences having in the Panteleymon Gospel a statistical weight, which is considerably higher than in the contrast sub-corpora – нѣсте ли чьли, имать животъ вѣчьныи etc. have been revealed.

DEVELOPMENT OF A WEIGHT COEFFICIENTS SYSTEM INFLUENCE OF DIFFERENT VALUES ON THE INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT OF INVESTMENT PROJECTS

Обеспечение повышения эффективности управленческой деятельности как в общественном, так и в частном секторе экономики во многом связано с внедрением проектных решений. При этом особую актуальность приобретают вопросы связанные с оценкой эффективности таких проектов. Одними из важнейших видов проектов выступают инвестиционные проекты. В статье рассматриваются методические подходы к комплексной оценке эффективности инвестиционных проектов на основе статистического анализа деятельности инвестиционных проектов, в условиях динамики развития отраслевых факторов экономики Казахстана. Разработана модель комплексной оценки эффективности инвестиционного проекта, где на базе статистической весовой характеристики анализируемых факторных признаков, предлагается рассмотреть трендовую составляющую развития факторных показателей. Наличие сформировавшейся общей тенденции развития экономических показателей по направлениям инвестиций в отраслевую экономику страны характеризуют полученные расчетные значения. Можно отметить, что в любом обществе, базовой основой развития и укрепления экономики служат инвестиции, которые способствуют повышению уровня жизни и ведущую роль в формировании этой республиканской политики должны играть регио­ны. Примененный в исследовании комплексный всесторонний подход позволяет проводить учет множественных факторов и тем самым, улучшить прогнозно-аналитические показатели расчетов. Получаемые расчетные оценки макроэкономических показателей в масштабе государства, также рассматривают инвестиционные потоки на уровне отраслей промышленности регионов. При этом, использование аналитических данных по конкретным инвестиционным проектам позволяет проводить корректировку с учетом влияния наиболее важных и приоритетных инвестиционных проектов. Ключевые слова: инвестиционный проект, инвестиции, эффективность, весовой коэффициент, комплексная оценка, индекс рентабельности, временной ряд, факторный признак, тенденция, сравнительный анализ отраслевая экономика, анализ, оценка. Ensuring an increase in the efficiency of management activities in both the public and private sectors of the economy is largely associated with the implementation of design solutions. At the same time, issues related to the assessment of the effectiveness of such projects are acquiring special relevance. Investment projects are one of the most important types of projects. The article discusses methodological approaches to a comprehensive assessment of the effectiveness of investment projects on the basis of a statistical analysis of the activities of investment projects, in the context of the dynamics of the development of sectoral factors of the economy of Kazakhstan. A model for a comprehensive assessment of the effectiveness of an investment project has been developed, where, based on the statistical weight characteristics of the analyzed factor indicators, it is proposed to consider the trend component of the development of factor indicators. The presence of the formed general trend in the development of economic indicators in the areas of investment in the sectoral economy of the country is characterized by the calculated values ​​obtained. It can be noted that in any society, the basic basis for the development and strengthening of the economy are investments that contribute to an increase in living standards and the leading role in the formation of this republican policy should be played by the regions. The comprehensive comprehensive approach applied in the study allows taking into account multiple factors and thereby improve the forecast and analytical indicators of calculations. The resulting estimates of macroeconomic indicators on a national scale also consider investment flows at the level of regional industries. At the same time, the use of analytical data on specific investment projects allows for adjustments taking into account the impact of the most important and priority investment projects.