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The thyroid nodules (TNs) are widespread throughout the world: according to the pathological studies, they can be found in 50–60% of adults. Currently, ultrasound, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and radionuclide diagnostics, such as positron emission tomography with computed tomography, are usually used to diagnose TNs in clinic. These techniques are mainly used to diagnose the nodile benignity and malignancy, the degree of invasion into adjacent tissues and metastases to lymph nodes. Thanks to the development of artificial intelligence, machine learning and the improvement of medical imaging equipment, radiomics has become a popular area of research in recent years. It allowes to obtain various quantitative characteristics from medical images, highlighting invisible features and significantly expanding the possibilities of identifying and predicting. Radiomics has a high potential in detecting and predicting TNs. We present the information on the development and workflow of radiomics. The article summarizes the application of various imaging techniques to identify benign and malignant TNs, determine invasiveness and metastases to lymph nodes, as well as some new advances in the field of molecular level and deep learning. The disadvantages of radiomics method are also given as well as prospects for its further development.

The objective of this paper is an experimental study of the most crucial parameters of the received acoustic signals (e.g. signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), side-lobes level (SLL), axial resolution) obtained as a result of simultaneous emission of mutually orthogonal Golay complementary sequences (MOGCS) to demonstrate their feasibility of being used in ultrasound diagnostics. Application of the MOGCS in ultrasound measurements allows the image reconstruction time to be shortened without decreasing the resulting quality of reconstructed images in comparison with regular complementary Golay coded sequences (CGCS). In this paper two sets of 16-bits long MOGCS were implemented in the Verasonics Vantage TM (Verasonics Inc., Kirkland, WA, USA) scanner. Ultrasound data were generated using a perfect reflector, a custom-made nylon wire phantom and tissue mimicking phantom. Parameters of the detected MOGCS echoes like SNR, SLL and axial resolution were determined and compared to that of the standard CGCS and the short two-sine cycles pulse. It was evidenced that applying MOGCS did not compromise the parameters of the separated and compressed echoes in comparison to the other types of transmitted signal – the CGCS and the short pulse. Concretely, both the MOGCS and CGCS yield similar SNR increase in comparison to the short pulse. Almost similar values of the axial resolution estimated at the full width at the half maximum level for all types of the transmitted signals were also obtained. At the same time, using the MOGCS the data acquisition speed can be increased twice in comparison with the CGCS signal.

IntroductionThere is a lack of comprehensive and uniform data on primary upper extremity deep venous thrombosis (pUEDVT). pUEDVT includes venous thoracic outlet syndrome related upper extremity deep venous thrombosis (UEDVT) and idiopathic UEDVT. Research on these conditions has been hampered by their rarity, lack of uniform diagnostic criteria, and heterogeneity in therapeutic strategies. To improve current research data collection using input of all various pUEDVT treating medical specialists, we initiated the ThoRacic OuTlet Syndrome (TROTS) registry. The aim of the TROTS registry is to a) collect extensive data on all pUEDVT patients through a predefined protocol, b) give insight in the long term outcome using patient reported outcome measures, c) create guidance in the diagnostic and clinical management of these conditions, and thereby d) help provide content for future research.Methods and analysisThe TROTS registry was designed as an international prospective longitudinal observational registry for data collection on pUEDVT patients. All pUEDVT patients, regardless of treatment received, can be included in the registry after informed consent is obtained. All relevant data regarding the initial presentation, diagnostics, treatment, and follow-up will be collected prospectively in an electronic case report form. In addition, a survey containing general questions, a Health-related Quality of Life questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L), and Functional Disability questionnaire (Quick-DASH) will be sent periodically (at the time of inclusion, one and two years after inclusion, and every five years after inclusion) to the participant. The registry protocol was approved by the Medical Ethical Review Board and registered in the Netherlands Trial Register under Trial-ID NL9680. The data generated by the registry will be used for future research on pUEDVT and published in peer reviewed journals.ConclusionTROTS registry data will be used to further establish the optimal management of pUEDVT and lay the foundation for future research and guidelines.

At present, the ideas of economic, social and environmental balance of development, harmonization of nature and society are no longer new, however, the transformation of the economy based on “green” standards, taking into account rational environmental management and eco-efficiency, remains very relevant in modern conditions. The problem of environmental protection and rational nature management is complex, interdisciplinary and multifaceted. This nature of the problem is determined, first of all, by the complexity of the structure of the managed object. The most important components of the ecological-socio-economic system are nature, man, society and production. All these elements are closely interconnected. Thus, human well-being depends on the socio-economic level of development, the level of manufacturability of production and the state of the natural environment. The development of production depends on the number of workers, the level of their education and training, the state of health and the interest of people in the development of production. At the same time, production depends on the scale and intensity of the use of natural resources. In turn, the state of ecological systems to a decisive extent depends on the scale of production and the nature of production technologies, the results of their impact on nature.

It’s common knowledge that heavy metal (HM) can enter the soil together with fertilizers which contaminates agricultural landscapes. The purpose of the research is to study influence of fertilizers on accumulation and migration of Cd, Pb ,Zn, Cu, Co, Mn in soil and plants. The research was conducted during field experiments in chernozem (blacksoil). We studied two levels of plant fertilizing: the first one without fertilizers and the second one with fertilizing of norms of NPK. The fertilizers were distributed in the following way: spring wheat (Triticum vulgare) – N60P60K60; spring barley (Hordeum vulgare) and oats (Avena sativa) – N45P45K20; millet (Panicum miliaceum) – N30P40K40; peas (Pisum sativum) – N10P60K60; buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) – N45P60K60.v We found out that fertilizing raises the amount of Сd, Рb Zn, Сu, Со and Мn on 10-36% in soil and increases mobility of Zn, Си, Со and Мn on 25%. The increase of fertilizing of spring wheat, barley, oats, millet and buckwheat reduces whole volume of HM migration in phyto mass on 5-30%. But it also stimulates Pb migration in the plants of spring wheat, migration of Сd, Zn and Сu into bio mass of oats and barley, and migration of Cd and Mn into peas. The main portion of accumulated elements is stored in a root system of a plant, Zn and Cu are able to transport into inflorescence. The volume of HM accumulation in phyto mass of fertilized plants doesn’t exceed TLV.

Fast and high-quality ultrasound imaging allows to increase the effectiveness of detecting tissue changes at the initial stage of disease. The aim of the study was to assess the quality of ultrasound imaging using mutually orthogonal, complementary Golay coded sequences (MOCGCS). Two 16-bits MOCGCS sets were implemented in the Verasonics Vantage™ scanner. Echoes from a perfect reflector, a custom-made nylon wire phantom, a tissue-mimicking phantom, and in-vivo scans of abdominal aorta and common carotid artery were recorded. Three parameters of the detected MOCGCS echoes: signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), side-lobe level (SLL), and axial resolution were evaluated and compared to the same parameters of the echoes recorded using standard complementary Golay sequences (CGS) and a short, one sine cycle pulse. The results revealed that MOCGCS transmission maintained comparable echo quality metrics (SNR, SLL, and axial resolution) compared to CGS and short pulses. Notably, both MOCGCS and CGS offered similar SNR improvements (5 dB–9 dB) in comparison to the short pulse for wires placed at depths up to 8 cm. Analysis of axial resolution, estimated at the full width at half maximum level, revealed near-identical values for all transmitted signals (0.17 µs for MOCGCS, 0.16 µs for CGS, and 0.18 µs for short pulse). MOCGCS implementation in ultrasound imaging offers the potential to significantly reduce image reconstruction time while maintaining image quality comparable to CGS sequences. In the experimental study we have shown that MOCGCS offers advantages over conventional CGS by enabling two times faster data acquisition and image reconstruction without compromising image quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While cultivating crops on sloping lands it’s necessary to know the level of land relief influence on plant productivity. The purpose of research is to study the effects of different types of slopes on distribution of snow, water reserves in soil and productivity of spring soft wheat and barley. The trials were carried during 2012-2014 years on the lands of SBEI “Aksenovsky Agricultural Technical School”, located on the southern part of Bugulmino-Beleevskaya Hill. The research focused on the north-east, east, south-east, southern and western slopes. The soil of the slopes is leached chernozem (blacksoil). The trials showed that on any sloping lands the greatest amount of snow gathered in the lower part of the slope. It allows accumulating about 11,6-194,3 mm of atmospheric moisture and storing 157-211 mm of water in the upper soil layer (0-0,7m), which is on 35,3-43,3% more than in the upper part of Bugulmino-Beleevskaya Hill. If we plant spring soft wheat in the lower part of the Hill, we’ll obtain the yield of 1,84 – 2,12 t/ha of wheat and 1,80 – 2,27 t/ha of barley. It’s in average on 3,4-29,6% more than the productivity of crops planted in the middle part of the hill and in 1,2-2,1 times more than the productivity of the crops planted in the upper part of the slopes. It’s more appropriate to plant spring wheat on the western slopes and barley on the south-east and northern slopes, if you want to obtain maximum yield of them.

The regularities of growth and development of black poplar in various plantings and forest growing conditions are revealed. It is established that the highest tree stands of black poplar are on average 30 m. With a trunk diameter of 44 cm, a class I bonitet, a fullness of the studied rock in a stands of 0, 5 and a stock of wood per 1 ha of 206 m3 are formed in the nettle. The black poplars that grow in the oak forests of the trees have the lowest productivity. The height of the trees and the diameter of the trunks in these forest conditions are on average 42, 1−57, 0 % and 1, 6—1, 8 times less, respectively, than the stands formed in the nettle and the pine-shrub pine forests, as well as by 31, 5 and 33, 3 % of the trees growing in vegetation near the riverside. The black poplar quality class in this type of forest is IV, and the stock of raw wood per 1 ha was only 54 m3, with the standing tree of the studied species of 0, 4.

This article is devoted to the improvement of technologies and technical operations for providing agricultural plants with moisture, such as optimal moisture accumulation of both winter precipitation (snow) and summer rainfall and their rational spending, excluding unproductive moisture losses by reducing evaporation because of high soil temperatures, which is typical, according to experts, of global warming.

Development of industrial technologies of production of protein products from plant materials is one of the main directions of increasing food products, improving nutritional and biological values. Protein supplements produced from grain flour enriched with mycelium are promising. When producing bread and pasts from wheat flour, the use of 3% wheat, oat, barley and millet flour enriched with mycelium is optimal. Quality values of yohurt drinks can be improved by adding 2% protein supplements based on oat and buckwheat.