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This thesis is focused on the bloodmeal digestion of phlebotomine sand flies and its effects on Leishmania development within their midguts. In the first part, we studied various parameters of bloodmeal digestion in four sand fly species differing in susceptibility to Leishmania donovani to evaluate the effects on vector competence. Both proven vectors of L. donovani (Phlebotomus orientalis and P. argentipes) showed lower trypsin activity and slower formation of the peritrophic matrix (PM) than refractory species (P. papatasi and Sergentomyia schwetzi). Remarkably, P. orientalis and P. argentipes strikingly differed from each other in a time course of bloodmeal digestion. Phlebotomus orientalis females showed very slow bloodmeal digestion with low peaks of proteolytic activities and defecated around day five post bloodmeal. In contrast, P. argentipes females digested faster with a very high peak of chymotrypsin activity, their PM was present for only a short time and defecation was finished by day three post bloodmeal. We presume that the period between the degradation of the PM and defecation (i.e. time frame when Leishmania bind to the midgut to avoid expulsion with bloodmeal remnants), is one of crucial parameters affecting the establishment of Leishmania in the sand flies. In both natural...

The experiment examined the effect of wheat with blue aleurone on blood parameters of laboratory rats the Wistar albino strain. In the experiment, 30 male rats were divided into 3 groups in 2 replicates. The first 4 groups were fed wheat varieties UC66049 and Skorpion. The last two groups received control wheat Bohemia. Consumption of feed, rat growths and feed conversion ratio were recorded during the experiment. After 72 days of testing, blood was collected. Blood plasma biochemistry profile was analysed. After a statistical evaluation, the finding was elevated the significant higher values of bilirubin and creatine kinase in the group fed Skorpion compared to UC66049 and control groups. The values of total protein were significantly lower in Skorpion wheat. Other evaluated parameters of the monitored blood plasma were non-significant.

This diploma thesis deals with study of influence of addition of different doses, forms of calcium and zinc into feed mixtures for broiler chickens. The aim was to find out how different doses or forms of these minerals affect the concentration of calcium and zinc in the blood of chickens. Ross 308 broiler chickens were used in the experiments. Calcium and zinc were fed to the feed mixture in the form of calcium carbonate, zinc oxide or organically bound zinc. The basal diet of the control group contained 2 g of calcium. Different doses of calcium carbonate (6 g, 9 g, 15 g / kg of feed mixture) were fed to three groups. Four groups were fed with the addition of zinc oxide at doses of 20 mg, 40 mg, 120 mg and 180 mg / kg of the feed mixture. In the next experiment, zinc was fed in various forms and different amounts to compare the effect of feeding organically bound zinc. At the end of the experiment, blood samples were taken during the slaughter and the concentrations of the studied elements were determined. Statistically significant differences in blood calcium levels have been demonstrated between the control group (containing Ca in the feed mixture 2 g / kg) and the groups of animals that we increased calcium (to 6 to 15 g / kg of compound feed). However, experimental groups did not have any significant differences. It has been found that increasing amounts of Ca in the feed have a negative effect on the concentration of magnesium in the blood. In the zinc subsidy experiment, we found conclusive differences between the control group and the experimental groups. At lower doses of Ca (less than 9 g Ca / kg) and Zn (less than 180 g Zn / kg) in the feed mixture, a proven correlation between the concentration of Ca and Zn in the feed and blood was demonstrated.

Leishmania development in their vectors is closely connected with bloodmeal digestion. This thesis focuses on factors affecting bloodmeal digestion, egg development and Leishmania infection within the sand fly gut. First, we compared the effect of mammalian (rabbit) and avian (chicken) blood on digestion and eggs development in Phlebotomus duboscqi. Sand flies fed on chickens had twice lower protein concentrations in the midgut and significantly lower trypsin activity compared to those fed on rabbits. The highest differences in the trypsin activity were observed during first 24 hours post bloodmeal. In addition, females fed on chickens had slower eggs development and their eggs were 10 % smaller compared to those fed on rabbits. In the second part of the thesis we tested the effect of mosquito hormone TMOF on the trypsin activity and eggs development of Lutzomyia longipalpis. Rabbit blood with TMOF (28 mg/ml) was presented to the females via a membrane feeding system. Sand flies fed on blood with TMOF had 15 - 35 % less trypsin activity than control females fed on only rabbit blood. In addition, females fed on blood with TMOF had developed 30 % less eggs and their eggs were 12 - 24 % smaller compared to control group. However the effect of TMOF we observed was lower than that described previously...

Physical exercise increases tissue demand for oxygen and cell respiration, resulting in the generation of free radicals and reactive oxygen species. Overproduction of oxidants exceeding the cellular antioxidant capacity results in oxidative stress. Oxidative stress leads to tissue damage of a wide range of biomolecules and causes metabolic changes that consequently influence performance. To protect against oxidative stress, the body has an effective antioxidant defence system, including non-enzymatic and enzymatic components. The antioxidative effect of evening primrose oil (EPO) administration on the oxidative stress of race horses during their regular training period was determined. The eight-week experiment was performed on ten clinically healthy thoroughbred horses. All the horses were enrolled in a regular training program. Eight weeks before the experiment, the horses were fed a diet which remained the same for the following eight weeks, only supplemented with 150 ml EPO (blood samplings 3 times). Total antioxidant reactivity, thiobarbituric acid reacting substances, uric acid, levels, activities of muscle enzymes, eg. aspartate aminotransferase, creatine kinase, and parameters of fatty acid metabolism such as triacylglycerols and nonesterified fatty acids were determined. Average values of TAS after supplementation with EPO rose gradually and were detected at significantly higher levels in the sixth week in comparison with the control. The concentration of malondialdehyde, measured as TBARS, decreased significantly compared with the untreated control. The activities of AST and CK fluctuated, but no disturbance was demonstrated in muscle homeostasis. The present results indicate that the total antioxidant activity of the thoroughbred horses fed a diet supplemented with EPO was higher, and it helped stabilize the permeability of the muscle cell membranes in the horses at full workload.

On vessel wall injury the complex process of blood coagulation is set off. It is composed of vasoconstriction, primary hemostasis, secondary hemostasis and fibrinolysis. This work enriches current model of primary hemostasis of Storti. The previous model used ALE formalism for tracing of development of platelet plug. The phase field method is used for tracing of the development of interface blood-thrombus. Storti's primary hemostasis was extended to capture the fact, that the platelets can be activated in the blood flow in the area of reactive surface not only by influence of chemical agents like thromboxane, ADP and thrombin but also by their exposure to elevated values of shear stress. In our first approach we deal the emerging thrombus as a fluid with very high viscosity. In the second approach it was assumed, that platelet plug develops as a viscoelastic material according to constitutive equations of clot introduced by Kempen. In this manner platelet clot matures into blood clot. In both approaches the blood is represented as a non-Newtonian fluid. The framework of the phase field method was applied also to the model of high shear rate thrombosis of Weller. Weller's original model of Weller took advantage of the cylindrical symmetry of computational domains for its computations, hence the...

The effect of feeding wheat with various flavonoids and carotenoids was studied on rat blood parameters. The wheat RU 687-12 with purple pericarp, EF02-54/9 with blue aleuron and citrus wheat with yellow endosperm were used i the experiment. The wheat Novosibirskaya 67 was used as a control. Weight gains and feed consumption were monitored on 40 laboratory rats of the WISTAR strain. At the end of the experiment the rat blood was collected and biochemical parameters were determined in blood plasma. The rats fed with wheat from the Citrus group achieved significantly (P<0.05) highest increments whereas the lowest increments were achieved for rats fed with blue wheat mixture EF02-54/9. The biochemical parameters have shown significant differences between the groups (P <0.05). Significantly higher (P <0.05) values of AST, ALT, LD versus control were at the Citrus group and these values were in the range of the physiological limit. Rats from the Citrus and EF02-54/9 group had significantly lower (P <0.05) total protein values and higher albumin than the control group and the EF02-54/9 group. The Citrus and RU 687-12 rats groups showed a low content of the globulin fraction indicating a possible negative impact to the organism. The EF02-54/9 wheat-fed group had statistically lower (P <0.05) cholesterol content compared with the control group. In addition the blood parameters of rats did not show any potential negative effects to the liver.

This diploma thesis, which is based on the feeding experiment, deals with the influence of nutritional deficiency in broiler chickens nutrition on parameters of biochemical blood profile and subsequent determination of the dynamics of changes of specified blood parameters depending on the age of broiler chickens. The aim was to verify whether reducing nutrient concentration in the feed mixture has affected the biochemical blood profile and whether the biochemical parameters observed could be used as indicators of metabolic disorders arising from mistakes in chicken nutrition. For the experiment were used the hybrid broiler chickens Ross 308, which were divided into groups. Chickens of the control group were fed a standard granular feed mixture of BR2 and subsequently BR3 during the experiment. Chickens of the experimental group I were fed with a standard mixture of BR2 that was mixed with wheat (in ratio approximately 1:1) and mashed. In the second third of the experiment, was created experimental group II (a part of the chickens of the original test group I), where chickens were fed the same as the control group. The statistically significant difference (P ≤ 0.05) was among all groups in the assessment of weight of broiler chickens for the whole of the fattening depending on the age of chickens. Within the biochemical blood profile, resp. the evaluation of enzymes, macro elements, indicators of nitrogen and energy metabolism, some differences between groups were also statistically significant. However, the results of the experiment show that the determined biochemical parameters are not sensitive indicators of nutritional deficiency. Much more sensitive indicator of induced experimental nutrient deficiency was changes in live weight ofchickens and feed conversion ratio. The evaluation of the dynamics of changes inmonitored parameters depending on the age have been identified significant changes in some values. Increase in ALT = alanine aminotransferase, GGT = gama-glutamyltransferase, LD = lactate dehydrogenase, sodium, potassium, chloride, magnesium and total protein. Conversely, a significant decrease was found in ALP = alkaline phosphatase, uric acid and urea. Based on the experiment, we can say that biochemical blood profile is not sensitive indicator of the nutritional deficiency of broiler chickens. It is important to mention the effect of the age on the results because the number of parameters significantly changed during fattening.

The aim of this diploma thesis was to evaluate the influence of feeding of wheat with higher content of anthocyanins in laying hens at the end of the laying cycle compared to feeding common wheat without anthocyanins. The measured parameters included hen weight, feed consumption, laying, weight and quality of eggs and biochemical profile of hen's blood. 30 hens of the Bowans Brown hybrid combination were used in the experiment at 69 weeks of age. Layers were divided into two groups of 15 pieces. The first group was control, fed with a common wheat variety Bohemia with low anthocyanins and the second group was experimental - fed with RU 687-12 wheat colored wheat with high anthocyanin content. In the experiment, the egg laying, feed consumption, animal weight, and egg quality were evaluated in laying hens. At the end of the experiment, blood was taken for biochemical examination. The results of both groups were compared between each other. The results of the statistical assessment show that the feeding of wheat RU 687-12 has significantly influenced the feed and feed consumption, which was higher than in the experimental group. However, the hen eggs of the experimental group had a significantly lower weight. However, the total egg production was significantly higher in the experimental group (P = 0.04). Egg quality was found to be significantly higher in yolk and a higher weight of yolk, but also a lower proportion of white egg in the experimental group. Biochemical analysis of blood showed a higher blood albumin concentration in the blood plasma of the experimental group. The other monitored parameters did not differ significantly. Based on the results of the experiment, we can state that the feeding of wheat with a higher proportion of anthocyanins had a positive effect on the performance of the laying hens, expressed by the number of eggs, the production of egg mass and the higher proportion of yolk.