Evaluation of European Red Deer (Cervus elaphus hippelaphus) antlers traits in district of Čadca

The phenotype variability of each species is caused by variability of genotype and living conditions. The high degree of Slovak countryside diversity together with occurrence of two subspecies of red deer (Cervus elaphus) create the condition for differences of red deer stags antlers morphometric traits. The aim of this study was to evaluate morphometric traits of red deer stags antlers from north-west part of Slovakia, district of Čadca. Altogether 242 red deer stags antlers were measured. The antlers were measured according to CIC trophy evaluation methods. The stags were hunted in period 2010 to 2017 and the age of measured stags varied from 2 to 14 years. Our study was directly focused to the main trophy parameters that present beam length, number of tines, weight and total points score. The beam length varies from 53.18 to 99.5 cm in 2 y. o. and 14 y. o. stags respectively. The average number of tines increased with the age as well and varies from 6.05 to 15. The average weight of dry antlers (after skull weight deduction) increased according to age of stags from 0.94 kg to 7.54 kg in 2 y. o. and 14 y. o. respectively. The total points score is the indicator of total trophy quality of the population. The values of ]that trait varied from 89.98 points in 2 y. o. stags to 210.20 points in 14 y. o. stags. Significant differences in all traits were determined in confidence level 95 % in relationship to the age of individuals. Red deer as a long-lived animal show a high variability in trophy morphometry related to the age. The highest increasing of all traits is marked especially up to the 7th year of stags in analysed population. This study presents the description and new information of the most important antlers traits from analysed region

Evaluation of hydration of cement pastes containing high volume of mineral additions

Available ahead of print 2017.The use of mineral additions is a common practice in the production of cementitious materials. Recently proposed usage of high amounts of cement replaced by mineral additions requires the study of the chemical interaction of these additions with the cement. This study intends to evaluate, by means of TG/DTG techniques, XRD and compressive strength, the effect of high volume of mineral additions in the hydration of cementitious pastes. Pastes with 50?70% of cement replaced by mineral addition and with different combinations of fly ash and metakaolin were evaluated, two pastes without mineral addition and two other pastes with lime addition. Results showed TG/DTG and XRD techniques are more suitable for evaluating kinetics of reactions of hydration, making it possible to quantify the substantial reduction in the levels of portlandite in hydrated pastes containing high volumes of mineral additions. These techniques allowed to find important differences in the evaluation of calcium hydroxide, because its morphology can change in the presence of additions. Also showed that it is possible to achieve, enhanced or even high compressive strength (50?80 MPa) in concretes containing reduced cement contents. As well as more resistance against harmful agents and carbonation attack.(undefined)info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio