The clay deposit of Vila Nova da Rainha (VNR) is included in the lithostratigraphic formation named "Argilas de Tomar", and is located at the lower section of the Tertiary Tagus’ river basin. Clay from one quarry is being extracted for the production of construction ceramics. In this work the firing transformations undergone by VNR clays containing quartz, alkaline feldspar, iron oxy-hydroxides, and clay minerals have been studied. Carbonates have not been identified in these raw materials. The clay layers can be subdivided in three groups based upon composition and ceramic properties. The first group, VNR0, is represented by smectite-kaolinite sandy-silty clay, the second group (VNR1 and VNR2) corresponds to illite-kaolinite bearing clay and the third group (VNR3 and VNR4) is represented by illite-smectite silty clay. The firing process involves the formation of hematite and mullite both influencing the technical properties of the fired products. With regards to the ceramic properties assessed at 1100 ºC the first group showed the lowest total shrinkage value (7.35 %) the highest water absorption value (12.2 %) and the lowest mechanical bending strength value (12.0 MPa); the same properties assessed in the second group provided the highest firing shrinkage values (7.0-5.0 %), the lowest values of water absorption (0.1-0.2 %) and relatively high mechanical bending strength values (47.8-48.0 MPa); the third group showed firing shrinkage values within the range 3.5-4.2 %, water absorption values within the range 1.4-4.5 %, and the highest mechanical bending strength values (49.2-52.0 MPa). The results of the ceramic properties being appraised indicate that the raw materials being studied are suitable for the production of high-quality construction ceramics, such as brick, roof tile and rustic floor tile., João F. Coroado, Eduardo Ferraz, Celso F. Gomes and Fernando Rocha., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Palacký University is a partner of 7th Framework program entitled "Closed Loop Control of the Laser Welding Process through the Measurement of Plasma (no. 222279)" - CLET. Researchers and small/middle enterprises cooperate here on sensor development to control laser weld quality using spectroscopy methods. It makes possible an on-line optimization of process parameters avoiding formation of material defects. and Hana Chmelíčková, Hana Lapšanská.
This chapter is aimed at describing the relationship between individual rights and climate change agenda in the Czech Republic. Firstly, the authors provide a brief description of the Czech framework policy for climate change adaptation and specific acts dealing with the climate change. After that, the means of judicial protection in climate change disputes are analysed, with a particular emphasis on the role of administraitve courts. For better understanding, the authors present the most significant decisions of the Czech courts. They conclude that the courts may provide relatively effective protection against both public and private actors. however, climate change is still a new topic with which the applicants have not yet learned to work. In some cases, which are primarily concerned with other issues such as air pollution, climate change serves more as a supporting than a stand-alone argument. This is not likely to change any time soon, because the country is not affected by climate change to the degree it would be forced to act and immediate action would be deemed necessary. Moreover, the judicial review of the state policies is not allowed, even though at the governmental level, short-term economic goals are clearly preferred to the environmental agenda., Vojtěch Vomáčka, Ilona Jančářová., and Obsahuje bibliografické odkazy
Recently a large number of studies have reported an increase in the variability in the climate, which affects behavioural and physiological adaptations in a broad range of organisms. Specifically, insects may be especially sensitive to climatic fluctuations, as their physiology and life history traits, like those of other ectotherms, are predominantly affected by environmental factors. Here we aimed to investigate climate-induced changes in several morphometric measures of the Heath Fritillary in North-Eastern Hungary, which is a highly diverse transitional area. During this study we tested the following hypotheses: (i) climate affects genitalia and body size to various degrees (ii) increasing variability in climate induces higher levels of fluctuating asymmetry and variance in all morphological characters. To our knowledge, this study is the first to analyse simultaneously wing size and structure of genitalia of a butterfly in response to variability in climate. Our findings suggest that wing and genital traits may exhibit similar degrees of stability in response to a more variable climate, although the response in terms of forewing size differs from that of other body measurements and the structure of the genitalia. These findings suggest that global climate change may affect lepidopteran body metrics over longer periods of time. Our findings parallel the results of investigations showing that insect morphology might be modified by environmental changes, which is especially the case for those body parts that are phenotypically very variable. However, we found no evidence that increasing variability in climate would induce higher levels of fluctuating asymmetry and greater variability in morphological characters., Edit Juhász, Zsolt Végvári, János P. Tóth, Katalin Pecsenye, Zoltán Varga., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Antrochoanal polyps are benign lesions originating from the mucosa of the maxillary sinus. Nasal obstruction and rhinorrhea are their main symptoms. Their endoscopical and radiological appearance makes them relatively easy to diagnose. These polyps are usually presented unilaterally, although bilateral presentation is also possible. We described two cases of atypically giant antrochoanal polyps: in a 15-year-old child and in a 38-year-old man. In both cases, the diagnosis was done by nasal endoscopy and computed tomography (CT) of the paranasal sinuses and supported by histopathological analysis. In the first patient, the excised polyp had the histological characteristic of an angiomatous antrochoanal polyp. Because of their unusual dimension, the combined transoral and endonasal endoscopic approach was performed for complete polyp excision. We discussed the clinical, histopathological and immunohistochemical characteristics of choanal polyps in comparison to inflammatory nasal polyps, and the applicable surgical techniques for treatment of these polyps. and C. Špadijer-Mirković, A. Perić, B. Vukomanović-Đurđević, I. Stanojević
There exists no examination of what is the minimum anti - hypertensive threshold intensity for isometric exercise training. Twenty two normotensive participants were randomly assigned to training intensities at either 5 % or 10 % of their maximal contraction. Twenty participants completed the study. Clinical meaningful, but not statistically significant, reductions in systolic blood pressure were observed in both 5 % and 10 % groups -4.04 mm Hg (95 % CI -8.67 to +0.59, p=0.08) and -5.62 mm Hg (95 % CI -11.5 to +0.29, p=0.06) respectively after 6 weeks training. No diastolic blood pressure reductions were observed in either 5 % -0.97 mm Hg (95 % CI -2.56 to +0.62, p=0.20) or 10 % MVC +1.8 mm Hg (95 % CI -1.29 to +4.89, p=0.22) groups respectively after training. In those unable to complete isometr ic exercise at the traditional 30 % intensity, our results suggest there is no difference between 5 and 10 % groups and based on the principle of regression to the mean, this could mean both interventions induce a similar placebo-effect., N. C. L. Hess, D. J. Carlson, J. D. Inder, E. Jesulola, J. R. McFarlane, N. A. Smart., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Winter climate determines the success of the two main reproductive strategies employed by aphids. Permanent parthenogens survive as parthenogenetic females in mild winters, but are regularly eliminated by low temperatures; while cyclical parthenogens, which switch to sexual reproduction by the end of summer, produce every year fertilised diapausing eggs resistant to frost.
We have studied the variation in sexual morph production of several clones of the cereal aphid Rhopalosiphum padi (L.) showing both strategies. Twenty clones of this species differing by their geographic origin and their mode of reproduction were placed in two laboratory environments mimicking the changes of photoperiod and thermoperiod occurring naturally from the end of summer and during the autumn in oceanic and continental conditions. The analysis of clonal responses in both climatic conditions showed (i) a wide variation in investment of clones in sexual reproduction with, in particular, evidence for a mixed strategy employed by clones producing both sexuals without ceasing parthenogenetic reproduction, (ii) no geographic adaptation among clones belonging to cyclical parthenogenetic populations, (iii) an earlier production of sexuals in continental conditions and a higher production of males in oceanic conditions.
Furthermore, we have compared the dates of first appearance of sexuals in our experiments with those occurring in the field based on a suction trap database and found that sexuals were caught in nature at least four weeks earlier than in the lab. These results underline the need for a better understanding of the influence of the whole array of environmental factors inducing the transition from parthenogenetic to sexual reproduction in aphids., Maurice Hullé, Damien Maurice, Claude Rispe, Jean-Christophe Simon, and Lit