The Triumph of Post-Democratic Values: Blairism and British Political Culture in the Eyes of Peter Oborne

The following article deals with the work of distinguished British conservative journalist and public intellectual Peter Oborne (b. 1957). In his published oeuvre, Oborne has been particularly concerned with the political culture during the administration of Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (1997-2007). This article analyses Oborne’s books and focuses on his major themes: his koncept of the British “Political Class” as well as the deterioration of standard British institutions, the rise of the media, the widespread mendacity of British politicians and, finally, the triumph of “post-democratic” values characterized by a slow demise of the British electorate in relation to the political process. The article discusses wider contexts of contemporary British conservatism and assesses Oborne’s contribution to the debate about the perspectives of British political identity and its cultural and democratic traditions

Design of embedded system for control of educational model of rotary pendulum

Obsahem diplomové práce je návrh a realizace konstrukčních úprav stávajícího modelu rotačního inverzního kyvadla, implementace řídícího algoritmu do mikrokontorléru dsPIC a navazující návrh elektroniky periferií. Cílem konstrukčního řešení je rozšířit funkcionalitu stávajícího prototypu a spolu s využitím mikrokontroléru zajistit jeho kompaktní řešení. Výchozím bodem je odvození mechanických rovnic systému jak analyticky tak pomocí multi-body modelu založeného na matematickém formalismu prostředí SimMechanics, které slouží k návrhu stavového regulátoru stabilizujícího kyvadlo v inverzní poloze. V návaznosti na vytvořený matematický model jsou experimentálně identifikovány parametry soustavy. Vyvinut byl rovněž swing-up kontrolér uvádějící kyvadlo do inverzní polohy. Regulátor je doplněn o diskrétní stavový estimátor rychlostí, přičemž jsou v rámci práce srovnávány různé koncepce jejich odhadu. Posledním bod práce je věnován návrhu nadřazeného stavového automatu přepínajícího mezi jednotlivými módy regulace obsahujícího rovněž algoritmy detekce chybových provozních stavů.The basic aim of this work is to improve existing model of rotational inverted pendulum by adding new mechanical features, implement the control algorithm to dsPIC microcontroller and develop related control electronics thus extending the functionality of current model while making it more compact. The work contains derivation of dynamic equations both by means of analytical methods and multi-body formalism of SimMechanics. These are used to design a state controller stabilizing the pendulum in inverse position. In addition, parameters of the system are being estimated experimentally. Swing-up controller is developed to drive the pendulum to unstable position. Various state estimators are added to controller to improve the control process while comparing their overall performance. The last point is devoted to development of superior state-automaton designed to switch between different regulating modes including fail-detection algorithms providing smooth operation of the model.

Design and optimization of piezoactuators

Bakalářská práce se věnuje návrhu, vývoji a optimalizaci lineárního piezoaktuátoru typu impact-drive určeného k aplikaci v rastrovacím tunelovacím mikroskopu kde bude pracovat jako mechanický manipulátor měřící jehly, pracujícího ve svislém směru. Text teoreticky rozpracovává a analyzuje problematiku piezoaktuátorů pracujících v UHV, přičemž v rámci teoretické diskuse je vytvořen matematický simulační model a formulovány požadavky na provoz manipulátoru, na jejichž základě je aktuátor navržen a realizován. V závěru práce jsou charakteristiky motoru měřeny a konfrontovány s numerickým modelem, přičemž je prototyp optimalizován nastavením nejefektivnějších parametrů budícího pulzu a silového zatížení.This bachelor’s thesis main concern is to develop and optimize a linear impact-drive piezoelectric actuator for scanning tunneling microscope working as vertical macroscopic manipulator of the conducting tip. UHV piezoelectric actuator issues are being discussed and analyzed on theoretical level in order to create adequate mathematical model. Based on expressed requirements a prototype is designed and measured, while seeking appropriate parameters of supply pulse and loading.

Hledání příběhů v poezii (a poezie v příbězích)

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Unto This Last: John Ruskin and the Beginnings of English Ecocriticism

The following paper deals with the beginnings of ecocritical thought in John Ruskin’s essay Unto This Last (1862). The article presents the context of its economic thought and relates it to the beginnings of “ecology” in the work of German biologist Ernst Haeckel (1834-1919). The key aspect of Ruskin’s approach is a close link between a humane economy and a sense of responsibility for the environment. In his sweeping analysis of laissez-faire capitalism, he contrasts creation with production, focuses on the reductive terminology of political economy and its potentially devastating consequences if it becomes the leading ideology of the state. The final part of the paper assesses the importance of this essay for the development of ecocritical thought as well as its relevance today

Rage, Delusion and Abolitionism: Contemporary British Society in the Eyes of Peter Hitchens

The present article focuses on the work of contemporary British journalist and public intellectual, Peter Hitchens (b. 1951). Hitchens  represents one of the most vocal voices of modern British conservatism, his works included into syllabi of British Studies at several universities. The paper starts with a discussion of his specific “anti-conversion” in the context of his generation from a Trotskyite to a Tory, then concentrates on the major issues of his critique: the slow decline of traditional British values since the 1960s, failure of British politics, problematic developments in relation to law and order, cultural revolution and, finally, his views on new atheism, so aptly represented by his recently deceased brother Christopher (1949-2011). The article concludes with a short discussion of the significance of the use of his ideas in teaching courses on British society since the 1960s

The Lessons of Selborne:

The following paper analyses a classic work of 18th century nature writing, Gilbert White’s (1720–1793) Natural History of Selborne (1789). It contextualizes the work in the cultural and philosophical discussions of its era, and stresses White’s “economy of nature” as a continuum of spiritual, aesthetic, and economic dimensions of nature. The essay argues that this complexity presents the English naturalist’s unique contribution to the rise of nature writing and ecological thought during the emergence of Romanticism. The final discussion here  deals with the reception of White’s work beginning in the late 1960s and its significance within the ecocritical debates of our day.

Resistance Exercise Elicits Selective Mobilization and Adhesion Characteristics of Granulocytes and Monocyte Subsets

Resistance exercise eliciting muscle damage results in an immune response, leading to increases in circulating cytokines, and immune cell mobilization. Classical monocytes respond to muscle damage, however, little is known about the intermediate or nonclassical monocyte response to resistance exercise. Moreover, the impact of polyphenol supplementation in conjunction with resistance exercise on the innate immune response is unknown. The purpose of this study was to examine the immune response following resistance exercise with (PPB) and without (PL) polyphenol supplementation. Thirty-nine untrained men were randomized into three groups: PPB (n=13, 21.8±2.5yrs, 171.2±5.5cm, 71.2±8.2kg), PL (n=15, 21.6±2.5yrs, 176.5±4.9cm, 84.0±15.7kg) or a control group (CON) (23.3±4.1yrs, 173.6±12.0cm, 77.8±15.6kg). Blood samples were obtained pre- (PRE), immediately- (IP), 1- (1H), 5- (5H), 24- (24H), 48- (48H) and 96- (96H) hours postexercise (PPB/PL). CON rested for one hour between PRE and IP blood draws. Changes in granulocyte and monocyte subset proportions and adhesion characteristics (CD11b) were assessed via flow cytometry, while plasma cytokine concentrations and markers of muscle damage were analyzed via multiplex and spectrophotometric assays, respectively. Creatine Kinase and myoglobin were elevated at each time point for PPB and PL (p \u3c 0.050). Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 was significantly elevated at IP in PPB (p = 0.005) and PL (p = 0.006) and significantly greater than CON at 5H (PPB: p \u3c 0.001; PL: p = 0.006). Granulocyte proportions were elevated at 1H (p \u3c 0.001), 5H (p \u3c 0.001) and 24H (p = 0.005; p = 0.006) in PPB and PL, respectively. Classical monocyte proportions were lower in PPB (p = 0.008) and PL (p = 0.003) than CON at IP, and significantly greater than CON at 1H (PPB: p = 0.002; PL: p = 0.006). Nonclassical monocyte proportions were significantly greater in PPB (p = 0.020) and PL (p = 0.028) than CON at IP. Intermediate monocyte proportions were significantly greater in PPB (p = 0.034) and PL (p = 0.001) than CON at IP, and significantly lower than CON at 1H (PPB: p = 0.003; PL: p = 0.008). Intermediate monocyte proportions were also significantly greater in PPB than CON at 24H (p = 0.016) and 48H (p = 0.007). At PRE, CD11b expression was significantly lower in the PPB group than CON and PL for intermediate (p = 0.017; p = 0.045) and nonclassical (p \u3c 0.001, p = 0.019) monocytes, respectively. When groups were combined, CD11b expression was significantly elevated from PRE at IP (p \u3c 0.001) and 1H (p = 0.015) on granulocytes. CD11b expression on classical monocytes was significantly elevated compared to PRE at 1H (p \u3c 0.001), 5H (p = 0.033) and 24H (p = 0.004) when groups were combined. CD11b expression on intermediate monocytes was significantly elevated compared to PRE at 1H (p \u3c 0.001) when groups were combined. Intermediate and nonclassical monocyte proportions also showed significant positive correlations with markers of muscle damage (r = 0.361 to 0.775, p \u3c 0.05). Results indicated that resistance exercise in novice lifters may elicit a selective mobilization of intermediate monocytes at 24h and 48H, and that muscle damage may be related to increases in intermediate and nonclassical monocytes. In addition, polyphenol supplementation appeared to suppress CD11b expression on monocytes to resistance exercise

A Memorial Address to a Passing Civilisation: Roger Scruton’s Elegy for England

The present article deals with the concept of England, its culture and tradition in the work of well-known contemporary British conservative philosopher, Roger Scruton (b. 1944). His idea of English culture develops from the notion of home and belonging: in that sense, the England he mourns over what was once an “enchanted” place radiating a more or less comforting view of the English way of life. The article starts with a discussion of the process of “enchanting” England, then moves onto the physiognomy of Englishness, in particular the unique nature of various English institutions, and finally deals with Scruton’s defence of the nation state and the “situatedness” of English politics. The conclusion aims at evaluating Scruton’s contribution to the current discussion about English identity as well as its future in the EU and in the globalised world

The Effect of Short and Long Recovery Periods on the Contribution of Oxidative Processes to Energy Expenditure During Multiple Bouts of Supramaximal Exercise

The Effect of Short and Long Recovery Periods on the Contribution of Oxidative Processes to Energy Expenditure During Multiple Bouts of Supramaximal Exercise Olson, E. (undergraduate), Christensen, K., Jajtner, A., Copeland, J., Unthank, M., and Mitchell, J. Exercise Physiology Lab, Texas Christian University, Ft. Worth, TX. The contribution of oxidative energy production to multiple sprint exercises is of interest due to implications for the training needs of people engaging in anaerobic activities. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of short and long active recovery durations on oxidative and anaerobic contributions to energy output during maximal intensity cycle ergometry. METHODS: Six male subjects, including well-trained endurance athletes and well-trained strength athletes, completed the study. After a VO2max test on the bicycle ergometer, each subject completed two conditions: a short recovery condition (SRC) and a long recovery condition (LRC). The SRC consisted of 10, 10-sec. supramaximal sprints with 30-sec. recovery periods. The LRC consisted of 10, 10-sec supramaximal sprints with 3-min. recovery periods. The load applied to the ergometer was 1.2 g/kg and the RPM during the sprints varied based on the maximal output. During recovery, no load was applied and subjects maintained a cadence of 80 RPM. Oxygen uptake was measured during the entirety of both conditions and peak power and total work were calculated from two, 5-sec RPM averages generated during the sprints. Blood samples were taken pre-exercise, after sprints 4, 7, and 10, and 3 minutes post-exercise. RESULTS: Peak power and total work were significantly greater (p \u3c 0.05) in the LRC (1091.3 + 88.7 W and 1363.6 + 34.6 kg-m) compared to the SRC (915.3 + 109.2 W and 1161.6 + 33.9 kg-m). In addition, peak power decayed by 21.7% over the 10 sprints in the SRC compared to no decay in the LRC. Oxygen uptake averaged 28.3 + 0.9 ml/kg/min for the entirety of the LRC; whereas, in the SRC there was a large increase in oxygen uptake during the second sprint that remained elevated and averaged 47 + 1.5 ml/kg/min for the remaining 8 sprints. There was no difference in blood lactate concentrations between conditions. CONCLUSION: The heightened aerobic response and the lower work and power outputs seen in the SRC are suggestive of a decrement in both anaerobic glycolysis and phosphocreatine (PCr) activity as successive sprints were completed. After repeated bouts of explosive exercise with short rest periods, oxidative processes play a more important role in energy production, most likely due to fatigue occurring in the anaerobic energy producing systems. These findings point to the need for enhancing the aerobic capacity of athletes engaging in consecutive high intensity bouts of exercise when rest intervals are short