Monitoring dynamics of biocrust rehabilitation in acid-saturated desert soils.

The study explores the aftermath of a wastewater reservoir failure in a phosphate fertilizer industry, resulting in the release of acidic water containing phosphorus and sulfate compounds into the Ashalim stream's Nature Reserve in the Judean desert, which affected the soil surface biological crusts (biocrusts) layer. The study aims to examine contamination effects on biocrusts over 3 years at two research sites along the stream, compare effects between contaminated sites, assess rehabilitation treatments, and examine their impact on soil characteristics. Hypotheses suggest significant damage to biocrusts due to acidic water flow, requiring human intervention for accelerated restoration. The results indicate adverse effects on biocrust properties, risking its key role in the desert ecosystem. The biocrust layer covering the stream's ground surface suffered significant physical, chemical, and biological damage due to exposure to industrial process effluents. However, soil enrichment treatments, including biocrust components and organic material, show promising effects on biocrust recovery.

The effects of exercise on skeletal and heart muscle citrate synthase and carnitine palmitoyltransferase mRNA expressions in high-calorie fed rats.

In this study, the effect of high-calorie feeding and aerobic exercise on skeletal and cardiac muscle citrate synthase (CS), carnitine palmitoyltransferase-I (CPT-I), and -II (CPT-II) mRNA expressions were evaluated. Genetically non-obese rats were grouped as normal-high calorie and sedentary-exercising. Gastrocnemius-soleus and heart muscles' CS, CPT-I, and CPT-II expressions and skeletal muscles' histopathological characteristics were evaluated. High-fat diet had increased body weight by 10% and aerobic exercise did not make any difference. Skeletal muscle CS expression was increased significantly in normal-calorie exercising group. Exercise and high-fat diet did not change CPT-I and CPT-II expressions in both heart and skeletal muscle. Histopathological evaluations demonstrated increased cytoplasmic lipid droplets in high-calorie fed sedentary rats, and exercise had reduced lipid droplets in skeletal muscle. Also, both mitochondria and nuclei distribution were impaired in high-calorie groups. In conclusion, aerobic exercise without food restriction was not enough to make significant changes in fat transportation mechanism into skeletal and heart muscle.

A Comparison of the Maximal Fat Oxidation Rates of Three Different Time Periods in The Fatmax Stage.

This study aimed to compare the maximal fat oxidation (MFO) rates obtained from the stage average, last 2 min average, and highest value in the Fatmax stage determined with a 6 min step protocol. A total of 35 overweight, sedentary healthy men (age: 25.4 ± 0.7 years, body mass index: 26.0 ± 0.6 kg/m2) participated in the study. Substrate oxidation was calculated using breath-by-breath gas exchange data for each stage. When the change in the fat oxidation rate for every min throughout the Fatmax stage was evaluated, the average value of the 4th min was significantly lower than that of the 2nd and 3rd min (p < 0.01). In addition, the 5th and 6th min fat oxidation rates were significantly lower than the rates of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th min (0.30 ± 0.01 and 0.29 ± 0.01 g/min for the 5th and 6th min, respectively, vs. 0.35 ± 0.02, 0.34 ± 0.02, 0.33 ± 0.02, and 0.31 ± 0.01 g/min for the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th min, respectively; p < 0.01). Most of the participants had MFO rates in the 1st min of the stage (16/35 participants), and the MFO rates of the remaining participants were observed in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th min (7/35, 4/35, and 8/35 participants, respectively). None of the participants had MFO rates in the 5th or 6th min. The individual MFO rate (highest fat oxidation rate during Fatmax) was significantly higher than the fat oxidation rate calculated with the last 2 min average values (0.36 ± 0.02 and 0.30 ± 0.01 g/min, respectively; p < 0.05). In conclusion, the calculation of the fat oxidation rate by averaging the last portion of the Fatmax stage data may cause the underestimation of the MFO rate, which probably occurs earlier in the Fatmax stage.

Changes in hematopoietic stem cell numbers following acute exercise in non-athlete marathon runners.

PURPOSE: Hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplant is one of the curative methods for some patients with hematological malignancies. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) is the most common drug used to mobilize CD34+ cells, generally found in small numbers. Recent evidence showed that exercise causes transient mobilization in HSC. However, the type and intensity of exercise have not been fully revealed. We aimed to detect a significant increase in stem cell levels following 60 â€‹min of running at a personalized running pace. MATERIALS/METHODS: Eighteen runners, 48.2 â€‹± â€‹1.9 years with peak oxygen consumption of 46.2 â€‹± â€‹1.4 â€‹ml/kg/min, were enrolled in the study. The cardiopulmonary exercise test was performed to determine the individual running pace, and the participants ran 60-min on a treadmill at an intensity close to their ventilatory threshold (VT). The blood sampling for HSC count was performed before, immediately after, at the 1st, 4th and 24th hour after the 60-min running. RESULTS: The CD34+ HSCs were 13.9 â€‹± â€‹2.3 â€‹cells/µl before and significantly increased immediately after to 19.5 â€‹± â€‹3.6 â€‹cells/µl (p â€‹< â€‹0.05). The consecutive HSC counts were 15.3 â€‹± â€‹2.2, 19.5 â€‹± â€‹4.8 and 15.1 â€‹± â€‹3.4 â€‹cells/µl at the 1st, 4th, and 24th hour, respectively. CONCLUSION: The individual data showed that some runners had higher HSC levels than the transplantation limit before and after the 60-min running trail, which was maintained for 24 â€‹h. Pre-running high CD34+ HSCs may reflect an adaptive response to regular exercise, with a 60-min run near the VT further elevating HSCs. Individualized exercise may be a valuable tool to mobilize the CD34+ HSCs in peripheral blood for donors.

Do the medical treatment reduces the rate of surgical treatment in suspected cases of chronic prostatitis before prostatectomy?

AIM: Our aim is to investigate how the chronic intraprostatic inflammation affect the course of the BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between the dates of 2007-2011, the files of the patients who had TUR-P (transurethral resection of the prostate) and underwent open surgery were retrospectively reviewed because of BPH, and the patients were divided into two groups who were operated due to AUR (acute urinary retention) or LUTS (lower urinary tract symptoms) and the clinical data and pathology results of the two groups were compared in terms of chronic intraprostatic inflammation. RESULTS: There were evaluable data of 130 of 150 patients. The age range of the patients was 50-88. 52 of the 130 patients due to AUR and 78 of them due to LUTS underwent surgery. While there was chronic inflammation in 59 of the 130 patients, there was not in 71. The volume of the prostate and the average age of those who had chronic prostatitis with the combination of AUR were greater compared to the LUTS. CONCLUSIONS: It seems that chronic prostatitis is a factor which is often accompanied by BPH and affects the progression and pathology of the disease. The risk of acute urinary retention is more frequent in patients with chronic inflammation than in those who lack. In the future, related clinical trials with the relationship between the intraprostatic inflammation and BPH treatment are necessary and should include more cases and longer period of follow-up for these studies.