Геофізичні методи у дослідженнях дна Світового океану (до 85-річчя С.Т. Звольського)

В статті висвітлено роль геофізичних методів дослідження донних осадів у розвитку нових напрямків у морській геології через наукові напрцювання доктора геолого-мінералогічних наук С.Т. Звольського.В статье показана роль геофизических методов исследования донных осадков в развитии новых направлений в морской геологии через научные наработки доктора геолого-минералогических наук С.Т. ЗвольскогоThe article shows role of geophysical methods for investigation of bottom deposits in the development of new depatments in marine geology through scientific achievements Doctor of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences S.T. Zvolsk

Eating disorders from the perspective of teachers of selected secondary schools

Katedra speciální pedagogikyFaculty of EducationPedagogická fakult

Ecological validity of cognitive training research

Diplomová práce se zab%vá tématem ekologické validity kognitivního trénování u vysokoškolsk%ch student'. V%zkumn% soubor tvo(ilo )ty(icet p"t vysokoškolsk%ch student', kte(í se zú)astnili t(ím"sí)ního v%zkumu, p(i kterém dv" t(etiny z nich trénovaly pomocí po)íta)ového programu CogniFit, kter% umo*+uje individualizovan% kognitivní trénink v domácím prost(edí. Tato studie zkoumala vliv kognitivního tréninku na ka*dodenní kognitivní fungování u studujících. V%zkumnou metodou pro sebeposuzování kognitivních funkcí byla baterie dotazník': Cognititive Failure Questionnaire, Everyday Memory Questionnaire a Dysexecutive Questinnaire. Studující dále vypl+ovali Schwartz Outcome Scale - 10 a dotazník Sebehodnocení pro zjišt"ní dalších prom"nn%ch. Pro studii byl zvolen design test-restest a kontrolní skupina pro porovnání v%sledk'. Anal%zou získan%ch údaj' bylo objeveno jen málo signifikantních d'kaz' o ekologické validit" kognitivního trénování, avšak tento v%sledek lze dát do souvislosti s velkou kognitivní zát"*í u v%zkumného vzorku. Vedlejším cenn%m v%sledkem studie je opakovan" potvrzen% vztah mezi úrovní exekutivních funkcí a kvalitou *ivota u student'. Zkvalitn"ní metodologie i problém s randomizací trénujících je reflektován v diskuzi. Ná)rt dalšího rozpracování v%zkumu i rozší(ení o dostupná data z...This Master thesis is focused on ecological validity of a cognitive training in university students. Forty-five students participated in three months research during which 30 of them took regular personalized cognitive training using CogniFit programme on their computers. The study examines the impact of the cogntitive training on everyday cognitive functioning of students. The scientific methods used for the ecological validity research were the following self-reporting questionnaires: Cognititive Failure Questionnaire, Everyday Memory Questionnaire and Dysexecutive Questinnaire. Students also filled in Schwartz Outcome Scale - 10 and Self-image questionnaire for detailed exploration of more variables. For the research, we applied test-retest design and used control group of fifteen students for results comparison. Analysis of the gathered data proved little evidence of ecological validity of cognitive training, which can be attributed to considerable cognitive stress at students. An unexpected outcome of the study which proved to be very significant is relation between executive functions and well-being of a student. This relation was confirmed repeatedly. Possible improvements of methodology and also problem with randomization of students is discussed. Proposal for the further development of...Katedra psychologieFaculty of EducationPedagogická fakult

An investigation into the neuroprotective properties of melatonin

Until the beginning of this decade the neurohormone, melatonin, had been considered as little more than a tranquillising hormone, responsible for regulating certain circadian and circannual rhythms. In the last eight years, a whole new dimension to melatonin’s role in biological organisms has emerged. In 1991 it was discovered [1,2] that melatonin exhibited antioxidant properties. Since then, many researchers [3,4] have found melatonin to be a powerful free radical scavenger and antioxidant. In the present study, the ability of melatonin to offer neuroprotection against glutamate, N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), quinolinic acid (QA) and kainic acid (KA) (collectively referred to as the glutamate receptor agonists) was investigated. It was first shown that stress causes an increase in circulating glucocorticoid concentrations, which resulted in an increase the number of glutamate receptors on synaptic membranes in rat brain homogenate. Melatonin acted to reduce the number of glutamate receptors present on the synaptic membranes, implying that melatonin has neuroprotective properties, as overstimulation of the glutamate receptors leads to excitotoxicity and neurodegeneration. Further investigations showed that the glutamate receptor agonists induce neurodegeneration in primary neuronal cell cultures. Both co-treatment and posttreatment with melatonin against the glutamate receptor agonists, increased neuronal cell viability in a dose dependent manner. Melatonin also appeared to offer protection against quinolinic acid-induced neurodegeneration following intrahippocampal injections of quinolinic acid. The mechanism whereby melatonin offered this protection was investigated. The glutamate receptor agonists caused an increase in intracellular calcium concentrations, which is known [5] to be responsible for initiating the excitotoxic response. Melatonin had no effect on regulating intracellular calcium concentrations Additional studies indicated that melatonin was effective at scavenging superoxide radicals. Production of superoxide radicals was induced by the glutamate receptor agonists in primary neuronal cultures. Superoxide radicals induce lipid peroxidation, which involves the destruction of lipid membranes by chain reactions. By acting as an antioxidant, melatonin was able to reduce quinolinic acid-induced lipid peroxidation in rat brain homogenate, in a dose dependent manner. Melatonin was also effective at reducing lipid peroxidation induced by the glutamate receptor agonists in primary neuronal cultures. Melatonin therefore appeared to be offering neuroprotection by removing superoxide radicals and inhibiting lipid peroxidation. It had been reported [6] that melatonin inhibits nitric oxide synthase activity. This enzyme produces the free radical, nitric oxide, and can also produce superoxide radicals. Melatonin was able to reduce nitric oxide synthase activity in a dose dependent manner. This is a novel method of neuroprotection, as melatonin was now acting as an enzyme regulator. The results obtained demonstrate that melatonin offers neuroprotection against glutamate induced excitotoxicity, by removing free radicals and preventing lipid peroxidation. The neurohormone offers further protection by decreasing the activity of enzymes that aid in the neurotoxic cascade. Melatonin is the most potent naturally occurring free radical scavenger in the body [3]. During aging, the serum concentrations of melatonin decrease [7]. During the senescence of life, free radical damage to the body is at its highest [8], while at the same time melatonin concentrations are at their lowest. Melatonin therefore shows potential for the treatment of diseases and disorders that exhibit an excitotoxic pathology

Constitutionality and legality of telecoms forced access mechanisms : a comparative study of the EU and Taiwan

Telecoms industry is a highly specialised industry and there is a general consensus that it requires a specially designed regulatory system. Besides the many technology-oriented regulations, this regulatory system not only integrates many economic theories and concepts taken from competition law, but also features several measures designed ad hoc to deal with the character of the industry, such as a natural monopoly, bottlenecks and a public service. A major category of these regulatory measures is forced access mechanisms. "Forced access" in this thesis refers to the forcing open of certain property – mostly telecoms networks and relevant facilities – to be accessed by others, especially other competitors in the market. While these mechanisms do indeed promote competition in the telecoms market and benefit the public, they also limit the fundamental rights of telecoms companies – mostly incumbents – as legal persons, especially concerning their property rights and freedom to conduct a business, and it does not need emphasising further that the protection of fundamental rights is a general principle in the European Union and a constitutional value in modern democratic states. This thesis aims to take three distinct telecoms forced access mechanisms (interconnection, local loop unbundling and separation), with different regulatory intensities, as examples to discuss the possible fundamental rights derogation issues of two targeted jurisdictions – the European Union and Taiwan. There are some substantial reasons for this comparative study. On the one hand, many of the regulatory concepts of the telecoms regulatory framework in the European Union, together with those in the United States, have been adopted by Taiwan; on the other hand, the protection of fundamental rights in the European Union is inspired by the constitutional traditions common to Member States, and the German Basic Law (Grundgesetz) plays an important role, while the Taiwanese Constitution and the constitutionality reviews system derive from Germany (continental law) and the United States (common law). The reasoning of Taiwanese constitutional review does not therefore just reflect the fundamental rights protection system but also introduces the constitutionality review system of the United States as a reference. This thesis starts with an introduction to telecoms forced access mechanisms in the European Union and Taiwan, with a special focus on three selected forced access mechanisms. Then, fundamental rights protection system under the two jurisdictions will be discussed, followed by an in-depth discussion of the concepts of property rights and freedom to conduct a business. This thesis goes on to analyse how to appraise the three telecoms forced access mechanisms in relation to the fundamental rights protection system and to discuss the reasonableness of such an analysis. The final part of the thesis will, by reviewing the legal frameworks of the two jurisdictions, offer answers to the questions raised in the analysis

Геофизические методы в исследованиях дна Мирового океана (к 85-летию С.Т. Звольского)

В статті висвітлено роль геофізичних методів дослідження донних осадів у розвитку нових напрямків у морській геології через наукові напрцювання доктора геолого-мінералогічних наук С.Т. Звольського.В статье показана роль геофизических методов исследования донных осадков в развитии новых направлений в морской геологии через научные наработки доктора геолого-минералогических наук С.Т. ЗвольскогоThe article shows role of geophysical methods for investigation of bottom deposits in the development of new depatments in marine geology through scientific achievements Doctor of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences S.T. Zvolsk

Survival of 86,690 patients with thyroid cancer: A population-based study in 29 European countries from EUROCARE-5

Background Incidence rates of thyroid cancer (TC) increased in several countries during the last 30 years, while mortality rates remained unchanged, raising important questions for treatment and follow-up of TC patients. This study updates population-based estimates of relative survival (RS) after TC diagnosis in Europe by sex, country, age, period and histology. Methods Data from 87 cancer registries in 29 countries were extracted from the EUROCARE-5 dataset. One- and 5-year RS were estimated using the cohort approach for 86,690 adult TC patients diagnosed in 2000â\u80\u932007 and followed-up to 12/31/2008. RS trends in 1999â\u80\u932007 and 10-year RS in 2005â\u80\u932007 were estimated using the period approach. Results In Europe 2000â\u80\u932007, 5-year RS after TC was 88% in women and 81% in men. Survival rates varied by country and were strongly correlated (Pearson Ï\u81 = 75%) with country-specific incidence rates. Five-year RS decreased with age (in women from >95% at age 15â\u80\u9354 to 57% at age 75+), from 98% in women and 94% in men with papillary TC to 14% in women and 12% in men with anaplastic TC. Proportion of papillary TC varied by country and increased over time, while survival rates were similar across areas and periods. In 1999â\u80\u932007, 5-year RS increased by five percentage points for all TCs but only by two for papillary and by four for follicular TC. Ten-year RS in 2005â\u80\u932007 was 89% in women and 79% in men. Conclusions The reported increasing TC survival trend and differences by area are mainly explained by the varying histological case-mix of cases

Erratum to "The histology of ovarian cancer: Worldwide distribution and implications for international survival comparisons (CONCORD-2)" [Gynecol. Oncol. 144 (2017) 405-413]

Objective. Ovarian cancers comprise several histologically distinct tumour groups with widely different prognosis. We aimed to describe the worldwide distribution of ovarian cancer histology and to understand what role this may play in international variation in survival. Methods. The CONCORD programme is the largest population-based study of global trends in cancer survival. Data on 681,759 women diagnosed during 1995\u20132009 with cancer of the ovary, fallopian tube, peritoneum and retroperitonum in 51 countries were included.We categorised ovarian tumours into six histological groups, and explored the worldwide distribution of histology. Results. During 2005\u20132009, type II epithelial tumours were the most common. The proportion was much higher in Oceania (73.1%), North America (73.0%) and Europe (72.6%) than in Central and South America (65.7%) and Asia (56.1%). By contrast, type I epithelial tumours were more common in Asia (32.5%), compared with only 19.4% in North America. From 1995 to 2009, the proportion of type II epithelial tumours increased from 68.6% to 71.1%, while the proportion of type I epithelial tumours fell from 23.8% to 21.2%. The proportions of germ cell tumours, sex cord-stromal tumours, other specific non-epithelial tumours and tumours of non-specific morphology all remained stable over time. Conclusions. The distribution of ovarian cancer histology varieswidely worldwide. Type I epithelial, germcell and sex cord-stromal tumours are generally associated with higher survival than type II tumours, so the proportion of these tumours may influence survival estimates for all ovarian cancers combined. The distribution of histological groups should be considered when comparing survival between countries and regions

Erratum to "Worldwide comparison of ovarian cancer survival: Histological group and stage at diagnosis (CONCORD-2)" [Gynecol. Oncol. 144 (2017) 396-404]

Objective. Ovarian cancer comprises several histological groups with widely differing levels of survival. We aimed to explore international variation in survival for each group to help interpret international differences in survival from all ovarian cancers combined. We also examined differences in stage-specific survival. Methods. The CONCORD programme is the largest population-based study of global trends in cancer survival, including data from 60 countries for 695,932 women (aged 15\u201399 years) diagnosed with ovarian cancer during 1995\u20132009. We defined six histological groups: type I epithelial, type II epithelial, germ cell, sex cord-stromal, other specific non-epithelial and non-specific morphology, and estimated age-standardised 5-year net survival for each country by histological group. We also analysed data from67 cancer registries for 233,659 women diagnosed from 2001 to 2009, for whom information on stage at diagnosis was available. We estimated agestandardised 5-year net survival by stage at diagnosis (localised or advanced). Results. Survival fromtype I epithelial ovarian tumours for women diagnosed during 2005\u201309 ranged from40 to 70%. Survival from type II epithelial tumours was much lower (20\u201345%). Survival fromgermcell tumours was higher than that of type II epithelial tumours, but also varied widely between countries. Survival for sex-cord stromal tumours was higher than for the five other groups. Survival from localised tumours was much higher than for advanced disease (80% vs. 30%). Conclusions. There is wide variation in survival between histological groups, and stage at diagnosis remains an important factor in ovarian cancer survival. International comparisons of ovarian cancer survival should incorporate histology