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The process of addiction treatment in the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous
Němcová, Lucie ; Grygar, Jakub (advisor) ; Hájek, Martin (referee)
This thesis concerns an alternative approach to the alcohol-addiction treatment within the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous and highlights the importance of self-help groups in the contemporary society. This worldwide biggest self-help group uses sociologically important processes to achieve a new way of life connected with sobriety. I have studied these processes through the participant observation. Alcoholics Anonymous influences its members through its specific culture which reflects in group rituals, high level of group affiliation, spirituality and co-constructed community story, which bears the member's knowledge. This thesis looks on the transition to identity of the sober alcoholic and the new way of living according to Twelve-Step program of Alcoholics Anonymous through the perspective of drift model of conversion, transition rituals or principles used in the narrative therapy. Within these processes there occurs radical reconstruction of perceptual, cognitive and behavioral schemes which influence the meanings in the interpretation of everyday life and consecutively change the identity of the individual and his social action. These changes of the individual are strengthened by the group members and then gradually spread out of the group boundaries too.
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Signaling pathways and genes regulating gonadotropin-induced maturation of porcine oocytes and cumulus expansion
Blaha, Milan ; Němcová, Lucie (advisor) ; Král, Jiří (referee)
In vitro, meotic maturation of porcine oocytes and cumulus expansion are induced by FSH and EGF-like peptides AREG and EREG. FSH and EGF-like peptides induce expression of cumulus expansion-related genes (HAS2, PTGS2 and TNFAIP6). To define signaling pathways that control FSH- and AREG-induced cumulus expansion, porcine cumulus-oocyte complexes were treated with specific protein kinase inhibitors. Inhibitors of MAPK3/1, MAPK14 and ERBB1 significantly reduced both FSH- and AREG-induced expression of HAS2, PTGS2 and TNFAIP6. These inhibitors decreased FSH/LH-induced expression of AREG and EREG in mural granulosa cells. Surprisingly, inhibitor of PKA had no effect on AREG expression in cumulus-oocyte complexes but the inhibitor decreased expression of TNFAIP6 induced by AREG. Inhibitor of PI3K increased expression levels of AREG and PTGS2 but EREG, HAS2 and TNFAIP6 were reduced. Expression levels of the cumulus expansion-related genes were not affected by an analog of cGMP (8-CPT-cGMP). However, 8-CPT-cGMP blocked spontaneous in vitro meiotic maturation of porcine oocytes and its effect was abolished by FSH. Key words: cumulus expansion, cumulus expansion-related genes, meotic maturation, FSH, amphiregulin, cGMP
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The Effect of EGF - like Peptides on Cumulus-Oocyte Complexes
Blaha, Milan ; Krylov, Vladimír (referee) ; Němcová, Lucie (advisor)
In mammals, the ovarian cycle is controlled by follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH), secreted by the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland. FSH is assumed to be essential for follicle growth. LH is required for the terminal phases of follicle growth, estrogen synthesis, ovulation, development of the corpus luteum and progesterone synthesis. Although cumulus cells and oocytes lack LH-receptors, LH causes cumulus expansion and meiosis resumption. The effect of LH is mediated via EGF-like peptides - amphiregulin (AREG), epiregulin (EREG) and betacellulin (BTC). The precursors of these peptides are present in the mural granulosa cells and EGF-like peptides are released by activation of metalloproteases in response to LH-stimulus. The aim of this thesis is to present EGF-like peptides in the wide context of the molecular mechanisms regulating the late phases of folliculogenesis and meiotic maturation of oocytes.
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Gene expression during oocyte-cumulus expansion and preimplantation embryo development in mammals
Němcová, Lucie ; Kaňka, Jiří (advisor) ; Petr, Jaroslav (referee) ; Lopatářová, Miloslava (referee)
CONCLUSIONS Major resultsof this PhD thesiscan be summarizedas follows: The real-time RT-PCR has become a tool for detection and quantifrcation of RNA targetsandis being utilized in geneexpressionstudyin our laboratory. The gene expression proÍile of GDF9, during porcine oocytes, cumulus andgranulosacells fu vitro cultivation and in vivo cumulus oocyte expansion was assessed.The obtained partial sequence was up|oaded in EMBL/GenBanlďDDBJ databaseand gene was localized on pig chromosome2. Conhary to mouse,GDFS mRNA was detectedfor the ťrrsttime also in porcine somaticfollicular cells. During cultivation,thetranscriptgraduallydecreasedin all the samples. we studied signalling pathways involved in IGFI promotion of FSH-induced oocyte-cumulusexpansion.we found that IGFI in combinationwith FSH increased the production of HA. The expression of Has2 mRNA in cumulus cells gradually decreasedduring cultivation' our results suggest that the PIK3/AKT dépendent pathwayis involved in the promotionof FSH stimulatedsynthesisof HA in porcine OCCs. Bovine blastocystsdeveloped from fertilized oocýes under different in vitro or in vivo conditions were comparedin the expressionof threegenes(Bax, L37 and S3o/.The embryosdiffer in the abundanceof Bax transcripl the elevatedlevels were detected in blastocyst completely cultivated...
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Study of Plasma - Liquid Interactions
Němcová, Lucie ; Brablec, Antonín (referee) ; Obradovic, Bratislav (referee) ; Krčma, František (advisor)
Disertační práce se zabývá detailním studiem vlastností různých elektrických výbojů generovaných ve vodných roztocích. Tyto výboje se staly v posledním desetiletí velmi populárním tématem, a to zejména díky mnoha praktickým využitím jako například v biomedicíně, čištění odpadních vod, ekologii nebo nanoinženýrství. Studium je zaměřeno na generaci peroxidu vodíku, jakožto jednu z nejvýznamnějších částic generovaných právě elektrickými výboji v kapalinách. Pro první část této práce byla využita speciální výbojová komora zkonstruovaná na Fakultě chemické Vysokého Učení Technického v Brně. Komora byla rozdělena tenkou diafragmovou přepážkou na dvě poloviny, přičemž uvnitř přepážky se nacházela malá dírka. V každé části komory se nacházela jedna elektroda, a obě dvě části komory byly vyplněny kapalinou. Ze zdroje bylo do kapaliny aplikováno vysokofrekvenční napětí (1 a 2 kHz), které tak vlastně upravovalo roztok chloridu sodného (1.5 l). Bylo zjištěno, že tento druh napětí, v porovnání s DC, nezpůsobuje nežádoucí přehřívání roztoku (počáteční vodivost 100 - 800 S/cm) během jeho úpravy při zachování účinnosti produkce peroxidu. Experimentální aparatura pro druhou část práce byla sestavena na Gentské Univerzitě v Belgii. Stejnosměrný výboj byl generován v bublinách plynů (He, Ar, N2, vzduch) v prostředí vodných roztoků. Byla studována generace peroxidu vodíku a odbourávání organických barviv přítomných ve zkoumaném roztoku. Ke generaci peroxidu vodíku byl použit roztok NaH2PO4 . 2H2O (5 microS/cm, V= 750 ml), ke zkoumání rozkladu barviv byly použity roztoky organických barviv Direct Red 79 (20 mg/l) a Direct Blue 106 (20 mg/l, V= 750 ml). Minimální koncentrace peroxidu vodíku byla naměřena při aplikaci proudu 10 mA, zatímco maximální koncentrace peroxidu vodíku byla zaznamenána při použití proudu 30 mA. Rozklad organických barviv vykazoval stejné vlastnosti. Čím vyšší byla dodávaná energie, tím více barviva se odbouralo. Třetí část práce probíhala ve spolupráci s Queen's University of Belfast, Centrum for Plasma Physics, UK. K realizaci experimentů bylo využito vysokofrekvenčního plazmového skalpelu (Arthrocar). Bylo zjištěno, že hodnota koncentrace peroxidu vodíku dosahovala maxima v roztocích s nepatrným přídavkem alkoholu (0.25 %). Celkem byly studovány čtyři 0.15 M roztoky BaCl2, Na2CO3, KCl a NaCl (V= 20 ml), jejichž počáteční vodivost se pohybovala kolem 13 mS/cm. Z výsledků bylo patrné, že největší rozdíl hodnot pH byl zaznamenán u roztoků s přídavkem ethanolu. V optických emisních spektrech byly identifikovány především radikály OH, které jsou prekurzory peroxidu vodíku. Výsledky ukázaly, že plazma v takovémto roztoku je stále tvořeno, což může být považováno za první krok generace plazmatu v organických sloučeninách. Poslední část práce byla zaměřena na tzv. mikroplazmatický jet v přímém kontaktu s kapalnou fází. Tato experimentální práce byla realizována na pracovišti Nanotechnology & Integrated Bio-Engineering Centre (NIBEC), University of Ulster, UK během studijní stáže. Jako vodivé médium byl použit roztok trihydrátu kyseliny chlorozlatité s různou počáteční vodivostí. Zajímavým zjištěním je fakt, že při tomto druhu měření bylo generováno stabilní plazma i při velmi malém výbojovém proudu (0.05 a 0.2 mA), a tedy i peroxid vodíku vznikal při velmi malé vstupní energii, což může být považováno za velmi dobrý výsledek.
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Study of electrolyte influence on diaphragm discharge stability and efficiency
Němcová, Lucie ; Krčma, František (referee) ; Kozáková, Zdenka (advisor)
This thesis is focused on so-called diaphragm discharge, which is one kind of electric discharges in liquid, which belongs among so-called AOP´s techniques, still more used for water cleaning in the present. One of effectiveness and stability indicators of diaphragm discharge is generation of hydrogen peroxide. In theoretical part, detail principle description of electric discharge in liquid is situated. Further, properties of electrolyte are introduced and general spectrophotometric method of obtained sample determination is described. In experimental part, a full procedure of experiment is introduced. Next part containing results and discussions introduces particular results of individual measurements and their reasons. Final chapter is the end, which forms total summary and evaluation of all results. By the application of all chosen electrolytes in solution at diaphragm discharge formation of hydrogen peroxide has appeared. Inorganic and organic electrolytes were used. As inorganic electrolytes following salts were selected – solutions of halogenides, next sodium nitrate as a representative of nitrates, potassium dihydrogenphosphate as a representative of phosphates, etc. Representative of organic electrolytes was citric acid. The value of initial conductivity of electrolytes had the main influence on hydrogen peroxide formation. Electrolytes potassium dihydrogenphosphate and sodium sulphate the great influence on effectiveness and stability of the diaphragm discharge. Their rate constants reached maximum value by the application of solution with initial conductivity of approximately 400 mikrosiemens, particularly 0.0492 mmol/l.min and 0.048 mmol/l.min. On the contrary, low values of rate constant were achieved in electrolyte ammonium chloride at around the same initial conductivity – 0.0269 mmol/l.min. During experiments stainless steel and platinum electrodes were used. It was found that kind of electrode material hadn’t influence on generation of hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide was formed only in the cathode space.
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Regional brand perception
NĚMCOVÁ, Lucie
The thesis is focused on analysis of selected regional brand perception. The aim of this work is propose changes in brand identity. The theoretical part describes basic concepts, procedures and opinions of individual authors on the brand issues. The intention is to compare these different views. The thesis uses methods of qualitative and quantitative marketing research. The marketing research gives information by consumers and brand users. At the beginning of the research, hypotheses were determined. The practical part presents results of the survey, which objective was to find out perception by consumers. Beside, structured interviews present attitude of the brand users. Recommendation in brand identity is based on the analysis of marketing research.
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Financing of Research and Development in the Czech Republic
Němcová, Lucie ; Urbánek, Václav (advisor) ; Krejčík, Jiří (referee)
The thesis presents the system of financing of the research and development in the Czech Republic, as well as issue of legislative. The dissertation provides us with the complete overview of financing of above mentioned areas of interests by the Departments together with the possibility of financing from EU resources. In conclusion there are suggested changes, which should improve the efficiency of the whole system - establishment of the independent Department of Science and Research, centralization of similar research institutes and clarification of the system of financing.
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