Retrobulbar optic neuritis and cystoid macular edema as a first manifestation of lyme disease

Lyme disease is a multi-system disorder caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdoferi. Eye manifestations are a rare involvement. We report two cases of patients who developed a retrobulbar optic neuritis and a cystoid macular edema as a sole clinical presenting in Lyme disease.A 42-year-old female presented with left eye decreased visual acuity and painful ocular movement. Dilated funduscopy and neurological examination were normal. A diagnosis of left eye retrobulbar optic neuritis was made. The brain and spinal cord MRI showed typical lesions characteristic of MS. Serological tests for Lyme disease revealed positive results for IgM ELISA and Western blot. The possible serologically proven Lyme disease was diagnosed. Visual acuity returned to normal following a course of high-dose steroids and intravenous antibiotic, after by oral antibiotic. A 28-year-old male presented with left eye blurred vision and intermittent blurring vision in his right eye. Dilated funduscopy revealed bilateral cystoid macular edema (left more than right). He was positive for Lyme serology, IgM ELISA and Western blot, and intravenous antibiotic therapy was commenced, followed by oral antibiotic. Visual acuity was restored and fuduscopy was normal.In summary, although Lyme disease is an uncommon cause of these neuro-ophthalmic complications, our two patients highlight the importance of considering this disorder as a differential diagnosis and to initiate an early adequate therapy

Влияние на геометричните показатели на евакуационните пътища върху евакуацията на хора от сгради и съоръжения

The present work presents the relationship between geometric parameters of escape routes and efficiency of evacuation of people from buildings and facilities. An integrated mathematical approach for providing conditions for successful evacuation is presented. Specific effects of measurements and shapes of escape routes and escape exits on the behavior of the crowd are studied. An assessment of consequences of incorrectly applied architectural and construction measures in the construction of escape routes and escape exits is made. Adequate geometric solutions are proposed to facilitate the rapid and reliable movement of the crowd to a safe area. A concrete example of application of the approach through a calculation procedure is presented

Ensuring the right to education for Roma children : an Anglo-Swedish perspective

Access to public education systems has tended to be below normative levels where Roma children are concerned. Various long-standing social, cultural, and institutional factors lie behind the lower levels of engagement and achievement of Roma children in education, relative to many others, which is reflective of the general lack of integration of their families in mainstream society. The risks to Roma children’s educational interests are well recognized internationally, particularly at the European level. They have prompted a range of policy initiatives and legal instruments to protect rights and promote equality and inclusion, on top of the framework of international human rights and minority protections. Nevertheless, states’ autonomy in tailoring educational arrangements to their budgets and national policy agendas has contributed to considerable international variation in specific provision for Roma children. As this article discusses, even between two socially liberal countries, the UK and Sweden, with their well-advanced welfare states and public systems of social support, there is a divergence in protection, one which underlines the need for a more consistent and positive approach to upholding the education rights and interests of children in this most marginalized and often discriminated against minority group

The Arbeiter Illustrierte Zeitung and its activity in exile in Czechoslovakia

This thesis presents the German magazine Arbeiter Illustrierte Zeitung (AIZ), one of the greatest illustrated papers at the time of Weimar Republic. The weekly was founded in the beginning of 1920s as a propaganda organ of the Workers' International Relief (Internationale Arbeiterhilfe, IAH), a mass organization formed to support workers in case of strikes or natural catastrophes. The founding of the magazine was entrusted to a communist activist and publisher Willi Münzenberg. Under his leadership the AIZ became the most popular left-wing illustrated magazine. It enforced socialism and fought to build a united anti-fascist front. AIZ collaborated with many prominent artists and writers, and its readers were attracted especially by the satirical photomontages of John Heartfield. After Nazi's took over Germany in 1933, AIZ exiled in Prague, where it continued its untiring fight against fascism and advocated the rights of the working class. In 1936, the magazine changed its name to Volks-Illustrierte in order to reinforce the united front movement. This thesis focuses on the history of the AIZ magazine, it describes the character and exile period of the weekly, which includes a brief introduction to selected members of Prague's editorial team. It also explores the lives and cultural work of German...Předkládaná práce pojednává o německém časopise Arbeiter Illustrierte Zeitung (AIZ), jenž patřil mezi nejvýznamnější ilustrovaná periodika v období Výmarské republiky. Týdeník AIZ vznikl na začátku dvacátých let jako propagační orgán Mezinárodní dělnické pomoci (Internationale Arbeiterhilfe, IAH), masové organizace podporující dělníky v případě stávek či přírodních katastrof. Ustavením časopisu byl pověřen komunistický aktivista a vydavatel Willi Münzenberg. Pod jeho vedením se AIZ stal nejpopulárnějším levicovým ilustrovaným listem. Prosazoval politiku socialismu a bojoval za utvoření jednotné antifašistické fronty. Čtenáře lákal zejména satirickými fotomontážemi Johna Heartfielda, spolupracoval ale i s řadou dalších známých spisovatelů a umělců. Po nástupu nacistů k moci v roce 1933 bylo jeho vydávání v Německu ukončeno. Ve své činnosti pokračoval v pražském exilu, kde neúnavně bojoval proti fašismu a zasazoval se za práva proletariátu. V roce 1936 časopis změnil název na Volks-Illustrierte, aby tím podpořil hnutí lidové fronty. Tato práce se zaměřuje na historii týdeníku AIZ, jeho charakter a exilové období. Věnuje se postavení německé emigrace v Československu a představuje vybrané osobnosti, jež byly součástí pražské redakce AIZ. Obsahová analýza ročníků 1934 a 1935 zkoumá způsob, jakým časopis...Katedra mediálních studiíDepartment of Media StudiesFakulta sociálních vědFaculty of Social Science

A framework for interpreting the right to freedom of association of workers and trade unions in European human rights law

The right to freedom of association, as a labour right, has long been protected by Conventions 87 and 98 of the International Labour Organization, and by the European Social Charter. The European Convention on Human Rights and European Union law have more recently emerged as sources of protection of collective labour rights. This thesis identifies a particular concern arising from this development, namely that ECHR and EU norms that diverge from and conflict with ILO and ESC freedom of association guarantees could displace and undermine the authority of the latter, specialist mechanisms, which provide an overall higher level of protection. This thesis proposes that this concern could be addressed to a significant extent through the interpretation of ECHR and EU freedom of association guarantees in closer alignment with ILO and ESC norms. It first argues that there is a normative, moral justification for convergence between ECHR and EU human rights norms, and ILO and ESC specialist labour law norms. On this basis, it proposes that in interpreting ECHR and EU freedom of association guarantees, the respective Courts should look to ILO and ESC norms as key sources of authority; and that a divergent interpretation of these norms should be justified on the basis of appropriate reasons. These could be reasons pertaining to the text or aims of the relevant instruments and legal systems, particular institutional characteristics, or the fact that the ECHR and EU enforcement bodies are courts and not committees. The analysis concludes that the institutional concern cannot be completely resolved through the interpretation of ECHR and EU freedom of association guarantees in line with ILO and ESC norms, since differences between norms are sometimes well-justified. Nevertheless, the proposed interpretive framework could go significant distance towards achieving this goal, and make a substantial contribution to strengthening the protection of collective rights in Europe

Evaluation of Airbnb's Potential and Impact in the Czech Republic

The thesis examines the phenomenon of the sharing economy and the impact it had made over the recent years. As a prime example, the thesis is structured around a recent company, Airbnb. The sharing economy is a relatively new concept which is influenced from the rise use of internet and social networks around the world. Sharing economy is a collaborative system built on sharing of goods and human resources. The thesis also examines the obstacles of legal issues, lack of control and safety. Airbnb is an online platform that connects people to rent their personal space to others for a nightly or monthly price. The website is being used around the world, bringing the concept of building a community and feeling of belonging for some people. A part of this work is also a quantitative content analysis, which compares the Airbnb offers with the offers of hotels in Prague. The research based on prices and users' rating examines if Airbnb is able to compete with established hotels. Although the total number of Airbnb units in Prague is significantly smaller than the number of hotels, the results show Airbnb's high potential in this area. Its advantages are lower prices and excellent rating

The Arbeiter Illustrierte Zeitung and its activity in exile in Czechoslovakia

This thesis presents the German magazine Arbeiter Illustrierte Zeitung (AIZ), one of the greatest illustrated papers at the time of Weimar Republic. The weekly was founded in the beginning of 1920s as a propaganda organ of the Workers' International Relief (Internationale Arbeiterhilfe, IAH), a mass organization formed to support workers in case of strikes or natural catastrophes. The founding of the magazine was entrusted to a communist activist and publisher Willi Münzenberg. Under his leadership the AIZ became the most popular left-wing illustrated magazine. It enforced socialism and fought to build a united anti-fascist front. AIZ collaborated with many prominent artists and writers, and its readers were attracted especially by the satirical photomontages of John Heartfield. After Nazi's took over Germany in 1933, AIZ exiled in Prague, where it continued its untiring fight against fascism and advocated the rights of the working class. In 1936, the magazine changed its name to Volks-Illustrierte in order to reinforce the united front movement. This thesis focuses on the history of the AIZ magazine, it describes the character and exile period of the weekly, which includes a brief introduction to selected members of Prague's editorial team. It also explores the lives and cultural work of German..

The journalist Carl von Ossietzky and his reflectionin the czech press

Carl von Ossietzky (1889 - 1938) was a German journalist, pacifist and the recipient of the 1935 Nobel Peace Prize. He held to democratic principles and became a member of the political parties Demokratische Vereinigung (Democratic Union, DV) and Republikanische Partei Deutschlands. Ossietzky worked for the journals "Das Freie Volk" (official journal of DV), "Berliner Volkszeitung", "Nation" and "Das Tage-Buch". He also worked for the weekly magazine "Die Weltbühne", which was the forum of free expression during the Weimar Republic, particularly for leftist intellectuals; in 1927 he was named editor-in-chief. At the onset of the First World War he joined the pacifistic association Deutsche Friedensgesellschaft (German Peace Society, DFG), which tried to combat pro-war propaganda. He also worked for another pacifistic movement, "Nie-Wieder-Krieg" ("Never Again War"), and contributed to its titular newspaper. Ossietzky campaigned against German militarism and in his articles he pointed out the law-breaking of the Treaty of Versailles. The German government accused him therefore of high treason and brought him to court several times, culminating in his eventual conviction and incarceration in 1932. After the Nazi regime took over Germany, Ossietzky was sent to a concentration camp. He was then..

A framework for interpreting the right to freedom of association of workers and trade unions in European human rights law

The right to freedom of association, as a labour right, has long been protected by Conventions 87 and 98 of the International Labour Organization, and by the European Social Charter. The European Convention on Human Rights and European Union law have more recently emerged as sources of protection of collective labour rights. This thesis identifies a particular concern arising from this development, namely that ECHR and EU norms that diverge from and conflict with ILO and ESC freedom of association guarantees could displace and undermine the authority of the latter, specialist mechanisms, which provide an overall higher level of protection. This thesis proposes that this concern could be addressed to a significant extent through the interpretation of ECHR and EU freedom of association guarantees in closer alignment with ILO and ESC norms. It first argues that there is a normative, moral justification for convergence between ECHR and EU human rights norms, and ILO and ESC specialist labour law norms. On this basis, it proposes that in interpreting ECHR and EU freedom of association guarantees, the respective Courts should look to ILO and ESC norms as key sources of authority; and that a divergent interpretation of these norms should be justified on the basis of appropriate reasons. These could be reasons pertaining to the text or aims of the relevant instruments and legal systems, particular institutional characteristics, or the fact that the ECHR and EU enforcement bodies are courts and not committees. The analysis concludes that the institutional concern cannot be completely resolved through the interpretation of ECHR and EU freedom of association guarantees in line with ILO and ESC norms, since differences between norms are sometimes well-justified. Nevertheless, the proposed interpretive framework could go significant distance towards achieving this goal, and make a substantial contribution to strengthening the protection of collective rights in Europe