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Incorporation of small organic hydrophilic substances into vesicular systems
Janoušková, Vendula ; Krouská, Jitka (referee) ; Mravec, Filip (advisor)
This bachelor thesis deals with the study of the encapsulation efficiency of hydrophilic drugs and their releasing from the aqueous core depending on the different composition of the components of individual liposomal systems. The hydrophilic fluorescent probe called pyranine was chosen as a model drug. The aim was to prepare liposomes which would be suitable for inhalation administration in terms of their properties. These liposomes would provide passive targeting with prolonged release time without causing negative side effects on the organism. We have succeeded in developing a standard operating procedure for the incorporation of hydrophilic drugs. Liposomal systems have been prepared consisting of the addition of various components as cholesterol, phosphatidic acid, pegylated phosphatidylethanolamine and trimethylchitosan. Furthermore, we were able to characterize the individual liposomal systems in terms of size, stability and encapsulation efficiency which are important physicochemical properties for further application potential.
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Tajemství chemické komunikace u raků - přehledová studie a metodické cesty
ERBAN, Pavel
Chemical communication is one of the most important aspects of crayfish life and this is the most effective way of communication for them. Thanks to it, crayfish can effectively transmit information in a complex aquatic environment. Crayfish use chemical communication when interact in the environment, during building a social hierarchy, aggressive behaviour or during maternal care. The aim of this work was to create a concise literature review on known aspects of chemical communication in crayfish, together with testing urine sampling methods and their functionality. The methods used were confirmed to be functional and usable for further sampling with methodological notes and adjustments. In accordance with our results, it was evident that the amount of urine samples was lower when crayfish underwent previous interactions. For marbled crayfish, a positive linear trend of the samples size was visible with increasing weight and cephalothorax length of individuals. For signal crayfish, this trend was not evident for crayfish without previous interactions. This bachelor thesis forms the basis for further study of chemical communication in crayfish and at the same time offers a first confirmation of a functional method of urine sampling from crayfish for its further chemical analyses.
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Effect of changing ionic strength on the properties of catanionic vesicles from HTMA-DS
Filipová, Lenka ; Klučáková, Martina (referee) ; Mravec, Filip (advisor)
This diploma thesis is focused on evaluating the influence of ionic strength on catanionic vesicules made of ion pair amphiphile (IPA) in the form of HTMA-DS (hexadecyltrimethylammonium-dodecyl sulphate). Catanionic vesicles were stabilized by the addition of cationic surfactant dioctadecyldimethylammonium chloride (DODAC) and cholesterol. The ionic strength was attained by adding CaCl2 and Na2SO4 salts in the concentrations 0–300 mM. The changes influenced by ionic strength were studied by dynamic and electrophoretic light scattering (DLS and ELS), fluorescence anisotropy, generalized polarization (GP), pH measurement, and visual observation. During this experiment, the temperature was set both constant and altering in time. The measurement was performed shortly after adding salts to the catanionic vesicles and in-time measurement was performed as well. This thesis follows a bachelor thesis, where the influence of NaCl on the same type of catanionic vesicles in the same range of ionic strength was studied. The CaCl2 and Na2SO4 influences were then compared to the NaCl according to Hofmeister series. By the DLS and ELS method it was found that the size of vesicles with added CaCl2 and Na2SO4 was decreasing at first and then increasing whereas the -potential was exponentially decreasing with increasing ionic strength. The vesicle size, when the ionic strength was applied, was increasing in time while -potential was almost constant in time. The addition of both salts caused slight dehydration of the external part of the membrane which was examined by the fluorescent probe Laurdan (6-dodecanoyl-2-dimethylamino-naphthalene) and generalized polarization. By fluorescence anisotropy with the probe DPH (1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene), it was detected that both salts caused an increase of the fluidity of an inner part of a membrane. By both of the fluorescent techniques, it was confirmed that the increase in temperature caused a phase transition of the membrane from the solid ordered through the liquid ordered phase to the liquid disordered phase. The pH values also did not show any change with the addition of salts. When comparing the salts’ influence (CaCl2 and Na2SO4 versus NaCl) on catanionic vesicles it was found that in most cases NaCl influenced the observed properties the most. The addition of NaCl caused the largest increase in vesicle size, highest -potential values, initial dehydration of the external part of the membrane, and increased fluidity of the inner part of the membrane at I > 15 mM. These results are in agreement with the Hofmeister series. Based on the visual observation, the samples with ionic strength of more than 150 mM for CaCl2 and 75 mM for Na2SO4 were said to be unstable. This fact is in agreement with the result of ELS. The rest of the samples did not show any visual changes in time (28 days). Additionally, the influence of PBS buffer on catanionic vesicles at the same ionic strength values was studied. PBS buffer simulates the ionic environment of living organisms. Its' influence was characterized by the same methods under the same conditions as mentioned above. The effect of PBS on catanionic vesicles displayed almost the same behaviour in the observed properties. During this experiment, it was also found that the PBS influence on the studied properties was more significant than the influence of CaCl2, Na2SO4, and NaCl salts. Influence of PBS was most similar to the effect of NaCl on catanionic vesicles.
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Effects of pattern, size and background contrast of prey on discrimination learning in avian predators
Kuncová, Aneta ; Exnerová, Alice (advisor) ; Komárek, Stanislav (referee)
The topic of this master thesis was the effects of pattern, size and background contrast of prey on discrimination learning of avian predators. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of selected components of warning coloration on aversive discrimination learning of avian predators of different age and sex. The choosen model organism was the Great tit (Parus major). The comparision was done between hand-reared naïve birds and wild-caught adults of different age and sex. The experiment was taking place in the experimental cage with one way mirror. The experiment used a design of simultaneous task with two pray which differed in one component of the coloration (pattern, size and background kontrast). The differencies in the ability of discrimination learning was found just between hand-rared naïve birds and wild-caught adults. Better results were shown by the wild-caught adults. The ability of discrimination learning of wild-caught adults was not influenced by the age and sex. Pattern was the only significant component of the warning coloration due to which the birds were able to memorise the discrimination task. Key words: avoidance learning, unpalatable prey, pattern, size, background, contrast
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Incorporation of small organic hydrophilic substances into vesicular systems
Janoušková, Vendula ; Krouská, Jitka (referee) ; Mravec, Filip (advisor)
This bachelor thesis deals with the study of the encapsulation efficiency of hydrophilic drugs and their releasing from the aqueous core depending on the different composition of the components of individual liposomal systems. The hydrophilic fluorescent probe called pyranine was chosen as a model drug. The aim was to prepare liposomes which would be suitable for inhalation administration in terms of their properties. These liposomes would provide passive targeting with prolonged release time without causing negative side effects on the organism. We have succeeded in developing a standard operating procedure for the incorporation of hydrophilic drugs. Liposomal systems have been prepared consisting of the addition of various components as cholesterol, phosphatidic acid, pegylated phosphatidylethanolamine and trimethylchitosan. Furthermore, we were able to characterize the individual liposomal systems in terms of size, stability and encapsulation efficiency which are important physicochemical properties for further application potential.
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Evolutionary significance of visual traits of flowers and their influence on the pollinator constancy
Haveldová, Alice ; Štenc, Jakub (advisor) ; Klečka, Jan (referee)
Flower constancy is a behavior in which the pollinator visits flowers of the same plant species in a sequence more than would correspond to its preference for the given plant. This behavior is advantageous for plants because it can ensure efficient intraspecific pollen transfer which has a positive effect on their biological fitness. More efficient pollen transfer can lead to the selection of (visual and olfactory) flower traits that encourage flower constancy of pollinators. The main visual floral traits that affect constancy include colour, pattern, shape and size. However, these traits are of different importance for pollinators when they are deciding which flower to visit, and therefore their effect on flower constancy varies. The degree of flower constancy also differs between the functional groups of pollinators. Flower constancy is generally low in vertebrates, but insects and especially representatives of the order Hymenoptera are often flower constant.
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Study of the state of wels catfish population and its diet in the Římov reservoir in 2018
Vejřík, Lukáš
Based on the capture of wels catfish using longlines, the aim of the study was: 1. To estimate the abundance of catfish population, over 70 cm TL (total length), in 2017 and 2018. 2. O compare the abundance of catfish, expressed as catch per unit effort, with the other localities surveyed. 3. To determine the average length and weight of catfish. 4. To determine the proportion of artificially introduced and naturally stocked catfish into the reservoir. 5. To determine the annual growth of catfish on the basis of the catches of stocked pit tagged catfish and the size of the catfish identified in catches in 2017. 6. To evaluate the diet of catfish according to the stomach content analyses for 2017 and 2018.
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Survey of the catfish population in the Klíčava reservoir in 2018
Vejřík, Lukáš
Based on the capture of wels catfish using longlines, the aim of the study was: 1. To estimate the abundance of the catfish population, individuals over 70 cm TL (total length). 2. To compare the abundance and size of catfish, expressed as the catch per unit of effort, with the other reservoirs surveyed under the management of the Vltava River Authority state enterprise (Žlutice and Římov). 3. To determine the average length and weight of catfish. 4. To evaluate the diet of catfish according to the stomach content analyses.
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Are body size and specific species colouration important cues for predator recognition by their potencial prey? Diplomová práce
Antonová, Kateřina ; Fuchs, Roman (advisor) ; Sedláček, Ondřej (referee)
I tested influence of a body size and overal colouration in feeders experiments on recognition of sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) by chosen species of passerine. Experiments were conducted in years 2015 ̶ 2018. I used a plush dummies which carried a specific featuress of raptor (hooked beak, claws) and specific features of genus Accipiter (yellow eyes, respectively yellow eyes and overal colouration). As a control, dummy of harmless pigeon was used. Smaller dummies (size of a great tit) were not recognized as a raptor regardless of colouration. Large dummies with colouration of great tit and pigeon were not recognized as a raptor as well. On a contrary, large dummy with colouration of robin was recognized as a raptor, respectively sparrowhawk. Most birds who were flying to the feeders, at first payed attention to global features (size, overal colouration). If these features belong to well-known harmless bird, then local features (particular) which characterize raptor or sparrowhawk had no effect. Birds did not pay attention to them. Therefore it depends on a context, in which potential local key features occure.
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