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Study of cerium oxide thin films for biosensing applications
Kosto, Yuliia ; Matolín, Vladimír (advisor) ; Feyer, Vitaliy (referee) ; Williams, Federico José (referee)
Title: Study of cerium oxide thin films for biosensing applications Author: Yuliia Kosto Department: Department of Surface and Plasma Science Supervisor: Prof. RNDr. Vladimír Matolín, DrSc. Abstract: The presented scientific work was conducted in two main directions. The first one is an investigation of the simple biomolecules (glycine and sarcosine) bonding to cerium oxide model films by surface science techniques: photoelectron and near-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopies. Adsorption chemistry and thermal stability of the molecules on the oxides were studied in relation to the oxidation state of ceria cations, film morphology, and molecular deposition method. The oxygen vacancies in the oxide were shown to affect the adsorption geometry of glycine and stimulate molecular decomposition. The polycrystalline oxide morphology provided stabilizing effect on the glycine adlayer. Sarcosine deposited in vacuum formed densely packed adlayer with the molecules directed outwards. Interestingly, the results revealed that molecular film deposited from the aqueous solution, in contrast to deposition in vacuum, induces continuous reduction of the cerium oxide during thermal annealing. The second part is a study of polycrystalline cerium oxide thin films as an electrode for electrochemical and electrochemiluminescent...
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A FAREWELL TO ARMS: NON-MILITARISATION AND THE PARADOX OF MILITARY INSECURITY
Williams, Nathan James Frank ; Kučera, Tomáš (advisor) ; Parízek, Michal (referee)
A FAREWELL TO ARMS: NON-MILITARISATION AND THE PARADOX OF MILITARY INSECURITY Nathan James Frank Williams Abstract A small number of scholars and political leaders have praised the economic and social benefits of 'non-militarisation' - the policy of possessing no national armed forces. While 26 states currently practice this policy, the security implications of non-militarisation have, until now, largely escaped critical assessment. However, it is this very question of security in the absence of a military which is perhaps the decisive issue for any state considering non- militarisation. Barbey's (2015b) study suggests that, since World War II, non-militarised states have been immune to interstate war. However, since World War II, intrastate war has proven to be both the more frequent and destructive form of warfare. Using a mixed-methods approach this dissertation seeks to quantify and explain the causal effect of non-militarisation on intrastate conflict. It begins by testing the hypothesis that non-militarised states suffer less years of intrastate war than states with a military, using cross-sectional logit analysis on all country-years between 1989-2008. It consistently finds a sizable negative relationship, suggesting that in a given year the probability of intrastate war occurring in a...
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Communication Patterns and Effective Channels of Communication
Guasti, Petra ; Mansfeldová, Zdenka ; Hronešová, J. ; Gawrecká, Daniela ; Vamberová, Pavla ; Lacina, Tomáš ; Turhan, U. ; Tedeschi, A. ; De Gramatica, M. ; Shim, W. ; Williams, J.
This deliverable combines qualitative and quantitative survey methods to provide an analysis of communication channels and patterns between policy makers, stakeholders (i.e. companies), and citizens in the areas of security and risk in regards to three specific areas – air transport, public transport, and critical national infrastructure in ten countries. Analysis focuses on the trade-offs among security, privacy, health and personal dignity.
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