The quasi-particle gap in a disordered boson Hubbard model in two dimensions

We investigate the behavior of the quasi-particle energy gap near quantum phase transitions in a two-dimensional disordered boson Hubbard model at a commensurate filling. Via Monte Carlo simulations of ensembles with fixed numbers of particles, we observe the behavior of the gap as a function of the tuning parameter for various strength of diagonal disorder. For weak disorder, we find that gapped Mott insulating phase is sustained up to the transition point and disappears only in a superfluid, strongly supporting a direct Mott-insulator-to-superfluid transition. Bose glass behavior, insulating with vanishing gap, appears only when the strength of disorder is bigger than a critical value

Private international law in South Korea compared to Czech legal regulation

[Private International Law in South Korea Compared to Czech Legal Regulation] Abstract The thesis deals with Private International Law of South Korea and sets as its goal to give a comprehensive overview on Korean Private International Law. Its another goal to be set is to make a comparison between Korean and Czech Private International Law. The thesis consists of an introduction, five chapters and a conclusion. The first chapter focuses on the term of ‚Private International Law' in South Korea and the Czech Republic, giving a good theoretical starting point to understand the topic of the paper. Besides, it deals with the position of Private International Law in legal system of each country as well. The second chapter looks into and compares the ways how the law of each country regulates private legal relations with foreign factors and provides so the theoretical basis for understanding of the work. The third chapter deals with legal sources of Private International Law of each country. It points out differences and similarities between various legal sources that are valid for each country. The fourth chapter focuses on Korean Private International Law Act. The author analyses and provides with a concise explanation of Articles of the Act while making simple comparison between Korean and Czech or European...[Mezinárodní právo soukromé v Jižní Koreji ve srovnání s českou právní úpravou] Abstrakt Diplomová práce se zabývá mezinárodním právem soukromým v Jižní Koreji a klade si za cíl vytvořit ucelený přehled o korejském mezinárodním právu soukromém spolu s porovnáním s českou právní úpravu mezinárodního práva soukromého. Práce je začleněna do úvodu, pěti kapitol a závěru. První kapitola se zabývá vymezením základního pojmu ‚mezinárodní právo soukromé' v Jižní Koreji a v České republice a poskytuje tak teoretické východisko pro pochopenítématu. Dále se věnuje postavenímezinárodního práva soukromého v systému práva každého státu. Druhá kapitola zkoumává a porovnává způsoby úpravy soukromoprávních vztahů v obou státech, což je teoretickým základem k porozumění práce a tématu vůbec. Třetí kapitola se zaměřuje na formální prameny mezinárodního práva soukromého v jednotlivých státech a poukazuje na případné odlišnosti či naopak společné rysy ve druzích pramenů práva. Ve čtvrté kapitole jsou stručně rozebrána jednotlivá ustanoveníkorejského zákona mezinárodního práva soukromého. Autorka tak v této kapitole podává stručný výklad o jednotlivých ustanoveních zákona. V páté kapitole je stručně prozkoumávána právníúprava mezinárodního práva soukromého v SeverníKoreji, zejména struktura severokorejského zákona o mezinárodním...Department of Business LawKatedra obchodního právaPrávnická fakultaFaculty of La

Implications of MicroRNAs in the Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling

Vascular remodeling or arterial remodeling is a process of adaptive alteration of vascular wall architecture and leads to the endothelial cell (EC) dysfunction and synthetic or contractile phenotypic change of VSMCs, and the infiltration of monocytes and Macrophages that promotes vascular diseases including atherosclerosis. Recent findings have demonstrated that microRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in regulating gene expression at posttranscriptional level and disease pathogenesis. A change of miRNA expression profiles plays key roles in the gene expressions and the regulation of cellular functions. In this chapter, we summarize the vascular remodeling-related miRNAs and their functions in vascular biology

Mobile resistome of human gut and pathogen drives anthropogenic bloom of antibiotic resistance

BACKGROUND:The impact of human activities on the environmental resistome has been documented in many studies, but there remains the controversial question of whether the increased antibiotic resistance observed in anthropogenically impacted environments is just a result of contamination by resistant fecal microbes or is mediated by indigenous environmental organisms. Here, to determine exactly how anthropogenic influences shape the environmental resistome, we resolved the microbiome, resistome, and mobilome of the planktonic microbial communities along a single river, the Han, which spans a gradient of human activities. RESULTS:The bloom of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) was evident in the downstream regions and distinct successional dynamics of the river resistome occurred across the spatial continuum. We identified a number of widespread ARG sequences shared between the river, human gut, and pathogenic bacteria. These human-related ARGs were largely associated with mobile genetic elements rather than particular gut taxa and mainly responsible for anthropogenically driven bloom of the downstream river resistome. Furthermore, both sequence- and phenotype-based analyses revealed environmental relatives of clinically important proteobacteria as major carriers of these ARGs. CONCLUSIONS:Our results demonstrate a more nuanced view of the impact of anthropogenic activities on the river resistome: fecal contamination is present and allows the transmission of ARGs to the environmental resistome, but these mobile genes rather than resistant fecal bacteria proliferate in environmental relatives of their original hosts. Video abstract

High Performance Electrocatalysts Based on Pt Nanoarchitecture for Fuel Cell Applications

Fuel cells, converting chemical energy from fuels into electricity directly without the need for combustion, are promising energy conversion devices for their potential applications as environmentally friendly, energy efficient power sources. However, to take fuel cell technology forward towards commercialization, we need to achieve further improvements in electrocatalyst technology, which can play an extremely important role in essentially determining cost-effectiveness, performance, and durability. In particular, platinum- (Pt-) based electrocatalyst approaches have been extensively investigated and actively pursued to meet those demands as an ideal fuel cell catalyst due to their most outstanding activity for both cathode oxygen reduction reactions and anode fuel oxidation reactions. In this review, we will address important issues and recent progress in the development of Pt-based catalysts, their synthesis, and characterization. We will also review snapshots of research that are focused on essential dynamics aspects of electrocatalytic reactions, such as the shape effects on the catalytic activity of Pt-based nanostructures, the relationships between structural morphology of Pt-based nanostructures and electrochemical reactions on both cathode and anode electrodes, and the effects of composition and electronic structure of Pt-based catalysts on electrochemical reaction properties of fuel cells.</jats:p

Tailored stereotactic radiotherapy technique using deep inspiration breath-hold to reduce stomach dose for cardiac radioablation

PURPOSE: To provide a new insight on a novel safe cardiac radioablation using deep inspiration breath-hold (DIBH) to reduce gastrointestinal dose. MATERIALS AND METHODS: For treating incessant ventricular tachycardia (VT) originated from left ventricle inferior scar abutting the stomach, a target delineation and treatment planning for cardiac radioablation was performed. With four different computed tomography (CT) scan protocols-DIBH, full expiration breath-hold, four-dimensional (4D) CT without and with abdominal compression, the distances between the target and the stomach were compared. RESULTS: Among the protocols, the CT scan with DIBH showed largest distance between the target and the stomach and selected for the treatment planning. The prescribed dose was 25 Gy in a single fraction, and satisfactory dosimetric parameters were achieved with the DIBH. The patient was successfully treated with the DIBH, and experienced no acute toxicity. CONCLUSION: To gain the best benefit from cardiac radioablation, understanding the possible toxicity in the adjacent organs is crucial. By moving the heart with thoraco-diaphragmatic movement by DIBH, the target could be physically separated from the stomach