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Regulation of Cathepsin D Activity and Activation
Máša, Martin ; Mareš, Michael (advisor) ; Jonáková, Věra (referee) ; Holada, Karel (referee)
PhD Thesis ABSTRACT REGULATION OF CATHEPSIN D ACTIVITY AND ACTIVATION Martin Máša supervisor: Michael Mareš Department of Biochemistry Faculty of Science Charles University Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic PRAGUE 2009 Introduction Cathepsin D (CD) is an aspartic peptidase located in the lysosomes of all mammalian cells, its main role is catabolic degradation of proteins. More over CD is known to participate in a range of physiological processes such as apoptosis and tissue homeostasis, as well as in the regulation of angiogenesis and the production of peptidic antigens. The role of CD in pathophysiology is associated with several diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and cancer. Alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder, which is generally considered to be the most common form of dementia. Progression of this disease is accompanied with the deposition of amyloid plaques (AP) in the brain, which leads to neurodegeneration. The AP is a fragment released from amyloid precursor protein (APP) cleaved by secretases1 . High levels of CD were found in cerebrospinal fluid of the Alzheimer's patients2 . It was demonstrated that CD is able to cleave APP and produce the pathogenic AP. A genetic polymorphism in the CD gene was reported, which changes...
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The role of Prp45p in mRNA expression and maturation
Abrhámová, Kateřina ; Půta, František (advisor) ; Pichová, Alena (referee) ; Janderová, Blanka (referee)
Prp45p of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Snw1p of Schizosaccharomyces pombe are essential proteins, which share extensive homology with the mammalian transcription regulator and splicing factor SNW/SKIP. We have analyzed the essential function of these proteins in both yeasts and found a mutation (prp45(1-169)) that exhibited temperature sensitivity. The mutant strain harboring the corresponding chromosomal deletion shows temperature sensitive phenotype and hypersensitivity to cycloheximide, hydroxyurea, calcofluor white, and to microtubule inhibitors. At 30řC, the cells are often elongated, deformed, and larger than wt. After synchronization prp45(1-169) cells stop their growth with 2N DNA content at 37řC. We found that the temperature sensitivity is not overcome and the hypersensitivity to microtubule destabilizing drugs is only partially suppressed by the excision of intron from TUB1 gene. This distinguishes prp45(1-169) from those splicing factor's mutants that cause tubulin-dependent G2/M arrest, which can be relieved by the expression of intronless tub1. We performed analysis of splicing in vitro and found that splicing of optimal substrates is not impaired. We also compared the content and stability of RNA in wt-cells and in prp45(1-169) cells at variol temperatures using microarrays. The...
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Regulation of alternative splicing
Dušková, Eva ; Staněk, David (advisor) ; Trejbalová, Kateřina (referee)
Alternative splicing is an important cellular mechanism. It allows to produce multiple protein isoforms from a limited number of genes. Regulation of alternative splicing involves cis-acting elements on pre-mRNA and trans-acting splicing factors (SR and hnRNP proteins). Because splicing occurs co-transcriptionaly, chromatin structure appears to have a role in the regulation of alternative splicing. We have studied the effect of histone acetylation on alternative splicing. We have prepared splicing reporter for alternative EDB exon, which is part of the fibronectin gene. We have shown, that the inhibition of histone deacetylases affects splicing pattern of EDB exon from the reporter in the same way as the splicing of the endogenous EDB exon. Furthermore, we have shown, that the structure of the promoter affects splicing of alternative EDB exon from splicing reporter. Currently we have found out, that the structure of the promoter influences the degree of histone H4 acetylation. Inclusion of alternative EDB exon in mRNA was inversely proportional to histon acetylation on the reporter. This work might explain why various promoters have different splicing patterns of alternative exons.
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Symbology of grass-snakes in Lithuanian folklore
Butzke, Petra ; Lemeškin, Ilja (advisor) ; Štoll, Pavel (referee)
The object of investigation in this work is to analyze užovky symbolism and its role in individual tanru spoken Lithuanian folklore. The symbol is pohlíženo as to the importance of perception užovky, its position and role in oral folklore. Examined the Lithuanian fairy tales (mythical) reputation, proverbs and sayings, riddles, prayers to užovce, incantations against snake bites and phraseologisms. We took examples from a number of available, folk sources. The analysis užovky symbolism and its role in appointed tanru we focused on features užovky in the Lithuanian pagan beliefs, mythologies of other nations and Christianity.
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Weapon as a work of art. With focus on problems of specific weapons identity and interpretation of weapon as feature
Schartel, Tomáš ; Sýkora, Ondřej (advisor) ; Filip, Michal (referee)
TITLE: Weapon as a work of art. With focus on problems of specific weapons identity and interpretation of weapon as feature AUTHOR: Tomáš Schartel DEPARTMENT: Institute for professional development, faculty of education SUPERVISOR: Mgr. Ondřej Sýkora ABSTRACT: The purpose of this bachelory diploma is to present a weapon as a mean of hunting or fighting, as well as the masterpiece, which says a lot about a person who created it. The creator gave to each weapon himself, didn't he? He had to be a good craftsman but he had to have art feeling too. Some people said the weapon had a magic power, according to others it wasn't difficult to recognize their owner. A long time ago the typical weapon was a sword which the kings and knights used to show their power. The sword as the most important weapon of medieval fighter, was very efficient and it was used for fighting at close range. The sword wasn't only the symbol of war but also the sign of prior role in society. But we can't only see the sword as a weapon. Sovereigners handed over the sword to each other as a symbol of reign leaving. The sword was a symbol of faith at the time of crusade when its shape was taken as a cross. The contribution of the bachelory diploma is acquisition of basic knowledges from the history of development and establishment the variety...
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Trade marketing
Khodl, Vojtěch ; Zeman, Jiří (advisor) ; Filipová, Alena (referee)
The main objective of this thesis is to define the term "trade marketing" and evaluate its role within the Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company. With the use of internal resources and relevant literature, I will describe the use of trade marketing from both theoretical and practical point of view. I will also introduce the Coca-Cola HBC and its position on the carbonated soft drinks market in the Czech republic.
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Analýza obchodních vztahů mezi Evropskou unií a Latinskou Amerikou
Daza Aramayo, Lourdes Gabriela ; Krebs, Vojtěch (advisor) ; Macháček, Jaroslav (referee) ; Benáček, Vladimír (referee)
The Doctoral Thesis "Analysis of Trade Relations between the European Union and Latin America from 1995-2011" focuses on the determination Latin America's potential as a trading partner for the European Union. It will be based on an analysis of the region's trade relationships between 1995 and 2011 through different econometric models and a macroeconomic analysis. It will make recommendations for improving economic relation policies with Latin America and the European Union as well as identify the sectors which could represent great potential for trade between both regions. The research is divided into seven chapters: The first chapter covers international trade theory; this part comprises the theoretical aspects directly related to international trade. The second chapter analyzes the macroeconomic features of Latin American countries and compares them with data from the European Union. A separate, detailed analysis of 17 Latin American countries was performed and the potential of each one to make their importance known to the world and define their geopolitical position is described. The third chapter details the trade policies of the European Union and Latin America. The fourth chapter discusses trade relations between Latin America and the European Union through a look at the trade agreements that have been signed between the European Union and Latin American countries and tries to identify possible causes of failures for agreements not signed. This chapter also studies the sectorial composition of trade between the two regions, emphasizing the asymmetry between these trades flows as they enter the countries studied. The fifth chapter, the heart of this research paper, analyzes the trade relations between the EU and Latin America through a gravity model, identifying the obstacles and barriers to international trade between the two regions. The second part of this chapter discusses institutional factors, which, as a result of the conclusions from the gravity model explained earlier in the chapter, play an important role in international trade between Latin America and the European Union. This section contains a comparative analysis of the situation of the institutional factors in the 29 Latin American countries which were analyzed in the gravity model. This chapter also includes a trade simulation between the Czech Republic and Latin America with the institutional factors in Latin America showing a 10% improvement. In the sixth chapter, the competitiveness of 17 Latin American countries is calculated using the results of the barriers to international trade through a new method based on the comparison of indicators, ranked by dimension and according to the weight thereof for a period of time. The last chapter focuses on the identification of the variables determining foreign direct investment in Latin America, represented by 29 countries and over a period of time from 1995 to 2011. It considers variables traditionally not considered such as the number of patents registered, the tax rate and institutional factors, which have revealed important explanatory variables as well as those traditionally considered such as GDP, inflation, population, the share of GDP by sector, income level, etc. The last part of this research lists the conclusions reached and proposes recommendations for economic relations policy development between Latin America and the European Union.
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Corporate reorganization under the US bankruptcy laws and accounting standards
Sobotová, Dana ; Randáková, Monika (advisor) ; Bokšová, Jiřina (referee)
The aim of this thesis is to analyze the process of reorganization under the US laws and accounting standards. The first chapter contains legislation, description of the parties and their role during the insolvency proceedings. It covers the role of the debtor, creditors, creditors' committee, insolvency trustee and insolvency court throughout the insolvency proceedings. The second part focuses on accounting under US GAAP based primarily on the ASC 852, which describes in detail the cases and items that are treated differently during the reorganization. The third part includes legal and accounting analysis of the American paper company NewPage Holdings Inc., which successfully emerged from bancruptcy in 2012.
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Role of European Union in international organizations
Štětková, Petra ; Cihelková, Eva (advisor) ; Frostová, Eva (referee)
Cílem této práce je ukázat nový pohled na postavení Evropské unie jako celku v mezinárodních organizacích. Práce přibližuje pojem mezinárodní organizace, její typické právní znaky, cíle, funkce, role a historii, jež jsou nutným základem pro důkladné pochopení zkoumaného tématu. Následně je charakterizována Evropská unie, její cíle, funkce, role, postavení ve světě a právní základy, dle kterých vystupuje na mezinárodním poli. V závěrečné části je zkoumáno postavení Evropské unie v několika vybraných mezinárodních organizacích z pozice člena, pozorovatele a formy spolupráce.
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Truth and Meaning: The Dialectics of Theory and Practice
Koreň, Ladislav ; Peregrin, Jaroslav (advisor) ; Kolman, Vojtěch (referee) ; Edwards, James (referee)
Tarski's semantic conception of truth is arguably the most influential - certainly, most discussed - modern conception of truth. It has provoked many different interpretations and reactions, some thinkers celebrating it for successfully explicating the notion of truth, whereas others have argued that it is no good as a philosophical account of truth. The aim of the thesis is to offer a systematic and critical investigation of its nature and significance, based on the thorough explanation of its conceptual, technical as well as historical underpinnings. The methodological strategy adopted in the thesis reflects the author's belief that in order to evaluate the import of Tarski's conception we need to understand what logical, mathematical and philosophical aspects it has, what role they play in his project of theoretical semantics, which of them hang in together, and which should be kept separate. Chapter 2 therefore starts with a detailed exposition of the conceptual and historical background of Tarski's semantic conception of truth and his method of truth definition for formalized languages, situating it within his project of theoretical semantics, and Chapter 3 explains the formal machinery of Tarski's truth definitions for increasingly more complex languages. Chapters 4-7 form the core of the...
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