One of the basic questions related to the safety of dikes and river levees is the size of the freeboard. One of the important parameters for freeboard design is the height of waves and wave run-up on levee slopes. Routine and standardised calculations of wave run-up deal with the freeboards of dams where wind waves originate on the still water of the reservoir. In the case of running water in streams (thereinafter only ''currents'') the effect of wave and current interaction on wave run-up is usually not taken into account due to the lack of reliable knowledge regarding the phenomenon. In the Czech Republic this question is topical in the case of large rivers such as the Elbe, the Vltava and the Morava. Within the framework of the projects Hydralab III and NAZV QI 92A139, hydraulic research and further analysis focused on wave run-up as a result of the combination of current and wind wave parameters were performed. The laboratory research was carried out in a hydraulic flume with a wavemaker on the right bank and a levee with a slope of 1:3 installed on the left bank opposite the wavemaker. Waves were generated both perpendicular and oblique to the levee axis; the angle of oblique wave attack varied within the range of ± 30°. The aim of this paper is to compare the results of the mentioned research with recommendations mentioned in the Czech National Standard CSN 75 0255 Calculation of wave effects on water structures and to quantify the effect of current on the wave run-up height. and Jednou ze základních otázek spojených s bezpečností hráze je návrh převýšení její koruny nad maximální hladinou vzdouvané vody. Důležitým parametrem ovlivňujícím návrh převýšení je výška vln vybíhajících po svahu hráze. Běžné postupy výpočtu výšky výběhu vlny na svah jsou realizovány za předpokladu, že vlny vznikají na stojatých vodách. Vliv proudění se obvykle vzhledem k nízké úrovni znalostí tohoto jevu na tekoucích vodách zanedbává. V podmínkách České Republiky je otázka vlivu proudění na výšku výběhu relevantní zejména na velkých tocích jako Labe, Vltava nebo Morava. V rámci projektů Hydralab III a NAZV QI 92A139 byl uskutečněn hydraulický výzkum a analýza dat se speciálním zaměřením na výšku výběhu větrových vln při započtení vlivu proudění. Výzkum byl realizován na modelu hráze se sklonem svahu 1 : 3, který byl umístěn ve zkušební nádrži osazené vlnoproduktorem vedeným rovnoběžně s modelem hráze. Vlny zde byly generovány jednak kolmo vzhledem k podélné ose hráze, jednak šikmo v rozsahu úhlů ± 30°. Výsledky výzkumu byly porovnány s doporučeními uvedenými v České státní normě ČSN 75 0255 Výpočet účinků vln na stavby na vodních nádržích a zdržích.
Calorie restriction (CR) has been shown to decrease reactive oxygen species (ROS) production an d retard aging in a variety of species. It has been proposed that alterations in membrane saturation are central to these ac tions of CR. As a step towards testing this theory, mice were assigned to 4 dietary groups (control and 3 CR groups) and fed AIN-93G diets at 95 % (control) or 60 % (CR) of ad libitum for 8 months. To manipulate membrane composition, the primary dietary fats for the CR groups were soybean oil (also used in the control diet), fish oil or lard. Skeletal muscle mitochondrial lipid composition, proton leak, and H 2 O 2 production were measured. Phospholipid fatty acid composition in CR mice was altered in a manner that reflected the n-3 and n-6 fatty acid profiles of their respective dietary lipid sources. Dietary lipid composition did not alter proton leak kinetics between the CR groups . However, the capacity of mitochondrial complex III to produce ROS was decreased in the CR lard compared to the other CR groups. The results of this study indicate that dietary lipid composition can influence ROS production in muscle mitochondria of CR mice. It remains to be determined if lard or other dietary oils can maximize the CR- induced decreases in ROS production., Y. Chen ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
Influence of the pattern of effective rainfall on modeled hydrograph was investigated in the study. The modelling was performed with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers hydrograph package HEC-HMS 3.2 and calibrated and validated on measured hydrographs of Glinscica watershed. Six different models of rainfall loss were applied and their effect on modeled hydrograph was evaluated. Peak discharge, time of peak discharge and runoff volume were compared. The best results with the lowest RMSE in the study was obtained with the SCS curve number loss method. Also synthetic hyetographs of different probability and duration were used. Three positions of the maximum rainfall intensity at 25, 50 and 75 % of the rainfall duration were applied. The results showed essential differences in simulated time to peak and also differences in peak discharge. The differences in time to peak increases considerably with the increasing of the rainfall duration. Finally, the results of constant intensity distribution of rainfall of different durations were compared with those obtained with typical rainfall distribution with the position of the maximum intensity at 50 %. Results showed considerable differences in peak discharge and time to peak by longer durations of the rainfall. and Práca obsahuje výsledky výskumu vplyvu efektívnych zrážok na modelovaný hydrograf. Odtok bol modelovaný pomocou nástroja U.S. Army Corps of Engineers hydrograph package HEC-HMS 3.2, potom kalibrovaný a verifikovaný na meraných hydrografoch povodia Glinscica. Vplyv zrážok na modelovaný hydrograf bol vypočítaný pre šesť rôznych modelov priebehu zrážok. Porovnali sme maximálne prietoky, časy ich trvania a odtečené množstvá. Najlepšie výsledky s najnižším RMSE sme získali s SCS modelom odtoku. Použili sme tiež syntetické hyetografy rozdielnej pravdepodobnosti a trvania. Použili sa tri polohy maximálnych intenzít zrážok; pre 25, 50 a 75 % ich trvania. Výsledky ukázali zásadný rozdiel v simulovaných časoch maximálneho prietoku a tiež rozdiely v maximálnych prietokoch. Rozdiely v časoch dosiahnutia maximálnych odtokov sa výrazne zvyšovali s časom trvania zrážky. Nakoniec sme porovnali výsledky výpočtov s konštantnými intenzitami rozdelenia s rôznym trvaním zrážky s tými, ktoré boli vypočítané s použitím typických rozdelení, s polohou maximálnej intenzity zrážok pri 50 % ich trvania. Výsledky ukazujú významné rozdiely v maximálnych prietokoch a v časoch ich dosiahnutia v závislosti od trvania zrážky.
More than half of the insects collected on snow in Central Poland were flies (Diptera). Altogether 83 species of Diptera from 27 families were identified, of which 9 families were recorded for the first time. Two thirds of the Diptera belonged to the Mycetophilidae and Trichoceridae, which were also very species-rich. Other families with many species were the Heleomyzidae, Sphaeroceridae and Phoridae.
The peak activity was in the first part of December. Flies were most active on snow when the humidity ranged from 80 to 100%, temperatures between -1 to 5°C and the snow was from 20 to 40 cm deep. The occurrence of Trichoceridae was strictly associated with high humidities, in contrast to Drosophilidae and Heleomyzidae, which were most active at lower humidities. The activity of the flies of the most frequently recorded families was displaced towards either lower (Heleomyzidae and Limoniidae) or higher temperatures (Trichoceridae, Mycetophilidae). In contrast to other families, the supranivean activity of Phoridae was strictly associated with thin snow cover.
Gamma irradiation with a dose of 5.7 Gy within 30 min before partial hepatectomy (PHE) caused latent damage in the intact rat liver. This was expressed in the course of proliferation induced in the liver remnant by inhibition of the regenerative process, which was indicated by a decreased mitotic index and cellularity, an increased ratio of metaphases/prophases and a high chromosomal aberration frequency. The preparation of essential phospholipids (ESSENTIALE) that was injected in a dose of 360 mg/kg (i.p.) either 24 h before irradiation or 30 min after irradiation or repeatedly before and after irradiation, markedly stimulated the process of liver regeneration after PHE in both nonirradiated and irradiated rats. It moderated all the alterations induced by irradiation, especially changes in cellularity. The most effective was the repeated administration of ESSENTIALE whereas its single administration before irradiation was more effective than that after irradiation. Our results suggest that ESSENTIALE has not only a stabilizing effect on cell membranes, but also mitigates damage of genetic material induced by irradiation.
I hypothesized that sibling cannibalism is one of maternal investment in that a female controls sibling cannibalism. To test the hypothesis, I conducted a laboratory experiment and field observations to investigate sibling cannibalism in relation to cluster size and cluster site in the ladybird beetle, Harmonia axyridis Pallas. In the laboratory experiment, cluster size significantly affected the number of cannibalized eggs per cluster (R2 = 0.516), while cluster size was significantly affected by the oviposition interval. Furthermore, there was a marginally significant positive relationship between cluster size and the percentage of sibling cannibalism per cluster. In the field, cluster size and the direct distance from a cluster site to an aphid colony (an indicator of intensity of non-sibling cannibalism) significantly affected the number of cannibalized eggs per cluster (R2 = 0.472). Furthermore, there was a significant positive relationship between the direct distance from a cluster to the nearest aphid colony and cluster size. However, there was not a significant relationship between the distance and the percentage of sibling cannibalism. These results may be caused by the weakness of the female's power to control sibling cannibalism. Thus, a female H. axyridis controls cluster size through the intensity of non-sibling cannibalism, which may be one of oviposition strategies in this species.
The aim of this study was to observe the effect of folate and antioxidants alone on homocysteine levels and oxidative stress markers, and to evaluate whether their co-administration promotes their effects. One hundred patients with hyperhomocysteinemia were randomized into four equal groups, which were then treated with folate, antioxidants or
folate plus antioxidants for 2 months; group IV was a control group. Serum homocysteine, folate and oxidative stress markers were measured before the study, at the end of folate and/or antioxidants administration and 3 months later. Folate caused a significant decrease in homocysteine concentration. Antioxidants did not influence homocysteine concentration, but they improved the antioxidative defense (plasma antioxidant capacity and intraerythrocyte
glutathione were increased) and partially prevented lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde level was slightly decreased). Supplementation with folate had a similar effect on intracellular glutathione and plasma malondialdehyde. Simultaneous administration of folate and antioxidants did not show any additive effect with the exception of a slower decrease of folate concentration after its supplementation had been discontinued. Folate may be considered as an effective antioxidant in patients with hyperhomocysteinemia; this can be a result of decreased production of free radicals due to a reduced level of homocysteine. Its antioxidative effect cannot be promoted by co-administration of antioxidants.
The haemolytic action of HgCl2 (0, 15 mmol.l'1) was studied in relation to the ionic strength and concentration of glucose and saccharose in incubating medium. Blood from 94 donors, aged 19-46 years were used in our experiments. In relation to the ionic strength the haemolytic action was characteristic with two maxima of haemolysis. The first at low ionic strength and second one at the high. Both maxima in solutions containing saccharose were significantly diminished in glucose. These facts show a negative influence of saccharose on the haemorheological properties of the erythrocyte membrane.
Adiponectin is an adipocyte-derived hormone involved in the regulation of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. Its concentrations are decreased in patients with obesity, type 2 diabetes and atherosclerosis and are higher in females than in males. Gender differences of adiponectin levels raise the possibility that sex hormones directly regulate its serum concentrations, which may in turn influence insulin sensitivity in different phases of the menstrual cycle. To test this hypothesis we measured serum adiponectin, estradiol, progesterone, luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone concentrations daily throughout the menstrual cycle in six healthy women. Mean adiponectin levels strongly positively correlated with serum cortisol concentrations [R=0.94286; p=0.0048 (Spearman correlation test)], but were not significantly related to other anthropometric, biochemical and hormonal characteristics of the subjects (BMI, blood
glucose, insulin, testosterone, prolactin, cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides concentrations, or atherogenic index). Furthermore, no significant changes of serum adiponectin levels were found throughout the menstrual cycle. We conclude that changes in sex hormones during the menstrual cycle do not affect total circulating
adiponectin levels in healthy women. Therefore, the differences in insulin sensitivity in various phases of the menstrual cycle are not due to changes of circulating adiponectin levels.
The resuits of the Hard X-Ray Imaging Spectrometer on the Solar Maximum Mission are reviewed. Particular emphasis ís given to those results which address phenomena which cannot easily be studied by the other instruments. Among the important discoveries are the following: it has been established that during the onset of the impulsive phase the hard X-rays are emitted from the footpoints of the flare loop, cospatial with the Hα kernels; very large, coronal loops, often containing plasma with temperatures up to 10^K,
are probably quasi-permanent features of the solar atmosphere; there are often soft X-ray precursors from points separated by ^ 10^ km which signal the onset of coronal mass ejections; following the onset of the impulsive phase hot plasma is observed to rise into the corona, sometimes inhibiting further energy input to the chromosphere; surges and prominences may be emitting weakly in soft X-rays during certain phases of their evolution; rapidly-varying
(^ 10‘s) soft X-ray spikes are occasionally seen, with unpredictable corresponding hard X-rays; and there has been a tentative identification of photospheric albedo, backscattered from the hard X-ray emitting plasma as it rises into the low corona.