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Importance of education and prevention of child injury in contact with dog
CHLOPČÍKOVÁ, Marie
The dissertation entitled: "Importance of education and prevention of child injury in contact with dog" was written with the purpose to point out not only the current status of children's knowledge and experience in contact with the favourite pet - dog, but primarily to provide a new educational-preventive concept that should help to reduce the risk of incidence of negative experience (injuries, attacks) with dogs in child population. The goal of the dissertation was to improve the children's knowledge on responsible and safe approach to dogs. The theoretical part of the dissertation points out the comprehensive significance of the child-dog relation. The individual sections describe the essential influence of the dog on the mental, emotional and social development of the child, with emphasis on understanding the differences of human-animal communication and the related risks. At the same time, the dissertation outlines also the issue of injuries and conflict situations caused to the child by the dog due to lack of knowledge of basic rules of safe approach to the animal. Last but not least, it emphasizes the significance of primary prevention in the relevant issue. The results of the empirical part of the dissertation pointed out the most frequent causes and mechanisms (basic risk factors in child behaviour) of origination of conflict situation between children and dogs. Based on the alarming results of the first research stage, a new interactive educational-preventive program was created, based on zootherapy - canistherapy method, AAE (Animal Assisted Education) technique, cooperative teaching and situational learning. To assess the efficiency of the preventive activity, a feedback quantitative study was created; it showed improved knowledge on safe approach to dogs in elementary school pupils after having passed the preventive program. The success of the practical form of the preventive program in educational facilities was supported also by creation of educational material - workbook for children. The aid can be used not only as teaching material but particularly as a source of visually processed information and principles for conflict-free child-dog coexistence. The dissertation constitutes a serviceable material not only for lay public at educational level, but also for professional public from the perspective of use of canistherapy and prevention of child injuries.
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The impacts of regulatory fees in health care on public health insurance
PRAŽMOVÁ, Věra
The Public health insurance system in the Czech Republic was established more than 20 years ago. During this period, the public health insurance system has gone through many transformations. A lot of reform proposals have been submitted with the aim of keeping the increase of healthcare expenses under control but simultaneously not limiting the quality and the accessibility of healthcare. The introduction of the regulatory fees was a part of the healthcare reformation and its purpose was to reduce the demand for healthcare and thus regulate the consumption of health services. Secondarily, the regulatory fees should bring private funds into healthcare system. In the theoretical part of the research, the author describes healthcare systems of several European countries mainly from the point of view of cost sharing by patients. The funding of healthcare in the Czech Republic is then evaluated in more detail. The research characterises all the types of regulatory fees including all the legal changes they have undergone prior to their implementation. The author summarizes the amounts of funds received from the different types of fees which patients have paid since the introduction of regulatory fees in 2012 on the basis of data received from health insurance companies. In the practical part of the research, the author analyses and statistically processes data which were taken from one specific bureau of employee health insurance company. On the basis of this data, the author maps the development of average visits of healthcare institutions per patient in the chosen fields of ambulant care specializations. The author compares the number of average visits in 2007, which is the year before the introduction of regulatory fees, with the number of average visits after the regulations implementation that means during the 2008-2013 period. The aim was to discover whether the fees had any effect on the amount of healthcare services and whether they led to decrease in the number of patients´ visits (at the doctor). The development of the number of patients´ visits was studied in 22 different fields of ambulatory specialization in total. The collected results have been statistically processed using one sample, one-tailed T test. Furthermore, the influence of fees on the healthcare expenses was surveyed in the respective ambulatory fields. In the similar manner as with the patients´ visits, the author compares the average expenses per one patient before the introduction of regulatory fees in 2007 with the average value after the implementation of regulatory fees to the healthcare system. The research offers a comprehensive overview of these issues and can be used as a basic material for further research about regulatory fees and patient cost sharing in healthcare.
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Acting with the Inner Partner as a Way to Develop Teacher's Personal Dispositions
NOTA, Josef
Dissertation thesis Acting with the Inner Partner as a Way to Develop Teacher's Personal Dispositions focuses on specifics of a psychosomatic discipline called Acting with the Inner Partner, in professional training of future teachers. This discipline represents the pedagogy of experimenting with the phenomenon of self-speech in experimental conditions. The emphasis is on the personality of future teachers, as well as on cultivation of their self-reflection. This should lead to a becoming a professional teacher with an authorial approach and authentic acting. The objective of the dissertation thesis is a deeper understanding of psychosomatic disciplines pedagogy, whereas my very own teaching experience at The Department of Psychology and Pedagogy is essential. Specifics of future teachers' personal preparation in the view of psychosomatic disciplines, represents the basic part of this work. Another part focuses on the experience with Acting with the Inner Partner, at first described by a student and later by an assistant (lecturer) and researcher. Common features of so called psychosomatic condition are discovered. The author also searches the possibility of exporting Acting with the Inner Partner out of the Department of Pedagogy and Psychology at South Bohemia University. As the methodology of video recording analysis has not been accomplished yet, the starting points for further research are described. The empirical part focuses on typology documented on students' written self-reflections. The objective is to describe the assistant's experience. The interpretation of the research results shows the need to distinguish between the terms 'written teaching self-reflections' and 'written teaching reflections, commonly described as feedback.
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Příčina selhávání politiky rozvoje venkova: případ vybraných nástrojů druhé osy PRV.
PRAŽAN, Jaroslav
This study was focused on reasons for ineffectiveness of agri-environmental measure, which is the policy in which the state compensates farmers for losses caused when participating at production of public goods. The work selected as a subject of the study agri-environmental contract and its characteristics and other institutions, of which maturity influence the effects of that policy. The main goal was to identify these characteristics of contract and assess their balance in relation to the purpose and subject of the contract and long term benefit of both sides of the contract. Attitudes on the maturity of the contract characteristics have been collected between farmers and state administrators in survey (as sites of the contract) on national level and also in four regional case studies. It was revealed that most of the contract characteristics were not mature enough to serve to long term benefit for both sides of the contract, which decreases potential effectiveness of the agri-environmental policy. These are for example: information availability, trust between sides of the contract, tendencies to strategic behaviour, power distribution in the contract, sharing risks in the contract, adequacy of compensation level. Control and penalty system was regarded as rather adequate. Not mature institutions and characteristics of the contract increase transaction costs of both sides of the contract and decrease willingness to renew the contracts in future. The results of the research are for the state administration a good base for improvement of the contract in order to increase effectiveness of the agri-environmental policy in question.
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Songbased rival assessment in songbirds
LINHART, Pavel
This study shows the importance of the basic spectro-temporal song parameters in territorial contests between male songbirds. Chiffchaff and willow warbler were selected as model species for their phylogenetic and ecological similarity, strong territorial behaviour, but very different singing styles. We found that bigger males of both species sing lower pitched songs and that males of both species adjust their behaviour according to song pitch of their rival simulated by playback. Thus, it seems that both species use song pitch to acoustically assess the body size of their rivals. We also show that song length and syllable rate are important features of the song, probably signalling short-term motivation to escalate territorial conflict.
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Vliv chemikálií přítomných ve výtocích z čistíren odpadních vod na ryby
GRABICOVÁ, Kateřina
There are many compounds that are used or produced by humans, e.g. pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) which are used in large quantities around the world. These compounds end up in waste waters and enter sewage treatment plants (STPs). But not all of these compounds are removed during the treatment processes in STP and they enter the aquatic environment via sewage effluents. The thesis is focused especially on evaluation of presence and potential toxicological effects of PPCPs in aquatic environment. The risk assessment for a single compound is usually based on laboratory experiments. The first tested compound was verapamil, a pharmaceutical for lowering blood pressure and treatment of cardiac diseases. Two types of tests were carried out, an acute one with high concentration levels and a sub-chronic one with levels that included environmentally relevant concentration. After the exposure, common carp larvae and embryos showed malformation and edemas and the heart rate was decreased. According to 96hLC50, the verapamil could be classified as a harmful or toxic substance. The second tested substance was UV filter 2 phenylbenzimidazole-5-sulfonic acid which was found at relatively high concentrations in south Bohemian surface waters. In spite of very low bioconcentration of PBSA in fish, activities of 7-ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase, 7-methoxyresorufin-O-deethylase and 7-penthoxyresorufin-O-deethylase in exposed rainbow trout were increased which indicate that activity of cytochromes P450 were affected even in environmentally relevant concentration. In a real aquatic system, fish are exposed to waters which contain not only a single pollutant but a mixture of them. A consequent experiment was carried out on rainbow trout caged in effluent for 13 days from STP in Gothenburg, the second biggest STP in Sweden. The concentration of selected antidepressants was measured in different fish tissues and plasma. Citalopram, sertraline and venlafaxine were found in fish brain and liver. As these antidepressants are used for the treatment of psychical disorders, behavior of fish could be affected. The limitations of these experiments, even with real water with a mixture of chemicals, are that fish are stressed in aquaria or cages and the exposure via the food chain is not included. Benthic organisms are an important part of fish diet. The impact of pollution on benthic organisms is often studied. However, there is limited knowledge about the bioaccumulation of pharmaceuticals in the benthos and consequently in fish. Therefore bioaccumulation in Hydropsyche and Erpobdella was studied. These organisms were collected in non-polluted and in effluent affected localities. Antibiotics azithromycin and clarithromycin, cardio-vascular drug verapamil, antifungal drug clotrimazole and antidepressants citalopram and sertraline were found in Hydropsyche. Cardio-vascular drug valsartan, antidepressant sertraline, anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac and antifungal drug clotrimazole were found in Erpobdella. Passive sampling is an integrative sampling method which allows the obtaining of time average concentration over period of few weeks. POCIS (Polar Organic Chemical Integrative Samplers) are used for sampling of polar compounds. It also can mimic bioconcentration. Based on the field experiments, the sampling rate for individual pharmaceuticals and illicit drugs was calculated. Twenty-one localities in the Czech Republic were sampled by POCIS and the water concentration of psychoactive drugs was estimated. Further research is necessary to make POCIS passive sampling a more precise tool for monitoring pharmaceutical and drug contents in aquatic environments.
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Reprodukce a intenzivní chov juvenilních ryb štiky obecné (Esox lucius L.)
BONDARENKO, Volodymyr
Fish hatcheries do not always provide optimal conditions for controlled reproduction and production of high-quality juvenile in northern pike. This study was undertaken to optimize reproduction and intensive juvenile culture of northern pike (Esox lucius L.) under controlled conditions. The efficacy of traditional treatments for induction and synchronization of ovulation in northern pike (carp pituitary or ambient outdoor conditions) was compared to that of sGnRH-a at 50 and 100 ?g kg-1 with or without Freund´s incomplete adjuvant and dopamine inhibitor (metoclopramide, 8 mg kg-1). Ovulation was observed in females treated with carp pituitary (3 mg kg-1) and in those held in ambient conditions. Sperm motility parameters were compared in northern pike and sterlet (Acipenser ruthenus Brandt). Analysis was accomplished via high speed video microscopy complemented with CASA analysis. This work described recently developed methods of recognizing and quantifying sperm quality. The data obtained will lead to more accurate modeling of flagellum behavior during the motility period and provide a deeper understanding of basis of spermatozoa motility. The effect of water temperature on duration of embryo ontogenesis and hatching period; fertilization and development to the gastrula stage; hatching rates; and quality of larvae including larval size, development, and resistance to osmotic stress under controlled conditions for northern pike were investigated. Results indicated that the optimal temperature range for northern pike embryo development under controlled conditions is 6-10oC. Northern pike embryonic development hypothetically ceases at approximately 3.3 °C. In the certified methodology the basic aspects of controlled reproduction of northern pike was described and explained, including optimization of broodstock management. An objective of the certified methodology was to describe methods for producing high quality juveniles.
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Farmaka ve vodním prostředí a jejich vliv na ryby
BURKINA, Viktoriia
In this thesis, the impact of atenolol, verapamil, dexamethasone, clotrimazole, and PBSA on the physiological condition and health of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) were studied in vivo and in vitro. The sub-chronic test of atenolol, including at the environmentally relevant concentration, demonstrated that only the fish exposed to atenolol at a concentration of 1000 ?g?L-1 may be at a higher risk of oxidative stress. The second pharmaceutical compound studied was an L-type calcium channel blocker, verapamil. Despite the relatively high concentration of verapamil included in the experiments, the rates of seven hepatic CYP450-mediated reactions (EROD, MROD, PROD, BFCOD, COH, and PNPH) were unchanged in the exposed rainbow trout. This indicates that the activities of the selected CYP450 enzymes were not affected. Exposure to the highest concentration of PBSA (1000 ?g?L-1) led to significantly inhibited glutathione reductase activity. The activities of the EROD, MROD, and PROD enzymes gradually increased, beginning at the environmentally relevant concentrations. We suggest that long-term exposure to PBSA could cause oxidative stress in fish, as indicated by the decreased activity of GR. Moreover, PBSA could interact with intracellular receptors due to the elevated activities of CYP1A (EROD and MROD) and CYP2B (PROD). Rainbow trout showed multiple responses after exposure to clotrimazole. Changes in the haematological parameters in the exposed rainbow trout suggested that the immune system and haemoglobin synthesis were affected. The antioxidant defence enzymes that responded to the clotrimazole exposure influenced the oxidative stress status of the fish. Sub-chronic exposure to clotrimazole did not lead to oxidative stress in any of the fish tissues studied, as indicated by the unchanged TBARS levels. Hepatic energetic pathways were activated in the tested groups after 42 days of exposure to clotrimazole. High levels of glutathione S-transferase were seen in the liver and gill tissues, possibly associated with the detoxification of clotrimazole. The interaction of clotrimazole with intracellular receptors can be expected due to the changes in the catalytic activities of CYP1A1 and CYP3A. The BCF levels in the muscle tissue suggest a moderate bioaccumulation of CLO. The relatively long elimination period for CLO in the fish kidney (half-life = 29 days) may imply a greater potential for adverse effects in this organ. This finding is significant in view of the structural disturbances that appeared in the kidney and testis. The changes observed in the kidney were most prominent in the tubular epithelial cells. Changes in the gonads were only visible in the male specimens, and the pathological changes in the testis may indicate a disruption of steroidogenesis. The potential of clotrimazole and dexamethasone to inhibit CYP450 enzyme activity in rainbow trout hepatic microsomes was investigated in vitro. Clotrimazole non-competitively inhibited EROD activity in the hepatic microsomes, while BFCOD activity was competitively inhibited. PNPH activity was only slightly reduced in the presence of clotrimazole, indicating that it does not significantly interact with CYP2E1. The presence of dexamethasone in the incubations did not affect any of the CYP450 enzymes investigated. Everything considered, the results of the study confirmed that the presence of clotrimazole in the environment is of concern with respect to its impact on the health status of fish. In this thesis, the data of the actual effects of several PPCPs on fish were discussed. Based on the response of selected molecular endpoints, the cardiovascular and anti-inflammatory drugs studied do not present a significant risk for fish, while the antifungal drug and UV-screening agent that were tested may disrupt several physiological processes in fish.
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Farmaka a další chemikálie pro osobní potřebu člověka - jejich stabilita a osud ve vodním prostředí
GOLOVKO, Oksana
The main objective of this study was to assess the influence of sample storage on analysis, the seasonal changes in concentrations and removal efficiencies (REs) in a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), and the photostability of pharmaceuticals under different sources of light were studied. Data obtained from stability studies showed that storage conditions had a significant impact on the stability of samples, and thus were very important for reliable determination of target compounds. The season can have an important influence on the variability of concentration and elimination of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in WWTPs throughout the year. The target analytes were 10 antibiotics, 4 antidepressants, 3 psychotropics, 2 antihistamines, 2 lipid regulators, 4 UV filters, 3 analgesics/anti-inflammatories, and 9 anti-hypertensive/cardiovascular drugs. Wastewater samples (136 influents and 136 effluents) were collected from March 2011 to February 2012 and analyzed using two-dimensional liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. The concentration of most pharmaceuticals was higher in winter. In most cases, elimination of PPCPs was insufficient, and removal rates varied strongly from 38% to 100%. There were significant seasonal trends in the observed REs, which decreased in winter. Photodegradation of 88 pharmaceuticals was investigated in buffered purified water. These experiments were performed both in sunlight and in the laboratory under artificial UV light. We found that photostability of PPCPs depends on the light sources, and that the rate of photolysis was slower under artificial UV light in most pharmaceuticals.
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Využití raků jako bioindikátorů kvality vody
KUKLINA, Iryna
In recent decades, the ecological status of the freshwater crayfish has changed drastically from a sensitive indicator of an aquatic environment to a tolerant species that can survive in a wide range of unfavourable conditions. Despite all controversies on being or not being proper bioindicators, crayfish are a key species that plays a crucial role in the freshwater ecosystem. Regardless of whether certain crayfish possess a particular environmental sensitivity or not, all species can be used in biomonitoring investigations. The main objectives of the present thesis were development and implementation of system for continuous monitoring of water quality using crayfish as the bioindicator. Being less complex than vertebrates (e.g., fish), but being sufficiently complex compared to some other hard-shell freshwater invertebrates (e.g., mussels), crayfish present a useful biomonitoring object, which is easy to manipulate with, and which provides experimental data which is easy to obtain, analyse and interpret. The first part of this thesis is devoted to an evaluation of crayfish as suitable bioindicators. We showed that, when conducting the biomonitoring of metals in aquatic biota, crayfish have sufficient tissues for a bioaccumulation survey. For this purpose, we examined the gills, muscles and hepatopancreas. We confirmed that the hepatopancreas was the primary target for accumulation of most of the examined elements (i.e., cadmium, chromium, copper, nickel, zinc). For higher relevance, crayfish surveys were compared to fish samples collected from the same locations. The second part of this work particularly focused on water quality biomonitoring based on the evaluation of crayfish ethophysiological characteristics. We examined crayfish reactions to both chemical (i.e. chloramine, chlorides, nitrites) and natural odours (i.e., food, heterosexual conspecifics, predator, etc). This approach was shown to be simple yet at the same time, complex and efficient. Such monitoring technique is easily implemented and does not demand long, complicated analyses, since monitored parameters, locomotor and cardiac activity, are evaluated immediately in real time. However, one complication is related to the unpredictability of an animal's reactions. Because studied characteristics may often affect each other, they need to be carefully traced and interaction between measured characteristics needs to be eliminated. The usefulness of such biomonitoring is conditioned by a reliable combination of behaviour and physiology, which enables detection of complex animal responses to environmental changes. As reported in the third part, we submitted an application for a patent of the developed system, and described in the patent sensor will be protected as utility model. Moreover, other crustaceans with sufficient carapace size (e.g., shrimps, crabs, molluscs) can be successfully investigated using presented system. The only challenge is that living organism can clearly indicate disruption of ambient conditions, but cannot detect what it has caused. However, there are powerful analytical techniques now, developed exactly for accurate determination of various compounds. The heart rate is species- and conditions-specific, so it cannot be applied as unified measure for all crayfish species, while visual analysis of heartbeat primary curves can be useful for establishment of referent crayfish heart rate values at their different functional states. The final part of the thesis is devoted to this issue. In conclusion, the developed biomonitoring system was shown to be highly practical unit using noninvasive technique for investigation of crayfish reactions under model conditions, with the potential of further application at broader research and industrial arenas.
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