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Plastics and microplastics in water
Halašta, Tomáš ; Kučera, Tomáš (referee) ; Biela, Renata (advisor)
This bachelor thesis deals with the occurrence of plastics and microplastics in water and also is mainly devoted to microplastic in water treatment plants. The beginning of the work is devoted to plastics, their history, description of properties and what are the most commonly used plastics, which can be found in the form of microplastics. Next topic is devoted to the occurrence of plastics in waters, mainly seas and oceans, and especially in freshwater systems. Then the definition of microplastics and their sources and occurrence is given in the work. Furthermore, the work deals with studies on the occurrence of microplastics in drinking water and their removal at water treatment plants and the analysis of plastics microparticles. The conclusion is a summary of all available studies on microplastics in drinking water and water treatment plants.
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Impact of the glycine-rich loop on the function of processing peptidases of the mitochondrial type
Kučera, Tomáš
A B S T R A C T The majority of the mitochondrial proteins is synthetized on the cytosolic ribosomes in the form of the protein precursors bearing mitochondrion-targeting signal presequences. Once the protein precursor has reached the mitochondrial matrix the signal presequence is no longer necessary and is cleaved off by heterodimeric mitochondrial processing peptidase (MPP; α/β). Although the crystal structure of MPP is available, the MPP mechanism of function is still matter of discussion. An all atomic, non-restrained molecular dynamics (MD) simulation in explicit water was used to study in detail the structural features of the highly conserved glycine-rich loop (GRL) of the regulatory α-subunit of the yeast MPP. Wild-type and GRL-deleted MPP structures were studied both in the presence and absence of a substrate in the peptidase active site. Targeted MD simulations were employed to study the mechanism of substrate translocation from the GRL to the peptidase active site. We demonstrate that the natural conformational flexibility of the GRL is crucial for the substrate translocation process from outside the enzyme towards the MPP active site. We show that the α-helical conformation of the substrate is important not only during its initial interaction with MPP (i.e. substrate recognition), but also later,...
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Strategic Culture of the Czech Republic
Beneš, Jan ; Karásek, Tomáš (advisor) ; Eichler, Jan (referee) ; Kučera, Tomáš (referee)
Jan Beneš Strategic Culture of the Czech Republic Abstract The aim of the dissertation is to define in a complex manner the strategic culture of the Czech Republic. Strategic culture is at first analysed as a conceptual phenomenon both in relation to strategy itself and to the theories of international relations. The dissertation introduces the different streams of thought about strategic culture and then studies the approaches of the key involved authors with a special focus on the discussion between the first and the third generation of strategic culture scholars. Concerning the fact that the strategic culture has been originally created for the study of the behaviour and strategic thought of major powers, the author analyses the historical and geostrategic peculiarities of a small state in the Central Europe and then defines own conceptual and methodological framework. Using the method of grounded theory, the important symbols and narratives from the Czech history as well as the most important moments in the Czech political and strategic thought and decision-making are being examined. The historical narratives re-appear and influence the decision-making, thinking and argumentation of the key actors in the Czech security community. The research of the key decisions and historical moments after the 1989 is...
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Cultural property in armed conflicts: Typical motivations causing their destruction
Pelikánová, Eva ; Kučera, Tomáš (advisor) ; Bruner, Tomáš (referee)
In recent years protection of cultural property in the event of armed conflicts has become largely mentioned issue. Despite broad international legal codification of principles to prevent destruction of cultural property in the event of armed conflicts, destruction of cultural property obviously occurs. Within discussion on their protection, attention is not so paid to the values of cultural property representing for interested actors not merely in the event of armed conflicts. Attention is not much paid also to the motivations leading actors to destroy cultural property in the event of armed conflicts. The thesis is based on current state of knowledge both in academic or international law and it focuses on exploring motivations leading actors to destroy cultural property in the event of armed conflicts. To answer the research question: "What motivators are leading actors to actively destroy cultural monuments in armed conflicts?" is proceeded from analysis of literature that expounds the motivations for the destruction of cultural property in the event of armed conflicts. These motivations will be understood as theoretical explanations of destruction for the purposes of the work, and on the basis of five case studies, their validity will be checked. The subsequent synthesis of the conclusions of...
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Structure-function organization of the cell nucleus.Microscopical analysis of nuclear subcompartments.
Jůda, Pavel ; Cmarko, Dušan (advisor) ; Mokrý, Jaroslav (referee) ; Kučera, Tomáš (referee) ; Smetana, Karel (referee)
Pavel Jůda - Abstract The cell nucleus is a complex cellular organelle. The nucleus and nuclear processes are organized into functionally and morphologically separated nuclear subcompartments. This thesis is particularly concerned with the three following nuclear subcompartments: sites of DNA replication, Polycomb bodies and nuclear inclusions constituted of inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase 2 (IMPDH2). First, we examined the relationship between MCM proteins and DNA replication. Using immunofluorescent labeling of cells extracted prior fixation and applying cross-correlation function analysis, we showed that MCM proteins are present at the sites of active DNA synthesis. Our results contributed to the solving of the first part of so-called MCM paradox. Second, we studied the structural basis of the Polycomb bodies. Based on fluorescence microscopy studies, Polycomb bodies have been considered to be the nuclear subcompartments formed by the accumulation of Polycomb proteins in the interchromatin compartment. In our work, using correlative light electron microscopy and experimental changes in macromolecular crowding, we clearly showed that a Polycomb body is a chromosomal domain formed by an accumulation of heterochromatin structures, rather than a typical nucleoplasmic body. Third, we were interested in...
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Securitising Nuclear Energy: Analysis of speech acts related to the possible construction of a new reactor at the existing Dukovany Nuclear Power Station
Dytrych, Simon ; Holubcová, Jitka (advisor) ; Kučera, Tomáš (referee)
This Master's thesis dealt with securitization attempts related to the planned construction of a new reactor at the Dukovany NPP. Therefore, its aim was to find, analyse and explain securitization speech acts associated with the planned reactor, in the period from summer 2015 to December 2020 using the critical discourse analysis approach. The results show that securitization speech acts of this kind do appear in the Czech public sphere and are articulated mainly by four groups of actors: representatives of Austria, Czech environmental NGOs, Czech governmental representatives, and Czech political opposition. These actors have different goals: to stop the construction of the reactor, to implement the construction of the reactor, or to influence the way in which the construction will be implemented. One case of successful securitization was found in the outcome: The Czech government was able to enforce extraordinary measures that deviated from standard democratic processes using security-based arguments. Their goal was to implement the construction of the reactor. It remains to add that the research also revealed three important functional actors who co-created the discourse: the BIS secret service, the SÚJB nuclear safety office and the company ČEZ.
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Quantum and tempo of population ageing process in the twelve countries of the former Soviet Union: Challenges, opportunities and public policies
Mustafina, Marta ; Kučera, Tomáš (advisor) ; Kalibová, Květa (referee) ; Sidorenko, Alexandre (referee)
Quantum and tempo of population ageing process in the twelve countries of the former Soviet Union: Challenges, opportunities and public policies Abstract Population ageing is an omnipresent phenomenon which brings along unprecedented challenges to socio-economic development, especially to employment, social security and public health sectors. The broad goal of this doctoral thesis was to demonstrate that it is time to recognize the importance of population ageing and its dynamics even in the countries with relatively young population structures and to take urgent action through implementation of corresponding policy interventions in order to mitigate and eliminate the upcoming negative consequences and utilize potential opportunities. Research on population ageing in both more and less developed countries is abundant. However, amidst numerous studies, countries of the former Soviet Union remain largely overlooked. Besides, the quantum and tempo of population ageing have not been adequately addressed in the existing literature worldwide. This research addresses, to the best of our knowledge for the first time, those issues. Holistic approach to gap analysis was adopted to guide this study. The analysis was performed in three steps. The first step incorporated the identification and analysis of the observed...
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Permanent Structured Cooperation and European Intervention Initiative as Preludes of a Single European Army
Urban, Patrik ; Kučera, Tomáš (advisor) ; Földes, Kristián (referee)
The master's thesis focuses on the potential of two recently launched initiatives, The Permanent Structured Cooperation and The European Intervention Initiative, to serve as preludes of the single European army. Both initiatives shared high expectations as vehicles for a relaunch of integration in defence domain in Europe, but do they really move the efforts in this respect forward? To study the two projects, we establish a unique theoretical measurement of defence and security integration, based on the realist concept of the alliance and constructivist concept of the security community. We then ask what constructivist theoretical model for the study of defence integration fits The Permanent Structured Cooperation best, and analogically, which archetype is the most suitable for The European Intervention Initiative. Based on the theoretical underpinnings, we carry out an empirical analysis of both initiatives to find out what novelties they bring to the area of defence. We focused mainly on their governance, institutional fabric and funding. Special attention was paid to varying level of pooled sovereignty. The thesis is built on the content analysis of primary sources and where appropriate on relevant secondary literature.
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Czech gun-owner platforms and mass shooting events: framing analysis
Čadek, Matěj ; Kučera, Tomáš (advisor) ; Ludvík, Jan (referee)
The primary goal of this diploma thesis is to analyze online and social media communication of the Czech gun-owner platforms. The online space is where these platforms are able to gather support for their cause and influence the mainstream opinion on firearms, use of guns and gun laws. This thesis presents a case study of online posts and articles of analyzed actors vis-à-vis European mass shooting incidents. Such events usually spark debates about stricter gun control which the Czech gun-owner platforms naturally oppose. The analysis is underpinned by the theory of framing and uses a methodological design proposed by the scholars Dennis Chong and James Druckman. Firstly, a basic set of frames is identified. Secondly, these frames are tested against a collection of posts and articles by one of the analyzed groups. It is concluded that most of the texts are explicitly framed using one of the identified communication frames. However, the usage of these frames varies based on the motives behind a given mass shooting. It also differs in the case of Czech incidents. Lastly, this work investigates whether and in what way the frames of gun-owner platforms are adopted by elites and the mainstream media and. In this case, a surprising conclusion is made: Despite the ideal framing environment - given the absence of...
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Cultural property in armed conflicts: Typical motivations causing their destruction
Pelikánová, Eva ; Kučera, Tomáš (advisor) ; Bruner, Tomáš (referee)
In recent years protection of cultural property in the event of armed conflicts has become largely mentioned issue. Despite broad international legal codification of principles to prevent destruction of cultural property in the event of armed conflicts, destruction of cultural property obviously occurs. Within discussion on their protection, attention is not so paid to the values of cultural property representing for interested actors not merely in the event of armed conflicts. Attention is not much paid also to the motivations leading actors to destroy cultural property in the event of armed conflicts. The thesis is based on current state of knowledge both in academic or international law and it focuses on exploring motivations leading actors to destroy cultural property in the event of armed conflicts. To answer the research question: "What motivators are leading actors to actively destroy cultural monuments in armed conflicts?" is proceeded from analysis of literature that expounds the motivations for the destruction of cultural property in the event of armed conflicts. These motivations will be understood as theoretical explanations of destruction for the purposes of the work, and on the basis of five case studies, their validity will be checked. The subsequent synthesis of the conclusions of...
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