The irregular distribution of stress in rock mass is a decisive factor for the origin of rock bursts. Besides, a sound knowledge of stress distribution is very important in the excavation of mine workings. Stress state is affected both by natural stress, including the gravitational, tectonic, hydraulic and residual stress and the stress induced by mining operations. Natural stress fields are defined by their geological structure and rock properties. It is important in mining practice to understand that there is a close relationship between recent and residual tectonic stress, as defined by tectonic evolution and tectonic structure. Since 1994, a large number of horizontal stress measurements have been carried out at a depth of 600 m to 800 m under the surface. The application of the results obtained from the measurements of stress and their comparison with the results of structural analysis and their generalization for the Karviná subbasin can be an important contribution to optimize the timespace designs of the mining activity., Petr Waclawik, Jiří Ptáček and Radomír Grygar., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Semithin and in particular ultrathin sections of the glandular subdivisions in the oviduct of the terrestrial egg laying, direct developing plethodontid salamanders Bolitoglossa pesruba and Oedipina uniformis revealed remarkable structural differences of secretory products between the two species and in B. pesrubra between the different subdivisions of the duct. In the latter species structure of the secretory granules confirmed the previously described histological differentiation of the glandular portion of the oviduct in four subdivisions. In the first subdivision most secretory granules were moderately electron-dense having a distinct osmiophilic core, in the second these cores are absent, in the third granules revealed a complex inner structure and in the fourth they are more or less homogeneous and electron dense. In O. uniformis, however, secretory granules were differently stained in semithin sections with toluidine blue, but showed a homogeneous moderately electron-dense appearance along the entire oviduct. As oviductal secretions form the generally multi-layered glycoproteinaceous egg jelly enveloping the ovum when passing down the oviduct, our results suggest that in terrestrial breeders considerable differences exist in these secretions even at the structural level and, therefore, very likely in number and nature of egg jelly layers.
Preferential flow paths in the crust, as caused by the presence of the Luchlompolo fault in the drilled section of the Kola Superdeep Borehole (SG-3) and the dip angle of the rock structural elements (layering, schistosity, banding), are favourable for migration of deep fluids to the Earth’s surface. An investigation of the structure, anisotropy and permeability of rocks under PT-conditions in the SG-3 section, in addition to the occurrence of He-isotopes, reveals that the high-permeability zones of the exposed crustal segment are related to two important structural elements of the section: in the upper zone - to the Luchlompolo fault, in the lower one to the contact between the Proterozoic and Archaean complexes. The obtained results on the rock samples from SG-3 indicate a rough correlation between permeability and elastic anisotropy of various rock samples. Simulating increased PT-conditions, corresponding to the relevant depths of 6-8 km document the overlapping temperature and pressure effect, i.e. resulting in a sharp decrease of rock permeability., Felix F. Gorbatsevich, Serafim V. Ikorsky and Andrey V. Zharikov., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The presence of adipokinetic activity in crude extracts of corpora cardiaca (CC) from the butterfly (Vanessa cardui L., Nymphalidae) was demonstrated by bioassay and Mas-AKH was revealed as the major adipokinetic hormone (AKH) by use of two different technologies of sequence elucidation: HPLC separation of the peptide followed by Edman degradation and Q-TOF mass spectrometry. In contrast to the time- and material-consuming conventional methods of peptide purification and sequencing, substantial structural data of the peptide were confirmed - post factum - from one pCC (pair of CC) by Q-TOF mass spectrometry. Only males of our laboratory colony showed a significant lipid increase in the haemolymph after injection of either crude CC extract (1 pCC equivalent) or 10 pmol of synthetic peptide., Gabriele Köllisch, Peter D. Verhaert, Matthias W. Lorenz, Roland Kellner, Gerd Gäde, Klaus H. Hoffmann, and Lit
In this note we describe for the first time the inner structure of bezoars found in the stomach of a free-living crested porcupine. These foreign bodies were composed by three concentric layers made up of vegetal matter. The presence of nettle trichomes in the central core, probably due to an accidental ingestion, may have determined the development of these foreign bodies.
Phoridae (scuttle flies) are widely distributed, occur in many types of habitats and are ecologically versatile, which makes them an excellent bioindicator group for evaluating faunal diversity. The structure of scuttle fly communities was compared in two Mediterranean habitats in the Montseny Natural Park (Catalonia, Spain) that differ in vegetation and microclimate: beech forest and highland scrubland. 3684 male individuals belonging to 135 species of scuttle flies were identified. Scuttle flies were more abundant in beech forest than scrubland. Observed and estimated species richness were lower in scrubland than in beech forest, while diversity was similar in both habitats. Community evenness was greater in scrubland than beech forest. Therefore, the percentage of dominant and subdominant species was higher in scrubland than beech forest, while the percentage of rare species was higher in beech forest than scrubland. Scuttle fly species composition was significantly different in the two habitats, but it was similar among plots within the same habitat. Megaselia pectoralis (Wood, 1910) and Megaselia subpleuralis (Wood, 1909) were the dominant species in beech forest, while Megaselia pusilla (Meigen, 1830), Megaselia pumila (Meigen, 1830), Megaselia superciliata (Wood, 1910) and Megaselia diversa (Wood, 1909) were the dominant species in scrubland. Trophic specialization was higher in beech forest than scrubland. Saprophages were the dominant trophic group in beech forest, while fungivores and polyphages were dominant in scrubland. The high biodiversity of scuttle flies recorded in the Montseny Natural Park indicates that there is also a high diversity of other taxa there and that these Mediterranean mountains are of high conservation status., Carlos García-Romera, José A. Barrientos., and Obsahuje bibliografii
We studied the agamic complex of Hieracium subgen. Pilosella in the Šumava/Böhmerwald, the borderland between the Czech Republic and Germany. Their DNA ploidy levels/chromosome numbers, breeding systems, chloroplast haplotypes as well as the clonal structure of apomicts were determined. The complex consists of the following basic and intermediate species and recent hybrids. Basic species: H. aurantiacum L. (tetraploid and pentaploid, both apomictic), H. caespitosum Dumort. (tetraploid, apomictic), H. lactucella Wallr. (diploid, sexual), H. pilosella L. (tetraploid, sexual); intermediate species: H. floribundum Wimm. et Grab. (tetraploid, apomictic), H. glomeratum Froel. (tetraploid and pentaploid, both apomictic), H. scandinavicum Dahlst. (tetraploid, apomictic); recent hybrids: H. floribundum × H. pilosella (partly corresponding to H. piloselliflorum – tetraploid and hexaploid; tetraploid sexual or apomictic), H. glomeratum × H.pilosella (aneuploid, 2n = 38), H. aurantiacum × H. floribundum (tetraploid, almost sterile or apomictic), H. lactucella × H. pilosella (H. schultesii, triploid sterile, tetraploid sexual), H. aurantiacum × H. pilosella (H. stoloniflorum, tetraploid, sexual), H. aurantiacum > H. pilosella (H. rubrum, hexaploid). The hexaploid hybrids between H. pilosella and H. floribundum or H. aurantiacum produced mainly polyhaploid progeny. Two trihaploid plants were found growing in the neighbourhood of their putative hexaploid maternal parent H. rubrum, which is the first record of polyhaploids of this subgenus in the field. Comparison with other mountain ranges (especially the Krušné hory/Erzgebirge, and Krkonoše) with an almost identical composition of basic species, revealed that the structure of the agamic complexes differ.
The cuticle of Rhysotritia duplicita (Euphtiracaroidea: Euphtiracaridae), Phthiracarus sp., Steganacarus magnus, S. striculus and Tropacarus carinatus (all Phthiracaroidea: Phthiracaridae) was studied by light and transmission electron microscopy. A combination of light and electron microscopy were used to precisely characterize and classify the cuticular layers in oribatid mites and show how they differe in mites and other arthropods. In Rhysotritia duplicata the cuticle of the aspis (upper shield of the prosoma) differs significantly from that of the opisthosoma. Moreover, prosomal cuticle in this species is different from that of all others species studied. There were no structural differences in the cuticle of the prosoma and opisthosoma of species of the superfamily Phthiracaroidea (Phthiracarus, Steganacarus and Tropacarus) in spite of the differences in external apparence. Moreover, in Tropacarus, the rough sculpturing of the cuticle results from the very rough exocuticle, which is unlike the thick smooth cerotegument of the cuticle in Steganacarus.
The structure of the vertebrate predator community in north-eastern Belarus has been examined before and after naturalization of the American mink and raccoon dog. Species composition of the community, population density and biomass, portion of each species in the pooled community density and biomass, species body mass and size structure of the community were investigated. The community consisted of 36 native predator species, and 11 other predator species were sporadically registered in the area in both periods before the American mink and raccoon dog expansion and after the introduced species have reached a high population density. Separating predator species into four size groups, we found that in terms of total density the largest portion of the community belonged to small predators, while large predators formed the smallest portion. In terms of total biomass, the larger medium-sized predator group predominated over other size groups. Despite decline in the populations of ten native predator species, the total community density and biomass as well as portions of different size groups appeared to be very similar before and after naturalization of the introduced predator species.
NMDA receptors have received much attention over the last few decades, due to their role in many types of neural plasticity on the one hand, and their involvement in excitotoxicity on the other hand. There is great interest in developing clinically relevant NMDA receptor antagonists that would block excitotoxic NMDA receptor activation, without interfering with NMDA receptor function needed for normal synaptic transmission and plasticity. This review summarizes current understanding of the structure of NMDA receptors and the mechanisms of NMDA receptor activation and modulation, with special attention given to data describing the properties of various types of NMDA receptor inhibition. Our recent analyses point to certain neurosteroids as NMDA receptor inhibitors with desirable properties. Specifically, these compounds show use-dependent but voltage-independent block, that is predicted to preferentially target excessive tonic NMDA receptor activation. Importantly, neurosteroids are also characterized by use-independent unblock, compatible with minimal disruption of normal synaptic transmission. Thus, neurosteroids are a promising class of NMDA receptor modulators that may lead to the development of neuroprotective drugs with optimal therapeutic profiles., V. Vyklicky ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy