Activities of Institute of Geodesy, Brno University of Technology in the Moravian Karst

Moravian karst is one of the longest explored karst areas worldwide. It is situated north of Brno on the surface of approximately 100 sq km. The longest cave system is the Amaterska cave with its length of more than 35 km of underground corridors. The system of the Amaterska cave contains also the world famous Punkevni caves with the Macocha abyss. The faculty of Civil Engineering at the Brno University of Technology has a long term cooperation with the Czech Speleological Society and the Administration of the Moravian Karst PLA. Several projects focused on the karsological mapping were solved in the past years. The main aim of these projects was to precisely locate the cave systems towards the surface and other caves.The Institute of Geodesy also offers a voluntary subject Speleological Surveying. The introductory part of the article is theoretical and the second part is focused on practical aspects of underground surveys. At the end, students spare two days on field training in the Býčí skála cave in the central part of the Moravian carst

30 Years ff Geodynamic Research in the Territory of Northern Moravia

V rámci zkoumání geodynamických jevů představuje důležitý přínos nasazení technologie GNSS umožňující efektivní určování kinematických tendencí svrchní vrstvy zemské litosféry. Ústav geodézie VUT v Brně jako první univerzitní pracoviště v ČR mohl prakticky používat tuto technologií již od roku 1992, a jednou z prvních aktivit bylo právě zapojení do geodynamického výzkumu v národním i mezinárodním měřítku. Je příznačné, že právě v tomto období byla vybudována lokální výzkumná geodynamická síť pokrývající českou i polskou část masivu Králického Sněžníku. Jednalo se o první projekt tohoto druhu na území Moravy, a naše pracoviště dostalo příležitost se tohoto projektu aktivně zúčastnit. Dnes, při vzpomínce 30. výročí vzniku sítě Sněžník, můžeme konstatovat její významný přínos pro naši vědeckovýzkumnou i pedagogickou činnost. Od té doby se naše aktivity v oblasti geodynamických aplikací GNSS rozšířily na celé území Moravy, a posléze i ČR. Významným faktorem bylo navázání úzkých kontaktů s odborníky dalších geovědních oborů (geologie, geomorfologie, geotektoniky, seismiky aj.), což umožnilo uplatnit a prezentovat naše výsledky v širším kontextu vzájemné spolupráce. Potvrdilo se, že je důležité konfrontovat a integrovat výsledky geodetických měření s veškerými relevantními geovědními poznatky, které jsou aktuálně k dispozici. Tento příspěvek se věnuje převážně dvěma tématům. Prvním je 30tileté období měření v síti Sněžník. Druhým je popis našich dalších aktivit zaměřených na zkoumání geodynamicky aktivních oblastí Moravy, zvláště její severní části. Jedním z významných výsledků je sestavení úvodního kinematického modelu moravské části Českého masivu a jeho průběžné doplňování a zpřesňování.As part of the investigation of the geodynamics phenomena, the deployment of GNSS technology, which enables effective determination of the kinematic tendencies of the upper layer of the earth's lithosphere, represents an important contribution. The Institute of Geodesy of BUT in Brno, as the first university institute in the Czech Republic, could practically use this technology since 1992, and one of the first activities was involvement in geodynamic research on a national and international scale. It is significant that it was just during this period that a local research geodynamic network covering the Czech and Polish parts of the Králický Sněžník massif was built. It was the first project of this kind in the territory of Moravia, and our institute had the opportunity to actively participate in this project. Today, at the commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Sněžník network, we can state its significant contribution to our scientific research and teaching activities. Since then, our activities in the field of GNSS geodynamic applications have expanded to the entire territory of Moravia, and later to the Czech Republic. A significant factor was the establishment of close 19 http://dx.doi.org/10.13164/seminargnss.2023.18 contacts with experts in other geoscience fields (geology, geomorphology, geotectonics, seismics, etc.), which made it possible to apply and present our results in a broader context of mutual cooperation. It has been confirmed that it is important to confront and integrate the results of geodetic measurements with all the relevant geoscientific knowledge that is currently available. This paper mainly deals with two topics. The first is a 30-year measurement period in the Sněžník network. The second is a description of our other activities focused on the investigation of geodynamic active areas of Moravia, especially its northern part. One of the significant results is the compilation of the initial kinematic model of the Moravian part of the Bohemian Massif and its continuous addition and refinement

NVP-AUY922: a small molecule HSP90 inhibitor with potent antitumor activity in preclinical breast cancer models

INTRODUCTION:Heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) is a key component of a multichaperone complex involved in the post-translational folding of a large number of client proteins, many of which play essential roles in tumorigenesis. HSP90 has emerged in recent years as a promising new target for anticancer therapies.METHODS:The concentrations of the HSP90 inhibitor NVP-AUY922 required to reduce cell numbers by 50% (GI50 values) were established in a panel of breast cancer cell lines and patient-derived human breast tumors. To investigate the properties of the compound in vivo, the pharmacokinetic profile, antitumor effect, and dose regimen were established in a BT-474 breast cancer xenograft model. The effect on HSP90-p23 complexes, client protein degradation, and heat shock response was investigated in cell culture and breast cancer xenografts by immunohistochemistry, Western blot analysis, and immunoprecipitation.RESULTS:We show that the novel small molecule HSP90 inhibitor NVP-AUY922 potently inhibits the proliferation of human breast cancer cell lines with GI50 values in the range of 3 to 126 nM. NVP-AUY922 induced proliferative inhibition concurrent with HSP70 upregulation and client protein depletion � hallmarks of HSP90 inhibition. Intravenous acute administration of NVP-AUY922 to athymic mice (30 mg/kg) bearing subcutaneous BT-474 breast tumors resulted in drug levels in excess of 1,000 times the cellular GI50 value for about 2 days. Significant growth inhibition and good tolerability were observed when the compound was administered once per week. Therapeutic effects were concordant with changes in pharmacodynamic markers, including HSP90-p23 dissociation, decreases in ERBB2 and P-AKT, and increased HSP70 protein levels.CONCLUSION:NVP-AUY922 is a potent small molecule HSP90 inhibitor showing significant activity against breast cancer cells in cellular and in vivo settings. On the basis of its mechanism of action, preclinical activity profile, tolerability, and pharmaceutical properties, the compound recently has entered clinical phase I breast cancer trials

A European research agenda for somatic symptom disorders, bodily distress disorders, and functional disorders: Results of an estimate-talk-estimate delphi expert study

Background: Somatic Symptom Disorders (SSD), Bodily Distress Disorders (BDD) and functional disorders (FD) are associated with high medical and societal costs and pose a substantial challenge to the population and health policy of Europe. To meet this challenge, a specific research agenda is needed as one of the cornerstones of sustainable mental health research and health policy for SSD, BDD, and FD in Europe. Aim: To identify the main challenges and research priorities concerning SSD, BDD, and FD from a European perspective. Methods: Delphi study conducted from July 2016 until October 2017 in 3 rounds with 3 workshop meetings and 3 online surveys, involving 75 experts and 21 European countries. EURONET-SOMA and the European Association of Psychosomatic Medicine (EAPM) hosted the meetings. Results: Eight research priorities were identified: (1) Assessment of diagnostic profiles relevant to course and treatment outcome. (2) Development and evaluation of new, effective interventions. (3) Validation studies on questionnaires or semi-structured interviews that assess chronic medical conditions in this context. (4) Research into patients preferences for diagnosis and treatment. (5) Development of new methodologic designs to identify and explore mediators and moderators of clinical course and treatment outcomes (6). Translational research exploring how psychological and somatic symptoms develop from somatic conditions and biological and behavioral pathogenic factors. (7) Development of new, effective interventions to personalize treatment. (8) Implementation studies of treatment interventions in different settings, such as primary care, occupational care, general hospital and specialty mental health settings. The general public and policymakers will benefit from the development of new, effective, personalized interventions for SSD, BDD, and FD, that will be enhanced by translational research, as well as from the outcomes of research into patient involvement, GP-patient communication, consultation-liaison models and implementation. Conclusion: Funding for this research agenda, targeting these challenges in coordinated research networks such as EURONET-SOMA and EAPM, and systematically allocating resources by policymakers to this critical area in mental and physical well-being is urgently needed to improve efficacy and impact for diagnosis and treatment of SSD, BDD, and FD across Europe

Global maps of soil temperature

Research in global change ecology relies heavily on global climatic grids derived from estimates of air temperature in open areas at around 2 m above the ground. These climatic grids do not reflect conditions below vegetation canopies and near the ground surface, where critical ecosystem functions occur and most terrestrial species reside. Here, we provide global maps of soil temperature and bioclimatic variables at a 1-km2 resolution for 0–5 and 5–15 cm soil depth. These maps were created by calculating the difference (i.e. offset) between in situ soil temperature measurements, based on time series from over 1200 1-km2 pixels (summarized from 8519 unique temperature sensors) across all the world\u27s major terrestrial biomes, and coarse-grained air temperature estimates from ERA5-Land (an atmospheric reanalysis by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts). We show that mean annual soil temperature differs markedly from the corresponding gridded air temperature, by up to 10°C (mean = 3.0 ± 2.1°C), with substantial variation across biomes and seasons. Over the year, soils in cold and/or dry biomes are substantially warmer (+3.6 ± 2.3°C) than gridded air temperature, whereas soils in warm and humid environments are on average slightly cooler (−0.7 ± 2.3°C). The observed substantial and biome-specific offsets emphasize that the projected impacts of climate and climate change on near-surface biodiversity and ecosystem functioning are inaccurately assessed when air rather than soil temperature is used, especially in cold environments. The global soil-related bioclimatic variables provided here are an important step forward for any application in ecology and related disciplines. Nevertheless, we highlight the need to fill remaining geographic gaps by collecting more in situ measurements of microclimate conditions to further enhance the spatiotemporal resolution of global soil temperature products for ecological applications

Global maps of soil temperature

Research in global change ecology relies heavily on global climatic grids derived from estimates of air temperature in open areas at around 2 m above the ground. These climatic grids do not reflect conditions below vegetation canopies and near the ground surface, where critical ecosystem functions occur and most terrestrial species reside. Here, we provide global maps of soil temperature and bioclimatic variables at a 1-km² resolution for 0–5 and 5–15 cm soil depth. These maps were created by calculating the difference (i.e., offset) between in-situ soil temperature measurements, based on time series from over 1200 1-km² pixels (summarized from 8500 unique temperature sensors) across all the world’s major terrestrial biomes, and coarse-grained air temperature estimates from ERA5-Land (an atmospheric reanalysis by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts). We show that mean annual soil temperature differs markedly from the corresponding gridded air temperature, by up to 10°C (mean = 3.0 ± 2.1°C), with substantial variation across biomes and seasons. Over the year, soils in cold and/or dry biomes are substantially warmer (+3.6 ± 2.3°C) than gridded air temperature, whereas soils in warm and humid environments are on average slightly cooler (-0.7 ± 2.3°C). The observed substantial and biome-specific offsets emphasize that the projected impacts of climate and climate change on near-surface biodiversity and ecosystem functioning are inaccurately assessed when air rather than soil temperature is used, especially in cold environments. The global soil-related bioclimatic variables provided here are an important step forward for any application in ecology and related disciplines. Nevertheless, we highlight the need to fill remaining geographic gaps by collecting more in-situ measurements of microclimate conditions to further enhance the spatiotemporal resolution of global soil temperature products for ecological applications

Molecular mechanisms of cell death: recommendations of the Nomenclature Committee on Cell Death 2018.

Over the past decade, the Nomenclature Committee on Cell Death (NCCD) has formulated guidelines for the definition and interpretation of cell death from morphological, biochemical, and functional perspectives. Since the field continues to expand and novel mechanisms that orchestrate multiple cell death pathways are unveiled, we propose an updated classification of cell death subroutines focusing on mechanistic and essential (as opposed to correlative and dispensable) aspects of the process. As we provide molecularly oriented definitions of terms including intrinsic apoptosis, extrinsic apoptosis, mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT)-driven necrosis, necroptosis, ferroptosis, pyroptosis, parthanatos, entotic cell death, NETotic cell death, lysosome-dependent cell death, autophagy-dependent cell death, immunogenic cell death, cellular senescence, and mitotic catastrophe, we discuss the utility of neologisms that refer to highly specialized instances of these processes. The mission of the NCCD is to provide a widely accepted nomenclature on cell death in support of the continued development of the field

Global maps of soil temperature.

Research in global change ecology relies heavily on global climatic grids derived from estimates of air temperature in open areas at around 2 m above the ground. These climatic grids do not reflect conditions below vegetation canopies and near the ground surface, where critical ecosystem functions occur and most terrestrial species reside. Here, we provide global maps of soil temperature and bioclimatic variables at a 1-km2 resolution for 0-5 and 5-15 cm soil depth. These maps were created by calculating the difference (i.e. offset) between in situ soil temperature measurements, based on time series from over 1200 1-km2 pixels (summarized from 8519 unique temperature sensors) across all the world's major terrestrial biomes, and coarse-grained air temperature estimates from ERA5-Land (an atmospheric reanalysis by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts). We show that mean annual soil temperature differs markedly from the corresponding gridded air temperature, by up to 10°C (mean = 3.0 ± 2.1°C), with substantial variation across biomes and seasons. Over the year, soils in cold and/or dry biomes are substantially warmer (+3.6 ± 2.3°C) than gridded air temperature, whereas soils in warm and humid environments are on average slightly cooler (-0.7 ± 2.3°C). The observed substantial and biome-specific offsets emphasize that the projected impacts of climate and climate change on near-surface biodiversity and ecosystem functioning are inaccurately assessed when air rather than soil temperature is used, especially in cold environments. The global soil-related bioclimatic variables provided here are an important step forward for any application in ecology and related disciplines. Nevertheless, we highlight the need to fill remaining geographic gaps by collecting more in situ measurements of microclimate conditions to further enhance the spatiotemporal resolution of global soil temperature products for ecological applications

Činnost profesora Zdeňka Nevosáda na Vysokém učení technickém v Brně

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Výzkumná geodetická síť "Sněžník" =Experimental Geodetic Network "Sněžník"

V roce 1992 ve spolupráci s Akademii Rolniczej (AR) Wroclaw založili pracovníci Ústavu geodézie VUT v Brně v prostoru Králického Sněžníku společnou česko-polskou výzkumnou lokální geodetickou a geodynamickou síť "Sněžník". Body sítí, které jsou stabilizovány betonovými pilířii, se nacházejí na obou stranách státní hranice v masivu Králického Sněžníku. Body byly zřízeny za účelem monitorování pohybů svrchní vrstvy litosféry, ale slouží dlouhodobě též k ověřování moderních technologií geodetických měření (GNSS, gravimetrie, EDM, přesné nivelace, astronomická měření aj.). Jako součást pedagogických aktivit je síť využívána pravidelně pro praktickou výuku studentů oboru Geodézie a kartografie VUT v Brně. V rámci této výuky je česká část sítě každoročně zaměřena družicovými metodami. Historie vzniku sítě, použité měřické technologie a stručný výčet některých dosažených výsledkůIn 1992 the Czech - Polish experimental local geodetic and geodynamic network “Sněžník“ was established in Králický Sněžník region, in cooperation with Akademii Rolniczej (AR) Wroclaw and Institute of Geodesy, BUT Brno. The network points are monumented by concrete pillars, located on both sides of the state frontier in Králický Sněžník massif. The network was established for the purpose of the upper lithosphere movement monitoring, but serving also for experimental testing of integrated geodetic measuring technologies (GNSS, gravimetry, EDM, precise levelling, astronomical measurements and others). The network is also exploited for the students field practices of Geodesy and Cartography branch of study at BUT Brno. Within the field practices the Czech part of the network is regularly each year measured by satellite methods GPS. Description of the network establishment, the measuring technologies used, and brief presentation of some particular results697