Although the quantification of real evapotranspiration (ETr) is a prerequisite for an appropriate estimation of the water balance, precision and uncertainty of such a quantification are often unknown. In our study, we tested a combined growth and soil water balance model for analysing the temporal dynamics of ETr. Simulated ETr, soil water storage and drainage rates were compared with those measured by 8 grass-covered weighable lysimeters for a 3-year period (January 1, 1996 to December 31, 1998). For the simulations, a soil water balance model based on the Darcy-equation and a physiological-based growth model for grass cover for the calculation of root water uptake were used. Four lysimeters represented undisturbed sandy soil monoliths and the other four were undisturbed silty-clay soil monoliths. The simulated ETr-rates underestimated the higher ETr-rates observed in the summer periods. For some periods in early and late summer, the results were indicative for oasis effects with lysimeter-measured ETr-rates higher than corresponding calculated rates of potential grass reference evapotranspiration. Despite discrepancies between simulated and observed lysimeter drainage, the simulation quality for ETr and soil water storage was sufficient in terms of the Nash-Sutcliffe index, the modelling efficiency index, and the root mean squared error. The use of a physiological-based growth model improved the ETr estimations significantly.
Kappaphycus alvarezii is a seaweed of great economic importance for the extraction of kappa carrageenan from its cell walls. The most common strains are dark red, brown, yellow, and different gradations of green. It is known that ultraviolet radiation (UVR) affects macroalgae in many important ways, including reduced growth rate, reduction of primary productivity, and changes in cell biology and ultrastructure. Therefore, we examined the brown strain of K. alvarezii exposed to ultraviolet-B radiaton (UVBR) for 3 h per day during 28 days of cultivation. The control plants showed growth rates of 7.27% d-1, while plants exposed to UVBR grew only 4.0% d-1. Significant differences in growth rates and in phycobiliproteins between control and exposed plants were also found. Compared with control plants, phycobiliprotein contents were observed to decrease after UV-B exposure. Furthermore, the chlorophyll a (Chl a) contents decreased and showed significant differences. UVBR also caused changes in the ultrastructure of cortical and subcortical cells, which included increased thickness of the cell wall and number of plastoglobuli, reduced intracellular spaces, changes in the cell contour, and destruction of chloroplast internal organization. Reaction with Toluidine Blue showed an increase in the thickness of the cell wall, and Periodic Acid-Schiff stain showed a decrease in the number of starch grains. By the significant changes in growth rates, photosynthetic contents and ultrastructual changes observed, it is clear that UVBR negatively affects intertidal macroalgae and, by extension, their economic viability. and É. C. Schmidt ... [et al.].
We consider boundary value problems for nonlinear $2m$th-order eigenvalue problem $$ \begin{aligned} (-1)^mu^{(2m)}(t)&=\lambda a(t)f(u(t)),\ \ \ \ \ 0<t<1, \\ u^{(2i)}(0)&=u^{(2i)}(1)=0,\ \ \ \ i=0,1,2,\cdots ,m-1 . \end{aligned} $$ where $a\in C([0,1], [0,\infty ))$ and $a(t_0)>0$ for some $t_0\in [0,1]$, $f\in C([0,\infty ),[0,\infty ))$ and $f(s)>0$ for $s>0$, and $f_0=\infty $, where $f_0=\lim _{s\rightarrow 0^+}f(s)/s$. We investigate the global structure of positive solutions by using Rabinowitz's global bifurcation theorem.
Lectins as carbohydrate recognition proteins other than enzymes or immunoglobulins play important roles in living systems, e.g., in celi celi recognition. They are considered to be involved in snail-trematode immune interactions, i.e., in a system where antibodies are lacking and lectins might at least partially substitute immunoglobulin functions. From the snail side, lectins can be located on haemocyte surfaces as receptors for foreignness and they can be found freely in plasma. The latter can function as agglutinins/opsonins helping in the recognition of parasites by haemocytes. They may also link immune cells and pathogens by recognition of surface carbohydrates on both. Lectins of parasite origin could also be involved in snail-trematode interactions. They might function as trematode surface receptors for snail glycoconjugates in parasite masking strategies. Functions other than the involvement in the snail's immune response or the parasite’s evasion strategies might be fulfilled by lectins as well. Among these may be host-finding, penetration, orientation in the host, nutrition. It cannot be omitted that lectin-saccharide reactions represent only a part of the snail-trematode interactions and thus, results obtained from lectin experiments are a rough simplification of the actual, very complicated situation. An array of immune and other reactions comprised of yet unknown bioactive molecules certainly exists in snails and, on the other hand, trematode mechanisms to escape or otherwise interact with these, might be involved at the same time. But we can certainly conclude that a more complete view of the complex snail-trematode interactions also necessitates a more profound knowledge of the identity and functioning of lectins and their ligands, in host and parasite.
Schellackia ptyodactyli sp. n. is described from the fan-footed gecko Ptyodactylus hasselquistii (Donndorf) found the lower Jordan Valley, Cis-Jordan. Endogenous development was studied in geckoes necropsied 7-11 days after being inoculated with blood containing sporozoites from naturally infected geckoes of the same species. Merogony and gamogony/oogony stages, as well as sporozoites, are described by light and electron microscopy. Merogony stages, microgamonts and sporozoites conformed in fine structure to that of other eimerian coccidia. whereas wall forming bodies of the macrogamonts showed some divergence from the general pattern characteristic of eimerians and Schellackia cf. agamae. Merogony stages occurred simultaneously with gamonts and sporozoites. In the blood, sporozoites entered leucocytes, thrombocytes and erythrocytes. Parasitaemia persisted for up to 2 years in some naturally infected geckoes in captivity.
The dynamics of the mistuned model of the tests bladed disc with double perodicity was experimentally investigated. The mistuning arised due to the implemantation of two bunches of blades with damping heads fixed on opposite ends of the diameter. The dry friction effect in the heads was treated. The scale for measurement of the electromagnetic force acting on the disc was designed. It enables to analyse the real electromagnetic excitation of the disc under rotation and evaluation of the FRF characteristics from measured blade responses under rotation. The identified eigenfrequencies and damping constan ts served as indicators for assessment of stiffening and damping effects of the friction couplings in the heads. and Obsahuje seznam literatury
Measurement of the chlorophyll (Chl) a fluorescence rise (FR) under higher exciting irradiance (EI), the O-J-I-P transient, or under lower irradiance, the O-I-P transient, is a routinely used method to access photosystem 2 function in thylakoid membranes of chloroplasts. Our measurements with a suspension of pea thylakoid membranes showed that the relative heights of the J and I steps in the FR depended not only on EI but also on the concentration and thickness of the sample. We explain this effect as a consequence of the gradient of EI within the sample. We tested this suggestion by theoretical simulations of the FR based on the model that was previously used for simulation of the FR considering in addition the gradient of EI within the sample. Our theoretical results correspond well with the experiments. The irradiance gradient effect may influence measured FR significantly and this fact should be taken into consideration in the interpretation of measured FRs. and P. Sušila ... [et al.].
The article presents results of the verification calculation of the method for the calculation of natural frequencies and mode shapes of a linear undamped rotationally periodic systems considering the possibility of the elimination of degrees of freedom. As the test example a thin circular plate was chosen. The method can be applied e.g. for the calculation of the natural vibration characteristics of the steam turbine bladed disks. and Obsahuje seznam literatury