Due to the large number of subsidies for energy-saving reconstructions granted, and expecting a strong influence of reconstruction on the radon level in building, the long-term measurements of radon concentration are offered free of charge to kindergartens in the Czech Republic. Classrooms and playrooms where the radon levels exceeded the reference value for kindergartens, which is 400 Bq m(-3), are monitored continuously for at least a week to obtain the average activity concentration of radon when children are present. Some of the kindergartens were previously measured in the 1990s. These earlier measurements have provided an opportunity to compare the results. This paper presents some lessons learned from radon diagnosis carried out in particular cases and an analysis of the influence of reconstruction work on the radon level in the buildings.

• MeSH
• konstrukční materiály analýza   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• monitorování radiace metody   MeSH
• předškolní dítě MeSH
• radioaktivní látky znečišťující vzduch analýza   MeSH
• radon analýza   MeSH
• referenční hodnoty MeSH
• školy * MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• předškolní dítě MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika MeSH

Energetické úspory jsou většinou dosahovány snižováním nákladů na vytápění, na větrání, případně na klimatizaci a na osvětlení, což ve svém důsledku může mít i negativní dopad na člověka. Je např. možno se podchladit v noci při příliš snížené teplotě, ohrozit svůj zrak při trvalém pohybu v podzemí, výrazně zhoršit kvalitu vnitřního vzduchu po zvýšení těsnosti obvodového pláště budovy a signifikantně - negativně změnit mentální i fyzickou výkonnost člověka při nesprávné teplotě a vlhkosti vzduchu a při nedostatečném osvětlení.

Energy savings are achieved as a rule by reducing expenditvu:e on heating, ventilation, possibly air conditioning and lighting. This in the long run may have a negative impact on man. If the temperature is very low exposure to cold may occur or eyesight may be damaged by permanent stay underground, the quality of indoor air may deteriorate if the peripheral walls of a building are too tight and all this may have a significant negative effect on the mental and physical efficiency of man exposed to the wrong temperature and humidity of the atmosphere and inadequate lighting.

• MeSH
• environmentální zdraví MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• osvětlení MeSH
• teplota MeSH
• větrání MeSH
• vlhkost MeSH
• zdraví MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH

The European corn borer Ostrinia nubilalis is a pest species, whose fifth instar larvae gradually develop cold hardiness during diapause. The physiological changes underlying diapause progression and cold hardiness development are still insufficiently understood in insects. Here, we follow a complex of changes related to energy metabolism during cold acclimation (5°C) of diapausing larvae and compare this to warm-acclimated (22°C) and non-diapause controls. Capillary electrophoresis of nucleotides and coenzymes has shown that in gradually cold-acclimated groups concentrations of ATP/ADP and, consequently, energy charge slowly decrease during diapause, while the concentration of AMP increases, especially in the first months of diapause. Also, the activity of cytochrome c oxidase (COX), as well as the concentrations of NAD+ and GMP, decline in cold-acclimated groups, until the latter part of diapause, when they recover. Relative expression of NADH dehydrogenase (nd1), coenzyme Q-cytochrome c reductase (uqcr), COX, ATP synthase (atp), ADP/ATP translocase (ant), and prohibitin 2 (phb2) is supressed in cold-acclimated larvae during the first months of diapause and gradually increases toward the termination of diapause. Contrary to this, NADP+ and UMP levels significantly increased in the first few months of diapause, after gradual cold acclimation, which is in connection with the biosynthesis of cryoprotective molecules, as well as regeneration of small antioxidants. Our findings evidence the existence of a cold-induced energy-saving program that facilitates long-term maintenance of larval diapause, as well as gradual development of cold hardiness. In contrast, warm acclimation induced faster depletion of ATP, ADP, UMP, NAD+, and NADP+, as well as higher activity of COX and generally higher expression of all energy-related genes in comparison to cold-acclimated larvae. Moreover, such unusually high metabolic activity, driven by high temperatures, lead to premature mortality in the warm-acclimated group after 2 months of diapause. Thus, our findings strongly support the importance of low temperature exposure in early diapause for gradual cold hardiness acquisition, successful maintenance of the resting state and return to active development. Moreover, they demonstrate potentially adverse effects of global climate changes and subsequent increase in winter temperatures on cold-adapted terrestrial organisms in temperate and subpolar regions.

• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

• MeSH
• Evropská unie MeSH
• krevní transfuze MeSH
• kvalita života MeSH
• separace krevních složek MeSH
• transplantace buněk MeSH
• transplantace orgánů MeSH
• transplantace tkání MeSH
• získávání tkání a orgánů MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Evropa MeSH

• Konspekt
• Patologie. Klinická medicína
• NLK Obory
• hematologie a transfuzní lékařství
• transplantologie
• NLK Publikační typ
• projekty

The assimilation of N-NO3- requires more energy than that of N-NH4+ . This becomes relevant when energy is limiting and may impinge differently on cell energy budget depending on depth, time of the day and season. We hypothesize that N-limited and energy-limited cells of the oceanic cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. differ in their response to the N source with respect to growth, elemental stoichiometry and carbon allocation. Under N limitation, cells retained almost absolute homeostasis of elemental and organic composition, and the use of NH4+ did not stimulate growth. When energy was limiting, however, Synechococcus grew faster in NH4+ than in NO3- and had higher C (20%), N (38%) and S (30%) cell quotas. Furthermore, more C was allocated to protein, whereas the carbohydrate and lipid pool size did not change appreciably. Energy limitation also led to a higher photosynthetic rate relative to N limitation. We interpret these results as an indication that, under energy limitation, the use of the least expensive N source allowed a spillover of the energy saved from N assimilation to the assimilation of other nutrients. The change in elemental stoichiometry influenced C allocation, inducing an increase in cell protein, which resulted in a stimulation of photosynthesis and growth.

• MeSH
• adenosintrifosfát metabolismus   MeSH
• amoniové sloučeniny farmakologie   MeSH
• bakteriální proteiny metabolismus   MeSH
• biomasa MeSH
• dusičnany farmakologie   MeSH
• dusík metabolismus   MeSH
• energetický metabolismus * účinky léků   MeSH
• fosfor metabolismus   MeSH
• fotosyntéza účinky léků   MeSH
• kyslík metabolismus   MeSH
• lipidy analýza   MeSH
• sacharidy analýza   MeSH
• síra metabolismus   MeSH
• Synechococcus cytologie   účinky léků   růst a vývoj   metabolismus   MeSH
• uhlík metabolismus   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

A strict underground style of life is one of the greatest challenges for mammals partly due to the high energetic cost of obtaining food by digging through a mechanically resistant substrate. Any energy saving adaptation, for example the effect of social thermoregulation, is thus very important for subterranean mammals. It has also been suggested that social mammals may suffer from "isolation stress" if measured alone, because the presence of other family member(s) may decrease the stress levels and thus their metabolic rates. This phenomenon known as a socio-physiological effect should be conspicuous when the metabolism of huddling individuals is measured within a species΄ thermoneutral zone (TNZ), where no energetic costs for body warming or cooling exist. In our study, we measured the resting metabolic rates of a social species of African mole-rat, the Mashona mole-rat (Fukomys darlingi), in individuals, pairs and groups of three to eight individuals. Measurements were carried out at ambient temperature below the species' TNZ (20 °C) to test the effect of social thermoregulation and at a temperature within the species' TNZ (30 °C) to test the socio-physiological effect. In pairs, the Mashona mole-rat saved 25% of its individual energetic expenses at the temperature below the TNZ. With increasing group size, energetic savings rose up to four animals, but no savings were found in larger groups. At the temperature within the TNZ, mole-rats saved 10% of individual energetic expenses in pairs, but the difference was not significant. Also, no energetic savings were found in larger groups within the TNZ. Our results on thermoregulatory savings in the TNZ are in contrast with extremely high energetic savings found by other authors in different mole-rat species.

• MeSH
• ekosystém MeSH
• energetický metabolismus MeSH
• mikroftalmičtí podzemní hlodavci fyziologie   MeSH
• sociální chování * MeSH
• termoregulace * MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Despite the size and thanks to the rich brown coal reserves, the Czech Republic is one of the leading energy producers in Europe, and the 7th biggest exporter of electricity in the world. However, following the climate change mitigation, the novel energy policy that enhances the reduction of coal mining is about to be implemented. A preliminary material flow analysis of the Czech energy sector was carried out. The data obtained confirmed that this government act would result in a dramatic reduction of revenues from electricity sales. Conversely, increased costs would be necessary in order to modernize nuclear power plants and promote the production of renewable energy. In addition, the economic analysis revealed that the act might be prejudicial to economic relations in Central and Western-European countries as some of them are significantly dependent on the electricity imported from the Czech Republic. Disputes between engineers and politicians were highlighted. The aforementioned interrelations were subsequently analyzed and a conclusion was made stating that global interests should have the highest moral priority.

• MeSH
• elektrárny * ekonomika   etika   MeSH
• elektřina * MeSH
• inženýrství * ekonomika   etika   MeSH
• jaderné elektrárny ekonomika   etika   MeSH
• klimatické změny MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mravy MeSH
• náklady a analýza nákladů MeSH
• politika MeSH
• příjem MeSH
• uhlí * MeSH
• veřejná politika * ekonomika   MeSH
• vláda MeSH
• zachování zdrojů energie * ekonomika   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika MeSH
• Evropa MeSH

We compared the prey composition of the red-backed shrike's (Lanius collurio) larders in agricultural habitats in Italy, France and Poland. This species exhibits the behaviour of impaling prey in larders, a behaviour attributed not only to storing food, but also as a social indication for sexual selection and/or demarcation of territories. A total of 426 impaled items were identified in 244 larders. Most common prey were identified for each country: Insecta (Hymenoptera) in Italy, Amphibia, Insecta (Diptera) and Clitellata in Poland, and Insecta (Orthoptera, Lepidoptera) in France. We found no relationship between type of prey impaled and height of impalement, however, we noted a negative relationship between the height of impalement and the distance to the nearest road. Furthermore, impaled toxic prey were found in all three countries, strengthening the possibility that prey are exposed to expedite the degradation of toxins or used as a social signal. Our results showed that the average weight of impaled prey was greater during the last reproductive stage (hatching and feeding young), providing evidence of differential usage of impaled prey during the breeding season. We therefore hypothesize that larger animals provide more energy, then vertebrates are preferred to invertebrates, especially when parents are feeding their nestlings.

• MeSH
• hnízdění fyziologie   MeSH
• rozmnožování fyziologie   MeSH
• sexuální chování zvířat fyziologie   MeSH
• stravovací zvyklosti fyziologie   MeSH
• zpěvní ptáci fyziologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Infectious diseases are known to regulate population dynamics, an observation that underlies the use of pathogens as control agents of unwanted populations. Sterilizing rather than lethal pathogens are often suggested so as to avoid unnecessary suffering of the infected hosts. Until recently, models used to assess plausibility of pathogens as potential pest control agents have not included a possibility that reduced fecundity of the infected individuals may save their energy expenditure on reproduction and thus increase their longevity relative to the susceptible ones. Here, we develop a model of host-pathogen interaction that builds on this idea. We analyze the model for a variety of infection transmission functions, revealing that the indirect effect of sterilizing pathogens on mortality of the infected hosts, mediated by a fecundity-longevity trade-off, may cause hosts at endemic equilibria to attain densities higher than when there is no effect of pathogens on host mortality. On the other hand, an opposite outcome occurs when the fecundity-longevity trade-off is concave or when the degree of fecundity reduction by the pathogen is high enough. This points to a possibility that using sterilizing pathogens as agents of pest control may actually be less effective than previously thought, the more so since we also suggest that if sexual selection acts on the host species then the presence of sterilizing pathogens may even enhance host densities above the levels achieved without infection.

• MeSH
• dlouhověkost * MeSH
• energetický metabolismus * MeSH
• fertilita * MeSH
• interakce hostitele a patogenu * MeSH
• kontrola škůdců MeSH
• populační dynamika MeSH
• sterilizace MeSH
• teoretické modely * MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH