Hydrochemical Research and Geochemical Classification of Salt Lakes in the Pavlodar Region

This paper presents the results of a study of the macrocomponent composition of 15 salt lakes of the Pavlodar region. For the first time, based on the data of the chemical composition and pH of the waters, the geochemical classification of the lakes of this region has been proposed. The study shows that the majority of the analyzed objects are lakes of chloride type with sodium cationic composition

The Influence of Hindlimb Unloading on Bone and Muscle Tissues in Rat Model

© 2016, Springer Science+Business Media New York.Numerous results indicate on interactions between muscles and bones. Thus, mechanical, genetic, endocrine, and age-related factors influence both tissues at the same time. Nevertheless, the details of physiological mechanisms of interaction between muscles and bones are still unclear. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the changes in low extremity muscles and bones during gravitational hindlimb unloading in rats. After hindlimb unloading during 7, 14, 21, and 30 days, muscles from the low extremities were collected and measured to estimate the muscle weight and perform cross-sectional analysis. Femoral bones were collected in order to evaluate weight, density, and geometrical parameters of the bone. Additionally, a test with a three-point bending was carried out to evaluate biomechanical bone properties. Results show that loss of muscle weight can be observed already at 1 week of hindlimb unloading with the maximum changes at 14 days. Changes in bone tissue showed the maximum loss of bone weight at 21 day. By 30 days of unloading, the density and rigidity of a bone were decreased; however, the most profound changes were observed in reduction of bone durability. These data support a hypothesis that the atrophy of skeletal muscles may promote the subsequent bone deterioration

Определение оптимальной силы контактного взаимодействия инструмента и детали при отделочно-упрочняющей обработке методом алмазного выглаживания

The main factors of the process of diamond smoothing are considered in the work: the force of the contact interaction of the tool and the part in the deformation zone and the friction on the contact surface of the part and the smoother. The technique of analytical determination of the optimal smoothing force for the finishing-hardening treatment mode is presented. The calculated values were obtained for some characteristic grades of materials of small and medium hardness (≤ 210 HB, indenter radius 3.4 mm) and a number of hardened steels of high hardness (indenter radius 2.0 mm). The force values are also determined using expressions for the deformation component of the friction coefficient. A comparative analysis of the results indicates that the calculation options are adequate for practical purposes. On specific examples of processed materials, graphical dependencies are shown, which reflect the relationship between the coefficient of friction, including its deformation component, and the smoothing force. With an increase in the leveling force, the friction coefficient increases, this is explained by an increase in the depth of penetration of the diamond tip and, consequently, an increase in the deformation component. The depth of penetration of the indenter into the surface to be treated, and therefore the coefficient of friction during ironing, depends on the hardness of the material being processed. With increasing hardness, the penetration depth decreases, which leads to a decrease in the deformation component and in general the coefficient of friction. The friction coefficient is also affected by the radius of the working part of the tool, since the indenter penetration depth also depends on its value. The research results can be used in the development of technology for finishing and hardening diamond smoothing, the development of the process and its introduction into production.Рассмотрены основные факторы процесса алмазного выглаживания: сила контактного взаимодействия инструмента и детали в зоне деформации и трение на контактной поверхности детали и выглаживателя. Представлена методика аналитического определения оптимальной силы выглаживания для отделочно-упрочняющего режима обработки. Расчетным путем получены значения силы для некоторых характерных марок материалов небольшой и средней твердости (≤210 HB, радиус индентора – 3,4 мм) и ряда закаленных сталей высокой твердости (радиус индентора – 2,0 мм). Также определены значения сил с использованием выражений для деформационной составляющей коэффициента трения. Сравнительный анализ результатов свидетельствует о достаточной для практических целей адекватности вариантов расчета. На конкретных примерах обрабатываемых материалов показаны графические зависимости, отражающие связь коэффициента трения, в том числе его деформационной составляющей, и силы выглаживания. С увеличением силы выглаживания увеличивается коэффициент трения, что объясняется увеличением глубины внедрения алмазного наконечника и, следовательно, ростом деформационной составляющей. Глубина внедрения индентора в обрабатываемую поверхность, а следовательно, коэффициент трения при выглаживании зависит от твердости обрабатываемого материала. С повышением твердости глубина внедрения уменьшается, что приводит к снижению деформационной составляющей и в целом коэффициента трения. На коэффициент трения также влияет радиус рабочей части инструмента, так как от его величины тоже зависит глубина внедрения индентора. Результаты исследований могут быть использованы при разработке технологии отделочно-упрочняющего алмазного выглаживания, освоении процесса и внедрении его в производство

The -9/+9 polymorphism of the bradykinin receptor beta 2 Gene and athlete status: A study involving two European cohorts

Previous studies concerning the relevance of BDKRB2 gene polymorphisms revealed that the absence (-9 allele) of a nine-base-pair sequence in exon 1 of the BDKRB2 gene is correlated with higher skeletal muscle metabolic efficiency, glucose uptake during exercise, and endurance athletic performance. The aim of the study was to investigate the association between the BDKRB2 -9/+9 polymorphism and elite athletic status in two cohorts of eastern European athletes. We examined the genotype distribution of the BDKRB2 9/+9 polymorphic site in a group of Polish athletes and confirmed the results obtained in a replication study of Russian athletes. Three hundred and two Polish athletes and 684 unrelated sedentary controls, as well as 822 Russian athletes and 507 unrelated sedentary volunteers, were recruited for this study. All samples were genotyped for the -9/+9 polymorphism within exon 1 of the BDKRB2 gene using polymerase chain reaction. Significance was assessed by chi square analysis with Bonferroni's correction for multiple testing. We found no statistical difference in the -9/+9 genotype and allele frequencies in two groups of athletes divided into four subgroups: endurance, sprint-endurance, sprint-strength, and strength athletes, compared with controls. There were no significant differences in allele frequencies (p = 0.477) and genotype distribution (p = 0.278) in the initial and replication studies. Thus, no association was found between the BDKRB2 -9/+9 polymorphism and elite athletic status in two cohorts of eastern European athletes

Total hemoglobin mass, aerobic capacity, and hbb gene in polish road cyclists

The relationship between genes, amount of hemoglobin, and physical performance are still not clearly defined. The aim of this study was to examine the association between-551C/T and intron 2, +16 C/G polymorphisms in the beta hemoglobin (HBB) gene and total hemoglobin mass (tHbmass) and aerobic capacity in endurance athletes. Total hemoglobin mass and aerobic capacity indices, i. e.,VO2max, oxygen uptake at anaerobic threshold (VO2AT), maximal power output (Pmax), and power at anaerobic threshold (PAT) were determined in 89 young road cyclists, female (n = 39) and male (n = 50), who were genotyped for 2 polymorphisms in the HBB gene. The relative values of aerobic capacity indices differed significantly among intron 2, +16 C/G polymorphisms of the HBB gene only in female cyclists; athletes with GG genotype had significantly higher values of V O2max (p = 0.003), VO2AT (p = 0.007), PAT (p = 0.015), and Pmax (p = 0.004) than C carriers. No relationships were found between the C-carrier model (CC + CG vs. GG in the case of intron 2, +16 C/G and CC + CT vs. TT for -551 C/T polymorphisms of the HBB gene) and relative values of tHbmass. Our results demonstrated that the HBB gene could be related to aerobic capacity, but it seems that it does not result from an increase in the amount of hemoglobin in the blood

No evidence of a common DNA variant profile specific to world class endurance athletes

There are strong genetic components to cardiorespiratory fitness and its response to exercise training. It would be useful to understand the differences in the genomic profile of highly trained endurance athletes of world class caliber and sedentary controls. An international consortium (GAMES) was established in order to compare elite endurance athletes and ethnicity-matched controls in a case-control study design. Genome-wide association studies were undertaken on two cohorts of elite endurance athletes and controls (GENATHLETE and Japanese endurance runners), from which a panel of 45 promising markers was identified. These markers were tested for replication in seven additional cohorts of endurance athletes and controls: from Australia, Ethiopia, Japan, Kenya, Poland, Russia and Spain. The study is based on a total of 1520 endurance athletes (835 who took part in endurance events in World Championships and/or Olympic Games) and 2760 controls. We hypothesized that world-class athletes are likely to be characterized by an even higher concentration of endurance performance alleles and we performed separate analyses on this subsample. The meta-analysis of all available studies revealed one statistically significant marker (rs558129 at GALNTL6 locus, p = 0.0002), even after correcting for multiple testing. As shown by the low heterogeneity index (I2 = 0), all eight cohorts showed the same direction of association with rs558129, even though p-values varied across the individual studies. In summary, this study did not identify a panel of genomic variants common to these elite endurance athlete groups. Since GAMES was underpowered to identify alleles with small effect sizes, some of the suggestive leads identified should be explored in expanded comparisons of world-class endurance athletes and sedentary controls and in tightly controlled exercise training studies. Such studies have the potential to illuminate the biology not only of world class endurance performance but also of compromised cardiac functions and cardiometabolic diseases

Association of the MTHFR 1298A/C (rs1801131) polymorphism with speed and strength sports in Russian and Polish athletes

It has been suggested that DNA hypomethylation because of poorer effectiveness of the 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) enzyme induces muscular growth. We hypothesised that the common, functional 1298A>C polymorphism in the MTHFR gene is associated with athletic status. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the distribution of the 1298A>C variant in Polish (n = 302) and Russian (n = 842) athletes divided into four groups: endurance, strength-endurance, sprint-strength and strength-endurance, as well as in 1540 control participants. We found different genotypes (the AC heterozygote advantage) and allele distributions among sprint-strength athletes and strength athletes than the groups of sedentary controls for each nationality. In the combined study, the allelic frequencies for the 1298C variant were 35.6% in sprint-strength athletes (OR 1.18 [1.02-1.36], P = 0.024 vs. controls) and 38.6% in strength athletes (OR 1.34 [1.10-1.64], P = 0.003 vs. controls). The results of the initial and repetition studies as well as the combined analysis suggest that the functional 1298A>C polymorphism in the MTHFR gene is associated with athletic status. The presence of the C allele seems to be beneficial in sprint-strength and strength athletes. It needs to be established whether and to what extent this effect is mediated by alteration in DNA methylation status

Identification of Genomic Predictors of Muscle Fiber Size

The greater muscle fiber cross-sectional area (CSA) is associated with greater skeletal muscle mass and strength, whereas muscle fiber atrophy is considered a major feature of sarcopenia. Muscle fiber size is a polygenic trait influenced by both environmental and genetic factors. However, the genetic variants underlying inter-individual differences in muscle fiber size remain largely unknown. The aim of our study was to determine whether 1535 genetic variants previously identified in a genome-wide association study of appendicular lean mass are associated with the CSA of fast-twitch muscle fibers (which better predict muscle strength) in the m. vastus lateralis of 148 physically active individuals (19 power-trained and 28 endurance-trained females, age 28.0 ± 1.1; 28 power-trained and 73 endurance-trained males, age 31.1 ± 0.8). Fifty-seven single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified as having an association with muscle fiber size (p n = 359,729). Furthermore, using East Asian and East European athletic (n = 731) and non-athletic (n = 515) cohorts, we identified 16 SNPs associated with athlete statuses (sprinter, wrestler, strength, and speed-strength athlete) and weightlifting performance. All SNPs had the same direction of association, i.e., the lean mass-increasing allele was positively associated with the CSA of muscle fibers, handgrip strength, weightlifting performance, and power athlete status. In conclusion, we identified 57 genetic variants associated with both appendicular lean mass and fast-twitch muscle fiber size of m. vastus lateralis that may, in part, contribute to a greater predisposition to power sports

Athlome Project Consortium: a concerted effort to discover genomic and other "omic" markers of athletic performance.

Despite numerous attempts to discover genetic variants associated with elite athletic performance, injury predisposition, and elite/world-class athletic status, there has been limited progress to date. Past reliance on candidate gene studies predominantly focusing on genotyping a limited number of single nucleotide polymorphisms or the insertion/deletion variants in small, often heterogeneous cohorts (i.e., made up of athletes of quite different sport specialties) have not generated the kind of results that could offer solid opportunities to bridge the gap between basic research in exercise sciences and deliverables in biomedicine. A retrospective view of genetic association studies with complex disease traits indicates that transition to hypothesis-free genome-wide approaches will be more fruitful. In studies of complex disease, it is well recognized that the magnitude of genetic association is often smaller than initially anticipated, and, as such, large sample sizes are required to identify the gene effects robustly. A symposium was held in Athens and on the Greek island of Santorini from 14-17 May 2015 to review the main findings in exercise genetics and genomics and to explore promising trends and possibilities. The symposium also offered a forum for the development of a position stand (the Santorini Declaration). Among the participants, many were involved in ongoing collaborative studies (e.g., ELITE, GAMES, Gene SMART, GENESIS, and POWERGENE). A consensus emerged among participants that it would be advantageous to bring together all current studies and those recently launched into one new large collaborative initiative, which was subsequently named the Athlome Project Consortium