Brangstant iškastiniam kurui, vėjo elektrinių ir jų parkų statymas ir prijungimas prie skirstomųjų elektros tinklų šiuo metu darosi labai aktuali tema. Lietuvoje vis plačiau, ne tik pajūryje, yra statomos ir prijungiamos vėjo elektrinės ir jų parkai. Mano darbo tikslas yra ištirti vėjo elektrinių parko prijungimo prie skirstomųjų elektros tinklų galimybes, kas įtakoja jų prijungimo galimybes pasirinktame skirstomojo elektros tinklo taške. Šiame darbe padariau programą-skaičiuoklę, pirminiam vėjo elektrinių ar jų parkų prijungimo galimybei prie skirstomojo elektros tinklo patikrinti. Darbe ištirtos 6 MW vėjo elektrinių parko prijungimo galimybės prie 35 kVir 10 kV tinklo oro linijų, esančių Pakruojo rajone. Apskaičiuoti tnklo kokybės parametrai, kai vėjo elektrinės dirba ir kai ne. Pateikiamos išvados apie tyrimo rezultatus ir tyrimo tęstinumą. / Nowadays fossils start costliness, wind stations and their parks building and connection to Distribution Networks in this time is very actual theme. Over and over broad, not only on the seashore, in Lithuania are builted and connected wind stations and their parks. The aim of my work is the investigation of possibilities to connect the wind stations park to distribution networks, what influence the connect possibilities in the chosen point of distribution networks. I did the programme to the primitive test of possibilities to connect wind stations and their parks to distribution networks in this work. I did the investigation of possibilities to connect 6 MW wind station park to 35 kV and 10 kV distribution networks in Pakruojis district. I calculated the parameters of networks quality, when wind stations park is working and when is stopped. I give conclusion about results and succession of this investigation.

The five discrete, but related studies presented in this thesis investigate several aspects of the physiology and biochemistry of whole animals, perfused and isolated tissues from fishes and other vertebrates. Important fundamental questions about tissue metabolism and energy supply and utilisation in relation to oxygen supply, in addition to applied questions relating to commercial harvesting and post-mortem muscle physiology were addressed. Oxyconformance of oxygen consumption (VO2) at low oxygen delivery rates was shown using an isolated, perfused salmon tail preparation, composed primarily of skeletal muscle. Addition of pig red blood cells to the perfusing solution at a haematocrit of 5 or 10%, increasing the capacitance, resulted in oxyregulation of VO2 by the tail tissues. Below c.60 ml O2.kg-1.h-1 of oxygen delivery, VO2 was delivery dependent. Above this value additional oxygen delivery did not increase VO2 of resting muscle above c.35 ml O2 kg-1.h-1. The preparation was validated by measuring mitochondrial activity using MTT and blood flow distribution to the red and white muscle using fluorescent microspheres. Evidence of both O2-independence of VO2 in the vasculature and strict O2-dependence of VO2 in striated muscles of fishes and a mammal is presented using isolated vascular tissue and an in vitro tissue slice model. VO2 by vessels from rat, salmon and hagfish showed varying degrees of independence between PO2s of 15-95 mmHg in vitro (1 mmHg = 0.133 kPa). Above and below these values, VO2 was highly PO2-dependent. VO2 by cardiac and skeletal muscles from rat, salmon, snapper and hagfish were shown to relate linearly to PO2 between zero and 125 mmHg. VO2 in these tissues was highly dependent on tissue type (cardiac, red and white muscle) which correlated with haem protein concentration. The increase in VO2 in muscle slice mitochondria uncoupled with FCCP and DNP ruled out diffusion-limitation as a constraint on VO2. Mitochondrial activity was constant over time and reoxygenation of the Ringer bathing the tissues after the initial run down in PO2 resulted in VO2 rates that were unchanged from the starting values, demonstrating that the tissues remained viable over time. ATP turnover in red muscle was significantly increased at 100 mmHg relative to 30 mmHg, and increased in both treatments from values at the start. Our data suggest that ATP supply and ATP demand were reduced in conjunction with falling PO2. The effects of hydrogen sulphide (H2S) (derived from Na2S) and isoeugenol exposure on activity, VO2 and ventilation frequency (Vf) in a teleost fish are reported. In the H2S treatment group (200 μM Na2S) both resting VO2 and Vf decreased after 30 minutes of exposure, concurrent with narcosis and a loss of equilibrium. These events corresponded with a significant fall in VO2 (33%) and Vf (20%) by 15 minutes, both declining further to a nadir of 40% of resting values at 30 minutes. After flushing, VO2 increased to resting levels, with Vf remaining significantly depressed until 30 minutes of recovery. Recovery was accompanied by regained mobility and equilibrium and significantly increased VO2 and Vf. Isoeugenol anaesthetised fish (0.011 g.L-1) reached stage 4-5 of anaesthesia accompanied by significant decreases in VO2 (45%) and Vf (25%) at 25 minutes, both parameters declining further to around 64% and 38% respectively by 35 minutes. Similar to H2S exposed fish, VO2 increased to resting values after flushing, followed by a significant rise in VO2. Likewise, Vf had risen to resting values post-flushing, subsequently increasing significantly during recovery. Overall, VO2 in relation to resting rate was reduced in the isoeugenol treated animals, while in H2S treated fish, exposure there was increased oxygen usage, possibly associated with a toxic effect. H2S significantly reduced cytochrome c oxidase activity in muscle and gill tissue in vitro between 69-79% at 20 μM and 77-97% at 200 μM Na2S, while isoeugenol had no effect on activity in any tissue. Calorimetric and biochemical profiles of anoxic, post-mortem white muscle from Chinook salmon subjected to rested and exhausted harvesting regimens at their acclimation temperature (10°C) are reported. Prior to harvest rested animals were anaesthetised with 0.012 g.L-1 isoeugenol without disturbance. The muscle of these animals had a high metabolic rate at the time of death, at around 400 μW.g-1, which declined rapidly over the first 12 hours to15 μW.g-1. Exhausted animals were forced to swim and were crowded before capture, resulting in an initial heat output of <10 μW.g-1. Heat output was significantly greater in the rested group at the time of death and for 7 hours post-mortem. In both groups there was an exothermic event, occurring between 4 and 6 hours post-mortem amounting to a rise of around 35 μW.g-1. A one-phase exponential decay model appropriately described the net heat output of the rested profile minus the exhausted data. Rested animals had significantly higher initial cut surface pH (7.5 vs 6.7), tissue glycogen (16 vs 2 μmol.g-1), creatine phosphate (18 vs 0.1 μmol.g-1), ATP (6 vs 3.5 μmol.g-1) and potential energy (30 vs 7 μmol.g-1) than the exhausted group, which had significantly elevated tissue concentrations of lactate (43 vs 18 μmol.g-1) and glucose (5 vs 2 μmol.g-1). Potential energy in the form of ATP, glycogen and creatine phosphate remained elevated for an extended period post-mortem in rested animals while catabolites further down the chain such as inosine, hypoxanthine and uric acid accumulated at similar rates in both groups. We examined the relationship between exogenous and endogenous H2S and oxygen partial pressure in isolated hagfish and lamprey vessels that exhibit profound hypoxic vasoconstriction (HVC). In myography studies, H2S (Na2S) dose-dependently constricted dorsal aortas (DA) and efferent branchial arteries but did not affect ventral aortas or afferent branchial arteries, which was similar to the effects produced by hypoxia. Sensitivity of H2S-mediated contraction in hagfish and lamprey DA was enhanced by hypoxia. HVC in hagfish DA was enhanced by the H2S precursor cysteine and inhibited by amino-oxyacetate (AOA), an inhibitor of the H2S-synthesising enzyme, cystathionine β-synthase, and unaffected by propargyl glycine, an inhibitor of cystathionine λ-lyase. Oxygen consumption (MO2) of hagfish DA was constant between a PO2 of 15 and 115•mmHg, decreased when PO2 <15•mmHg, and increased if PO2 exceeded 115•mmHg. 10 μmol.l-1 H2S increased and concentrations above 100 μmol.l-1 H2S decreased MO2. Consistent with the effects on HVC, cysteine increased and AOA and hydroxylamine, an inhibitor of pyridoxyl 5’-phosphate-dependent enzymes, decreased MO2. These data show that H2S is a monophasic vasoconstrictor of specific cyclostome vessels and because hagfish lack vascular NO, and vascular sensitivity to H2S was enhanced at low PO2, it is unlikely that H2S contractions are mediated by either an H2S-NO interaction or an oxidation product of H2S. These experiments provide additional support for the hypothesis that the metabolism of H2S is involved in oxygen sensing/signal transduction in vertebrate vascular smooth muscle. Together the findings of this thesis contribute to the understanding of oxygen utilisation and energetics in relation to oxygen supply in a number of tissues. These data further our understanding of respiratory physiology and may have practical applications in the seafood industry.

Selenium (Se) is known to cause chronic toxicity in aquatic species. In particular, dietary exposure of fish to selenomethionine (SeMet), the primary form of Se in the diet, is of concern. Previous studies reported that chronic exposure to elevated dietary SeMet altered swimming performance, aerobic metabolism, and energy and endocrine homeostasis in adult fish. However, little is known about the direct effects of dietary SeMet exposure in juvenile fish. Therefore, the overall objective of this thesis was to investigate sublethal pathophysiological effects of subchronic dietary SeMet exposure in two juvenile fish species, fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). In the first experiment, 20 days post hatch (dph) juvenile fathead minnow were exposed to different measured concentrations (2.8, 5.4, 9.9, 26.5 µg Se/g dry mass [dm]) of Se in food in the form of SeMet for 60 days. In the second experiment, 14 dph juvenile rainbow trout were exposed for 37 days to different measured concentrations (1.0, 4.1, 11.2, 26.1 µg Se/g dm) of Se in food in the form of SeMet. Following exposure, samples were collected for Se analysis and fish were subjected to a swimming performance challenge to assess critical swim speed (Ucrit), tail beat frequency and tail beat amplitude, oxygen consumption (MO2), cost of transport (COT), standard metabolic rate (SMR), active metabolic rate (AMR), and factorial aerobic scope (F-AS). Dietary SeMet exposure impaired swimming ability in both fathead minnow and rainbow trout. Juvenile fathead minnow showed alterations in aerobic metabolism with increased MO2, COT and AMR at the 9.9 and 26.5 µg Se/g diets, while dietary SeMet exposure did not appear to affect aerobic metabolism in juvenile rainbow trout. After swim performance experiments, swam fish were considered fatigued and metabolic and energy storage endpoints were compared to non-swam (non-fatigued) fish. Energy storage capacity was measured via whole body (fathead minnow) and liver and muscle (rainbow trout) triglyceride and glycogen concentrations. For fathead minnow, triglyceride concentrations in non-swam fish were significantly elevated in the 5.4 µg Se/g group relative to controls, and swam fish had significantly lower whole body triglycerides than non-swam fish. All non-swam SeMet exposure groups had significantly decreased whole body glycogen concentrations compared to controls while the 5.4 and 26.5 µg Se/g exposure groups had significantly greater whole body glycogen concentrations in swam versus non-swam fish. In juvenile rainbow trout, liver triglyceride concentrations were significantly lower in all SeMet exposed groups compared to controls in non-swam fish. Swimming decreased liver and muscle triglycerides in the control and 11.2 µg Se/g treatment groups. Liver glycogen concentrations were greater in swam trout in the 4.1 µg Se/g dm exposure group. Muscle glycogen concentrations in non-swam fish, were significantly decreased in the 4.1 and 11.2 µg Se/g exposed groups compared to controls, while muscle glycogen in swam fish was unaffected by dietary SeMet exposure. For the swim status factor, muscle glycogen concentrations were significantly greater in swam versus non-swam trout in all treatment groups. Therefore, dietary SeMet exposure caused impaired swimming performance and metabolic alterations in both juvenile fathead minnow and juvenile rainbow trout. Species differences were apparent, especially in the patterns of altered energy status between swam and non-swam fish exposed to Se. Overall, the pathophysiological implications of these sublethal effects are unclear, but suggest that dietary SeMet exposure may negatively influence juvenile fish survivability in natural habitats.

Previous numerical and theoretical results based on constant diapycnal diffusivity suggested the abyssal meridional overturning circulation (MOC) should weaken as winds over the Southern Ocean intensify. We corroborate this result in a simple ocean model, but find it does not hold in more complex models. First, models with a variable eddy transfer coefficient and simple yet dynamic atmosphere and sea-ice models show an increase, albeit slightly, of the abyssal MOC under increasing winds. Second, the abyssal MOC significantly strengthens with winds when diapycnal diffusivity is parameterized to be energetically supported by the winds. This tests the emerging idea that a significant fraction of the wind energy input to the large-scale ocean circulation is removed by mesoscale eddies and may then be transferred to internal lee waves, and thence to bottom-enhanced diapycnal mixing. A scaling theory of the abyssal MOC is extended to incorporate this energy pathway, corroborating our numerical results. / Graduate / 0415 / gstanley@uvic.ca

[Truncated abstract] Previous studies suggest that the milk of the quokka (Setonix brachyurus) could change composition coincident with critical stages of development of the young, and that the milk energy provided by the mother and its utilisation by the joey would determine the young’s growth rate. To test this general hypothesis, quokkas (n = 19) were bred in captivity and milk was collected during lactation. The samples were analysed using specific biochemical assays and sensitive analytical techniques to determine the composition of the milk of the quokka. The stable isotope, deuterium oxide, was employed to estimate the volume of milk consumed by the joeys. The adult females and their young were weighed and body measurements taken periodically, in order to calculate the body condition of the adults and monitor the growth rate of the offspring. Marsupial lactation can be divided in three phases. Phase 1 of lactation covers the period during pregnancy. Phase 2a of lactation in the quokka (0 to 70 days post partum), is the period when the young is permanently attached to the teat, while Phase 2b (70 to 180 days post partum) is when the joey suckles intermittently but is still confined to the pouch. Phase 3 of lactation extends from the time when the young initially emerges from the pouch to the end of lactation (180 to 300 days post partum) ... The metabolism of fatty acids in quokkas appears to be a combination of the processes in monogastric and ruminant mammals. The growth rate of the young quokkas was dependent on the volume and energy content of the milk consumed. The crude growth efficiency indicates that quokkas are equally efficient as other marsupials reported in the literature, in converting milk energy to body mass. It seems that female quokkas maintained energy balance during lactation, most probably by increasing their food intake rather than mobilising body fat stores. In addition, it appears that quokkas are capable of producing young of similar mass, irrespective of their own body weight or condition, when they have access to an adequate supply of food and water. This was the first study to provide detailed information about milk composition and lactational energetics in the quokka. While the results supported the unifying hypothesis in relation to the major changes associated with the transition through the phases of lactation, wide variations were detected between the quokka and other marsupial species in the changes in the detailed composition of milk and milk production.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:35:43Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2007-09-27Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:07:21Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 briani_dc_dr_rcla.pdf: 421185 bytes, checksum: 2d752e584452d7ba048387b912c4f60c (MD5) / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / Fundação para o Desenvolvimento da UNESP (FUNDUNESP) / O presente estudo versa sobre energética alimentar de um animal. O estudo procurou analisar, dentre outras coisas, os fatores intrínsecos e extrínsecos que respondem pela variabilidade na taxa metabólica em repouso (TMR) e a relação entre esta variação e padrões de história de vida de um marsupial (Gracilinanus microtarsus). Especificamente, a variabilidade da TMR seria determinada através de um aspecto especifico da história de vida, a dieta. Aspectos como possíveis efeitos da dinâmica de variação das reservas energéticas sobre esta relação também foram analisados. Utilizando metodologia apropriada também analisamos a variação da disponibilidade e qualidade da dieta. Variações desses fatores induzem modificações na condição corpórea e, desta forma, os efeitos desta variável sobre a TMR mediariam um dos objetivos do estudo, servindo como elemento de ligação para averiguar quais componentes da condição corpórea seriam responsáveis pela variabilidade na TMR. / The present study turns about energetics to feed of an animal. The study analyzed, among other things, the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that answer for the variability in the resting metabolic rate (RMR) and the relationship between this variation and patterns of life history of a marsupial (Gracilinanus microtarsus). Specifically, the variability of RMR would be determined through an aspect specify of the life history, the diet. Aspects as possible effects of the dynamics of variation of the energy budge about this relationship were also analyzed. Using appropriate methodology also analyzed the variation of the availability and quality of the diet. Variations of those factors induce modifications in the body condition and, this way, the effects of this variable on RMR would mediate one of the objectives of the study, serving as connection element to discover which components of the body condition would be responsible for the variability in RMR.

There is a large body of clinical and experimental evidence linking heart disease with impairment of myocardial energetics, particularly the creatine kinase (CK) system. The goal of the experiments described in this thesis was to develop and study models of increased CK phosphotransfer, by overexpressing the CK isoenzymes and/or augmenting intracellular creatine stores. Pilot experiments were performed in cultured cells, which were used to (a) study the effects of CK overexpression in vitro, and (b) validate constructs prior to generation of transgenic mice. Expression was verified at the protein level for all constructs in HL-1 and HEK293 cells, and enzymatic activity was confirmed. Mitochondrial CK (CKmt) was expressed in the mitochondria, as expected, and CKmt overexpression was associated with a significant reduction in cell death in a model of ischemia/reperfusion injury (68.1 &plusmn; 7.1% of control, p&le;0.05). Transgenic mice overexpressing CKmt in the heart were generated by a targeted approach, using PhiC31 integration at the ROSA26 locus. Transgene expression was confirmed in vitro in embryonic stem cells, and in vivo at the mRNA and protein levels. There was only a modest increase in CKmt activity; therefore, homozygous transgenic mice were generated to increase expression levels, and had 27% higher CKmt activity than wild-types (p&le;0.01). Mitochondrial localization of CKmt was confirmed by electron microscopy. Citrate synthase activity, a marker of mitochondrial volume, was ~10% lower in transgenic mice (p&le;0.05). Baseline phenotyping studies found that CKmt-overexpressing mice have normal cardiac structure and function. These mice are currently being backcrossed onto a pure C57BL/6 background for further studies in models of heart disease. In addition to CKmt, transgenic mice overexpressing the cytosolic CK isoenzymes, CK-M and CK-B, were generated. Due to the modest level of expression observed at ROSA26, random-integration transgenesis was used, and multiple lines were generated for each construct (carrying 2 or 6 transgene copies in the CK-M line; 2, 3, or ~30 in CK-B). Transgene expression was validated at the mRNA, protein, and activity levels. These lines are currently being expanded for further validation and phenotyping studies. Previous experiments in our group have demonstrated that increasing intracellular creatine (Cr) reduces ischemia/reperfusion injury, and a series of in vitro experiments was performed to determine whether this effect may be mediated by inhibition of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP). The mPTP plays a significant role in ischemia/reperfusion, and there is evidence linking the CK system to regulation of the mPTP. Therefore, a model was developed to test whether Cr affects mPTP opening in cardiac-derived HL-1 cells, as this mechanism may contribute to the protective effect observed in vivo. Cr incubation conditions were determined empirically, and 24-hour incubation with 5mM or 10mM Cr was found to significantly delay mPTP opening, to a similar degree to the established mPTP inhibitor, cyclosporin A. This provides evidence that Cr may exert protective effects in the heart by a variety of mechanisms, in addition to its traditional role in energy metabolism. In summary, the experiments conducted in this thesis have produced a range of tools for studying augmentation of the creatine kinase system as a therapeutic target in heart disease. The results of in vitro assays indicate that mitochondrial CK may be a particularly promising target, and that inhibition of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore may contribute to the cardioprotective effect of creatine. Finally, the transgenic models generated and validated over the course of this project will allow for a wide range of future studies into the potential benefits of CK overexpression in the mammalian heart.

This dissertation aims primarily at determining the energy yield that can be produced, if certain species of energy crops are grown (under various regimes of fertilizing and sowing) by the Faculty of Agriculture, the University of South Bohemia, on a university's trial parcel. Zea mays L. is one of the energy crops chosen for the experiment; it is grown on a large area in the Czech Republic nowadays. Perennial crops of Phalaris arundinacea L., Elymus elongatus subsp. ponticus cv. Szarvasi-1 andMiscanthus × giganteus were also chosen for this experiment. Based on the collected data, a risk of erosion provoked by the above-mentioned crops has been determined by using USLE method. The crop stands and the soil have been analysed too. This analysis has focused on the organic matter evaluation, by using a brand new method. Last but not least, occurrence of Carabidae beetles has been studied and evaluated within the research; they are considered bio indicators of the environmental conditions. Our experiment has shown that Zea mays L. is the most high-yielding species. On the other hand, Phalaris arundinacea L. has not produced positive results; the most high-yielding variation of it only made a half yield of Zea mays L. In contrast to Zea mays L., grass species of Phalaris arundinacea L. andElymus elongatus have had an extraordinary anti-erosion capacity. Studying the amount of primary organic matter in the soil, we have found almost double amount of it in Miscanthus × giganteus andZea mays L. crop stands, compared to another two species. Monitoring oxidation reaction kinetics of the primary organic matter, we could count the oxidation speed constant of k. There have been dramatic differences between the individual soil samples. However, the data file is too complicated to draw the general conclusion from. On the other hand, evaluating the data gathered by studying Carabidae beetles and the environmental values of the crops stands, we have found out the crop stands are not too valuable from the environmental point of view. We have found out the perennial species have got an extraordinary anti-erosion capacity. We recommend Miscanthus × giganteus and Elymus elongatus, in particular, as an alternative to corn, especially to regions highly endangered by erosion.

As part of the fight against global warming, the European Union has opted for increase in support for renewable energy at the cost of conventional sources. This policy was subsequently implemented into national legislation. At the same time, the Czech Republic has framed an Updated State Energy Policy, which sets out the direction for Czech energy to evolve. This thesis tries to analyze whether the Czech Republic is ready for future energy development or not. This analysis shows that the Czech Republic is not entirely ready to provide energy stability in the context of a transforming market.

Support for photovoltaic plants that originated before 2014, as well as support for renewable energy in general, artificially increases the price of energy and this measure has secondary effects in the form of rising prices of farmland and thus food. The regulation also creates distortions, for example on coal markets, which reduces the demand for this commodity. This thesis deals with the introduction of regulation and analysis of the motivation for the introduction of quotas in the energy policy of the European Union. Subsequent analysis evaluates the intended and unintended effects of regulation, which are not visible at first sight on this issue. The European Commission has so far not planned reassessment of policy support for renewable energy sources.