Experimental marketing research of anthropomorphic models

The aim of this thesis is to find out whether the respondents perceive anthropomorphic packaging more positively than ordinary packaging, which leads to their selection across all FCB matrix quadrants. To fulfill the objective of the thesis is used mixed research, which is realized by the method of eye-tracking and interview, which includes a questionnaire. Eight products from the FCB matrix are selected for data collection. Research results suggest that the use of anthropomorphic models may not always produce positive consumer perceptions and are not a guarantee of selecting such a modified product or package regardless of the FCB matrix quadrant. However, it has been confirmed that in some cases the use of anthropomorphic models is advantageous and desirable in the creation of the product or its packaging.Cílem diplomové práce je zjistit, zda respondenti vnímají antropomorfní obaly více pozitivně než obaly obyčejné, což vede k jejich výběru napříč všemi kvadranty FCB matice. K naplnění cíle práce je využit smíšený výzkum, který je realizován pomocí metody eye-tracking a rozhovoru, jehož součástí je i dotazník. Pro sběr dat je vybráno osm produktů z FCB matice. Výsledky výzkum naznačují, že využití antropomorfních modelů nemusí vždy vyvolat pozitivní vnímaní u spotřebitelů a nejsou zárukou pro výběr takto modifikovaného produktu či obalu bez ohledu na kvadrant FCB matice. Potvrdilo se však, že v některých případech je využití antropomorfních modelů při tvorbě produktu či jeho obalu výhodné a žádoucí

Marketing communication (demonstrated on hotel Golf Praha)

Marketing communication (demonstrated on hotel Golf Praha) The aim of this thesis is to define criteria of marketing communication in the field of hospitality. One part of the thesis is focused on evaluation of hotel Golf Praha communication according to its quality and efficiency. Benefits should be definitely eventual suggestions for improving the communication and its quality, or changes that should actuate on clients as effectively as possible to help reach better commercial results

Subjektivní hodnocení kvality cestovní kanceláře zákazníkem- průzkum

Bakalářská práce je založena na marketingovém průzkumu požadavků zákazníků cestovní kanceláře s jejich spokojenosti s poskytivanými službami cestovních kanceláří. Průzkum probíhal v letních měsících převážně v Ústí nad Labem. Cílem bylo zjistit rozdílnost hodnocení kvality mezi jednotlivými skupinami zákazníků a následná tvorba doporučení cestovním kancelářím

Actual situation of learning French. A comparative study on classic and alternative methods

This thesis deals with the description of the contemporary situation in the French language teaching in the Czech Republic with a view to the comparison of traditional and alternative teaching methods. The first part of the thesis consists of the description of the historical development of the teaching methods and their characteristics. Then I point out the problems related to the classification of the teaching methods and their division into two main groups of traditional and alternative methods. The comparison of the two groups of methods is included in the third chapter of the thesis. In the last part a questionnaire was used to find out the opinions of teachers and students and I also show selected data concerning the contemporary situation in foreign languages teaching in the school year 2005/ 2006

Recruitment in the company

The thesis is about recruitment in the company. About human resource management, recruitment and selection of employees. It is divided into two parts, theoretical and practical. The main objective of this work is to describe how the processes of recruitment and the methods of employee selection take place in two companies and then make recommendations for them. The first part briefly describes the human resource management strategy. It is focuses on the acquisition process and employee selection methods. The second part then examines the process of recruitment and the methods of selection of employees in two companies. At the end of the thesis are written recommendations for each company

Život turecké minority v Řecku z pohledu každodennosti

The aim of the paper was to determine the current state of the Turkish minority in the Greek regions of Central Macedonia and Thrace. Specifically, Xanthi (Thrace) and Thessaloniki (Central Macedonia) were of prime interest. The field research was conducted in the second largest Greek city of Thessaloniki, where historical and socially relevant sites of the Turkish minority were visited. Participant observation and semi-structured interviews were conducted at the headquarters of the Turkish Embassy. This house was the birthplace of the first President of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Nowadays, this house serves as a museum and is visited mainly by Turks. Thessaloniki has well documented tourist locations around the city except for the Atatürk museum, which also has very few Greek visitors. The field research continued in Xanthi and its surroundings. In Xanthi, the field research included an initial observation followed by semi-structured interviews. These techniques were performed in the old Turkish quarter, two minority schools, a local mosque, and a traditional Turkish restaurant. The consensus of the interviewees was that they “feel” that they are Turkish, but their homeland is Greece. Similarly, they consider their native language is Turkish, while Greek is deemed essential for living. Turkish minority children attend local minority schools and in many cases commute from surrounding villages to the schools. For college, students must leave Greece for Turkey if they want to study in the Turkish language since this option is not available in Greece. The Greek language that is utilized in Greek universities is typically more difficult and specialized than the everyday Greek used by the Turkish minority and therefore this group prefers to study in Turkey or at another European university. The areas with the highest concentration of a minority Turkish population do not perceive discrimination from the majority Greek population due to their long-term cohabitation. Nonetheless, when members of this minority leave this area, they experience discriminatory behavior due with their faith and ethnicity

Antimicrobial and anthelmintic activities of aryl urea agents

Objectives The study aimed to characterise compounds with activity against carbapenemase-expressing Gram-negative bacteria and nematodes, with the intention that the compounds would lack cytotoxicity against non-cancer human cells. Methods The antimicrobial activity and toxicity to nematodes and human cell lines of a series of phenyl substituted urea derivatives were evaluated using Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC), chitinase and resazurin reduction assays. Results The effects of different substitutions present on the nitrogen atoms of the urea backbone were investigated. Several compounds were active against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli control strains. Specifically, derivatives 7b, 11b, and 67d exhibited antimicrobial activity against Klebsiella pneumoniae 16, a Carbapenemase-Producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) species, with Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) values of 100, 50 and 72 μM (32, 64 and 32 mg/L), respectively. In addition, the MICs obtained against a multi-drug resistant E. coli strain were 100, 50 and 36 μM (32, 16 and 16 mg/L), for the same compounds. Furthermore, the urea derivatives 18b, 29b, 50c, 51c, 52c, 55c – 59c and 62c were very active towards the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Conclusions Testing on non-cancer human cell lines suggested that some of the compounds have potential to affect bacteria and especially helminths with limited cytotoxicity for humans. Given the simplicity of synthesis for this class of compound and the potency against a Gram-negative carbapenemase-expressing Klebsiella pneumoniae, aryl ureas possessing the 3,5-dichloro-phenyl group certainly warrant further investigation to exploit their selectivity

Natural plant hormones cytokinins increase stress resistance and longevity of Caenorhabditis elegans

Cytokinins are phytohormones that are involved in many processes in plants, including growth, differentiation and leaf senescence. However, they also have various activities in animals. For example, kinetin and trans-zeatin can reduce levels of several aging markers in human fibroblasts. Kinetin can also protect mice against oxidative and glyoxidative stress, and prolong fruit flies’ lifespan. Additionally, several cytokinins are currently used in cosmetics. To extend knowledge of the breadth of cytokinins’ activities, we examined effects of natural cytokinin bases on the model nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. We found that kinetin, para-topolin and meta-topolin prolonged the lifespan of C. elegans. Kinetin also protected the organism against oxidative and heat stress. Furthermore, our results suggest that presence of reactive oxygen species, but not DAF-16 (the main effector of the insulin/insulin-like growth factor signaling pathway), is required for the beneficial effects of kinetin. Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric analysis showed that kinetin is unlikely to occur naturally in C. elegans, but the worm efficiently absorbs and metabolizes it into kinetin riboside and kinetin riboside-5′-monophosphate.</p

Cytoprotective activities of kinetin purine isosteres

Kinetin (N6-furfuryladenine), a plant growth substance of the cytokinin family, has been shown to modulate aging and various age-related conditions in animal models. Here we report the synthesis of kinetin isosteres with the purine ring replaced by other bicyclic heterocycles, and the biological evaluation of their activity in several in vitro models related to neurodegenerative diseases. Our findings indicate that kinetin isosteres protect Friedreich́s ataxia patient-derived fibroblasts against glutathione depletion, protect neuron-like SH-SY5Y cells from glutamate-induced oxidative damage, and correct aberrant splicing of the ELP1 gene in fibroblasts derived from a familial dysautonomia patient. Although the mechanism of action of kinetin derivatives remains unclear, our data suggest that the cytoprotective activity of some purine isosteres is mediated by their ability to reduce oxidative stress. Further, the studies of permeation across artificial membrane and model gut and blood-brain barriers indicate that the compounds are orally available and can reach central nervous system. Overall, our data demonstrate that isosteric replacement of the kinetin purine scaffold is a fruitful strategy for improving known biological activities of kinetin and discovering novel therapeutic opportunities