The initiation of pitting corrosion on AISI 316 stainless steel has been examined from a phenomenological viewpoint with emphasis on the role of the metal in this complex, interaction. A modified potentiodynamic technique was used to prepare specimens corresponding with a series of different points on the anodic polarisation curve for the material in 0.05 M sulphuric acid alone and with additions of 0.1 M sodium chloride solutions-. The specimens were subsequently examined using standard metallographic, techniques. It was found that suitable pit nuclei, called 'pit sites', are manifest as a result of the initial interaction of the metal with the solution at the rest potential, (ER), i.e., at potentials far below the potential range in which catastrophic pitting processes normally occur. It was further found that these pit sites were manifest even in the absence of chloride ions for which there is no subsequent catastrophic pitting process, Estimation of pit site density (NA) for the different stages of the E-i curve and the use of a simple stereological model permit a statistical interpretation of the localisation of the phenomenon to particular areas of the metal surface. The statistical argument is extended to show that the breakdown potential for chloride media is associated with the development of a catastrophic condition which does not apply if chloride ions are absent and it is deduced that the breakdown potential is essentially indeterminate.

Zuzana Kubínová: Study of Quantitative Parameters of Norway Spruce Needle Structure under the Effect of Elevated CO2 Concentration and Different Irradiance, Doctoral Thesis, Prague 2019 Abstract Atmospheric concentration of CO2 is increasing, while its influence on plants is still not fully elucidated. Norway spruce (Picea abies L. Karst.) is an abundant conifer tree in European temperate and boreal forests, which behave as carbon sink in the global carbon cycle. The physiological response to elevated CO2 concentration may be interconnected with changes in leaf anatomy and morphology. Needle structure is also determined by other factors in addition to CO2 concentration, irradiance being the most important one. Thus, effect of irradiance was also included in our studies. The effects of elevated CO2 concentration and irradiance on Norway spruce needle structure were studied using new applications of well-established quantitative methods and novel methods enabling effective and unbiased analysis of needle structural traits. The General Procrustes analysis showed to be effective for needle shape on cross section comparison and the disector method proved to be suitable for chloroplast number estimates. The influence of elevated CO2 concentration and different irradiance on needle structure was studied at two...

Made available in DSpace on 2016-01-26T12:51:39Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 nagibpezatiboer_tese.pdf: 2425172 bytes, checksum: 4c714f51e7b7b8d75dfe136b995e6b72 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-10-17 / There are many varieties of lesions of the peripheral nerves derived from acquired or congenital degenerate diseases which can affect the central nervous system and can cause loss of sensory and motor functions. The aim of this work was to make an experimental stereological study of the axons after end-to-side neurorrhaphies and after side-to-side neurorrhaphies to compare the axon, endoneural and myelin sheath volume densities (as well as the muscle mass) in the fibular and tibial nerves with contact anastomosis between 0.25cm and 0.50 cm. After approval by the Ethics Committee, twenty male Wistar rats were divided into four distinct groups of five rats each for the anastomosis between the tibial and fibular nerves (G1= end-to-side neurorrhaphy; G2= 0.25cm side-to-side neurorrhaphy; G3= 0.50cm side-to-side neurorrhaphy and G4= control group of normality and denervation). After 180 days, nervous fragments were fixed in 10% formaldehyde included in paraffin and stained with Masson's trichrome tecnique for the stereological study by the software Image Pro Plus ® version 6.0 with the adoption of Weibel stereological grid to set the axon, endoneural and myelin sheath volume densities. The Mann-Whitney (U Test) was applied for the statistical analysis. Also tibial cranial muscles were removed and then weighed in a precision scale. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups, but there were significant differences comparing the 3 groups (G1, G2 e G3) to the control group (G4). The axon, enduneral and myelin sheath volume densities of tibial and fibular nerves as well as the muscle mass during postoperative period keep egalitarian for both end-to-side and side-to-side neurorrhaphies of anastomosis area of contact in experimental stereological study comparing neurorrhaphies. Therefore, both end-to-side neurorrhaphies (which recover and prevent the motor atrophy) and side-to-side l neurorrhaphies which is independent on the gap of the nerve stumps are recommended as surgical treatment options. / Introdução: Há grande variedade de lesões que acometem nervos periféricos, derivadas de doenças adquiridas ou degenerativas congênitas que afetam a parte central do sistema nervoso e que ocasionam perda de funções sensoriomotoras. Objetivo: O objetivo deste trabalho foi perfazer estudo experimental estereológico axonal pós-neurorrafias término-lateral ou látero-lateral para comparar densidade de volume de axônios, de endouneuro e de bainha de mielina (bem como massa muscular) em nervos fibular e tibial, com anastomose de contato entre 0,25cm e 0,50 cm. Material e Método: Após aprovação do comitê de ética, foram utilizados 20 ratos machos da raça Wistar divididos em 04 grupos de 05 ratos cada, para realização de anastomose entre nervos fibular e tibial (G1=Neurorrafia término-lateral; G2=Neurorrafia látero-lateral de 0,25cm; G3= Neurorrafia látero-lateral de 0,50cm e G4= Controle de normalidade). Após 180 dias, fragmentos de nervos foram fixados em formaldeído a 10%, incluídos em parafina e corados com Tricômico de Masson para estudo estereológico pelo programa Image Pro Plus versão 6.0, com grade de Weibel para determinação dos números absolutos e da densidade de volume de axônios, endoneuro e bainha de mielina e aplicação do teste não paramétrico de Mann-Whitney. Também o músculo tibial cranial foi removido e pesado em balança de precisão. Resultados: Não houve diferença estatisticamente significante entre os grupos, mas sim de todos os 03 grupos de estudo (G1, G2 e G3) em relação ao grupo controle (G4). Conclusões: Em estudo experimental estereológico comparativo entre neurorrafias, a densidade de volume de axônios, endoneuro e bainha de mielina de nervos tibial e fibular do mesmo modo que a massa muscular pós-cirúrgica se mantém equitativa em neurorrafias término-lateral e látero-lateral, independentemente da área de anastomose de contato. Pode-se inferir, como opções de reparo cirúrgico, tanto a neurorrafia término-lateral que recupera e previne a atrofia de placa motora quanto a neurorrafia látero-lateral que independe da distância entre os cotos nervosos.

O sistema nervoso simpático é escassamente descrito em livros na anatomia veterinária e encontra-se pouca informação a respeito de seu funcionamento em grandes mamíferos. O conceito atual da estrutura e função dos gânglios simpáticos deriva de estudos desenvolvidos no gânglio cervical superior (GCC) em animais de laboratório, devido ao seu grande tamanho, facilidade de acesso e multiplicidade de território de inervação nestas espécies. A ganglionectomia unilateral do GCC causou condição patológica associada à síndrome de Horner com sinais associados à anisocoria, enoftalmia, ptose e hipertermia de orelha. Aplicando-se métodos estereológicos, objetivamos investigar a neuroplasticidade do G CC em condições de exigência funcional em diferentes períodos de tempo. A neuroplasticidade foi investigada em vista dos aspectos morfoquantitativos, tamanho e número total de neurônios. Objetivou-se encontrar variação, ou não, no tamanho dos neurônios, na densidade neuronal, no número de neurônios secundários à ganglionectomia unilateral do GCC. Alterações macroscópicas revelaram um aumento médio de 8%, 3% e 11% em comprimento, largura e espessura para os gânglios operados no grupo I. Para o grupo II encontraram-se aumentos em 4% para comprimento e largura e 5% em espessura, enquanto que para o grupo III, 29% de aumento foram encontrados para comprimento, 4% em largura e 7% em espessura. Os gânglios controle e operados apresentaram diferença significativa (p = 0,0001) na densidade neuronal (Nv). Os gânglios operados apresentaram diminuição na densidade neuronal em média de 89% para o grupo I, 65% para o grupo II e 47% para o grupo III. Esta redução reflete a distribuição heterogênea dos neurônios no gânglio operado. Um aumento no volume neuronal global foi significativamente detectado (p = 0,0001), o gânglio operado apresentou aumentos médios de 13% para o grupo I, 24% para o grupo II e 29% para o grupo III, sugestivo de maior exigência funcional em resposta à ganglionectomia. O numero total de neurônios apresentou diferenças significativas (p = 0,0514) e dois efeitos distinto nos gânglios operados. No grupo I observou-se um aumento de 3% no numero total de neurônios enquanto que uma redução foi determinada para os grupos II (8%) e III (20%). A avaliação global dos resultados leva-nos a inferir duas hipóteses associadas e consecutivas: 1) a hipertrofia neuronal estaria associada a um mecanismo compensatório para a re-inervação contralateral sendo que a maior exigência funcional poderia levar estes neurônios à morte, seguido de hipertrofia de tecido não-neuronal cicatricial refletido na diminuição da densidade neuronal; 2) a hipertrofia neuronal estaria associada a um mecanismo compensatório à morte celular determinada pela maior exigência funcional. As alterações quantitativas principais secundárias à ganglionectomia unilateral do GCC no gânglio remanescente estão associadas à: perda significativa no número total de neurônios a partir da 8ª semana de evolução da doença, perda significativa na densidade neuronal a partir da 8ª semana e aumento significativo na área e volume neuronal. / The sympathetic nervous system is briefly described in veterinary anatomy text-books and there is little information so far concerning its function in large mammal species. The current concept of the structure and function of the sympathetic ganglia is derived from studies on the cranial cervical ganglia (CCG) carried out in laboratory animals due to very attractive characteristics of CCG in these species such as large size, accessibility and multiplicity of target organs. The CCG unilateral ganglionectomy caused a pathological condition associated with Horner´s syndrome which includes anisocoria, enophtalmos, ptosis and increase in the temperature of ear as a result of peripheral vasodilatation. Using stereology-designed methods, we aimed to study CCG neuroplasticity under experimental functional overloading along distinct periods of time. Neuroplasticity was investigated according to morphoquantitative aspects, mostly size and total number of neurons. We wanted to find out whether or not neuron size, numerical density and nerve cell numbers would vary as a result of CCG ganglionectomy. Gross anatomic differences were considered to the increase in the operated ganglia, means of 8%, 3% and 11% for length, width and thickness, respetively in the group I. For group II it was encountered means increases of 4% for length and width and 5% in thickness. Group III showed means values of 29% increase in length, 4% in width and 7% in thickness. Control and operated sheep CCG revealed significant difference (p=0.0001) in the neuronal density (Nv). The operated ganglia revealed reduction in the neuronal density of 89% for group I, 65% for group II and 47% for group III. This reduction in the operated ganglia reflects its inhomogeneous distribution of neurons. An increase in the global neuronal volume was significantly detected (p= 0.0001), the operated ganglia showed increases in the means of 13% for group I, 24% for group II and 29% for group III, suggesting a functional overload response for the unilateral ganglionectomy. The total number of neurons presented significant differences (p = 0.0514) and two distinct effects in the operated ganglia. In the group I, an increase of 3% was encountered meanwhile reduction in the total number was associated to groups II (8%) and group III (20%). An overlook of the results suggests two consecutive and associated hypotheses: 1) the hypertrophy of neurons would be associated to a compensatory mechanism for contralateral re-innervation although the functional overload would drive these neurons to cellular death, followed by hypertrophy of non-neuronal tissue as reflected in the neuronal density; 2) the neuronal hypertrophy would be associated to a compensatory mechanism to cellular death caused by the functional overload The main quantitative changes in the remaining ganglia are: Significant loss in the total number of neurons from the 8th week of evoloution of the disease; Significant decrease in the numerical density (Nv) from the 8th week and significant increase in both neuron area and neuron volume.

Experimental and clinical data have documented the adverse effects of perinatal ethanol intoxication on peripheral organs and the central nervous system. There is little known, however, about potential damaging effects of perinatal ethanol on the developing visual system. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of neonatal ethanol intoxication on RGC morphology, estimate the total number of neurons in RGC layer and dorsolateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN), and on the eye-specific fiber segregation in the dLGN), in YFP and C57BL/6 mice pups. Ethanol (3 g/kg/day) was administered by intragastric intubation throughout postnatal days (PD) 3-20 or 3-10. Intubation control (IC) and untreated control (C) groups were included. Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was measured in separate groups of pups on PD3, PD10, and PD20 at 4 different time points, 1, 1.5, 2 and 3 h after the second intubation. Numbers neurons in the RGCs and dLGN were quantified on PD10, PD20 using unbiased stereological procedures. The RGC images were taken using a confocal microscope and images were traced using Neurolucida software. On PD9, intraocular injections of cholera toxin-

O sistema nervoso simpático é escassamente descrito em livros na anatomia veterinária e encontra-se pouca informação a respeito de seu funcionamento em grandes mamíferos. O conceito atual da estrutura e função dos gânglios simpáticos deriva de estudos desenvolvidos no gânglio cervical superior (GCC) em animais de laboratório, devido ao seu grande tamanho, facilidade de acesso e multiplicidade de território de inervação nestas espécies. A ganglionectomia unilateral do GCC causou condição patológica associada à síndrome de Horner com sinais associados à anisocoria, enoftalmia, ptose e hipertermia de orelha. Aplicando-se métodos estereológicos, objetivamos investigar a neuroplasticidade do G CC em condições de exigência funcional em diferentes períodos de tempo. A neuroplasticidade foi investigada em vista dos aspectos morfoquantitativos, tamanho e número total de neurônios. Objetivou-se encontrar variação, ou não, no tamanho dos neurônios, na densidade neuronal, no número de neurônios secundários à ganglionectomia unilateral do GCC. Alterações macroscópicas revelaram um aumento médio de 8%, 3% e 11% em comprimento, largura e espessura para os gânglios operados no grupo I. Para o grupo II encontraram-se aumentos em 4% para comprimento e largura e 5% em espessura, enquanto que para o grupo III, 29% de aumento foram encontrados para comprimento, 4% em largura e 7% em espessura. Os gânglios controle e operados apresentaram diferença significativa (p = 0,0001) na densidade neuronal (Nv). Os gânglios operados apresentaram diminuição na densidade neuronal em média de 89% para o grupo I, 65% para o grupo II e 47% para o grupo III. Esta redução reflete a distribuição heterogênea dos neurônios no gânglio operado. Um aumento no volume neuronal global foi significativamente detectado (p = 0,0001), o gânglio operado apresentou aumentos médios de 13% para o grupo I, 24% para o grupo II e 29% para o grupo III, sugestivo de maior exigência funcional em resposta à ganglionectomia. O numero total de neurônios apresentou diferenças significativas (p = 0,0514) e dois efeitos distinto nos gânglios operados. No grupo I observou-se um aumento de 3% no numero total de neurônios enquanto que uma redução foi determinada para os grupos II (8%) e III (20%). A avaliação global dos resultados leva-nos a inferir duas hipóteses associadas e consecutivas: 1) a hipertrofia neuronal estaria associada a um mecanismo compensatório para a re-inervação contralateral sendo que a maior exigência funcional poderia levar estes neurônios à morte, seguido de hipertrofia de tecido não-neuronal cicatricial refletido na diminuição da densidade neuronal; 2) a hipertrofia neuronal estaria associada a um mecanismo compensatório à morte celular determinada pela maior exigência funcional. As alterações quantitativas principais secundárias à ganglionectomia unilateral do GCC no gânglio remanescente estão associadas à: perda significativa no número total de neurônios a partir da 8ª semana de evolução da doença, perda significativa na densidade neuronal a partir da 8ª semana e aumento significativo na área e volume neuronal. / The sympathetic nervous system is briefly described in veterinary anatomy text-books and there is little information so far concerning its function in large mammal species. The current concept of the structure and function of the sympathetic ganglia is derived from studies on the cranial cervical ganglia (CCG) carried out in laboratory animals due to very attractive characteristics of CCG in these species such as large size, accessibility and multiplicity of target organs. The CCG unilateral ganglionectomy caused a pathological condition associated with Horner´s syndrome which includes anisocoria, enophtalmos, ptosis and increase in the temperature of ear as a result of peripheral vasodilatation. Using stereology-designed methods, we aimed to study CCG neuroplasticity under experimental functional overloading along distinct periods of time. Neuroplasticity was investigated according to morphoquantitative aspects, mostly size and total number of neurons. We wanted to find out whether or not neuron size, numerical density and nerve cell numbers would vary as a result of CCG ganglionectomy. Gross anatomic differences were considered to the increase in the operated ganglia, means of 8%, 3% and 11% for length, width and thickness, respetively in the group I. For group II it was encountered means increases of 4% for length and width and 5% in thickness. Group III showed means values of 29% increase in length, 4% in width and 7% in thickness. Control and operated sheep CCG revealed significant difference (p=0.0001) in the neuronal density (Nv). The operated ganglia revealed reduction in the neuronal density of 89% for group I, 65% for group II and 47% for group III. This reduction in the operated ganglia reflects its inhomogeneous distribution of neurons. An increase in the global neuronal volume was significantly detected (p= 0.0001), the operated ganglia showed increases in the means of 13% for group I, 24% for group II and 29% for group III, suggesting a functional overload response for the unilateral ganglionectomy. The total number of neurons presented significant differences (p = 0.0514) and two distinct effects in the operated ganglia. In the group I, an increase of 3% was encountered meanwhile reduction in the total number was associated to groups II (8%) and group III (20%). An overlook of the results suggests two consecutive and associated hypotheses: 1) the hypertrophy of neurons would be associated to a compensatory mechanism for contralateral re-innervation although the functional overload would drive these neurons to cellular death, followed by hypertrophy of non-neuronal tissue as reflected in the neuronal density; 2) the neuronal hypertrophy would be associated to a compensatory mechanism to cellular death caused by the functional overload The main quantitative changes in the remaining ganglia are: Significant loss in the total number of neurons from the 8th week of evoloution of the disease; Significant decrease in the numerical density (Nv) from the 8th week and significant increase in both neuron area and neuron volume.

In this thesis statistical properties of local stereological estimators of par- ticle volume are investigated. The emphasis is on the estimation of the va- riance of the local estimator and its components - the variance due to the variability in the particle size distribution and the variance due to the lo- cal stereological procedures. Various ways of estimation for independent and correlated particles are presented. Results of simulation studies for both inde- pendent and correlated ellipsoidal-shaped particles are presented. Described estimators are demonstrated on real biological data. Comprehensive theory that leads to the local stereological estimators of volume is presented too. 1

Forest stands may act as important carbon storage places - sinks, due to carbon allocation into both the plant biomass in the process of photosynthesis and the soil. Enhancement of CO2 concentration affects a whole range of plant physiological processes and, thus, it is necessary to study its effect on photosynthetic apparatus - leaf anatomical structure and chloroplast ultrastructure. The first aim of the Thesis was to evaluate changes in chloroplast ultrastructure of common beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) under the effects of both elevated CO2 concentration and different irradiance. The second aim was to evaluate if the anatomical parameters obtained from the middle part of the leaf are representative for the whole leaf blade. The trees were grown in glass domes at the Bílý Kříž experimental site in the Beskids Mountains (Czech Republic), owned by the CzechGlobe Institute. Leaves were sampled in 2010 from juvenile trees, which were planted in 2005 being 5-year old and cultivated since then in ambient (AC; 390 micromol/mol) and elevated (EC; 700 micromol/mol) CO2 concentrations. The EC effect was recorded to be an increased proportion of starch grains in the chloroplast median section and decreased proportion of of intergranal thylakoids (IGT) while the ratio of granal to intergranal thylakoids...

6 Abstract Temperate forests serve as long term carbon storage and are affected by increasing carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration in the atmosphere. Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) is the most abundant conifer in the forests of the Czech Republic, therefore I studied the response of its photosynthetic aparatus to elevated CO2 concentration. The aim of my thesis was to analyze the impact of CO2 concentration on chloroplast ultrastructure in both shaded and exposed needles, focusing on the volume density of starch in the median cross-sections of mesophyll cell chloroplasts. The next aim of the study was to test whether the chloroplasts of the first subepidermal layer of mesophyll are representative for the whole needle with respect to starch volume density. The study was performed on eleven years-old Norway spruce trees that had been exposed to ambient or elevated concentration of CO2 for six years; the experiment had been carried out at the Bílý Kříž experimental station in the Beskids Mountains in cultivation chambers with automatically adjustable windows. First year needles of trees grown under abient (382-395ppm) or elevated (700 ppm) CO2 concentration were collected in October 2011. The needles were used to prepare ultrathin sections and the images of median chloroplast cross-sections were...