Spike shape and morphometric characteristics are among the key characteristics of cultivated cereals associated with their productivity. Identification of the genes controlling these traits requires morphometric data at harvesting and analysis of numerous plants, which could be automatically done using technologies of digital image analysis. A method for wheat spike morphometry utilizing 2D image analysis is proposed. Digital images are acquired in two variants: a spike on a table (one projection) or fixed with a clip (four projections). The method identifies spike and awns in the image and estimates their quantitative characteristics (area in image, length, width, circularity, etc.). Section model, quadrilaterals, and radial model are proposed for describing spike shape. Parameters of these models are used to predict spike shape type (spelt, normal, or compact) by machine learning. The mean error in spike density prediction for the images in one projection is 4.61 (~18%) versus 3.33 (~13%) for the parameters obtained using four projections.

The objective is to measure the level of fatty acids in erythrocyte membranes and serum of patients with colorectal cancer.Materials and methods. The study group included 100 patients with diagnosed colorectal cancer (57 men and 43 women). The control group included 24 reasonably healthy people (14 men and 10 women) matched for age and sex, without malignant cancers or manifested pathology of the internal organs.Results. Decreased levels of saturated, monounsaturated fatty acids and increased levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in erythrocyte membranes and serum (p 0.0001–0.05) were observed. The levels of omega-3 PUFAs in colorectal cancer exceeded the levels in healthy individuals both in erythrocyte membranes and in serum; for omega-6 PUFAs only a trend was observed. At the same time, the ratio of omega-6/omega-3 PUFAs in colorectal cancer was lower than in control (p 0.0001–0.002). The state of erythrocyte membranes more significantly and for more parameters characterized differences between the groups than serum. The most discriminating parameters between patients with colorectal cancer and healthy individuals both in erythrocyte membranes and serum were the levels of C20:2;11,14 (eicosadienoic), C20:3;8,11,14 (dihomo-γ-linolenic), C20:4;5,8,11,14 (eicosatetraenoic, arachidonic), C22:5;7,10,13,16,19 (docosapentaenoic), and C22:6;4,7,10,13,16,19 (docosahexaenoic) PUFAs.

Hemorheological disorders in structural and functional parameters of erythrocytes are involved in the pathological process in type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). Aim: to investigate the feasibility of differential diagnosis of the degrees of rheological disturbances in patients with type 2 DM by dielectrophoresis of erythrocytes. Methods: 62 subjects (58.7 ± 1.6 years) with type 2 DM diagnosed according to the criteria of the ADA were subdivided into two groups: medium (n = 47) and high (n = 15) risk of microcirculatory disturbances (EASD, 2013). Electric and viscoelastic parameters of erythrocytes were determined by dielectrophoresis using an electric optical system of cell detection. Results: the progression of rheological disturbances in the patients with type 2 DM was accompanied by significant decreases in deformation amplitude; dipole moment; polarizability; and membrane capacity; and increases in conductivity, viscosity, rigidity, hemolysis, and formation of aggregates (p < 0.05). Combined use of the parameters increased sensitivity (97.8%) and specificity (86.7%) for diagnosis of rheological disturbances in type 2 DM. Conclusion: the proposed experimental approach possesses low invasiveness, high productivity, shorter duration, vividness of the results. The method allows to evaluate not only local (renal and ocular) but also systemic status of microcirculation using more than 20 parameters of erythrocytes.

The possibilities of using electrical and viscoelastic parameters of erythrocytes in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) of different stages were demonstrated using optical cell detection...

Цель работы - изучить различия изменений вязкоупругих параметров эритроцитов (амплитуды деформации, обобщенных показателей вязкости, жесткости) в динамике взаимодействия с этонолом in vitro у пациентов с неалкогольной (НАЖБП) и алкогольной жировой болезнью печени (АЖБП) для использования в дифференциальной диагностике. Материалы и методы. Обследованы 50 мужчин, 24 - с НАЖБП (46,5±1,5 лет), 26 - с АЖБП (48,6±1,2 года). Исследование вязкоупругих параметров эритроцитов проведено методом диэлектрофореза с помощью электрооптической системы детекции клеток. В динамике эксперимента оценены уровни показателей эритроцитов до и после экспозиции in vitro в течение 300 с 10 мкл 0,02% раствора этанола. Результаты. У пациентов с НАЖБП после экспозиции с этанолом выявлено снижение амплитуды деформации эритроцитов на фоне увеличения обобщенных показателей вязкости и жесткости, напротив, у больных с АЖБП отмечено увеличение способности к деформации эритроцитов со снижением обобщенных вязкости и жесткости (p<0,01-0,05). Инверсная реакция клеток на экспозицию с этанолом позволила различить пациентов с жировой болезнью печени различного генеза с чувствительностью 87,5%, специфичностью 96,2%, прогностической ценностью положительного - 95,4% и отрицательного - 89,3% результатов, а также индексом точности 92%. Предложенный метод различения жировой болезни печени различного генеза является перспективным в связи с простотой, высокой пропускной способностью и низкой затратностью.