3D Application for Mobile Phones

Tato práce se zabývá 3D grafickými rozhraními M3G a MascotCapsule navrženými pro platformu J2ME (Java 2 Micro Edition). Nejprve poskytuje základní informace o samotné platformě a poté o obou rozhraních. Dále tato rozhraní porovnává z pohledu implementace, následuje porovnání jejich výkonnosti na základě testování na reálných mobilních zařízeních. Práce pak dále popisuje implementací demonstrační aplikace, která využívá rozhraní M3G.This thesis considers with 3D graphics interfaces M3G and MascotCapsule, both designed for platform J2ME (Java 2 Micro Edition). First of all it provides basic information about platform and then about both interfaces. Afterwards, interfaces are compared from implementation point of view. It is followed by comparision of performance based on testing on real mobile devices. Then this thesis describes implementation of demonstration application, which uses M3G interface.

Iron transport in K562 cells: a kinetic study using native gel electrophoresis and 59Fe autoradiography

AbstractThe exact mechanisms of iron transport from endosomes to the target iron containing cellular proteins are currently unknown. To investigate this problem, we used the gradient gel electrophoresis and the sensitive detection of 59Fe by autoradiography to detect separate cellular iron compounds and their iron kinetics. Cells of human leukemic line K562 were labeled with [59Fe]transferrin for 30–600 s and cellular iron compounds in cell lysates were analyzed by native electrophoretic separation followed by 59Fe autoradiography. Starting with the first 30 s of iron uptake, iron was detectable in a large membrane bound protein complex (Band I) and in ferritin. Significant amounts of iron were also found in labile iron compound(s) with the molecular weight larger than 5000 as judged by ultrafiltration. Iron kinetics in these compartments was studied. Band I was the only compound with the kinetic properties of an intermediate. Transferrin, transferrin receptor and additional proteins of the approximate molecular weights of 130 000, 66 000 and 49 000 were found to be present in Band I. The labile iron compounds and ferritin behaved kinetically as end products. No evidence for low molecular weight transport intermediates was found. These results suggest that intracellular iron transport is highly compartmentalized, that iron released from endosomal transferrin passes to its cellular targets in a direct contact with the endosomal membrane complex assigned as Band I. The nature of the labile iron pool and its susceptibility to iron chelation is discussed

Video Editor For Android Platform

Cílem této práce je implementovat jednoduchou aplikaci umožňující editaci videa na platformě Android. V teoretické části jsou popsány současné možnosti střihu videa na počítači a zmíněny také dostupné aplikace pro Android. Dále práce popisuje samotnou platformu a její vlastnosti se zaměřením na vývoj aplikací, zejména těch nativních. Následně je popsána knihovna FFmpeg pro zpracování multimediálních formátů, která byla při implementaci použita. V další části se práce zabývá vytvářenou aplikací a popisuje její návrh, strukturu, uživatelské rozhraní a postup implementace. Následně práce předkládá výsledky výkonnostních testů při zpracování videa a jejich zhodnocení. V závěru práce je aplikace porovnána s podobnými již existujícími aplikacemi.Main goal of this thesis is implementation of a simple video editing application for Android platform. In the theoretical part are described present-day possibilities of video editing on computers and mentioned also existing applications for Android. Then the platform itself and its features are described with focus to development of applications, especially native ones. The FFmpeg library for multimedia processing is described next. It was used in implementation of application. The next part of thesis considers with implemented application and describes its design, structure, user interface and process of implementation. Then the results of video processing performance tests and their evaluation are presented. In the end is the application compared with similar existing applications.

Humanoid robot

Práce je zaměřena na generování hybridní dynamiky dvounohého robota pomocí symbolického toolboxu programu Matlab. Dále se zabývá linearizací nelineárního modelu a optimálním řízením stavovým regulátorem. Implementuje objektový návrh generátoru a simulátoru s využitím jádra Matlab Simulink. Ovládání s vizualizací výsledků je zprostředkováno uživatelkým GUI.This work deals with automatic generation of hybrid dynamics of bipedal robot in Matlab symbolic toolbox. Next goal is to provide linearisation of nonlinear model and achieve optimal state space controller. Work implements object model generator and simulator based on core of Matlab Simulink and visualisation of the results in user friendly GUI.

Prion Protein Modulates Cellular Iron Uptake: A Novel Function with Implications for Prion Disease Pathogenesis

Converging evidence leaves little doubt that a change in the conformation of prion protein (PrPC) from a mainly α-helical to a β-sheet rich PrP-scrapie (PrPSc) form is the main event responsible for prion disease associated neurotoxicity. However, neither the mechanism of toxicity by PrPSc, nor the normal function of PrPC is entirely clear. Recent reports suggest that imbalance of iron homeostasis is a common feature of prion infected cells and mouse models, implicating redox-iron in prion disease pathogenesis. In this report, we provide evidence that PrPC mediates cellular iron uptake and transport, and mutant PrP forms alter cellular iron levels differentially. Using human neuroblastoma cells as models, we demonstrate that over-expression of PrPC increases intra-cellular iron relative to non-transfected controls as indicated by an increase in total cellular iron, the cellular labile iron pool (LIP), and iron content of ferritin. As a result, the levels of iron uptake proteins transferrin (Tf) and transferrin receptor (TfR) are decreased, and expression of iron storage protein ferritin is increased. The positive effect of PrPC on ferritin iron content is enhanced by stimulating PrPC endocytosis, and reversed by cross-linking PrPC on the plasma membrane. Expression of mutant PrP forms lacking the octapeptide-repeats, the membrane anchor, or carrying the pathogenic mutation PrP102L decreases ferritin iron content significantly relative to PrPC expressing cells, but the effect on cellular LIP and levels of Tf, TfR, and ferritin is complex, varying with the mutation. Neither PrPC nor the mutant PrP forms influence the rate or amount of iron released into the medium, suggesting a functional role for PrPC in cellular iron uptake and transport to ferritin, and dysfunction of PrPC as a significant contributing factor of brain iron imbalance in prion disorders

Biological responses to spider silk - antibiotic fusion protein

The development of a new generation of multifunctional biomaterials is a continual goal for the field of materials science. The in vivo functional behaviour of a new fusion protein that combines the mechanical properties of spider silk with the antimicrobial properties of hepcidin was addressed in this study. This new chimeric protein, termed 6mer + hepcidin, fuses spider dragline consensus sequences (6mer) and the antimicrobial peptide hepcidin, as we have recently described, with retention of bactericidal activity and low cytotoxicity. In the present study, mouse subcutaneous implants were studied to access the in vivo biological response to 6mer + hepcidin, which were compared with controls of silk alone (6mer), polylactic–glycolic acid (PLGA) films and empty defects. Along with visual observations, flow cytometry and histology analyses were used to determine the number and type of inflammatory cells at the implantation site. The results show a mild to low inflammatory reaction to the implanted materials and no apparent differences between the 6mer + hepcidin films and the other experimental controls, demonstrating that the new fusion protein has good in vivo biocompatibility, while maintaining antibiotic function.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) - SFRH/BD/28603/2006, Chimera project (No. PTDC/EBB-EBI/109093/2008), Proteo-Light (No. PTDC/FIS/68517/2006), NIH (Grant No. P41 EB002520) Tissue Engineering Resource Center; and the NIH (Grant Nos EB003210 and DE017207).Tissue Engineering Resource Center - Bolsa No. P41 EB002520, bolsa Nos EB003210 and DE017207European - Projeto EXPERTISSUES (No. NMP3- CT-2004-500283

Abnormal Brain Iron Homeostasis in Human and Animal Prion Disorders

Neurotoxicity in all prion disorders is believed to result from the accumulation of PrP-scrapie (PrPSc), a β-sheet rich isoform of a normal cell-surface glycoprotein, the prion protein (PrPC). Limited reports suggest imbalance of brain iron homeostasis as a significant associated cause of neurotoxicity in prion-infected cell and mouse models. However, systematic studies on the generality of this phenomenon and the underlying mechanism(s) leading to iron dyshomeostasis in diseased brains are lacking. In this report, we demonstrate that prion disease–affected human, hamster, and mouse brains show increased total and redox-active Fe (II) iron, and a paradoxical increase in major iron uptake proteins transferrin (Tf) and transferrin receptor (TfR) at the end stage of disease. Furthermore, examination of scrapie-inoculated hamster brains at different timepoints following infection shows increased levels of Tf with time, suggesting increasing iron deficiency with disease progression. Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD)–affected human brains show a similar increase in total iron and a direct correlation between PrP and Tf levels, implicating PrPSc as the underlying cause of iron deficiency. Increased binding of Tf to the cerebellar Purkinje cell neurons of sCJD brains further indicates upregulation of TfR and a phenotype of neuronal iron deficiency in diseased brains despite increased iron levels. The likely cause of this phenotype is sequestration of iron in brain ferritin that becomes detergent-insoluble in PrPSc-infected cell lines and sCJD brain homogenates. These results suggest that sequestration of iron in PrPSc–ferritin complexes induces a state of iron bio-insufficiency in prion disease–affected brains, resulting in increased uptake and a state of iron dyshomeostasis. An additional unexpected observation is the resistance of Tf to digestion by proteinase-K, providing a reliable marker for iron levels in postmortem human brains. These data implicate redox-iron in prion disease–associated neurotoxicity, a novel observation with significant implications for prion disease pathogenesis

Neonatal erythropoiesis and subsequent anemia in HIV-positive and HIV-negative Zimbabwean babies during the first year of life: a longitudinal study

BACKGROUND: Anemia is common in HIV infection and independently associated with disease progression and mortality. The pathophysiology of HIV-related anemia is not well understood especially in infancy. METHODS: We conducted a longitudinal cohort study nested within the Zimbabwe Vitamin A for Mothers and Babies Project. We measured hemoglobin, erythropoietin (EPO), serum transferrin receptor (TfR) and serum ferritin at 6 weeks, 3 and 6 months of age and hemoglobin at 9 and 12 months in 3 groups of randomly selected infants: 136 born to HIV-negative mothers, and 99 born to HIV-positive mothers and who were infected themselves by 6 weeks of age, and 324 born to HIV-positive mothers but who did not become infected in the 6 months following birth. RESULTS: At one year of age, HIV-positive infants were 5.26 (adjusted odds ratio, P < 0.001) times more likely to be anemic compared to HIV-negative infants. Among, HIV-negative infants, EPO was or tended to be inversely associated with hemoglobin and was significantly positively associated with TfR throughout the first 6 months of life; TfR was significantly inversely associated with ferritin at 6 months; and EPO explained more of the variability in TfR than did ferritin. Among infected infants, the inverse association of EPO to hemoglobin was attenuated during early infancy, but significant at 6 months. Similar to HIV-negative infants, EPO was significantly positively associated with TfR throughout the first 6 months of life. However, the inverse association between TfR and ferritin observed among HIV-negative infants at 6 months was not observed among infected infants. Between birth and 6 months, mean serum ferritin concentration declined sharply (by ~90%) in all three groups of babies, but was significantly higher among HIV-positive compared to HIV-negative babies at all time points. CONCLUSION: HIV strongly increases anemia risk and confounds interpretation of hematologic indicators in infants. Among HIV-infected infants, the EPO response to anemia is attenuated near the time of infection in the first weeks of life, but normalizes by 6 months

Anemia and iron homeostasis in a cohort of HIV-infected patients in Indonesia

Contains fulltext : 97632.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)BACKGROUND: Anemia is a common clinical finding in HIV-infected patients and iron deficiency or redistribution may contribute to the development of low hemoglobin levels. Iron overload is associated with a poor prognosis in HIV and Hepatitis C virus infections. Iron redistribution may be caused by inflammation but possibly also by hepatitis C co-infection. We examined the prevalence of anemia and its relation to mortality in a cohort of HIV patients in a setting where injecting drug use (IDU) is a main mode of HIV transmission, and measured serum ferritin and sTfR, in relation to anemia, inflammation, stage of HIV disease, ART and HCV infection. METHODS: Patient characteristics, ART history and iron parameters were recorded from adult HIV patients presenting between September 2007 and August 2009 in the referral hospital for West Java, Indonesia. Kaplan-Meier estimates and Cox's regression were used to assess factors affecting survival. Logistic regression was used to identity parameters associated with high ferritin concentrations. RESULTS: Anemia was found in 49.6% of 611 ART-naive patients, with mild (Hb 10.5 -12.99 g/dL for men; and 10.5-11.99 g/dL for women) anemia in 62.0%, and moderate to severe anemia (Hb < 10.5 g/dL) in 38.0%. Anemia remained an independent factor associated with death, also after adjustment for CD4 count and ART (p = 0.008). Seroprevalence of HCV did not differ in patients with (56.9%) or without anemia (59.6%). Serum ferritin concentrations were elevated, especially in patients with anemia (p = 0.07) and/or low CD4 counts (p < 0.001), and were not related to hsCRP or HCV infection. Soluble TfR concentrations were low and not related to Hb, CD4, hsCRP or ART. CONCLUSION: HIV-associated anemia is common among HIV-infected patients in Indonesia and strongly related to mortality. High ferritin with low sTfR levels suggest that iron redistribution and low erythropoietic activity, rather than iron deficiency, contribute to anemia. Serum ferritin and sTfR should be used cautiously to assess iron status in patients with advanced HIV infection

Czech taxation development in the years 1993 - 2009

My Bachelor thesis analyses the Czech taxation development in the years 1993 -- 2009. Regarding the theme extent, the focus of my thesis is mainly on three Czech tax reforms that took place within the span of the analyzed years. The work is divided into three inseparable parts. In the first one I outlined the essential tax terms such as tax, tax quota, taxation system and chiefly tax reform, out of which I proceeded from thereafter in the following chapters. In the second part in every single sub-chapter I deal with the tax reforms that were passed in the years 1993, 2004 and 2008. Therefore I examine their causes, courses and the most important modifications and impacts on the taxpayers. In the third part I summarize the entire preceding progress using both Czech compound tax quota development graph analyses and tax mix progress. In the very end afterwards, I try to propose my own measures suggestion, which could be helpful for the Czech taxation system. These ideas are based on the data of the previous development, actual trends and personal considering.Bakalářská práce analyzuje vývoj český daní v období 1993 -- 2009. Vzhledem k šíři tématu se v rámci rozsahu práce zaměřuji především na tři proběhnuvší reformy českého daňového systému. Práce je rozdělena do tří nedílných součástí. V první z nich jsem nastínil základní daňové pojmy jako jsou daň, daňová kvóta, daňový systém a především daňová reforma, z nichž v dalších kapitolách vycházím.V druhé části se v jednotlivých subkapitolách zaobírám samotnými daňovými reformami z let 1993, 2004 a 2008, analyzuji jejich příčiny, průběh, nejdůležitější změny a dopady na poplatníky. Ve třetí syntetické části potom shrnuji předešlý průběh za pomoci analýzy grafů vývoje složené daňové kvóty ČR a vývoje daňového mixu. Na závěr se potom na bázi předešlého vývoje, současných trendů a vlastního zamyšlení snažím navrhnout vlastní opatření, jež mohou být pro daňový systém ČR užitečná