An alien from an emotionless species hides from her own kind on Earth by stealing the skin of a young woman, but when the alien starts to feel that woman’s emotions, she finds that human impersonation is more than skin deep.

Amphibians are osmotically-challenged due to their highly permeable skin and egg membranes. As such, biologists have mostly ignored their occurrence in saline habitats. The goal of this dissertation was to investigate the ability of amphibians to adapt to inhabit these osmotically-stressful environments. As freshwater resources are increasingly salinized due to a combination of anthropogenic and natural stressors, including road-deicing salt application, coastal storm events, and sea-level rise, it is important to understand the abilities and constraints of sensitive organisms, like amphibians, to persist in these environments. I began by exploring what is known about amphibians inhabiting saline habitats around the world, and reviewed information dating from the 1800s to the present, documenting over 100 species inhabiting inland and coastal environments. I then proceeded to investigate the evolutionary potential for one species in particular, the rough-skinned newt (Taricha granulosa) to adapt to increased salinity in its habitat. I documented the negative effects of salinity (both NaCl and MgCl2 – the two most commonly-used road deicers) on embryonic and larval survival and development through a series of experiments, and explored the importance of both developmental and evolutionary history with a stressor on survival. I investigated the evolutionary potential of salt-naïve populations through examining intrapopulation and interfamily variation in critical early life-history traits, and determined that there is high interfamily variation in the salt tolerances of offspring of individual females within a population, providing the raw material for natural selection and local adaptation. Finally, I discovered a population of newts living in the tidal area of a coastal stream, with a natural source of salinity. Through conducting a series of laboratory salt challenges and assays on osmotic, stress, and immune physiology, I was able to determine that newts in the tidal area appear to be physiologically adapted to increased salinity compared to newts in a freshwater area upstream. All this information suggests that amphibians, while still osmotically-challenged, may also not be helpless in the face of salinization, and populations may be able to locally adapt to habitats impacted by natural and anthropogenic sources of salinity.

La ceinture orogénique de Longmenshan (LMTB) constitue la frontière orientale du plateau tibétain, qui est reconnue par sa topographie escarpée, son activité tectonique intensive ainsi ses la complexité de ses structures. Comme une orogène typique, le LMTB a subi une forte déformation intracontinentale au cours du Mésozoïque. Ainsi, la connaissance sur l’évolution tectonique du Mésozoïque de la LMTB est cruciale pour comprendre l’orogenèse intracontinentale et la surrection du plateau tibétain. Une ceinture de clivage verticaux divise la LMTB en une zone occidentale et une orientale. La Zone orientale présente un top-to-SE cisaillement tandis que la zone occidentale présente un top-to-NW cisaillement. La zone orientale peut être subdivisée en quatre sous-unités avec de foliations orientées du SE au NW. Le granite syntectonique et les données géochronologiques contraignent cette déformation principale au Mésozoïque inférieur (environ 219 Ma). L’analyse structurale, l’AMS, l’étude microstructurale et la modélisation gravimétrique sur le complexe de Pengguan, l’un des complexes de l’orogène néoprotérozoïques au milieu de segment de la LMTB), révèlent une structure des slices du socle imbriquées de la LMTB et la zone adjacente. Les âges connus, l’exhumation rapide localisée et la subsidence du bassin flextual suggèrent que les slices du socle sont imbriquées au cours du Mésozoïque supérieur (166-120 Ma). La LMTB se trouve loin de la limite de la plaque contemporaine, et est absence de matériel ophiolitique, donc elle peut être considéré comme une orogène intracontinentale. Pendant le début du Mésozoïque, le Yangtze plate subductait vers l’ouest en fermant l’océan paléo-Téthys. Cette tectonique a exhumé des matériaux de différentes profondeurs en surface par des chevauchements vers le SE et chevauchements arrières vers le NW. Au cours de la fin du Mésozoïque, le socle a été soulevé davantage en raison de la collision entre les blocs de Lhasa et de l’Eurasie, qui a conduit à une imbrication des slices du socle et épaissi la croûte. / The Longmenshan Thrust Belt (LMTB), constituting the eastern boundary of the Tibetan Plateau, is well known by its steep topography, intensive tectonic activities and the complicated structures. As a typical composite orogen, the LMTB experienced extensive intracontinental deformation during the Mesozoic. The knowledge on the Mesozoic tectonic evolution of the LMTB therefore is crucial to understand the intracontinental orogeny and uplifting of the Plateau. The vertical cleavage belt divides the LMTB into a Western Zone and an Eastern Zone. The Eastern Zone displays a top-to-the-SE shearing while the western zone a top-to-the-NW shearing. The Eastern Zone can be further divided into four subunits with foliations deepening from SE to NW. The syntectonic granite and published geochronologic data constrain this main deformation to the Early Mesozoic around 219 Ma. Structural analysis, AMS and microstructural study and gravity modeling on the Pengguan complex, one of the orogen-parallel Neoproterozoic complexes located in the middle segment of the LMTB, reveal a basement-slice imbricated structure of the LMTB and adjacent areas. Published ages, localized fast exhumation rate and flexural subsidence of the foreland basin suggest that the basement-slices imbricated southeastwards during Late Mesozoic (166-120 Ma). The LMTB is far away from the contemporaneous plate boundary and devoid of ophiolite-related material, therefore, it is supposed to be an intracontinental orogen. During the Early Mesozoic, the Yangtze basement underthrusted westwards due to the far-field effect of the Paleo-Tethys’ obliteration, and the materials in different structural levels have been exhumated to the surface by southeastward thrusting and contemporaneous backward thrusting. During the Late Mesozoic, the basement is further underthrusted due to the collision between the Lhasa and Eurasia blocks, which led to SE-ward imbrication of the basementslices that may thicken the crust.

Enhancement methods applied on various satellite images (ASTER, ETM and RADAR SAT-1) facilitated the identification and mapping of tectonic fractures in the Zagros fold-and-thrust belt in southwest Iran. The results of the fracture analysis on these enhanced images reveal four principal fracture sets within each fold structure: (i) an axial set defined by normal faults oriented parallel to the fold axial trace, (ii) a cross-axial, extensional fracture set oriented perpendicular to the fold axial trace, (iii) and two sets of intersecting shear fractures, oriented at an acute angle to the cross-axial set. Study of the enhanced images also revealed five fracture sets along the Kazerun fault zone: (i) Riedel R- and R'-shear fracture sets, (ii) extensional T fracture set oriented at a high angle to the trace of the main Kazerun fault, (iii) oblique, synthetic P-shear fracture set, at a low angle to the trace of the main Kazerun fault, and (iv) synthetic Y-shear displacement fracture set, oriented sub-parallel to the main trace of the fault. The estimated mean azimuths of the shortening that developed the fold- and fault-related fracture systems are remarkably close, and are oriented perpendicular to the general NW-SE trend of the Zagros fold-and-thrust belt. The sampling and analysis of the fold- and fault-related fracture systems were done in a GIS environment. This study shows that an analysis of enhanced satellite images can reveal significant information on the deformation style, timing, and kinematics of the Zagros fold-and-thrust belt. This study suggests that the Zagros orogenic belt, which has mainly been forming since Miocene, due to the convergence of the Iranian and Arabian subplates, has evolved both by thin- and thick-skinned tectonics. Reconfiguration of the Precambrian basement blocks, and the ensuing slip and rotation along the Precambrian faults during the Zagros orogeny, have deformed the folds, and redistributed the fold-related fractures through rigid-body rotation.

Tough-skinned vegetables such as pumpkin and melon currently are peeled either semi-automatically or automatically. The main limitation of both methods, especially for varieties with an uneven surface, is high peeling losses. Improvement of current mechanical peeling methods and development of new mechanical methods for tough-skinned vegetables which are close to the "ideal" peeling conditions using mechanical properties of the product were the main objectives of this research. This research has developed four innovative mechanical peeling methods on the basis of the mechanical properties of tough-skinned vegetables. For the first time, an abrasive-cutter brush has been introduced as the best peeling method of tough-skinned vegetables. This device simultaneously applies abrasive and cutting forces to remove the peel. The same peeling efficiency at concave and convex areas in addition to high productivity are the main advantages of the developed method. The developed peeling method is environmentally friendly, as it minimises water consumption and peeling wastes. The peeling process using this method has been simulated in a mathematical model and the significant influencing parameters have been determined. The parameters are related to either the product or peeler. Those parameters appeared as the coefficients of a linear regression model. The coefficients have been determined for Jap and Jarrahdale as two varieties of pumpkin. The mathematical model has been verified by experimental results. The successful implementation of this research has provided essential information for the design and manufacture of a commercial peeler for tough-skinned vegetables. It is anticipated that the abrasive-cutting method and the mathematical model will be put into practical use in the food processing industry, enabling peeling of tough-skinned vegetables to be optimised and potentially saving the food industry millions of dollars in tough-skinned vegetable peeling processes.

In my thesis I have dealt with a building plan of a winery and a boarding house located in South Moravia. It is a detached house which is embedded in a mildly steep land. The building itself is barrier free. There are two floors and a basement. There is a production of wine in the basement. It is separated into several parts such as a clean preparation room, a storeroom for wine bottles and storeroom for Nitrogen bottles, hall, emploees´area, and export. The basement and the first floor are conected with an elavator. The first floor is supposed to serve the visitors. There is a reception, a large degustation room, bar, kitchen and the sanitary facilities on the first floor. On the second floor there is acommodation for visitors. There are seven rooms adapted for two or three people. The vertical brickwork in the basement is formed by concrete blocks 50 by producer BEST. The above - grade vertical brickwork is made of ceramic blocks POROTHERM PROFI 44. The bulding is insulated with thermal insulation system Baumit open Premier. The horizontal construction is made of ceiling panels SPIROLL. A roofing above the second floor is made of nailed ties. The roof has saddle shape and is double skinned. Total height of building is thirteen metres. In front of the building there is parking lot for twelve cars and one place for disabled.

Three novel mutations (G159D, L29Q and E59D/D75Y) in cardiac troponin C (CTnC) associate their clinical outcomes with a given cardiomyopathy. Current paradigms propose that sarcomeric mutations associated with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) decrease the myofilament calcium sensitivity while those associated with hypertrophic (HCM) cardiomyopathy increase it. Therefore, we incorporated the mutant CTnCs into skinned cardiac muscle in order to determine if their effects on the calcium regulation of tension and ATPase activity coincide with the current paradigms and phenotypic outcomes. This required the development of new calculator programs to solve complex ionic equilibria to more accurately buffer and expand the free calcium range of our test solutions. In accordance with the DCM paradigms, our result show that G159D and E59D/D75Y CTnC decrease the myofilament calcium sensitivity and force generating capabilities which would likely increase the rate of muscle relaxation and weaken the contractile force of the myocardium. Alternatively, the lack of myofilament change from L29Q CTnC (associated with HCM) may explain why the only proband is seemingly unaffected. Notably, the changes in the calcium sensitivity of tension (in fibers) do not necessarily occur in the isolated CTnC and vice versa. These counter-intuitive findings are justified through a transition in calcium affinity occurring at the level of cardiac troponin (CTn) and higher, implying that the true effects of these mutations become apparent as the hierarchal level of the myofilament increases. Despite these limitations, the regulated thin filament (RTF) retains its role as the calcium regulatory unit and best indicates a mutation's ability to sensitize (+) or desensitize (-) the muscle to calcium. Since multiple forms of cardiomyopathies exist, the identification of new drugs that sensitize (+) or desensitize (-) the calcium sensitivity could potentially reverse (+ or -) these aberrant changes in myofilament sensitivity. Therefore, we have developed an RTF mediated High Throughput Screening assay to identify compounds in libraries of molecules that can specifically modulate the calcium sensitivity of cardiac contraction. The knowledge gained from these studies will help us and others to uncover new pharmacological agents for the investigation and treatments of cardiomyopathies, hypertension and other forms of cardiovascular diseases.

The aim of this diploma's thesis is to develop design documents for a building construction of a winery guesthouse in a cadastral territory of a village Milotice u Kyjova. The house is situated in the existing built-up area intended for winery cellars near of the village. Plots, where building is situated are sloping and object is embedded into the terrain. The proposition and the design of the building respect a commune plan of village Milotice. The project designs the new basement building of the winery guesthouse with 2 above ground floors, where are situated hotel rooms with a total capacity of 63 guests and accommodation facilities. In the basement is situated restaurant with facilities, social space, wellness with a whirlpool, massages, sauna and solarium. A structural system of the building is designed like a wall and brick structural system from concrete brickwork in the basement and the lime sand brickworks in the above ground floors. A roof is designed partly as a saddle roof with slope 22° and 24,3° and partly as a green roof with a roof terrace.

The subject of this diploma thesis is the design of exhibition gallery in the city center of Brno. The exhibition gallery consist of exhibition rooms, depositories, lecture hall, café, VIP room, entrance and communication spaces, hygienic facilities for visitors and employees, administrative premises of the gallery, air-conditioning and heating machinery. The SO01 object is processed in detail, the object SO02 is processed in the form of a study. Design of the exhibition gallery is based on the requirements of the student competition, the sponsor is Xella CZ, s.r.o. SO01 is designed as a four-storey building with three above-ground and one underground floors. The building has an exhibition area, a lecture hall, a café, a VIP room, entrance and communicative spaces, hygienic facilities for visitors and employees, air-conditioning machinery. The supporting structure of the building is designed as an assembled, prefabricated, reinforced concrete skeleton. Ceiling structures are designed as SPIROLL 250 mm pre-stressed ceiling panels. The facade is designed as two-layer ventilated. The exhibition gallery is designed with a single-layer flat vegetation roof.

The aim of this diploma thesis is to design a mountain hotel in the village Rokytnice nad Jizernou. The object is placed on a sloping plot located in an attractive touristic and skiing area of mountain range Krkonoše. The mountain hotel has 4 floors and a basement. In the First floor there is a restaurant with a terrace, kitchen and administrative facilities of hotel. In the second and third floor we can find guest rooms and room for the hotel staff. In the basement there is wellness, technical facilities and garage compound. Construction of building is made of the reinforced concrete monolithic transverse frames with beam filling of ceramic block.