The thermal resistance is one of the important behaviors of the construction and thermal insulating materials. This study describes foamed material made from fluidized bed ash (FBA) in combination with natural smectite having a filler function. The foaming effect was insured by addition of metallic aluminum to the FBA/smectite mixture. Highly calcareous FBA containing calcium oxide creates during slaking processes an alkali reaction and with aluminum develops foaming agent - hydrogen. Study of thermal resistance was a part of experiments directed on heat insulating materials and article presents test results of this life gardening material. Specific attention was focused on differences between the results of chemical analyses and the crystal phases identified by X-ray diffractions. The paper presents hypothesis of chained alumina-silicates acting as bonding agent confirmed by infra-red spectroscopy and assuring together with calcium sulfates high thermal resistance even under condition of direct flame attack., Tomáš Hanzlíček and Ivana Perná., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The relative size of the pool of electrons accumulated in stroma reductants during actinic irradiation, which can be donated to P700+ via the intersystem chain, was estimated after short-term exposure of intact Zea mays leaves to elevated temperatures. When the temperature increased from 25 to 50 °C by 5 °C steps, the relative size of the stroma electron pool went through a maximum at around 30 °C, and decreased gradually thereafter. and Ming-Xian Jin, Hualing Mi.
The aim of this study was to ascertain whether repeated local cooling induces the same or different adaptational responses as repeated whole body cooling. Repeated cooling of the legs (immersion into 12 °C water up to the knees for 30 min, 20 times during 4 weeks = local cold adaptation – LCA) attenuated the initial increase in heart rate and blood pressure currently observed in control subjects immersed in cold water up to the knees. After LCA the initial skin temperature decrease tended to be lower, indicating reduced vasoconstriction. Heart rate and systolic blood pressure appeared to be generally lower during rest and during the time course of cooling in LCA humans, when compared to controls. All these changes seem to indicate attenuation of the sympathetic tone. In contrast, the sustained skin temperature in different areas of the body (finger, palm, forearm, thigh, chest) appeared to be generally lower in LCA subjects than in controls (except for temperatures on the forehead). Plasma levels of catecholamines (measured 20 and 40 min after the onset of cooling) were also not influenced by local cold adaptation. Locally cold adapted subjects, when exposed to whole body cold water immersion test, showed no change in the threshold temperature for induction of cold thermogenesis. This indicates that the hypothermic type of cold adaptation, typically occurring after systemic cold adaptation, does not appear after local cold adaptation of the intensity used. It is concluded that in humans the cold adaptation due to repeated local cooling of legs induces different physiological changes than systemic cold adaptation.
Thermoluminescence (TL) in green plants arises from charge recombination of charged molecules in the reaction centre (RC) of photosystem 2 (PS2) in chloroplasts. The TL technique is used for detection of alterations in the architecture of PS2 RCs. The donor side 'S-states' and the acceptor side quinone molecules (QA and QB) are involved the charge recombination processes of PS2. High temperature (70-75 °C) glow peaks are also used to detect non-photosynthetic peroxidation processes in thylakoid membranes. The TL peaks with their characteristic charge recombination can be utilised for the study of chloroplast development, ageing, chemical, biotic, and abiotic stress induced alterations in the PS2 RC and for the study of the primary photochemical events of photosynthesis. The technique has been used successfully in the characterisation of transgenic plants in the study of genetically engineered organisms. and A. N. Misra ... [et al.].
The thermoluminescence (TL) emission of photosynthesising materials originates from the recombination of charge pairs created by a previous excitation. Using a recently described TL set-up the effect of chilling stress on TL bands occurring at positive temperatures (AG, B, and HTL) was investigated in intact leaves. The far-red irradiation of leaves at low, but non-freezing temperatures induced a TL band peaking at around 40-45 °C (AG band), together with a B band peaking between 20 and 35 °C. Low temperature stress first caused a downshift and a temporary increase in the AG band after 4 h at 0 °C in the light, then a decrease in the AG and B TL bands after 1 d at 0 °C in the light. This decrease was less pronounced in cold-tolerant genotypes and in those grown at acclimating temperatures. Furthermore, an additional band appeared above 80 °C after severe cold stress. This band indicates the presence of lipid peroxides. Thus TL is a useful technique for studying the effects of low temperature stress. and T. Janda, G. Szalai, E. Páldi.
Metabolic rate and body temperature (Tb) reduction during torpor can provide significant energy savings for bats during inclement weather and food scarcity. However, torpor use may slow down biochemical processes including fetal and juvenile development and sperm production. Sex-differences in the timing of reproductive activity of bats in the temperate climate zone should result in differences of the thermoregulation behaviour by males and females during summer. To test this hypothesis, we studied thermoregulation of freeranging, tree-dwelling gleaning bats (Myotis bechsteinii) and trawling bats (M. daubentonii) during different reproductive periods. Gleaners and trawlers are able to forage on prey which is sitting on vegetation and the ground (gleaning) or which is slowly moving over water bodies (trawling). This prey is characterized by lower ambient temperature (Ta) dependent abundance than flying prey. We used temperature-sensitive radio transmitters to measure skin temperature (Tsk). Temperature telemetry over 144 census days revealed a significant effect of reproductive period and sex on Tsk. Pre-spermatogenic males exhibited a significantly greater Tsk reduction than females in early pregnancy. Males at the beginning of sperm production and in main spermatogenesis exhibited much more frequent and deeper temperature reductions than females in late pregnancy and in lactation. Lactating females maintained the highest Tsk of all bats. Post-lactating females reduced Tsk to the same extent or even more than males in advanced spermatogenesis. Our findings indicate that the thermoregulation of gleaning and trawling temperate bats is likely to be much less influenced by environmental conditions than that of aerial hawking bat species. We suggest that both sexes of Bechstein’s bats and Daubenton’s bats primarily adapt their thermoregulation in response to current reproductive activity.
The species specific response of photosystem 2 (PS2) efficiency and its thermotolerance to diurnal and seasonal alterations in leaf temperature, irradiance, and water relations were investigated under alpine field conditions (1 950 m) and in response to an in situ long-term heat treatment (+3 K). Three plant species were compared using the naturally occurring microstratification of alpine environments, i.e. under contrasting leaf temperatures but under similar macroclimatic conditions. Thermotolerance of PS2 showed a high variability in all three species of up to 9.6 K. Diumal changes (increases or even decreases) in PS2 thermotolerance occurred frequently with a maximum increase of +4.8 K in Loiseleuria procumbens. Increasing leaf temperatures and photosynthetic photon flux density influenced thermotolerance adjustments. Under long-term heating (+3 K) of L. procumbens canopies with infra-red lamps, the maxima of the critical (Tc) and the lethal (Tp) temperature of PS2 increased by at least 1 K. Thermotolerance of the leaf tissue (LT50) increased significantly by +0.6 K. The effects of slight water stress on thermotolerance of PS2 were species specific. High temperature thresholds for photoinhibition were significantly different between species and increased by 9 K from the species in the coldest microhabitat to the species in the warmest. Experimental heating of L. procumbens canopies by +3 K caused a significant (p>0.01) upward shift of the high temperature threshold for photoinhibition by +3 K. Each species appeared to be very well adapted to the thermal conditions of its microhabitat as under the most frequently experienced daytime leaf temperatures no photoinhibition occurred. The observed fine scale thermal adjustment of PS2 in response to increased leaf temperatures shows the potential to optimise photosynthesis under varying environmental conditions as long as the upper thermal limits are not exceeded. and V. Braun, O. Buchner, G. Neuner.
The common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is sensitive to high temperature, while an ecologically contrasting species (Phaseolus acutifolius A. Gray) is cultivated successfully in hot environments. In this study, the two bean species were respectively acclimated to a control temperature of 25 °C and a moderately elevated temperature of 35 °C in order to compare the thermotolerance capabilities of their photosynthetic light reactions. Growth at 35 °C appeared to have no obvious adverse effect on the photosynthetic activities of the two beans, but changed their thermotolerance. After a short period of heat shock (40 °C for up to 4 h), the photosynthetic activities of 25 °C-grown P. vulgaris declined more severely than those of P. acutifolius grown at 25 °C, implying that the basal thermotolerance of P. vulgaris is inferior to that of P. acutifolius. But after acclimating to 35 °C, the thermotolerances of the two species were both greatly enhanced to about the same level, clearly demonstrating the induction of acquired thermotolerance in their chloroplasts, and P. vulgaris could be as good as P. acutifolius. Temperature acclimation also changed plants' resistance to photoinhibition in a manner similar to those toward heat stress. In addition, acquisition of tolerance to heat and strong irradiance would reduce the dependency of the two beans on xanthophyll pigments to dissipate heat, and also seemed irrelevant to the agents with antioxidant activities such as SOD. and C. M. Tsai, B. D. Hsu.
The resistance to insulin (insulin resistance, IR) is a common feature and a possible link between such frequent disorders as non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), hypertension and obesity. Pharmacological amelioration of IR and understanding its pathophysiology are therefore essential for successful management of these disorders. In this review, we will discuss the mechanisms of action of thiazolidinediones (TDs), a new family of insulin-sensitizing agents. Experimental studies of various models of IR and an increasing number of clinical studies have shown that TDs normalize a wide range of metabolic abnormalities associated with IR. By improving insulin sensitivity in skeletal muscles, the adipose tissue and hepatocytes, TDs reduce fasting hyperglycaemia and insulinaemia. Furthermore, TDs markedly influence lipid metabolism - they decrease plasma triglyceride, free fatty acid and LDL-cholesterol levels, and increase plasma HDL-cholesterol concentrations. Although TDs do not stimulate insulin secretion, they improve the secretory response of beta cells to insulin secretagogues. TDs act at various levels of glucose and lipid metabolism — ameliorate some defects in the signalling cascade distal to the insulin receptor and improve glucose uptake in insulin-resistant tissues via increased expression of glucose transporters GLUT1 and GLUT4. TDs also activate glycolysis in hepatocytes, oppose intracellular actions of cyclic AMP, and increase intracellular magnesium levels. TDs bind to peroxisome proliferator activating receptors y (PPARy), members of the steroid/thyroid hormone nuclear receptor superfamily of transcription factors involved in adipocyte differentiation and glucose and lipid homeostasis. Activation of PPARy results in the expression of adipocyte-specific genes and differentiation of various cell types in mature adipocytes capable of active glucose uptake and energy storage in the form of lipids. Furthermore, TDs inhibit the pathophysiological effects exerted-fey tumour-necrosis factor (TNFa), a cytokine involved in the pathogenesis of IR. These effects are most likely also mediated by stimulation of PPARy. In mature adipocytes, PPARy stimulation inhibits stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1) enzyme activity resulting in a change of cell membrane fatty acid composition. Apart from their metabolic actions, TDs modulate cardiovascular function and morphology independently of the insulin-sensitizing effects. TDs decrease blood pressure in various models of hypertension as well as in hypertensive insulin-resistant patients, and inhibit proliferation, hypertrophy and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) induced by growth factors. These processes are considered to be crucial in the development of vascular remodelling, atherosclerosis and diabetic organ complications. TDs induce vasodilation by blockade of Ca2+ mobilisation from intracellular stores and by inhibition of extracellular calcium uptake via L-channels. Furthermore, TDs interfere with pressor systems (catecholamines, renin-angiotensin system) and enhance endothelium-dependent vasodilation. A key role of TDs effects in vascular remodelling is played by inhibition of the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase pathway. This signalling pathway is important for VSMC growth and migration in response to stimulation with tyrosine-kinase dependent growth factors. In addition to the vasoprotective mechanisms mentioned above, troglitazone, the latest representative of this pharmacological group, possesses antioxidant actions comparable to vitamin E. In summary, TDs have the unique ability to attack mechanisms responsible for metabolic alterations as well as for vascular abnormalities characteristic for IR. Therefore, TDs represent a powerful research tool in attempts to find a common denominator underlying the pathophysiology of the metabolic syndrome X. A recently reported link between MAP kinase signalling pathway and PPARy transcriptional activity suggests that this research direction is promising.
The article presents a liquid film instability model designed using results of the set of CFD simulations. The governing equations of the model are derived using a linear equation of motion. The stability analysis is carried out by imposing a liquid surface disturbance which growth rate is investigated in dependence on the geometrical and physical configuration. The gas effect parameters, which are decisive variables in the model, are derived using results of the set of CFD simulations of turbulent flow in channel with wavy surface. The agreement between predicted and measured critical gas velocities and wavelengths in dependence on the liquid film thickness is very good. and Obsahuje seznam literatury