Assessment of Business Environment of Liberec Region

Diplomová práce je zaměřena na zhodnocení podnikatelského prostředí libereckého regionu. Práce je rozdělena na teoretickou a praktickou část. Z teoretického hlediska se práce zabývá vymezením základních pojmů. Jsou popsány lokalizační faktory, které ovlivňují kvalitu podnikatelského prostředí. V rámci diplomové práce je provedeno zhodnocení jednotlivých faktorů ovlivňujících kvalitu podnikatelského prostředí v regionu. Celkový počet kritérií je 16. Tyto kritéria patří do šesti skupin faktorů: obchodních, pracovních, infrastrukturních, lokálních, cenových a environmentálních. Výstupem praktické části je pak celkové zhodnocení regionu a výhled jednotlivých faktorů do budoucna.The thesis is focused on the evaluation of the business environment in the Liberec region. The work is divided into theoretical and practical part. From a theoretical point of view it deals with the basic concepts. There are described localization factors that affect the quality of the business environment. The thesis is an assessment of the various factors affecting the quality of the business environment in the region. The total number of 16 criteria were identified. These criteria are classified into six groups of factors: a group of business, employment, infrastructure, locality, price and environment. The outcome of the practical part is an overall assessment of the region and the future outlook for the individual factors of the region

Peroxidative damage of mitochondrial respiration is substrate-dependent

Summary The concentration-dependence of tert-butyl hydroperoxide (BHP) inhibitory effect on oxygen consumption in isolated rat liver mitochondria was measured in the presence of various respiratory substrates. Strong inhibitory effect at low concentrations of BHP (15-30 µM) was found for oxoglutarate and palmitoyl carnitine oxidation. Pyruvate and glutamate oxidation was inhibited at higher concentrations of BHP (100-200 µM). Succinate oxidation was not affected even at 3.3 mM BHP. Determination of mitochondrial membrane potential has shown that in the presence of NADH-dependent substrates the membrane potential was dissipated by BHP but was completely restored after addition of succinate. Our data thus indicate that beside peroxidative damage of complex I also various mitochondrial NADH-dependent dehydrogenases are inhibited, but to a different extent and with different kinetics. Our data also show that succinate could be an important nutritional substrate protecting hepatocytes during peroxidative damage

Effect of S-adenosylmethionine on Acetaminophen-induced Toxic Injury of Rat Hepatocytes in vitro

Acetaminophen (AAP) overdose causes severe liver injury and is the leading cause of acute liver injury in humans. The mechanisms participating in its toxic effect are glutathione depletion, oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) is the principal biological methyl donor and is also a precursor of glutathione. In our previous studies we have documented a protective action of SAMe against various toxic injuries of rat hepatocytes in primary cultures. The aim of this study was to evaluate a possible protective effect of SAMe against AAP-induced toxic injury of primary rat hepatocytes. Hepatocytes were exposed to AAP (2.5 mM) or AAP together with SAMe at the final concentrations of 5, 25 or 50 mg/l for 24 h. Incubation of hepatocytes with AAP caused a significant increase of the leakage of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) (p p p p < 0.05). SAMe did not influence AAP-induced decrease of cellular content of glutathione. Mitochondrial respiration of harvested digitonin-permeabilized hepatocytes was measured; Complex II was more sensitive to toxic action of AAP, respiration was decreased by 20%. This decrease was completely abolished by SAMe

Recipe of a food supplement based on bioactive substances isolated from Prunus spinosa

Blackthorn fruits (Prunus spinosa) are small blue-purple drupes containing a range of bioactive substances that give them diverse biological effects. They are traditionally used not only in folk medicine, as they are attributed with many preventive and therapeutic effects. The presented master´s thesis deals with the preparation and characterization of an ethanol extract and dietary supplements based on bioactive substances isolated from the fruits of blackthorn. The ethanol extract was prepared by maceration fresh Prunus spinosa fruits in 40% alcohol. The extract was analyzed for the polyphenols (2111.39±11.32 mg GAE/l), flavonoids (903.89±5.08 mg CAE/l) and anthocyanins (165.24±0.38 mg CGE/l) content, antioxidant (11.99±0.40 mmol TE/l) and antimicrobial activity, phenolic compounds profile and sugars profile. The ethanolic extract exhibited antibacterial effect against the gram-positive bacterium Micrococcus luteus and gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli but was not effective against the yeast Candida glabrata. After gentle concentration on a vacuum evaporator, the extract was used to prepare a dietary supplement. Two types of dietary supplements were prepared, namely gelatine candies with blackthorn fruit extract and gelatine capsules filled with lyophilized fruit powder. The nutritional profile of these products, content of bioactive substances (i.e. total polyphenols, flavonoids, and anthocyanins), phenolic compound profile and antioxidant activity were characterized. Additionally, the release of polyphenols was monitored during a simulated in vitro digestion. The gelatine candies with different extract concentrations (5, 10, 15 and 20 %) were subjected to sensory evaluation, where the aim was to optimize the addition of the extract to the gelatine matrix. According to the preferences of the evaluators, the sample with 15 % extract was rated as the best in terms of overall taste. In the ranking test, this sample was ranked second, behind the sample with 5 % extract, which, on the other hand, received a worse sensory profile rating. The thesis also included monitoring the effect of freezing, lyophilization, and drying on the bioactive compounds content (i.e. total polyphenols, flavonoids, anthocyanins) and antioxidant activity of Prunus spinosa fruits. The highest contents of total polyphenols (57.49±0.33 mg GAE/g DW), flavonoids (45.75±0.12 mg CAE/g DW) and anthocyanins (6.41±0.19 mg CGE/g DW) were quantified in lyophilized fruits, but the highest antioxidant activity (281.72±0.70 mol TE/g DW) was observed in frozen fruits. A statistically significant moderately strong positive correlation (0.641) of antioxidant activity and total flavonoids was observed for the analyzed samples. The results of the thesis showed a great potential for the use of blackthorn berries in the nutraceutical industry, where they can contribute as active additives to increasing both the bioactive and nutritional quality of dietary supplements

Characterization of blackthorn products

Tato bakalářská práce se zabývá přípravou a následnou charakterizací ethanolových extraktů a produktů z plodů trnky obecné (Prunus spinosa L.). Teoretická část práce obsahuje charakterizaci trnky obecné a popis chemického složení plodů. Dále jsou v teoretické části diskutovány účinky a možné využití plodů Prunus spinosa L. v potravinářství, lidovém léčitelství a ve farmacii. V experimentální části je popsána příprava extraktů (40% ethanol) a produktů (tj. domácí trnkové víno a domácí trnkový likér). Ve vzorcích vína, likérů, šťávy a ethanolových extraktů byl kvantifikován obsah celkových redukujících sacharidů, polyfenolů a flavonoidů. Dále byla stanovena antioxidační aktivita jednotlivých vzorků. Pro stanovení redukujících sacharidů byly použity a srovnány dvě spektrofotometrické metody, a to metoda podle Somogyi-Nelsona (SN) a metoda s 3,5-dinitrosalicylovou kyselinou (DNS). DNS metoda poskytovala mírně nadhodnocené výsledky, zatímco výsledky z SN metody byly skutečnému obsahu redukujících cukrů bližší. Jak polyfenoly, tak flavonoidy jsou látky, které vykazují antioxidační vlastnosti. U analyzovaných vzorků byla pozorována silná korelace antioxidační aktivity s koncentrací flavonoidních látek.This bachelor thesis deals with the preparation and the chemical characterization of ethanolic extracts and products from the blackthorn (Prunus spinosa L.) fruit. The theoretical part of the work contains the characterization of the blackthorn and describes the chemical composition of the fruit. Furthermore, the theoretical part states possible effects and possible uses of the Prunus spinosa L. fruit in the food industry, folk medicine and pharmacy. The experimental part describes the preparation of the extracts (40% ethanol) and the products (i.e., homemade sloe wine and homemade blackthorn liqueur). The content of reducing sugars, polyphenols and flavonoids was quantified in samples of wine, liqueur, juice and ethanol extracts. Furthermore, the antioxidant activity of individual samples was determined. Two spectrophotometric methods for the determination of reducing sugars were used and compared, namely the Somogyi-Nelson (SN) assay and the 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid (DNS) assay. The DNS assay provided slightly overestimated results, while the results from the SN assay were closer to the actual content of reducing sugars. Polyphenols and flavonoids are substances that have antioxidant properties. A strong correlation was observed between antioxidant activity and the concentration of flavonoids.

The US Supreme Court, its, formation and first key decisions

These days, the Supreme Court of the United States represents a very important and irreplaceable role in its home land: protection of constitutionality, explanation of federal laws, as well as appellate court of last resort within the framework of American courts. Today there is no doubt about its jurisdiction, but there were doubts. In the beginning of its existence no one was sure if the Court could overcome the initial obstacles which were in the way. This diploma thesis deals with the initial existence of the Supreme Court of the United States, its role within the framework of the US federal power system, and its progressive integration as equal with the legislative branch and executive power - The United States Congress and the President, respectively. The main objective of this thesis is to introduce the federal judiciary of the United States, show its differences from the continental system, and accentuate the importance of precedents. First, I focus on the history of the United States; colonization by British citizens, the American War for Independence, The Declaration of Independence, and the formation of American statehood in the 1780s, which resulted in the acceptance of one of the longest- lasting written constitutions in the world. After the historical excurse, the thesis focuses on..