Organizational excellence: approaches, models and their use at Czech organizations

Purpose: The paper brings a set of original information related to analysis and description of the current state in the area of excellence models implementation in Czech organisations. It defines these terms, analyses results of special research in Czech organisations and proposes a comprehensive and generic framework how to achieve the organisational excellence. The principal goal of this paper is to present the main possibilities, benefits, limitations and risks related to the practical use of excellence models in Czech organisations. Methodology/Approach: Brainstorming conferences, field research and relevant data analysis, seminars with quality professionals and other managers, comparative literature analysis and interviews were used to reach the principal goal. Findings: The organisational excellence concept is now widely discussed and implemented throughout the world. Unlike, the real situation in most Czech organizations is rather else. Level of knowledge and overall people awareness related to this concept and various excellence models is very low. This finding supports the assumption that is necessary to change company culture towards never-ending excellence effort in Czech organisations by way of systematic knowledge (including best practices) sharing among all levels of organizations staff. Research Limitation/implication: Special research activities focused on analysis and description of current state in area of excellence models implementation, which was performed on a sample of 321 Czech organisations (with more than 20% response rate). Such level of response rate was seriously influenced by the fact that practical use of various excellence models in Czech organisations is rather limited in present days. However, we can suppose the obtained results should be valid or interesting also for another organization, not only in the Czech Republic. Originality/Value of paper: The paper brings an original set of information from special market research as well as the development of a creative and generic framework of the organisational excellence tailored to Czech organisations. Category: Research paperWeb of Science222644

Flow in a bypass of a waterfeed valve

Proudění tekutiny je významnou součástí mnoha zařízení procesního průmyslu a je proto nutné je optimalizovat z hlediska hydraulických odporů. V této práci je řešeno proudění dvěma typy kolen, použitých v obtokové větvi ventilu. Výpočet je realizován použitím empirických vztahů pro ověření výsledků a správné nastavení počítačového modelu, ve kterém je následně proudění simulováno. Z této práce vyplývá několik závěrů pro použití modelu turbulence k- pro tento typ úloh a závislost přesnosti výsledků na diskretizaci výpočtové sítě.Fluid flow in pipes and fittings has a significant meaning in many sectors of industrial applications and thus it is important to reduce hydraulic ressistance in order to reduce pressure loses and ensure better efficiency of the system. In this thesis flow through two types of fitting is solved, using computer simulation. Empirical equations are used to verify results and to set the computer model right. This thesis formulates several conclusions in relation to k- turbulence model and accuracy of the results related to discretisation of the mesh.

Ontology-Based Method for Analysis of Inconsistency Factors in Emotion Recognition

In the paper the problem of inconsistency in emotion recognition is approached. One of the existing challenges is the exploration of factors, which can influence the inconsistency. Therefore the aim of the paper is to present a method that allows capturing knowledge of what factors and what values of these factors influence the inconsistencies between recognized emotional states. The high-level, semi-automatic method allowing to recognize these factors is presented. The input of the method is the structured dataset and the output is the set of rules identifying when recognized emotional states are consistent or not. The presented method is validated for the dataset prepared for emotion recognition from face expressions using various methods

How Natural Selection Can Create Both Self- and Other-Regarding Preferences, and Networked Minds

Biological competition is widely believed to result in the evolution of selfish preferences. The related concept of the `homo economicus' is at the core of mainstream economics. However, there is also experimental and empirical evidence for other-regarding preferences. Here we present a theory that explains both, self-regarding and other-regarding preferences. Assuming conditions promoting non-cooperative behaviour, we demonstrate that intergenerational migration determines whether evolutionary competition results in a `homo economicus' (showing self-regarding preferences) or a `homo socialis' (having other-regarding preferences). Our model assumes spatially interacting agents playing prisoner's dilemmas, who inherit a trait determining `friendliness', but mutations tend to undermine it. Reproduction is ruled by fitness-based selection without a cultural modification of reproduction rates. Our model calls for a complementary economic theory for `networked minds' (the `homo socialis') and lays the foundations for an evolutionarily grounded theory of other-regarding agents, explaining individually different utility functions as well as conditional cooperation

Framework Proposal for Simulation of Physical Layer Parameters in LTE/SAE System

Import 03/11/2016Cílem této práce je detailnější seznámení s fyzickou vrstvou technologie LTE. Podropbněji popisuje funkce této oblasti, jednotlivé parametry a jejich rozbor a framework jehož součástí je simulace Link Adaptation a Resource Grid Mapping. V první části diplomové práce je popsána problematika fyzické vrstvy LTE a její nejdůležitější vlastnosti. Druhá část popisuje parametry pro vyhodnocení kvality rádiového kanálu. Dále jsou přiblíženy vlastnosti vytvořeného Frameworku a v následující část obsahuje naměřené výsledky pro jednotlivé typy rádiového prostředí, specifikované společností 3GPP. V závěrečné části jsou uvedeny vytvořené projekty pro simulaci 4G sítí a přiblížena problematika jejich tvorby. Pro pochopení tématu se předpokládá základní znalost technologie LTE.The goal of this work is detailed introduction to physical layer of LTE technology. Including extensive function of this field, related parameters with analysis and created framework that is including simulation of link adaptation and resource grid mapping. First part is focused on important features of LTE physical layer. Second part describes parameters for evaluation of transport channel quality. Furthermore thesis is describing features of created framework. Next part is dedicated to analysis of measurements from mentioned framework and influence of channel qualities specified by 3GPP organization. Finally the last part is focused on existing simulations and issues with simulation of 4G networks. Basic knowledge of LTE is recommended to understand the problems included in this thesis.440 - Katedra telekomunikační technikydobř

Computational simulation of air flow in a gas burner

Tato práce je zaměřena na počítačové modelování proudění v hořáku. Hlavním cílem je poskytnout komplexní porovnání výsledků získaných pomocí několika přístupů k modelování, na různých výpočetních sítích a také pomocí různých modelů turbulence. Pro validaci jsou použita experimentální data z měření. Numericky získaná data jsou porovnána mezi sebou navzájem a také s experimentálními daty. Na vypočtená data je také aplikována metoda vlastní ortogonální dekompozice. Největším přínosem této práce je poskytnutí širšího pohledu na modelování vířivého proudění v hořáku a zde dosažené výsledky pomohou k lepšímu porozumění chování jednotlivých modelů pro úlohy tohoto typu a jejich potenciál pro modelování spalování v pecích.This work is focused on computational modelling of a flow in a burner. The main objective is to provide a complex comparison of the results obtained through several approaches to modeling, on different computational grids and also using different turbulence models. Experimental measurement data are used for validation. Numerically obtained data are compared to each other and to experimental data. The method of Proper-Orthogonal Decomposition is also applied on the calculated data. The greatest benefit of this work is providing a wider view on the swirling flow modeling in burners and the results obtained here will help to better understand the behavior of stated models for tasks of this kind and their potential for modelling combustion in furnaces.

Ecg Signal Quality Annotation

This paper presents eight methods for extracting signal quality features and threshold based algorithm that evaluates the ECG signal quality. Each signal sample is classified into one of the three defined ECG signal quality classes

ECG based human authentication and identification

V posledních letech je zkoumáno využití EKG pro verifikaci a identifikaci osob v biometrických systémech. V této práci je tato možnost rovněž zkoumána a ověřována na databázi ECG ID z PhysioNetu a také na vlastních záznamech měřených pomocí Apple Watch Series 4. Mnohé existující metody již ověřily možnost použití EKG pro biometrii, ale na záznamech pořízených klinickým EKG přístrojem. Tato práce ověřuje možnost využití záznamů EKG pořízených pomocí nositelných zařízení, konkrétně chytrých hodinek. Ze signálu EKG je extrahováno 16 příznaků, které jsou za použití náhodného lesa jako klasifikátoru využity pro verifikaci a identifikaci. Mezi příznaky patří intervaly mezi význačnými body v signálu EKG, potenciálové rozdíly mezi některými body v signálu a variabilita intervalů PR v rámci záznamu. Průměrné výsledky verifikace 14 osob z vlastní databáze dat jsou TRR 96,19 %, TAR 84,25 %.In the past years, utilization of ECG for verification and identification in biometry is investigated. The topic is investigated in this thesis. Recordings from ECG ID database from PhysioNet and our own ECG recordings recorded using Apple Watch 4 are used for training and testing this method. Many of the existing methods have proven the possibility of using ECG for biometry, however they were using clinical ECG devices. This thesis investigates using recordings from wearable devices, specifically smart watch. 16 features are extracted from ECG recordings and a random forest classifier is used for verification and identification. The features include time intervals between fiducial points, voltage difference between fiducial points and PR intervals variability in a recording. The average performance of verification model of 14 people is TRR 96,19 %, TAR 84,25 %.

Study on chromium-binding capacity of Callitriche cophocarpa in an aquatic environment

The aim of the present study was to investigate the binding strength of chromium (Cr) ions to aquatic macrophyte Callitriche cophocarpa. Shoots of the plants were incubated in a natural water solution containing Cr(III) or Cr(VI) at a concentration ranging from 0.5 to 4 mM under laboratory conditions. We found that C. cophocarpa has an extremely high capacity to bind Cr. The average level of accumulation reached 28,385 or 7,315 mg kg(−1) dry weight for plants incubated with Cr(III) or Cr(VI), respectively. Shoots incubated in a 0.5 mM concentration of Cr(III) for 5 days removed almost 100 % of the metal from solution. The major pool of the bound Cr(III) ions follows the strongest mechanism of metal-binding to an organic matter. In contrast, we found that only 25 % of Cr(VI) ions are bound into the metallo-organic compounds and 57 % of Cr(VI) exists in an easily remobilizable form. Activity of a photosynthetic electron transport (as F(V)/F(M)) was evaluated with respect to the Cr-binding mechanism. Our results contribute to the development of knowledge on processes controlling bioremediation of heavy-metallic compounds in aquatic systems

The role of antioxidant response and nonphotochemical quenching of chlorophyll fluorescence in long-term adaptation to Cu-induced stress in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

Copper is an essential micronutrient, but at supraoptimal concentrations it is also highly toxic, inducing oxidative stress and disrupting photosynthesis. The aim of the present study was to analyze selected protective mechanisms in strains of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii adapted and not adapted for growth in the presence of elevated copper concentrations. Two algal lines (tolerant and non-tolerant to high $Cu^{2+}$ concentrations) were used in experiments to study photosynthetic pigment content, peroxidase activity, and non-photochemical quenching. The content of prenyllipids was studied in four different algal lines (two of the same as above and two new ones). The copper-adapted strains contained about 2.6 times more α-tocopherol and plastoquinol and about 1.7 times more total plastoquinone than non-tolerant strains. Exposure to excess copper led to oxidation of the plastoquinone pool in non-tolerant strains, whereas this effect was less pronounced or did not occur in copper-tolerant strains. Peroxidase activity was approximately 1.75 times higher in the tolerant strain than in the non-tolerant one. The increase in peroxidase activity in the tolerant strain was less pronounced when the algae were grown in dim light. In the tolerant line nonphotochemical quenching was induced faster and was usually about 20-30% more efficient than in the non-tolerant line. The improvement of antioxidant defense and photoprotection may be important factors in the evolutionary processes leading to tolerance to heavy metals