The effect of nest quality for breeding success in Great Reed Warbler

Nests are key structures for the reproduction of majority of avian species and as such they should be subject to natural selection. Six hypotheses have been suggested to explain variance in avian nest size. In my master thesis I evaluate their validity in the Great Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus). First two hypotheses describe responses of nest size to predation and brood parasitism. These two selection pressures may lead to the reduction of nest size, but no evidence of their impact on nest dimensions was obtained. However, I found a significant but negative relationship between the probability of nest predation and soft nest height. No such relationship was found between the probability of brood parasitism and nest size characteristics. The incidence of brood parasitism was affected only by nest visibility from the nearest cuckoo perch site and distance from open water. More visible nests suffered heavier parasitism while those located deeper in reed beds were better protected from cuckoo parasitism. Another four hypotheses describe selection pressures which favour large nests or some of their functional parts. The thermoregulatory hypothesis, the sexual display hypothesis and the nest support hypothesis did not explain nest size variation. I found support for the clutch size hypothesis,...Ptačí hnízda představují pro rozmnožování drtivé většiny druhů ptáků klíčové struktury a měla by proto podléhat přírodnímu výběr. Selekční tlaky, které na velikost hnízda působí, popisuje šest hypotéz, jejichž platnost u rákosníka velkého (Acrocephalus arundinaceus) jsem ve své diplomové práci testoval. První dvě hypotézy - predační a parazitační - by měly vést ke zmenšování hnízda. Jejich vliv na rozměry hnízda se mi ovšem prokázat nepodařilo, ačkoliv v jednom ze studovaných let existuje mírná kontraintuitivní negativní závislost mezi měkkou výškou hnízda a pravděpodobností predace. Žádná podobná závislost nebyla nalezena u vlivu hnízdního parazitizmu. Jeho pravděpodobnost je ovlivněna pouze dvěma charakteristikami hnízdního místa a to viditelností hnízda z nejbližšího potenciálního pozorovacího bodu pro kukačku a vzdáleností od volné vody, kdy hnízda nacházející se hlouběji v rákosovém porostu trpí nižší mírou parazitace. Zbylé čtyři hypotézy popisují selekční tlaky na větší hnízda nebo některé z jejich funkčních částí. Platnost termoregulační hypotézy ani hypotézy stability hnízda se prokázat nepodařilo. Obdobně nebylo zjištěno, že by hnízdo fungovalo jako postkopulační signál kvality samice. Jedinou z těchto hypotéz, jejíž platnost se prokázat podařilo, je hypotéza ideální velikosti snůšky, kdy...Department of EcologyKatedra ekologieFaculty of SciencePřírodovědecká fakult

Alternative Methods for Shelf Life Extension of Unfi ltered Beers from Microbreweries

At present, a broad range of unfi ltered beers is produced mainly by microbreweries. So far, however, no suitable method exists for ensuring extended shelf life at the industrial scale without damaging the taste. The most widespread method – pasteurization also kills brewery yeasts and, has a thermal impact on beer. This review describes the premises for ensuring effective microbial stabilization that depends particularly on proper sanitization practices. Alternative methods – the high hydrostatic in addition, processing and the pulsed electric fi elds processing have a minimal effect on the beer quality. These techniques were already tested under laboratory conditions and have potential for use at the industrial scale. This article describes these methods in detail

Post-kidney transplantation results after circulatory or brain death without pre-mortem heparin administration

Background: Kidney donation after circulatory death (DCD) follows confirmation of death using cardiorespiratory criteria, while donation after brain death (DBD) uses neurological criteria. DBD and DCD donors are the main sources of grafts for transplantation. This retrospective cohort study from a single center in the Czech Republic aimed to compare 5-year post-transplantation outcomes after DCD and DBD transplantation without pre-mortem heparin administration. Material/Methods: A total of 227 recipients with matched donors enrolled in the transplantation program at our institution between 2015 and 2019 were analyzed. Following the application of the inclusion criteria, 99 recipients and 94 matched donors were finally included in the study. Results: The duration of cold ischemia (median 961 vs 1100 min, P=0.028) and the perfusion with the preservation solution (median 11 vs 22 min, P<0.001) was statistically significantly shorter in DBD than in DCD grafts. The 1-year survival rates were 97.5% (95% CI 94.1-100.0%) and 90.0% (95% CI: 77.8-100.0%) for DBD and DCD recipients, respectively. The 3-year survival rates were 91.9 (95% CI: 86.0-98.4) and 90.0 (95% CI: 77.8-100.0) for the DBD and DCD groups, respectively. The overall difference in survival between the 2 groups of patients was not statistically significant (P=0.750) nor was disease-free survival (P=0.370). Conclusions: This retrospective study from a single center showed similar 5-year results after kidney transplantation for DCD and DBD donors without pre-mortem heparin administration, including the time to graft failure and patient survival.Web of Science28art. no. e93687

Strategies and risks of investing in mutual funds

This thesis deals with the investment strategy and the level of risk when investing in mutual funds under the investment advisory and fund sales through bank ČSOB as their evaluation and analysis, harmony between the investment profile of the client, the investment class fund recommendations and the level of investment risk associated with investing in mutual funds. ČSOB Inc. the banksinsurance companies, ranks among the most important and biggest financial advisory group in the Czech Republic, including sophisticated investment advice. The theoretical part describes the different investment theories, recommendations, tools, processes, methods and approach the investment adviser and the client. It summarizes and compares the most important investment concepts and theories. Synthesis methods are used, comparison and compilation and are set hypotheses. The practical part is focused on the exploration of the current investment advice, strategies and risks associated with investing, investment comparison questionnaires, according to the investment class client and follow specific investment. Furthermore, the practical part deals with the answer to the hypothesis, evaluation questionnaire, its analysis and mutual comparison with the advice of the Investment Advisor, client response and compliance with the investments made. The work focuses on the evaluation of the currently selected system for the evaluation and recommendation with respect to investment risk, profitability, volatility and portfolio diversification. The work takes into account the investment instruments used, clients motivational processes leading to the realization of investments and especially the willingness of risk-taking investor in accordance with the banking system, evaluation and approach a bank for investment advice. The purpose of this work is to establish a system for achieving the most ideal point system that determines the final investment profile of the client in relation to the risk and return on investment. Determine the extent of boundary inclusion of individual investors and investment products into product classes, understand the needs of clients, their incentives, motivation and subsequent to determine, if possible, what the best investment and advisory structure with regard to the risk of the investment. Potential investors, but also but also investment advisors, this work should help better orientate the very investment advice and help to accurately determine their investment profile in relation to the investment classes of products and determine the strategy that will truly respond to the needs of investors for the purpose of what best assessment with an acceptable risk

The effect of nest quality for breeding success in Great Reed Warbler

Nests are key structures for the reproduction of majority of avian species and as such they should be subject to natural selection. Six hypotheses have been suggested to explain variance in avian nest size. In my master thesis I evaluate their validity in the Great Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus). First two hypotheses describe responses of nest size to predation and brood parasitism. These two selection pressures may lead to the reduction of nest size, but no evidence of their impact on nest dimensions was obtained. However, I found a significant but negative relationship between the probability of nest predation and soft nest height. No such relationship was found between the probability of brood parasitism and nest size characteristics. The incidence of brood parasitism was affected only by nest visibility from the nearest cuckoo perch site and distance from open water. More visible nests suffered heavier parasitism while those located deeper in reed beds were better protected from cuckoo parasitism. Another four hypotheses describe selection pressures which favour large nests or some of their functional parts. The thermoregulatory hypothesis, the sexual display hypothesis and the nest support hypothesis did not explain nest size variation. I found support for the clutch size hypothesis,..

Use of protocol 802.1x for ISP

Cílem práce je navrhnout využití protokolu 802.1x a jeho využití na směrovačích Mikrotik pro potřeby ISP. Autor podrobně představí protokol 802.1x, jeho principy a možnosti nasazení. Dále autor představí technologie směrovačů Mikrotik pro specifické potřeby ISP. Autor navrhne nasazení vhodných směrovačů Mikrotik pro potřeby ISP včetně komplexního zabezpečení. Navržené řešení realizuje v laboratorním prostředí, kde prověří navržená bezpečnostní opatření.The goal of this thesis is to project utilization of protocol 802.1x and its application in Mikrotik routers for purposes of ISP. Author will describe protocol 802.1x in detail, describe its principles and possibilities of its use. Author will also describe technologies of Mikrotik routers for specific needs of ISP. Author projects utilization of suitable Mikrotik routers including complete security for needs of ISP. He will implement projected solution in laboratory environment and verify its security.Katedra informačních technologiíCílem práce bylo navrhnout využití protokolu 802.1x a jeho využití na směrovačích Mikrotik pro potřeby ISP. Autor práce navrhl a realizoval komplexní řešení s využitím protokolu 802.1x jako nástroje pro ověřovací mechanismus klienta vůči poskytovateli konektivity. Předložené řešení je plně využitelné jako základní proncip zajištění bezpečnosti pro poskytovatele konektivity v sítích typu LAN. Vedoucí neměl k práci žádné připomínky. Obhajoba proběhla na požadované úrovni

Nest quality and reproductive success in birds

Katedra ekologieDepartment of EcologyFaculty of SciencePřírodovědecká fakult

The role of nest in reproduction of the Great Reed Warbler

7 Abstract Bird nests protect eggs and nestlings, allowing the parents to leave their offspring and subsequently return to them. Their thermoregulatory properties reduce energetic costs of incubation and brooding of nestlings. For all these reasons, nests are key structures for the reproduction of a majority of avian species and as such they should be subject to natural selection. Several hypotheses describing selection pressures which affect the size of nests or some of their parts have been suggested. In my PhD thesis, I investigated some of them in the great reed warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus) - an open nesting passerine species with very variable nest size. For this purpose, I used a large dataset of several hundred measured great reed warbler nests, nest enlargement experiments and an experiment with artificial nests. In accordance with previous studies, we did not find that nest size affects the probability of common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) brood parasitism, while it was influenced by other factors, such as timing of breeding, reed density around the nest and nest visibility from the nearest potential cuckoo perch site. More interestingly, we found that cuckoos adjust their nest-searching strategy in relation to availability of host nests. When host nests were scarce, cuckoos parasitized all of..