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Tau protein, a biomarker of Alzheimer's disease: in vitro phosphorylation and tau-reactive antibodies characterization
Hromádková, Lenka ; Bílková, Zuzana (advisor) ; Fialová, Lenka (referee) ; Krejsek, Jan (referee)
Tau protein, a microtubule-associated protein localized in axonal projections of neurons, is a key molecule in the pathology of Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common cause of dementia in the elderly population. Tau belongs to the group of natively unfolded proteins without globular structure and is prone to numerous posttranslational modifications (PTMs). Under pathological conditions, abnormal PTMs and misfolding of tau protein occurs and leads to oligomerization and aggregation into paired helical filaments forming neurofibrillary tangles, the histopathological hallmark of AD. Currently available drugs applied in AD treatment can only slow the disease progression and those, which halt the AD-specific neurodegenerative processes, are still missing. Very promising and evolving therapeutic approach is immunotherapy, and even immunomodulation by administration of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) products, a reservoir of natural antibodies from the plasma of healthy donors, has been already tested. The discovery of naturally occurring antibodies directed to tau (nTau-Abs) in body fluids of both AD and healthy subjects and their presence in IVIG begin the investigation of their therapeutic potential. Considering a wide range of possible modifications of tau and of various tau species (oligomers,...
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Segmentace mikroskopických snímků pomocí level-set metod
Bílková, Zuzana ; Kučera, Václav (advisor)
Název práce: Segmentace mikroskopických snímků pomocí level-set metod Autor: Zuzana Bílková Katedra: Katedra numerické matematiky Vedoucí diplomové práce: RNDr. Václav Kučera, Ph.D., KNM, MFF UK Konzultant: RNDr. Jindřich Soukup, ÚTIA, AV ČR Abstrakt: Tato diplomová práce představuje novou metodu pro segmentaci snímků pořízených mikroskopem s fázovým konrastem. Cílem je oddělit buňky od pozadí. Algoritmus je založen na variační formulaci level set metod, tedy na minimalizaci funkcionálu popisujícího level set funkci. Funkcionál je minimalizován gradientním tokem popsaným evoluční parciální diferenciální rovnicí. Nejdůležitější nové myšlenky jsou inicializace pomocí prahování a nové členy ve funkcionálu, které zrychlují konvergenci a zpřesňují výsledky. Také jsme použili nové funkce napsané v jazyce C k počítání gradientu a Laplaceova operátoru. Tato implementace je třikrát rychlejší než standardní funkce v MATLABu. Dosáhli jsme lepších výsledků než algoritmy, se kterými jsme metodu porovnávali. Klíčová slova: Segmentace, level set metody, aktivní kontury Title: Segmentation of microscopic images using level set methods Author: Zuzana Bílková Department: Department of Numerical Mathematics Supervisor: RNDr....
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Creation of worksheets to develop reading skills for sixth grade students of particular school
Bílková, Zuzana ; Králíková, Andrea (advisor) ; Brož, František (referee)
This thesis deals with the process of creating a didactic material for students of the Year 7 in Czech secondary school. The thesis studies factors influencing the selection of titles and individual extracts of texts for students. It also focuses on creating tasks related to the texts. This process and its results is the outcome of the analysis of effective pedagogical documents and the number of selected readers. The aim of this thesis is to create a set of worksheets for students to help them study literature and develop their reading skills. Moreover, the worksheets should motivate students to read contemporary Czech literature for children even when out of the school. The final part of the thesis comments on each worksheet, focusing on the process of selecting individual extracts and providing possible ways of using this didactic material in lessons of literature. Key words Czech language and literature, worksheets, readers, didactic tools, contemporary Czech literature for children, teaching literature, secondary school, motivation to read
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Key mental features of the members of the armed forces for coping with conditions of the high risk of losing one's life: Importance of social support among soldiers of the ISAF mission
Bílková, Zuzana ; Štětovská, Iva (advisor) ; Kebza, Vladimír (referee) ; Stehlík, Miloslav (referee)
Mgr. Zuzana Bílková Key mental features of the members of the armed forces for coping with conditions of high risk of losing one's life: Importance of social support among soldiers of the ISAF mission Abstract This thesis focuses on the topic of social support among soldiers in the ISAF mission. It was supposed that army environment is very specific in the area of social relationships in particular and so in the area of social support. Military mission is very demanding - soldiers face a real danger of their lives, they are limited in contact with their families, in the way of spending their free time. Therefore, some soldiers suffer from mental problems when they came back. This thesis examines a potential contribution of social support during the mission and deals with the question whether social support can help soldiers to cope with it. The theoretical part summarizes three main topics - the specificity of the army environment, stress and its impact to health and performance, and social support. Different approaches towards social support, methodological difficulties, positive and negative outcomes of social support are presented. Approach of the author Eric Sonderen was used in the empirical part (Sonderen, 1991, 2012a). The empirical part presents a combine-designed survey. Semi-structured in-depth...
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Segmentace mikroskopických snímků pomocí level-set metod
Bílková, Zuzana ; Kučera, Václav (advisor) ; Zitová, Barbara (referee)
Název práce: Segmentace mikroskopických snímků pomocí level-set metod Autor: Zuzana Bílková Katedra: Katedra numerické matematiky Vedoucí diplomové práce: RNDr. Václav Kučera, Ph.D., KNM, MFF UK Konzultant: RNDr. Jindřich Soukup, ÚTIA, AV ČR Abstrakt: Tato diplomová práce představuje novou metodu pro segmentaci snímků pořízených mikroskopem s fázovým konrastem. Cílem je oddělit buňky od pozadí. Algoritmus je založen na variační formulaci level set metod, tedy na minimalizaci funkcionálu popisujícího level set funkci. Funkcionál je minimalizován gradientním tokem popsaným evoluční parciální diferenciální rovnicí. Nejdůležitější nové myšlenky jsou inicializace pomocí prahování a nové členy ve funkcionálu, které zrychlují konvergenci a zpřesňují výsledky. Také jsme použili nové funkce napsané v jazyce C k počítání gradientu a Laplaceova operátoru. Tato implementace je třikrát rychlejší než standardní funkce v MATLABu. Dosáhli jsme lepších výsledků než algoritmy, se kterými jsme metodu porovnávali. Klíčová slova: Segmentace, level set metody, aktivní kontury Title: Segmentation of microscopic images using level set methods Author: Zuzana Bílková Department: Department of Numerical Mathematics Supervisor: RNDr....
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Proteome analysis of secerned proteins of Francisella tularensis
Konečná, Klára ; Hernychová, Lenka (advisor) ; Krejsek, Jan (referee) ; Bílková, Zuzana (referee)
Title of dissertation thesis: Proteome analysis of secerned proteins of Francisella tularensis The facultative intracellular bacterium Francisella tularensis is the causal agent of the infectious disease called tularaemia. Despite the available wide range of new knowledge focused on bacterium Francisella, till now, mechanisms of tularaemia disease pathogenesis were not completely clarified. The contents of our work was based upon analysis and identification of culture filtrate proteins of bacterium F. tularensis of three strains (LVS, FSC00, SchuS4). Among identified proteins, there were seeked protein candidates for secretion and proteins, which could help with explanation of molecular mechanisms of disease pathogenesis caused by F. tularensis. The best protein candidate for secretion is enzyme acid phosphatase with proven important role in bacterium F. tularensis escape from phagosome. The attention was also focused on the new described mechanism of bacterial secretion, mediated by membrane vesicles. By the help of transmission electron microscopy was demonstrated, that F. tularensis of the strains LVS and FSC200 secretes membrane vesicles into extracellular milieu. Key words: Francisella tularensis, secretion systems, cultivation filtrate proteins, secreted proteins, outer membrane vesicles
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Possibilities of flow cytometry in analysis of cellular response to genotoxic stress
Havelek, Radim ; Řezáčová, Martina (advisor) ; Bílková, Zuzana (referee) ; Štětina, Rudolf (referee)
Possibilities of flow cytometry in analysis of cellular response to genotoxic stress Flow cytometry is a modern tool for interrogating the immunophenotype and functional characteristics of cells. It is a technique of quantitative single cell analysis that works by sensing optical properties of cells in a flow stream with laser beam. Analysis and differentiation of the cells is based on size, granularity, and whether the cell is carrying fluorescent molecules in the form of either conjugated antibodies or dyes. The cells may be stained with fluorescent dyes, incubated with fluorogenic substrate or labelled with fluorochrome-linked antibodies specific for molecules either on the surface or in the intracellular components of the cell. Flow cytometers are multiparameter, recording several measurements on each cell. Therefore, it is possible to identify a homogeneous subpopulation within a heterogeneous population of cells. When cells are exposed to genotoxic agent, they respond quantitatively and qualitatively according to the absorbed dose and the cell type. To cope with the resulting damage to cellular DNA, the temporary cell-cycle checkpoints and DNA damage response mechanisms are activated to allow more time for effective repair. However, if these mechanisms fail or the damage is irreparable, then...
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Biological activities of Lavandula angustifolia essential oil
Bílková, Zuzana ; Martin, Jan (advisor) ; Tůmová, Lenka (referee)
Zuzana Bílková, Biological activities of Lavandula angustifolia essential oil, Thesis, Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, thesis author: PharmDr. Jan Martin, PhD., Hradec Králové, 2013, 72 pages. The thesis called "Biological activities of Lavandula angustifolia essential oil" is interested in biological activities of Lavandula angustifolia essential oil, specifically antifungal, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cytotoxicity, nematicidal and repellency activities. The aim of work was to find out, if the oil can be used in these indications and become natural substitution to the chemical compound toxic to the environment. Antifungal activity was tested against the most common human patogenes, low toxicity proves that essential oil can be used on human cells without causing any harm. Antioxidant activity was tested on NO reaction, nematicidal activity was tried on proctection of crop where nematodes cause huge economic loss. Repellency activity can protect both decorative and agricultural plants. Key words: Lavandula angustifolia, biological activities, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, cytotoxicity, repellency, antioxidant, nematicidal, essential oil.
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Molecular detection of invasive fungal disease in immunocompromised patients
Bašková, Lenka ; Živný, Pavel (advisor) ; Bílková, Zuzana (referee) ; Trka, Jan (referee)
5 3. Summary Molecular detection of invasive fungal disease in immunocompromised patients In my work I have been able to establish three different PCR-based assays for the quantitative detection and identification of fungal DNA. Two DNA-based detection assays termed PanAC PCR and panfungal PCR based on the real-time quantitative (RQ-PCR) technology were designed to detect and quantify the most important fungal genera currently associated with IFD including a large number of pathogenic moulds and yeasts. Upon standardization of both RQ-PCR techniques, the applicability in the clinical setting was assessed by investigating a series of clinical specimens from patients with documented fungal infection, and by prospectively studying patient cohorts at high risk of IFD. In view of the importance of precise identification of the causative fungal pathogen, a semi-nested PCR method coupled with fluorescent capillary electrophoresis detection was established. It facilitates rapid identification of fungal species in clinical materials that test positive for IFD using one of the broad-range screening assays. This method was also tested in a population of patients with documented fungal infections to assess its clinical potential.
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