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Temperature-related phenotypic plasticity of free-living protists
Poláčková, Tereza ; Neustupa, Jiří (advisor) ; Kulichová, Jana (referee)
In my Bc Thesis I focused on temperature-corellated phenotypic plasticity. The theoretical part is divided into four main thematical units. The first one deals with temperature optimum and growth parameters. The second one with cell size and its infuence on the physiology and ecology of protists. The thirt one with genotyp influence on cell size and growth rate. The fourt one is about primary production and its relation to antagonistic phenomenon of increasing growth rate and decreasing cell size with increasing temperature. Finally, the fifth one is about specific examples of morphological changes which we can find in protist group. In the practical part of the thesis I performed basic analysis of my own data about Micrasterias thomasiana and Micrasterias rotata. I compared the cells from May and October samples from the peat-bog in Krušné hory. The result of my analysis is that there is probably no sezonally-corellted morphological variability in neither of the studied species. Data on M. rotata may be, however, affected by the fact that I found it at one location only.
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Reproductive Strategies of Geckos: The Role of Macroevolutionary Novelties and Phenotypic Plasticity
Kubička, Lukáš ; Kratochvíl, Lukáš (advisor) ; Rehák, Ivan (referee) ; Boukal, David (referee)
Presented Ph.D. thesis contains an introduction and four chapters concerning reproductive strategies in geckos. The chapters include four peer-reviewed papers and a submitted manuscript. All geckos share rather exceptional reproductive trait known as invariant clutch size, which is characterised by low and invariable clutch size. The first chapter demonstrates that invariant clutch size probably evolved in geckos under selection for enlargement of investment per offspring. On the other hand, in anoles (a group not related to geckos possessing the same mode of reproduction) invariant clutch size allowed considerable decrease of female reproductive burden. Moreover, the interspecific allometries of egg mass and clutch mass in anoles and geckos are informative for understanding of reproductive allometries in a broader context of squamate reptiles. The second chapter is focused on a trade-off in energy investment among reproduction, growth and fat storage in a gecko Paroedura picta. Surprisingly, there seems to exist a clear hierarchical rule for allocation among particular life-history traits. Effect of temperature on reproductive rate in the same species of gecko is the subject of the third chapter. Observed thermal dependence is in contrast to the general relationship suggested under the so-called...
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The influence of reducing agent on silver nanoparticles granumetric parameters
Šomodíková, Iva ; Dittrich, Milan (advisor) ; Šnejdrová, Eva (referee)
We report an experimental evidence of a process of silver particles preparation by the Tollens reduction method. Natural non toxic reducing agents, such as various starches and flavonoid plant extracts were used. As the most efficient reducing agents amaranth starch and Paulinia cupana extract were choosen for the following study. The use of starches alone leads to highly polydisperse systems. The mixing of starches with Paulinia cupana extract results in silver nanoparticles with good size-mean and size-distribution parameters. The nucleation and growth phase of the particle preparation process were improved by the microwave irradiation. The synergy of intensified molecular movement in the water phase and the similar and more thermal accented process in the newly formed metal nanoparticles were exploited. This preparation method evidently leads to the higher quality systems usable as biocompatible antimicrobials and preservatives.
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Investigation of matter transport in porous materials by means of PFG NMR
Peksa, Mikuláš ; Lang, Jan (advisor) ; Hof, Martin (referee)
Title: Investigation of matter transport by means of PFG NMR Author: Mikuláš Peksa Department of low temperature physics Supervisor: doc. RNDr. Jan Lang, Ph.D. Assistant Supervisor: RNDr. Milan Kočiřík, CSc. (ÚFCH JH AV ČR) Abstract: Estimation of transport-structural parameters such as porosity, tortuosity and surface-to-volume ratio of pores in beds of glass beads is the main goal of this study. These parameters were estimated for 5 samples with different distributions of sizes. The second goal is to probe a possibility to use the same approach to describe the self-diffusion in water solution of LiCl confined in two porous materials based on Al2O3 and glass, respectively. The last goal is the measurement of self-diffusion of water molecules in mesoporous geopolymeric material. Its capability of water transport at long scales have been documented. The measurements of apparent self-diffusion coefficients by means of NMR spectroscopy with pulsed field gradients was major methodology of this work. Keywords: porous material, porosity, tortuosity, self-diffusion, NMR
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Calculus Bovis effect on blood lipids and the expression of endothelial NO synthesis / / in ApoE-deficient mouse model of atherosclerosis
Studená, Romana ; Nachtigal, Petr (advisor) ; Trejtnar, František (referee)
Calculus Bovis is one of the most precious and commonly-used medicinal materials in China. It is consists predominantly bilirubin and bile acids. In this thesis we focused on possible effects of Calculus Bovis on lipids and atherogenesis in apoE-deficient mice. ApoE-deficient mice were fed standard diet for 2 weeks. At the age of 8 weeks the control group of animals were fed with the western type diet, which contained 21% fat and 0,15% cholesterol for 8 weeks. The same atherogenic diet was used in Calculus Bovis group, where Calculus Bovis was added to the atherogenic diet at the dosage of 50 mg/kg b.wt. Calculus Bovis (Artificial bezoar, Biopharma, Australia) per day. The biochemical analysis of lipid spectrum was done, area of atherosclerotic lesions was determined and imunohistochemical and stereological analysis of eNOS expression was performed as well. Calculus bovis treatment did not affect blood lipids, total cholesterol, VLDL, LDL, HDL and TAG when compared with control mice. Moreover Calculus bovis treatment did not decrease either atherosclerotic plaque area or endothelial expression of eNOS. The failure of Calculus Bovis treatment in this pilot study could be probably related to insufficient dose of Calculus Bovis.
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Social Situation Sustainability at the Economic Crisis Time
Kratochvílová, Pavla ; Bartošová, Jitka (advisor) ; Votava, Libor (referee)
The goal of thesis with theme Social Situation Sustainability at the Economic Crisis Time is analysis of trend in value and structure government income and mandatory expenses from the beginning of transformation (i.e. from year 1990) till present and affection of crisis. We describe in more detail at-risk-of-poverty-rate and material deprivation in Czech Republic and compare these parameters to chosen states from European Union.
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Spirulina platensis effects on atherogenesis in mouse model of atherosclerosis.
Hanusová, Kateřina ; Mičuda, Stanislav (referee) ; Nachtigal, Petr (advisor)
Spirulina platensis is a single cell blue-green algae of Cyanobacteria strain. Spirulina belongs among foodstuffs with the highest protein content and contains all essential amino-acids. It is also a source of some non essential amino-acids, important nutrients as for example gamma linol acid, a lot of vitamins (B1, B2, B6, biotin, etc.) and trace elements (e.g. selenium, chrome, iron, calcium). Moreover it contains natural pigments carotenoids, chlorophyll and phycocyanin. The aim of this thesis was to test potential hypolipidemic and anti- inflammatory effects of Spirulina platensis on an experimental animal model of apoE/LDLr deficient mice. Therefore the parameters of lipid spectrum in blood and VCAM-1 expressions in arterial endothelium were monitored. Mice with deficit of apolipoprotein E (apoE-/- ) and LDL receptor were weaned of and for two weeks fed with a standard diet. At the age of eight weeks they started to be fed with atherogenic diet containing 0.15% of cholesterol. This continued for eight weeks (control group). In Spirulina platensis group the mice were fed with the same atherogenic diet with daily addition of 20 mg of Spirulina platensis. Biochemical analysis of lipid spectrum as well as histochemical and imunohistochemical analyses of atherosclerotic plates and VCAM-1...
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Formulation of Oligoester Nanoparticles
Černá, Marcela ; Dittrich, Milan (advisor) ; Šnejdrová, Eva (referee)
Title: Formulation of oligoester nanoparticles Author: Marcela Černá Abstract: The aim of presented thesis is directed on the preparation method of biodegradable oligoester nanoparticles with embedded biologically active ingredient. Our interest was focused on the enlargement of knowledge concrete possibilities of nanoparticles preparation in the sense of parameters related to their pharmacokinetic activity and physical stability, such as particle size and electrokinetic potential. Nanoparticulate systems were prepared by solvent evaporation method (emulsion oil in water), dicloromethane was used as the solvent. Emulsifying agents of four types had been used in various binary mixtures. Four polymeric carriers differing in the branching degree were used. Terbinafine was selected as model drug substance. Size and electorokinetic potential of the prepared microparticles were measured using Zetasizer device (Malvern Instruments). From the presented results of experiments it is possible to conclude the possibility of preparation of stable nanoparticles with the diameter under 200 nm.
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The Role of Secondary Electron Emission in Dust Grain Charging
Richterová, Ivana ; Němeček, Zdeněk (advisor) ; Stöckel, Jan (referee) ; Tomková, Eva (referee) ; Frank, Luděk (referee)
Title: The Role of Secondary Electron Emission in Dust Grain Charging Author: Ivana Richterová Department: Department of Surface and Plasma Science Supervisor: Prof. RNDr. Zdeněk Němeček, DrSc. Abstract: This work presents a secondary emission model focused on micron and submicron dust grains. The results allowed us to predict surface potentials of grains charged by 50 eV -- 15 keV electron beams. The probability that such electrons penetrate through grains increases with their energy and decreases with a grain size and depends on a grain shape. Model predictions were experimentally verified for glass, gold, and carbon spherical grains and for lunar regolith simulants. In dusty plasmas, charge accumulated on dust grains and plasma parameters govern the ensemble dynamics. The model can be thus utilised in calculations of phenomenon in planet magnetospheres (e.g. spokes in Saturn's rings), in tokamak edge plasmas, etc. Keywords: Secondary emission, dust grains, dust charging
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