Cosmos and materiality in early modern Prague by Suzanna Ivanič (review)

Ivanič, Suzanna. Cosmos and Materiality in Early Modern Prague. Oxford University Press, Oxford and New York, 2021. xii + 244 pp. Illustrations. Notes on orthography and pronunciation. Chronology. Notes. Appendix. Bibliography. Index. £75.00

Jan Milíč of Kroměříž and Emperor Charles IV: Preaching, Power, and the Church of Prague

During the second half of the fourteenth century Jan Milíč of Kroměříž became an active and popular preacher in Prague. The sermons which he delivered focused primarily on themes of reform, and called for a renewal within the Church. Despite a sustained popularity with the lay populace of Prague, Milíč faced opposition to his practice from many individual members of the city’s clergy. Eventually he was the subject of twelve articles of accusation sent to the papal court of Avignon. Because of the hostility which Milíč faced, historians have most often written of him as a precursor to the Hussites. As a result he has been identified as an anti-establishment rabble-rouser and it has been assumed that he conducted his career in opposition to the court of the Emperor Charles IV. This thesis, over four body chapters, examines the careers of both Milíč and Charles and argues that instead of being enemies, the two men shared an amicable relationship. The first chapter examines Milíč’s career and will prove that he was well-connected to Charles and several members of his court. It will also examine the most common reasons given to argue that Charles and Milíč were at odds, and disprove them. The second chapter focuses on Milíč’s work in the city of Prague and shows that the preacher was of assistance to the emperor in his quest to remake the city as a new spiritual capital of the Holy Roman Empire. The third chapter examines the concept of the ‘Church of Prague’ championed by both Milíč and Charles, and the efforts of both men to promote it throughout the Empire. The fourth chapter discusses Milíč’s ability to assist Charles in the acquisition of power in Bohemia, the Empire, and away from the Church

Possibilities of using discontinuous technology in terms of operation safety

Import 11/07/2012V zájmu snižování finančních nákladů hledají těžební společnosti takové postupy a technologie, které jim tento záměr umožní. Jednou ze součástí procesu těžby nerostných surovin je jejich doprava. Tato část je velmi významná z hlediska vysokých nákladů a správná volba dopravní technologie může být zásadní pro budoucí rentability plánované těžby. Ve své bakalářské práci se zaměřím na možnosti nasazení damprů, tedy jednu z možností diskontinuální technologie, a to z hlediska bezpečnosti provozu. Cílem práce je představení bezpečnostních rizik pro ně charakteristických a míru omezení jejich nasazení dané současnou legislativou v České republice. Pozornost dále věnuji především zásadám stavby dopravních tras určené pro dampry, kde vycházím ze zkušeností zahraničních hornických provozoven. Úroveň kvalifikace obsluhy damprů je významným faktorem ovlivňující provozní bezpečnost, kterému je věnována závěrečná část této práce.Mining companies are seeking for new procedures and technologies in order to cost reduce. One of the parts of mineral mining process is transport. This part is very important in terms of high costs and adequate option of transport technology may be essential for future profitability of planned extraction. In my bachelor´s thesis I will focus to possibility of using dump trucks as one of ways of discontinuous technology in terms of operation safety. The aims of this thesis are representation of characteristic safety risks for dump trucks and limitation level of their using based on current legislations in Czech Republic. Further I focus on principles of haulage roads design based on experience the mining companies from abroad. Level of qualification of dump trucks drivers is significant factor influencing the operation safety therefore the last part of thesis is focused on it.Prezenční542 - Institut hornického inženýrství a bezpečnostivýborn

Usage of Numerical Modeling in Mining.

Se stále rostoucí potřebou naší společnosti zajistit dostatek nerostných surovin paralelně stoupají i nároky na jejich těžbu. Ta musí být však nejen efektivní, ale ve stejné míře i bezpečná. Se zvyšující se industrializací tohoto primárního sektoru a s potřebou těžit stále častěji v nepříznivých geomechanických podmínkách je otázka rozvoje bezpečnosti o to významnější. Nepříznivými podmínkami rozumíme nejrůznější druhy nestabilit horského masivu. Mezi typické patří propady či poklesy nadložích vrstev nad důlními díly, samotné deformace důlních děl či nestabilita přírodních a hornickou činností vytvořených svahů. K posouzení uvedených nestabilit byla vyvinuta řada metod. Od pozorování in situ, řady analytických výpočetních metod, metod hodnocení horninového masivu až po modelování komplexních geotechnických úloh pomocí numerických metod. Jedná se o moderní a stále častěji využívaný přístup při jejich řešení. Problematika numerického modelování je však velmi rozsáhlá a rozsah a účel této práce nedovoluje podat komplexní informace a všechna zjištění v tomto oboru. V této práci si proto kladu za cíl představit současné možnosti numerického modelování stability svahů a jiných geomechanických problémů formou komplexního řešení několika úloh typických pro povrchové hornictví, kdy budou jednotlivé fáze postupu výpočtu detailně komentovány tak, aby odpovídaly požadavkům na tento typ práce a čtenářům tím pomohla k podrobnému objasnění souvislostí při nasazení numerických metod. Praktickým cílem práce je, v rámci první úlohy, zpětně stanovit koeficient bezpečnosti svahu, který se dříve sesunul. Dále potom potvrdit vhodnost navrženého způsobu jeho sanace. Předmětnou lokalitou je povrchový lom na těžbu droby na Severní Moravě. V druhém případě bude pomocí numerického modelování simulován postup těžby příbramských hald vzniklých jako vedlejší produkt těžby uranu v historii. Ty se plánují těžit neobvykle od paty svahu. Tím nabývají stabilitní podmínky a změny ve svahu na významu především z hlediska bezpečnosti. Výsledky modelování mohou být využity při tvorbě technologického postupu těžby. Na závěr je uveden jeden reálný příklad, kdy bylo numerické modelování využito při řešení napěťo-deformačního stavu masivu.With the ever-growing need of our society to ensure sufficient mineral resources the demands on their extraction are increasing in parallel. The extraction must be not only effective but equally safe. With the increasing of industrialization level of primary sector and with need to excavate the resources more often in unfavorable geomechanical conditions the issue of safety development comes to fore. Adverse conditions means various types of rock mass instabilities. Typical include sinks and drops of overlying layers above mining works, their very deformations or instabilities of natural and artificially created slopes. Number of methods have been developed to assess slope instabilities like in situ monitoring, number of analytical computational methods, rock mass rating methods and modeling of slopes by usage of numerical methods. This thesis is focused on usage of numerical methods usable for slope stability. It is a modern way of solution that is being used more frequently now. The span of numerical methods is too wide for this thesis which has also different purpose than to provide complex information and findings in this field. I would like to present recent possibilities on numerical modeling of slopes stability by complex solution of two tasks typical for surface mining. Each calculation phase will be commented in detail so they reflect requirements of this type of thesis. This way my thesis should help readers to understand the linkage of numerical methods deployment. Practical target of the first task is to determine the safety coefficient of the slope that sundowned earlier. Next purpose is to validate suitability of recommended remediations. Subject is surface greywacke mine located in northern Moravia. The simulation of heap mining near Pribram will be as a second case. Those heaps were created as a co-product of uranium mining. It is planned to mine those heaps in a non standart way, from the foot of the slope. Because of this, the stability conditions and changes in the slope are mainly safety issues. The results of such modeling can be used for technological process design. Finally there is mentioned real example where numerical modeling was used as tool for stress-strain state of massive.542 - Katedra hornického inženýrství a bezpečnostivyhově

Development of process safety for operating cycle of dump truck

Import 05/08/2014Základním cílem každého podniku je vytváření alespoň minimálního zisku. Pro udržení konkurenceschopnosti jsou podniky nuceny produkovat své výrobky levněji a kvalitněji za dodržení legislativních požadavků. Tato skutečnost otevřela prostor pro vývoj metod, které ke splnění uvedených požadavků pomáhají. Jednou z preventivních metod vedoucí ke konkurenceschopnému výrobku již ve fázi jeho vývoje je Analýza možnosti vzniku vad a jejich následků, metoda známá pod zkratkou FMEA. V této práci je metoda podrobněji popsána a aplikována nestandardně na vývoj bezpečnosti procesu kolové dopravy na povrchových dolech ve fázi projekce nové těžby. Hlavním cílem práce je zhodnocení účinnosti metody FMEA v oblasti procesní bezpečnosti jako alternativa ke konvenčním způsobům. Obecně může tato práce sloužit jako určitý návod na metodický přístup při vývoji bezpečnosti v ostatních oblastech hornictví.Basic goal of each company is creating at least the minimal profit. In order to keep competitiveness the companies are pressed to produce own products cheaply and in better quality included compliance with legislative requirements. This fact opened space for development of methods that can help to meet these requirements. One of the preventive methods leading to competitive product already in development phase is Failure mode and effects analysis FMEA. In this thesis FMEA method is described in detail and abnormally used for development of process safety for road transportation on quarries in projection period. The main goal of thesis is evaluation of FMEA efficiency in area of process safety as alternative to conventional methods. In general this thesis can be used as systematic direction for safety development in other areas of mining industry.Prezenční542 - Institut hornického inženýrství a bezpečnostivelmi dobř

Rola infekcji wirusem Epstein-Barr’a w rozwoju autoimmunologicznych chorób tarczycy

Introduction: Autoimmune thyroid diseases, including Graves’ and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, are the most frequent autoimmune disorders. Viral infection, including Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), is one of the most frequently considered environmental factors involved in autoimmunity. Its role in the development of AITD has not been confirmed so far.Material and methods: Surgical specimens of Graves’ and Hashimoto’s diseases and nodular goitres were included in the study. The expression of EBV latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) was analysed by immunohistochemistry, with the parallel detection of virus-encoded small nuclear non-polyadenylated RNAs (EBER) by in situ hybridisation.Results: In none of the Graves’ disease specimens but in 34.5% of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis cases the cytoplasmic expression of LMP1 was detected in follicular epithelial cells and in infiltrating lymphocytes. EBER nuclear expression was detected in 80.7% of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis cases and 62.5% of Graves´ disease cases, with positive correlation between LMP1 and EBER positivity in all Hashimoto’s thyroiditis LMP1-positive cases.Conclusions: We assume that high prevalence of EBV infection in cases of Hashimoto’s and Graves’ diseases imply a potential aetiological role of EBV in autoimmune thyroiditis. The initiation of autoimmune thyroiditis could start with EBV latency type III infection of follicular epithelium characterised by LMP1 expression involving the production of inflammatory mediators leading to recruitment of lymphocytes. The EBV positivity of the infiltrating lymphocytes could be only the presentation of a carrier state, but in cases with EBER+/ LMP1+ lymphocytes (transforming latent infection) it could represent a negative prognostic marker pointing to a higher risk of primary thyroid lymphoma development. (Endokrynol Pol 2015; 66 (2): 132–136)Wstęp: Autoimmunologiczne choroby taczycy, w tym zapalenia tarczycy Graves’a i Hashimoto, są najczęstszymi zaburzeniami autoimmunologicznymi. Infekcja wirusowa, w tym wirusem Epstein-Barr’a (EBV), jest jednym z najczęściej rozważanych czynników środowiskowych łączonych z autoimmunologią. Jego rola w rozwoju autoimmunologicznyh chorób taczycy (AITD) nie została do tej pory potwierdzona.Materiały i metody: Zbadano chirurgicznie pobrane preparaty od chorych na chorobę Gravesa, chorobę Hashimoto i wole guzowate. Ekspresja latentnego białka błonowego 1 (LMP1) EBV była zanalizowana metodami immunohistochemicznymi, z równoczesnym wykrywaniem kodowanych wirusem, małych, jądrzastych, niespoliadenylowanych RNA (EBER) poprzez hybrydazcję in situ.Wyniki: W żadnym z przypadków choroby Gravesa nie stwierdzono w komórkach pęcherzykowych i naciekających limfocytach ekspresji LMP1w cytoplazmie, ale wykryto ją w 34,5% przypadkach choroby Hashimoto. Jądrowa ekspresja EBER została wykryta w 80,7% przypadków zapalenia tarczycy Hashimoto i w 62,5% choroby Gravesa. Zauważono również dodatnią korelację pomiędzy LMP1 i występowaniem EBER we wszystkich przypadkach choroby Hashimoto LMP1+.Wnioski: Autorzy uwazają, że powszechne występowanie infekcji EBV w chorobach Hashimoto i Gravesa sugeruje potencjalną rolą etiologiczną EBV w rozwoju autoimmunologicznych zapaleń tarczycy. Zapoczątkowaniem autoimmunologicznych zapaleń tarczycy może być utajona infekcja EBV typu III, charakteryzująca się ekspresją LMP1 w komórkach pęcherzykowych i związana z produkcją mediatorów zapalnych prowadzącą do migracji limfocytów. Obecność EBV w naciekach limfocytarnych może być jedynie charakterystyczna dla nosiciela wirusa ale w przypadku obecności limfocytów EBER+/LMP1+ (przekształcajcych infekcję utajoną) może być negatywnym markerem prognostycznym wskazując podwyższone ryzyko rozwoju pierwotnego chłoniaka tarczycy. (Endokrynol Pol 2015; 66 (2): 132–136

Red wine polyphenols correct vascular function injured by chronic carbon tetrachloride intoxication

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of red wine polyphenols extract Provinols™ on the development of cardiovascular injury in the model of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) intoxication. We followed the thoracic aorta vasoactivity and left ventricle nitric oxide (NO) synthase activity in male Wistar rats. In the preventive experiment lasting for 12 weeks the control group, the group receiving CCl4 (0.5 ml/kg) two times a week subcutaneously, the group receiving Provinols™ (30 mg/kg/day) in drinking water and the group receiving CCl4+Provinols™ was used. In the recovery experiment, the initial 12 weeks of CCl4 treatment were followed by 3 weeks of spontaneous recovery or recovery with Provinols™. CCl4-intoxication resulted in the injury of vasoactivity which was demonstrated by the inhibition of acetylcholine-induced relaxation as well as noradrenaline-induced contraction. In the preventive as well as recovery experiment administration of polyphenols refreshed endothelium-dependent relaxant response and normalized inhibited contraction to adrenergic stimuli. Provinols™ treatment significantly increased NO-synthase activity in all groups. The results revealed beneficial effects of red wine polyphenols on vascular function injured by chronic CCl4 intoxication. The correction of endothelial function seems to be attributed to the activation of NO pathway by polyphenols

Spice up the hypertension diet - curcumin and piperine prevent remodeling of aorta in experimental L-NAME induced hypertension

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Increase of blood pressure is accompanied by functional and morphological changes in the vascular wall. The presented study explored the effects of curcuma and black pepper compounds on increased blood pressure and remodeling of aorta in the rat model of experimental NO-deficient hypertension.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Wistar rats were administered for 6 weeks clear water or L-NAME (40 mg/kg/day) dissolved in water, piperine (20 mg/kg/day), curcumin (100 mg/kg/day) or their combination in corn oil by oral gavage. The systolic blood pressure was measured weekly. Histological slices of thoracic aorta were stained with hematoxylin and eosin, Mallory's phosphotungstic acid hematoxylin (PTAH), orcein, picrosirius red and van Gieson staining and with antibodies against smooth muscle cells actin. Microscopic pictures were digitally processed and morphometrically evaluated.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The increase of blood pressure caused by L-NAME was partially prevented by piperine and curcumin, but the effect of their combination was less significant. Animals with hypertension had increased wall thickness and cross-sectional area of the aorta, accompanied by relative increase of PTAH positive myofibrils and decrease of elastin, collagen and actin content. Piperine was able to decrease the content of myofibrils and slightly increase actin, while curcumin also prevented elastin decrease. The combination of spices had similar effects on aortic morphology as curcumin itself.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Administration of piperine or curcumin, less their combination, is able to partially prevent the increase of blood pressure caused by chronic L-NAME administration. The spices modify the remodeling of the wall of the aorta induced by hypertension. Our results show that independent administration of curcumin is more effective in preventing negative changes in blood vessel morphology accompanying hypertensive disease.</p

Expression of Constitutive Nitric Oxide Synthase Isoforms in Varicose Vein Wall; Preliminary Results

There are conflicting findings in literature about the structural changes of the primary varicose veins. NO (a potent vasodilatator) is synthesized by nitric oxide synthase (NOS). From 3 known NOS isoforms the two are constitutional: eNOS (endothelial NOS) and nNOS (neuronal NOS). 10 varicose and 10 control vein samples were processed by standard light microscopy and immuno-histochemica techniques using rabbit polyclonal antibodies against eNOS and nNOS. Antibodies expression was evaluated semiquantitatively and proved morphometrically by 2D-image analysis. total area of NOS isoforms expressions was determined by color analysis and color digital subtraction. The results showed discontinuous and significantly lower expression of both NOS isoforms the in the tunica media of varicose veins compared with the control group. For the statistical analysis the unpaired t-test was used. Our results suppose lower NO levels in varicose vein wall, deducing that varicose dilatation is due to other mechanism, and they contradict the results of previously published similar works