The Influence of Titania Nanoparticles on the Electrodeposition of Ni-Mo-W Composites in Aqueous Electrolytes at Different Electrolyte Temperatures

The electrodeposition of Ni-Mo-W alloys and composites with TiO2 are examined with a rotating Hull cell to better understand the influence of the particle on the deposition composition and morphology. The addition of the TiO2 particle to the electrolyte and deposit, significantly affected the deposit composition when the electrolyte temperature was 650C. Both Ni and Mo composition in the deposit was enhanced, but not due to higher reaction rates. The enhancement was a result of an apparent inhibition by the hydrogen evolving side reaction. The W partial current density was most significantly inhibited. The deposit morphology changed with the addition of TiO2 with a reduction of microcracks compared to the particle-free deposit. The results suggest that the adsorption of the hydrogen intermediate from the side reaction is influenced by the particle, hindering hydrogen desorption, and indirectly affects the partial current densities of the nickel, molybdate and tungstate ion reduction and the morphology.The United States National Science Foundation, #0957448, and the American Electroplaters and Surface Finishing (AESF) in part supported this work

Marketing Research of Customer satisfaction in Sportcentrum TJ Lokomotiva Beroun

Název: Marketingový výzkum spokojenosti zákazníků sportcentra TJ Lokomotiva Beroun Cíle: Bakalářská práce "Marketingový výzkum spokojenosti zákazníků sportcentra TJ Lokomotiva Beroun" je v konečné podobě důležitým zdrojem informací pro sportcentrum TJ Lokomotiva Beroun. Cílem práce bylo zjistit spokojenost zákazníků se službami a produkty v závislosti na jejich očekávání. Získané názory, připomínky a návrhy respondentů na poskytované služby, byly použity ke zhodnocení stavu sportovní organizace. Na základě zhodnocení stavu byl předložen návrh na možné zlepšení. Metody: Práce vychází z teoretických poznatků na dané téma. Pro zjištění spokojenosti zákazníků byl použit marketingový výzkum založená na metodě dotazníkového šetření. Výsledky otázek z dotazníku jsou zachyceny v grafech. Na základě jejich interpretace byl vyhodnocen stav a provoz organizace Při získání informací o provozu sportcentra TJ Lokomotiva Beroun byl proveden polostrukturovaný dotazník se zaměstnancem sportcentra. Výsledky: Marketingový výzkum je zdrojem informací, který ve sportcentru doposud nebyl, a proto vedení sportcentra nemělo přehled o skutečných požadavcích a přáních svých zákazníků Klíčová slova: sportovní marketing, sportovní služby, marketingový mix služeb, spokojenost zákazníka, marketingový výzkumTitle: Marketing Research of Customer satisfaction in Sportcentrum TJ Lokomotiva Beroun Objectives: Thesis "Marketing Research of Customer satisfaction in Sportcentrum TJ Lokomotiva Beroun" is in its final form a very important source of information for Sportcentrum TJ Lokomotiva Beroun The aim of the work was to find customer satisfaction with services and products according to their expectations. The opinions, comments and suggestions made by respondents on the services provided were used to assess the state of the sporting organization. On the basis of the status evaluation, a proposal for a possible improvement was presented. Methods: The thesis is based on the theoretical knowledge on the subject. To determine customer satisfaction, marketing research based on the questionnaire survey method was used. The results of the questionnaire are captured in the charts. Based on their interpretation, the status and operation of the organization were assessed. When obtaining information about the operation of the TJ Lokomotiva Beroun sports center, a semi-structured questionnaire was carried out with an employee of the sports center. Results: Marketing research is the source of information that has not yet been at the sports center and therefore the management of the sports center has no knowledge of...ManagementFakulta tělesné výchovy a sportuFaculty of Physical Education and Spor

Histone Modifications Are Associated with Transcript Isoform Diversity in Normal and Cancer Cells

Mechanisms that generate transcript diversity are of fundamental importance in eukaryotes. Although a large fraction of human protein-coding genes and lincRNAs produce more than one mRNA isoform each, the regulation of this phenomenon is still incompletely understood. Much progress has been made in deciphering the role of sequence-specific features as well as DNA-and RNA-binding proteins in alternative splicing. Recently, however, several experimental studies of individual genes have revealed a direct involvement of epigenetic factors in alternative splicing and transcription initiation. While histone modifications are generally correlated with overall gene expression levels, it remains unclear how histone modification enrichment affects relative isoform abundance. Therefore, we sought to investigate the associations between histone modifications and transcript diversity levels measured by the rates of transcription start-site switching and alternative splicing on a genome-wide scale across protein-coding genes and lincRNAs. We found that the relationship between enrichment levels of epigenetic marks and transcription start-site switching is similar for protein-coding genes and lincRNAs. Furthermore, we found associations between splicing rates and enrichment levels of H2az, H3K4me1, H3K4me2, H3K4me3, H3K9ac, H3K9me3, H3K27ac, H3K27me3, H3K36me3, H3K79me2, and H4K20me, marks traditionally associated with enhancers, transcription initiation, transcriptional repression, and others. These patterns were observed in both normal and cancer cell lines. Additionally, we developed a novel computational method that identified 840 epigenetically regulated candidate genes and predicted transcription start-site switching and alternative exon splicing with up to 92% accuracy based on epigenetic patterning alone. Our results suggest that the epigenetic regulation of transcript isoform diversity may be a relatively common genome-wide phenomenon representing an avenue of deregulation in tumor development

Evolution of Genes Involved in Mammalian Reproduction and Sex Determination.

Traits that influence reproductive success and reproductive isolation in plants and animals have been the central focus of evolutionary biology since Darwin. Many genes were recently identified as important players during various phases of fertilization and sex determination. Although our understanding of the mechanism underlying the evolution of these genes is not complete, the emerging trend indicates that genes involved in reproduction are often rapidly evolving. Elucidating the mechanisms and factors that influence this fast pace of evolution has broad implications to human health and fertility, as well as the process of speciation, which is of fundamental relevance to the theory of evolution. Herein, I present case studies on three genes CATSPER1, SED1 and Sry, which are essential in sperm motility, sperm adhesion, and sex determination, respectively, and propose mechanisms by which natural selection has shaped their evolution. CATSPER1 is a calcium voltage-gated ion channel expressed on the plasma membrane of the principal tailpiece of spermatozoa and is essential for sperm motility. My findings document the first known case of positive Darwinian selection acting on the length of a protein (Podlaha and Zhang 2003). Specifically, natural selection promotes fixation of insertions and deletions in the CATSPER1 N-terminus, both in primates and rodents (Podlaha et al. 2005), affecting the ion channel’s rate of inactivation. Through the length variation of the N-terminus, channel’s rate of inactivation may have direct impact on sperm motility, which is an important determinant of sperm competition. SED1 is an important sperm-egg binding protein. My study provides evidence for a functional shift in SED1 due to a lineage specific loss of a protein-protein binding domain (Podlaha, Webb, and Zhang 2006). This domain loss was accompanied by positive selection in other parts of the protein in the ancestor of New World and Old World monkeys. The multifunctional nature of SED1 protein, however, obscures identification of the selective agent underlying this functional shift. Lastly, my analysis of the sex determination gene Sry addresses questions about the molecular mechanism that gives rise to fertile sex reversed females in akodont rodents.Ph.D.Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/57630/2/opodlaha_1.pd

John M. Hayes 1940-2017. Father of isotopes in modern and ancient biogeochemical processes, biosynthetic carbon and hydrogen isotope fractionation and compound specific isotope analytical techniques

John Michael Hayes, Professor of chemistry and geology for 26 years at Indiana University (Bloomington) until 1996, then director of the National Ocean Sciences Accelerator Mass Spectrometry facility at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and adjunct professor at Harvard University until 2007, died peacefully at his home in Berkeley, California, on February 3rd, 2017

Experimental assessment of a new type of vascular prostheses with adiponectin (adipograft ra 1vk 7/350) on sheep

Despite medical advancements, the development of an ideal vascular prosthesis still poses a great challenge. In this study the researchers tried to test and verify the characteristics of a new type of vascular prosthesis, using adiponectin (Adipograft Ra 1vk 7/350) developed at the Knitting Research Institute, a.s. Brno. Two types of vascular prostheses (12 with adiponectin and 6 as a control without adiponectin) were implanted in nine healthy 4-year-old Merino sheep. The implantation site was the common carotid artery and the length of the implant was 10 cm. We applied the theory of the protected coagulum, whereby all sheep received antibiotics as a prophylactic measure. A Doppler U.S. was performed before finishing each operation, in order to verify the patency of the prostheses. Each animal was followed up during the whole study and the prostheses were extirpated on days 30 and 100 (1 and 3 months). It was observed that all prostheses coated with adiponectin showed patency after extirpation. The lumen implants were of a consistent thickness of 7 mm. Histological study of the implanted prostheses confirmed a quick, high quality, healing. Experimental vascular prostheses coated with adiponectin appeared to be successful in clinical practice. The researchers think thatUprkos napretku medicine, razvoj idealne vaskularne proteze predstavlja značajan izazov. U ovoj studiji, obavljeno je testiranje i verifi kacija karakteristika novog tipa vaskularne prosteze upotrebom adiponektina (Adipograft Ra 1vk 7/350) koji je razvijen u Knitting istraživačkom institutu u Brnu. Dva tipa vaskularnih prosteza (12 sa adiponektinom i 6 kontrolnih, bez adiponektina) su implantirane u devet zdravih ovaca starih 4 godine, rase Merino. Implant, dužine 10 cm je implantiran u zajedničku karotidnu arteriju. Primenjena je teorija zaštićenog koaguluma pri čemu su ovce profi laktički primile antibiotsku terapiju. Pre završetka svake operacije, obavljen je Doppler U.S. u cilju verifi kacije prohodnosti prosteze. Svaka je životinja posmatrana tokom celog trajanja studije, a prosteze su uklanjane 30. i 100. dana (posle jednog i posle tri meseca). Uočeno je da su sve prosteze koje su sadržavale adiponektin posle uklanjanja pokazivale prohodnost. Celokupnom dužinom, lumen implanta je bio veličine do 7 mm. Histološkim ispitivanjem implantiranih prosteza, ustanovljeno je brzo i veoma Podlaha and Schwanhaeuser 437 kvalitetno zarastanje. Eksperimentalni rezultati ukazuju da su vaskularne prosteze obavijene adiponektinom uspešne sa stanovišta kliničke prakse. Na osnovu rezultata prohodnosti i brzine zarastanja, može da se zaključi da Adipograft Ra 1vk 7/350 može da predstavlja revoluciju u razvoju vaskularnih prosteza

(R,S P)-1-Diphenyl­phosphino-2-(1-ethoxy­ethyl)ferrocene

In the crystal structure of the title compound, [Fe(C5H5)(C21H22OP)], the cyclo­penta­dienyl (Cp) rings are almost parallel and are essentially eclipsed. The absolute configuration was determined as S for the planar and R for the central chirality

Large-scale viral genome analysis identifies novel clinical associations between hepatitis B virus and chronically infected patients

Chronic hepatitis B; HBeAg status; Viral genome variationHepatitis B crónica; Estado de HBeAg; Variación del genoma viralHepatitis B crònica; Estat de HBeAg; Variació del genoma viralDespite the high global prevalence of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection, datasets covering the whole hepatitis B viral genome from large patient cohorts are lacking, greatly limiting our understanding of the viral genetic factors involved in this deadly disease. We performed deep sequencing of viral samples from patients chronically infected with HBV to investigate the association between viral genome variation and patients’ clinical characteristics. We discovered novel viral variants strongly associated with viral load and HBeAg status. Patients with viral variants C1817T and A1838G had viral loads nearly three orders of magnitude lower than patients without those variants. These patients consequently experienced earlier viral suppression while on treatment. Furthermore, we identified novel variants that either independently or in combination with precore mutation G1896A were associated with the transition from HBeAg positive to the negative phase of infection. These observations are consistent with the hypothesis that mutation of the HBeAg open reading frame is an important factor driving CHB patient’s HBeAg status. This analysis provides a detailed picture of HBV genetic variation in the largest patient cohort to date and highlights the diversity of plausible molecular mechanisms through which viral variation affects clinical phenotype

Gravity as Archimedes' thrust and a bifurcation in that theory

Euler's interpretation of Newton's gravity (NG) as Archimedes' thrust in a fluid ether is presented in some detail. Then a semi-heuristic mechanism for gravity, close to Euler's, is recalled and compared with the latter. None of these two "gravitational ethers" can obey classical mechanics. This is logical since the ether defines the very reference frame, in which mechanics is defined. This concept is used to build a scalar theory of gravity: NG corresponds to an incompressible ether, a compressible ether leads to gravitational waves. In the Lorentz-Poincar\'e version, special relativity is compatible with the ether, but, with the heterogeneous ether of gravity, it applies only locally. A correspondence between metrical effects of uniform motion and gravitation is assumed, yet in two possible versions (one is new). Dynamics is based on a (non-trivial) extension of Newton's second law. The observational status for the theory with the older version of the correspondence is summarized.Comment: 24 pages, invited contribution to the Franco Selleri Festschrift, to appear in Found. Physics. v3: Endnote 45 on absolute simultaneity improved (formerly footnote 6: class file changed to revtex4), a few references updated (and now with titles). v2: minor correction in subsect. 3.2, some wording improvements, and a few references adde

On a modified-Lorentz-transformation based gravity model confirming basic GRT experiments

Implementing Poincar\'e's `geometric conventionalism' a scalar Lorentz-covariant gravity model is obtained based on gravitationally modified Lorentz transformations (or GMLT). The modification essentially consists of an appropriate space-time and momentum-energy scaling ("normalization") relative to a nondynamical flat background geometry according to an isotropic, nonsingular gravitational `affecting' function Phi(r). Elimination of the gravitationally `unaffected' S_0 perspective by local composition of space-time GMLT recovers the local Minkowskian metric and thus preserves the invariance of the locally observed velocity of light. The associated energy-momentum GMLT provides a covariant Hamiltonian description for test particles and photons which, in a static gravitational field configuration, endorses the four `basic' experiments for testing General Relativity Theory: gravitational i) deflection of light, ii) precession of perihelia, iii) delay of radar echo, iv) shift of spectral lines. The model recovers the Lagrangian of the Lorentz-Poincar\'e gravity model by Torgny Sj\"odin and integrates elements of the precursor gravitational theories, with spatially Variable Speed of Light (VSL) by Einstein and Abraham, and gravitationally variable mass by Nordstr\"om.Comment: v1: 14 pages, extended version of conf. paper PIRT VIII, London, 2002. v2: section added on effective tensorial rank, references added, appendix added, WEP issue deleted, abstract and other parts rewritten, same results (to appear in Found. Phys.