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The buffering capacity of the soil is a very important property of the soil, which determines the ability of the soil to resist external influences, especially changes in pH and thus create good living conditions for plants and microorganisms in the soil. The buffering capacity thus significantly contributes to maintaining the health and quality of the soil. Buffering capacity is an important indicator of soil quality, because it is related to the overall condition of the soil ecosystem and other soil properties. The goal of this paper is to determine the effect of applying different soil amendments on the soils, 10 years after application. We compared the effect of 6 different treatments in closed plots: Natural conditions (N = control); Bare soil (B); Straw mulching (S); Pine mulch (P); TerraCottem hydroabsorbent polymers (H); Prescribed burn (F); and Sewage sludge (M). Our results have shown that the application of different amedments leads to an effect on the plowing capacity of the soil. While in the case of the control variant (Natural conditions, N) the buffering capacity of the soil was measured at 144.93 ± 0.25, the addition of different amendments decreased the buffering capacity in the following order: Bare soil (B) 142.73±0.21 > TerraCotem hydroaborbent polymer (H) 142.23±.15 > Pine mulch (P) 140.40±0.30, Prescribed burn (F) 138.20±0.30, Sludge (S) 127.47±0.15. In the case of all variants, these are statistically significant differences (p ≤ 0.05). Thus, soil amendments have been shown to have a statistically significant effect on soil buffering capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For decades, the Horn of Africa has attracted the attention of world powers, especially because of its strategic position on the geopolitical map, which enables it to control a strategically important region in the Middle East and in the Indian Ocean. Since the opening of the Suez Canal, the whole region has become one of the most important sea waterways connecting European, African and Asian trade routes. French colonial activities in the Horn started around the same time and culminated in the construction of a strategic railway from Djibouti to Addis Ababa. All of the above-mentioned aspects played a very significant role during the time of decolonization. The belated independence of the sea port of Djibouti caused tensions in Franco-Ethiopian relations, which became extremely complicated after the independence of Somalia, whose territorial claims had intensified after 1960. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of yeast culture (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) supplementation on ruminal fermentation in 20 Holstein dairy cows divided into control and experimental groups, each group of 10 cows. The animals received a diet based on maize silage (19 kg), alfalfa silage (15 kg), meadow hay (1.5 kg), extracted rapeseed meal (1 kg) and concentrate mixture (9.5 kg). The diets were fed as a total mixed ration. The supplement of yeast culture Levucell® SC 20 (Saccharomyces cerevisiae - CNCM I-1077; min. content 2 x 1010 CFU⋅g-1) was added to the concentrate mixture in the ration fed to the experimental group of animals. The addition of yeast culture significantly (P < 0.01) increased ruminal pH but had no positive effects on the increased production of volatile fatty acids. The supplementation of yeast culture significantly (P < 0.01) increased numbers of protozoa in the rumen of dairy cows of the experimental group (361.3 ± 18.315) compared to the control group (308.3 ± 37.505). The addition of yeast culture significantly (P < 0.01) increased concentration of serum glucose, calcium, phosphorus, copper, zinc, magnesium and AST (P < 0.05). As compared to the control group (4.948 ± 0.0384 mmol⋅1-1), the level of urea in the blood serum was significantly decreased (P < 0.01) in the experimental group of cows. Our results show that the supplementation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae culture at recommended doses enhances ruminal fermentation which may have a positive effect on milk production and health status of Holstein dairy cows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biowaste represents a significant fraction of municipal solid waste (MSW). Its separate collection is considered as a useful measure to enhance waste management systems in both the developed and developing world. This paper aims to compare the environmental performance of three market-ready technologies currently used to treat biowaste—biowaste composting, fermentation, and biowaste incineration in waste-to-energy (WtE) plants as a component of residual municipal solid waste (RES). Global warming potential (GWP) was applied as an indicator and burdens related to the operation of facilities and credits obtained through the products were identified. The environmental performance of a WtE plant was investigated in detail using a model, implementing an approach similar to marginal-cost and revenues, which is a concept widely applied in economics. The results show that all of the treatment options offer an environmentally friendly treatment (their net GWP is negative). The environmental performance of a WtE plant is profoundly affected by its mode of its operation, i.e., type of energy exported. The concept producing environmental credits at the highest rate is co-incineration of biowaste in a strictly heat-oriented WtE plant. Anaerobic digestion plants treating biowaste by fermentation produce fewer credits, but approximately twice as more credits as WtE plants with power delivery only. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sucrose synthase (SS) is an important enzyme family which play a vital role in sugar metabolism to improve the fruit quality of the plants. In many plant species, the members of SS family have been investigated but the detailed information is not available in legumes particularly and Glycine max specifically. In the present study, we found thirteen SS members (GmSS1-GmSS13) in G. max genome. High conserved regions were present in the GmSS sequences that may due to the selection pressure during evolutionary events. The segmental duplication was the major factor to increase the number of GmSS family members. The identified thirteen GmSS genes were divided into Class I, Class II and Class III with variable numbers of genes in each class. The protein interaction of GmSS gave the co-expression of sucrose synthase with glucose-1-phosphate adenylyltransferase while SLAC and REL test found number of positive sites in the coding sequences of SS family members. All the GmSS family members except GmSS7 and few of class III members, were highly expressed in all the soybean tissues. The expression of the class I members decreased during seed development, whireas, the class II members expression increased during the seed developing, may involve in sugar metabolism during seed development. Solexa sequencing libraries of acidic condition (pH 4.2) stress samples showed that the expression of class I GmSS genes increased 1- to 2-folds in treated samples than control. The differential expression pattern was observed between the members of a paralogous. This study provides detailed genome-wide analysis of GmSS family in soybean that will provide new insights for future evolutionary and soybean breeding to improve the plant growth and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Goal of study: Th e goal of the study was to evaluate complications in a group of patients with prostate carcinoma (PC) surgically treated by endoscopic extraperitoneal radical prostatectomy (EERP) at our department. Method: We performed this type of surgery exclusively using the extraperitoneal approach as an anterograde procedure. Five chronologically arranged groups of patients were compared (A- 36, B-34, C-70, D-77, E-83). Results: From 2/2008 to 6/2013 we performed 300 EERP in patients with a BMI up to 45, age 48-77 (ø 64) years, PSA 0.71-34.9 (ø 8,1) ng/ml. Specimen weight was 15-185 (ø 56) g. Average duration of the procedure in individual groups were: A - 265 min, B - 220 min, C - 200 min, D - 142 min, E - 129 min, blood loss > 1000 ml was seen in 19 (53%) patients in group A, 6 (18%) in B, 3 (4%) in C, 6 (8%) in D in, and 2 (3%) in E, blood substitution was need in only 9 (3%) patients. None of the procedures were converted to open, surgical revision for bleeding the same day was indicated in 2 (0.7%). Rectal injuries occurred in 6 (2%) procedures. Th ese were recognized immediately and sutured in 4 (all healed), vesicorectal fi stula developed in 2 (both healed aft er late reconstruction). Other major complications were published. Conclusion: EERP is a minimally invasive surgical procedure recommended in patients with localized PC. Perioperative outcomes improved as the number of procedures increased. Frequency of complications was low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: A comparison of long term outcomes in patients after gastrocystoplasty and ileocystoplasty and a comprehensive literature review to determine the risk of developing malignancy. Material and method: Between February 1990 and September 2006, 35 patients underwent 37 bladder augmentations. We compare the long-term outcome and overall morbidity of 17 patients after ileocystoplasty (ICPL) and 15 patients after gastrocystoplasty (GCPL). In the ICPL group, the median patient age at time of surgery was 12.5 years (5.8-19.2); primary diagnosis included neurogenic bladder and exstrophy/epispadia complex. In the GCPL group, the median age at time of surgery was 12.9 years (0.8-28.1); primary diagnosis was neurogenic bladder and exstrophy/epispadia complex. We retrospectively evaluated medical findings of the patients focusing on complications and long--term functional outcomes. Results: In the ICPL group, the mean follow-up time was 15.2 years. The mean cystometric bladder capacity increased from 122 to 401mL and the mean maximum intravesical filling pressure decreased from 59.4 to 30 cm of water. Complete urinary continence was achieved in 64.7% of patients. In the GCPL group, the mean follow-up time was 16.3 years. The mean cystometric bladder capacity increased from 121 to 327rmL and the mean maximum intravesical filling pressure decreased from 65.4 to 33.7cm of water. Full urinary continence was achieved in 60% of patients. The rate of febrile UTIs was 11.7% after ICPL and 20% after GCPL. Bladder stones developed in 11.7% patients after ICPL. Twenty percent of patients in the GCPL group had hematuria - dysuria syndrome. We also report on our original therapeutic experience using potassium citrate. One patient in each group required reaugmen-tation with a different segment of the gastrointestinal tract. One patient from the GCPL group died due to renal failure. No malignant bladder tumors were detected during the follow-up period. Conclusions: Long-term outcome of ICPL and GCPL are comparable. We have achieved satisfactory functional results despite significant morbidity which was slightly higher in the GCPL group. Patients require regular surveillance and long-term follow-up in order to protect renal function and maintain acceptable urinary continence. Due to the risk of malignancy in the augmented bladder, annual cystoscopy has been recommended starting at 10 years after augmentation. Urologists, who take care of these patients in adulthood, should follow this recommendation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We report a case of a 56-year-old male with an anaplastic variant of spermatocytic seminoma of the left testis. Grossly, the tumor measured 10×7.5×6.5cm and consisted of soft grayish-white tissue, which varied from fleshy to gelatinous with formation of some pseudocysts. Histologically, the tumor was composed of the areas of typical spermatocytic seminoma; however, in some areas, the intermediate and large tumor cells showed prominent nucleoli. In another part of the tumor, we noted anaplastic areas composed of sheets of tumor cells with large vesicular nuclei and prominent nucleoli. Tunical and vascular invasion as well as growth into the epididymis were noted. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells showed only weak positivity for CD117, the other markers examined were negative. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We report a case of a 60-year-old female with a pigmented microcystic chromophobe renal cell carcinoma (PMCRCC). The tumor was 4.5cm in diameter, and was located in the right kidney. Grossly, on cross section, the tumor was light gray with multiple small brown to black pigmented foci up to 0.2cm in diameter. Histologically, the tumor showed a microcystic arrangement with cribriform areas and formation of adenomatous structures. The microcystic and cribriform areas were composed of larger pale cells and smaller eosinophilic cells, with cytological features of conventional chromophobe renal cell carcinoma (CRCC). The cytological features of the cells within the adenomatous structures were different. These cells were mostly columnar with nuclei at the base, and had a variable amount of pale to eosinophilic cytoplasm. There were foci of ample brown pigmentation located in the cytoplasm of the tumor cells and extracellularly. In addition, microscopic calcifications were present. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells were positive for EMA, E-cadherin, cytokeratin CAM5.2, and cytokeratin AE1/AE3. Cytokeratin 7 was positive only focally. S-100 protein, melan A, HMB 45, vimentin, and CD117 were negative. PMCRCC is a rare tumor. To the best of our knowledge, only one series containing 20 cases of this variant of CRCC has been described to date. The important feature is that PMCRCC seems to have a relatively benign biological behavior, and distant metastases and sarcomatoid transformation are absent. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objectives: To study the andrological outcome of the division of testicular lymphatic vessels at varicocelectomy in children and adolescents.Methods: Testicular size and basal and stimulated luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) values were determined prospectively in 86 patients with left unilateral varicocele grades II–III. 22 patients underwent lymphatic non-sparing surgery (LNS group), 10 of them with artery sparing (LNS/AS) and 12 without artery sparing (LNS/ANS), 23 patients underwent lymphatic sparing repair (LS group) and 41 patients were treated conservatively (NT group).Results: The LNS group demonstrated significantly greater left testicular enlargement at six weeks and one year following repair, left testicular hypertrophy developed in 31.8% and hydrocele in 22.7% of patients. Marked oedema of intertubular tissue and a varying degree of tubular injury was observed in boys surgically treated for hydrocele. In the LS group, neither hypertrophy nor hydrocele developed postoperatively, the LH stimulated values were lower than in LNS/ANS group (p<0.05) and the NT group (p<0.04), the FSH stimulated values were lower than in the LNS/ANS group (p<0.001).Conclusions: Division of lymphatic vessels at varicocelectomy is associated with an excessive increase in testicular volume due to oedema, and with a reduced testicular function according to higher LH and FSH stimulated values. Preservation of lymphatics is strongly advised in varicocelectomy in adolescents to ensure better andrological outcome. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]