The main intent of this paper is to present a review on the application of time series analysis techniques in hydrology and climatology. An overview of various statistical tests for detecting and estimating the hydrologic time series characteristics (i.e., homogeneity, stationarity, trend, periodicity, and persistence) is presented, together with their merits and demerits followed by comprehensive reviews of past studies (both basic and applied), and future research directions. The present review revealed that the climatologic time series of precipitation, air temperature, evapotranspiration and climatic change, and the hydrologic time series of streamflow and surface water quality have received a great deal of attention worldwide. Although the application areas of time series analysis techniques are expanding with growing concerns about climate change and global warming, their application is still very limited in groundwater hydrology as well as for non-traditional hydrologic time series. It is also apparent from this review that the detection of trend and stationarity by parametric and/or nonparametric tests has been a major focus in the past. Multiple comparison tests lack appreciation by the researchers for testing homogeneity in the hydrologic and climatologic time series. Furthermore, most studies have ignored the importance of testing periodicity and persistence in the time series, which are equally important properties of hydrologic and climatologic time series. Based on the comprehensive review, future research needs for time series studies in hydrology and climatology are discussed. and Príspevok prináša prehľad aplikácií techník analýzy časových radov v hydrológii a klimatológii. Uvádza prehľad rôznych štatistických testov na zistenie charakteristík týchto radov (napr. homogenity, stacionarity, trendov, periodicity a perzistencie), spolu s ich prednosťami a nedostatkami. Ďalej je uvedený tiež celkový prehľad uskutočnených štúdií (základných aj aplikovaných) a smery výskumu pre budúcnosť. Súčasný prehľad naznačuje celosvetové sústredenie pozornosti na časové súbory klimatologických dát zrážok, teploty vzduchu, evapotranspirácie a zmien klímy, a tiež hydrologických dát prietokov a kvality povrchových vôd. Aj keď so zvýšením záujmu o zmenu klímy a globálne otepľovanie sa oblasti použitia techník analýzy časových radov rozširujú, ich aplikácie v oblasti hydrológie podzemných vôd a ďalších nie celkom tradičných hydrologických údajov sú veľmi obmedzené. Tento prehľad tiež uvádza, že v minulosti sa vyskytli snahy o sústredenie úsilia na postihnutie trendov a stacionarity radov použitím parametrických a/alebo neparametrických testov. Mnohí výskumníci dostatočne neoceňujú viacnásobné porovnávacie testy (multiple comparison tests) homogenity hydrologických a klimatických časových radov. Okrem toho vo väčšine štúdií sú zanedbané dôležité testy periodicity a perzistencie hydrologických radov. Tieto sú ich rovnako dôležité charakteristiky. Na základe všeobecného prehľadu príspevok tiež pojednáva o potrebe ďalšieho výskumu časových radov v hydrológii a klimatológii.
This paper describes our experience with time transfer using optical fibers and fully optical networks. We developed a technique and instrumentation for the comparison of distant time scales. These were first verified using a 740km optical loop within the Czech NREN backbone network and later a long term two-way optical time transfer between Czech and Austrian national time and frequency laboratories where the maintaining of their national time and frequency standards was evaluated. The optical link utilizes either dedicated optical fibers or Dense Wavelength Division Multiplex (DWDM) channels in all-optical production telecommunication networks. Results from the optical transfer, i.e. clock comparison and link delay including diurnal and seasonal effects are shown and also compared with a traditional time transfer using signals from the satellite navigation systems. and Článek popisuje naše dlouhodobé zkušenosti s časovým transferem prostřednictvím optických vláken a plně optických sítí. Pro porovnávání časových stupnic na velkou vzdálenost jsme proto vytvořili techniku a vyvinuli potřebné přístrojové vybavení, které jsme nejprve ověřili pomocí optické smyčky v délce 744 km v rámci páteřní sítě CESNET a posléze také využili pro dvoucestný optický transfer mezi českou a rakouskou národní laboratoří, které jsou zodpovědné za vytváření národních časových stupnic v České republice a Rakousku. Optickou trasu tvoří temná vlákna nebo vyhrazené kanály ve vlnovém multiplexu DWDM. Článek uvádí dosažené výsledky časového transferu, včetně měření zpoždění signálu na trase, a tyto jsou rovněž srovnány s obecně používaným časovým transferem prostřednictvím satelitních navigačních systémů.
We investigated the photosynthetic induction time-course in species of different ecological groups grown in contrasting forest irradiance environments, gap and understorey, exposed to different darkness times in order to verify the plant capacity to exploit irradiance heterogeneity. Photosynthetic induction was studied in leaves of Bauhinia forficata and Guazuma ulmifolia (early succession species, ES), and Esenbeckia leiocarpa and Hymenaea courbaril (late succession species, LS). T50 and T90 (time estimates to attain 50 and 90 % of maximum net photosynthetic rate, respectively) varied according to the time of previous exposure to darkness and growth irradiance. In both darkness times of 10 and 30 min, T50 was lower in the LS-than ES-species. These results, jointly with significant higher induction state of the leaves after 10 min of darkness, suggest that the LS-species has a higher potential to sunfleck utilization compared to ES-species, both grown in the understorey. After 10 and 30 min of darkness the differences between ecological groups were not clearly detected in the gap for T50 and T90, indicating that eco-physiological characteristics of each ecological group did not influence the induction time of the species evaluated herein. Thus the capacity to show phenotypic plasticity is not exclusive to an ecological group, but it is rather a more intrinsic feature related to the differential capacity of individuals. and M. T. Portes, T. H. Alves, G. M. Souza.
Enhanced expression of tissue factor (TF) may result in thrombosis contributing to acute clinical consequences of coronary artery disease. Several studies demonstrated elevated plasma levels of TF in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The aim of our study was to compare the concentrations of TF in coronary sinus (CS), proximal part of the left coronary artery (LCA) and peripheral vein (PV) of patients with ACS and stable coronary artery disease (SCAD). Time course of the TF plasma levels in PV was followed on day 1 and day 7 after index event of ACS presentation and was compared to day 0 values. No heparin was given prior to the blood sampling. Twenty-nine patients in the ACS group (age 63.6±10.8 years, 20 males, 9 females) and 24 patients with SCAD (age 62.3±8.1 years, 21 males, 3 females) were examined. TF plasma level was significantly higher in patients with ACS than in those with SCAD (239.0±99.3 ng/ml vs. 164.3±114.2 ng/ml; p=0.016). There was no difference in TF plasma levels in PV, CS and LCA (239.0± 99.3 ng/ml vs. 253.7±131.5 ng/ml vs. 250.6±116.4 ng/ml, respectively). TF plasma levels tended to decrease only non-significantly on the day 7 (224.4± 109.8 ng/ml). Significant linear correlation between TF and high sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP) levels on day 0 was found. In conclusion, TF plasma levels are elevated in patients with ACS not only locally in CS but also in systematic circulation. Our data support the relationship between TF production and proinflammatory mediators., J. Bis ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
The paper present analysis of the stress changes due to creep in statically determinate composite steel-concrete beam. The mathematical model involves the equation of equilibrium, compatibility and constitutive relationship, i.e. and elastic law for the steel part and an integral-type creep law of Boltzmann-Volterra for the concrete part. For determining the redistribution of stresses in beam section between concrete plate and steel beam with respect to time t, Volterra integral equations of the second kind have been derived, on the basis of the theory of the viscoelastic body of Arutyunian-Trost-Bazant. Numerical method, which makes use of linear approximation of the singular kernal function in the integral equations is presented. Example with the model proposed is investigated. The creep functions is suggested by the 'CEB-FIP' models code 1990. The elastic modulus of concrete Ec(t) is assumed to be constant in time t. and Obsahuje seznam literatury
Leptin is produced by white adipose tissue and other cell types and is involved in both short- and long-term appetite control. Here we studied effects of star vation on serum, pituitary and hypothalamic levels of leptin during 72 h period. Each of the starved groups was sacrificed simultaneously with the group of ad libitum fed animals. The progression of the discrete starvation response phases was monitored by testing the blood glucose, free fatty acid, urea and corticosterone levels. Starvation caused biphasic increase in corticosterone and free fatty acid levels, and significant but transient decrease in urea and glucose levels. Starvation also abolished diurnal rhythm of changes in leptin concentrations in serum and hypothalamic and pituitary tissues. Only 6 h starving period was sufficient to lock serum leptin at low levels, whereas 12 h were needed to silence leptin production/secretion in hypothalamus for the whole examined period. In contrast, leptin production by pituitary tissues of starved animals required 24 h to reach minimum, followed by full recovery by the end of starvation period. These resu lts indicate the tissue specific pattern of leptin release and suggest that the locally produced leptin could activate its receptor in pituitary cells independently of serum levels of this hormone., P. Vujovic ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
Chronology of three consecutive mitotic events in human preimplantation embryos was examined by time-lapse imaging. In zygotes producing well-formed and pregnancy-yielding expanded blastocysts, uniform time-patterning of cleavage clusters (c) and interphases (i) was revealed: i2=11±1, i3=15±1, i4=23±1 h / c2=15±5, c3=40±10, c4=55±15 min. Oppositely, shortened or prolonged durations of one or more cell cycles were strongly predictive of poor implantation and development. Furthermore, trichotomic mitosis was discovered in 17 % of cases - zygotes cleaved into 3 blastomeres and 2-cell embryos into 5-6 cells (instead of normal 2 and 4). During conventional clinical assessment, such embryos are indistinguishable from normal, often considered just-in-course of the next cell cycle. Only detailed time-lapse monitoring paced at 10-minute intervals had proven all these embryos to be absolutely unviable, even in rare cases when they reduced their hypercellularity to normal cell counts via cell-cell fusion. Overall, we demonstrate that timelapse embryo cleavage rating (ECR) as a standalone diagnostic procedure allows for effective identification of viable early embryos with 90 % specificity, while elimination of good-looking but unviable embryos can be assumed with a specificity of 100 %. Thus, making this non-invasive and contactless approach worth of addition to routine embryo screening in clinical IVF programs., D. Hlinka ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
Myostatin (MSTN), an important negative regulator of skeletal muscle, plays an important role in skeletal muscle health. In previous study, we found that the expression of MSTN was different during skeletal muscle injury repair. Therefore, we explored the expression changes of MSTN at different time points during skeletal muscle injury repair after eccentric exercise. In addition, MSTN is regulated by follistatin (FST) and decorin (DCN) in vivo, so our study examined the time-specific changes of FST, DCN and MSTN in the circulation and skeletal muscle during skeletal muscle injury repair after eccentric exercise, and to explore the reasons for the changes of MSTN in the process of exercise-induced muscle injury repair, to provide a basis for promoting muscle injury repair. The rats performed one-time eccentric exercise. Blood and skeletal muscle were collected at the corresponding time points, respectively immediate after exercise (D0), one day (D1), two days (D2), three days (D3), seven days (W1) and fourteen days (W2) after exercise (n=8). The levels of MSTN, FST, DCN in serum and mRNA and protein expression in muscle were detected. MSTN changes in the blood and changes in DCN and FST showed the opposite trend, except immediately after exercise. The change trends of mRNA and protein of gastrocnemius DCN and MSTN are inconsistent, there is post-transcriptional regulation of MSTN and DCN in gastrocnemius. Acute eccentric exercise might stimulate the secretion of DCN and FST into the circulation and inhibit MSTN. MSTN may be regulated by FST and DCN after acute eccentric exercise.
Between 1997 and 2001, the birth dates of free living and captive Alpine musk deer were examined to determine fawning patterns, and discuss potential influencing factors. In the wild, parturition shows strong seasonality, and occurred in three months from May to July, most of the births (75%) occurring within a 27 day period. Environmental seasonality, including the climate and forage availability, plays the major role in determining the timing of births in wild musk deer. Similarly, fawning in captivity shows constancy between years and seasonality, although with later initiation and a longer season than in the wild, influenced by an environmental seasonality of relatively lower intensity. More detailed differences in fawning patterns were observed in different rows of enclosures, resulting from differences in human care, and intensified by the social interaction among individuals within a row of enclosures. Although the fawning pattern is not strongly related to age of the captives, an individual’s reproductive history seemed to influence fawning timing and synchrony, and the birth date is not strongly related to the survival of the newborn.