This work focuses on a cognitive science inspired solution to an event detection problem in a video domain. The thesis raises the question whether video sequences that are taken in highway tunnels can be used to create meaningful data in terms of symbolic representation, and whether these symbolic representations can be used as sequences to be parsed by attribute grammars into abnormal and normal events. The main motivation of the research was to develop a novel algorithm that parses sequences of primitive events created by the image processing algorithms. The domain of the research is video detection and the special application purpose is for highway tunnels, which are critical places for abnormality detection. The method used is attribute grammars to parse the sequences. The symbolic sequences are created from a cascade of image processing algorithms such as / background subtracting, shadow reduction and object tracking. The system parses the sequences and creates alarms if a car stops, moves backwards, changes lanes, or if a person walks into the road or is in the vicinity when a car is moving along the road. These critical situations are detected using Earley&rsquo / s parser, and the system achieves real-time performance while processing the video input. This approach substantially lowers the number of false alarms created by the lower level image processing algorithms by preserving the number of detected events at a maximum. The system also achieves a high compression rate from primitive events while keeping the lost information at minimum. The output of the algorithm is measured against SVM and observed to be performing better in terms of detection and false alarm performance.

Tax avoidance has been a concern to revenue authorities throughout the ages, and revenue authorities worldwide are engaged in a constant struggle to ensure taxpayer compliance while combating tax avoidance. South Africa is no exception to this struggle and the increasingly innovative ways in which taxpayers seek to minimise their tax burdens necessitate amendments in order to remain at the forefront of taxpayer compliance. In view of the above, the general anti-avoidance rules (GAAR) have been amended numerous times to address weaknesses. The most recent of these amendments are those of 1996 and 2006. The research on GAAR in South Africa has focused on critical analyses once the legislation fails to stand up to the rigours of court, and has thus used the principle of hindsight to criticise GAAR and recommend improvements. However, in their current form (post-2006 amendments) the GAAR have not been presented before the courts, and thus the use of hindsight is not an appropriate tool to determine if the current GAAR regime has improved upon the weaknesses identified in the past. This study applied a qualitative case study approach to determine if the 2006 amendments to GAAR have in fact addressed these weaknesses. The current GAAR regime was applied to previous cases to determine if the unfavourable judgments for the Commissioner would now be considered favourable. In executing this process, an instrument was developed in phase 1 of the literature study to apply the new GAAR to the cases. In the second phase of the study this framework was applied to case law in which the previous GAAR regimes failed to stand up to the rigours of court, thus determining whether the 2006 amendments to GAAR addressed the weaknesses of the previous GAAR regime. The final phase of the study consisted of a literature control to determine if similar such conclusions have been made by other commentators to support the findings of the study. The findings of the case studies revealed that, on a balance of probabilities, none of the cases selected for analysis would have been held in favour of the Commissioner if they were brought to the courts today on the same grounds that they were attacked at the time and the courts used the instrument developed in phase 1 to apply the GAAR to these transactions. The study therefore indicates that the use of similar (often identical) wording of the purpose test as in the previous GAAR, as well as the use of the purpose test in conjunction with the amended abnormality test still result in a GAAR regime that may be an ineffective deterrent to tax avoidance. / Thesis (M.Com. (South African and International Taxation))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

Tax avoidance has been a concern to revenue authorities throughout the ages, and revenue authorities worldwide are engaged in a constant struggle to ensure taxpayer compliance while combating tax avoidance. South Africa is no exception to this struggle and the increasingly innovative ways in which taxpayers seek to minimise their tax burdens necessitate amendments in order to remain at the forefront of taxpayer compliance. In view of the above, the general anti-avoidance rules (GAAR) have been amended numerous times to address weaknesses. The most recent of these amendments are those of 1996 and 2006. The research on GAAR in South Africa has focused on critical analyses once the legislation fails to stand up to the rigours of court, and has thus used the principle of hindsight to criticise GAAR and recommend improvements. However, in their current form (post-2006 amendments) the GAAR have not been presented before the courts, and thus the use of hindsight is not an appropriate tool to determine if the current GAAR regime has improved upon the weaknesses identified in the past. This study applied a qualitative case study approach to determine if the 2006 amendments to GAAR have in fact addressed these weaknesses. The current GAAR regime was applied to previous cases to determine if the unfavourable judgments for the Commissioner would now be considered favourable. In executing this process, an instrument was developed in phase 1 of the literature study to apply the new GAAR to the cases. In the second phase of the study this framework was applied to case law in which the previous GAAR regimes failed to stand up to the rigours of court, thus determining whether the 2006 amendments to GAAR addressed the weaknesses of the previous GAAR regime. The final phase of the study consisted of a literature control to determine if similar such conclusions have been made by other commentators to support the findings of the study. The findings of the case studies revealed that, on a balance of probabilities, none of the cases selected for analysis would have been held in favour of the Commissioner if they were brought to the courts today on the same grounds that they were attacked at the time and the courts used the instrument developed in phase 1 to apply the GAAR to these transactions. The study therefore indicates that the use of similar (often identical) wording of the purpose test as in the previous GAAR, as well as the use of the purpose test in conjunction with the amended abnormality test still result in a GAAR regime that may be an ineffective deterrent to tax avoidance. / Thesis (M.Com. (South African and International Taxation))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

My essay explores how people talk about a woman´s supernatural ability in relation to normality and abnormality. In order to find this out I´ve made interviews with people inclose relations to Hildur Lawergren. Hildur lived all her life in Fole on Gotland where she was often interviewed in local papers and on the radio about her predictions on the coming weather. She used melted candles to make her predictions. The candles were melted down on Christmas eve. From patterns that the melted candles made Hildur claimed to make out pictures in her mind of the coming weather. When I analyzed my interviews I could see how the people close to Hildur struggled with understanding Hildurs ability. They had to find ways to handle the borders between normal and accepted abilitys and Hildurs more unusual ability. People often confronted Hildurs close relatives with questions of how the ability functions and if the relatives also had the ability. In some ways the people closest to Hildur separated her ability from the person Hildur, that was a beloved mother and grandmother. This shows when they mention the ability as “it” or “that”. I´ve concluded that the ability is seen as inheritable and is then possible to develop further using certain techniques. But if a person has not inherited the ability from birth it’s not at all possible to develop it later.

Orientador: Luiz Carlos da Rocha / Banca: Sonia Regina Vargas Mansano / Banca: Sônia Aparecida Moreira França / Resumo: Este trabalho propõe um exame dos discursos médico-psiquiátricos e institucionais a respeito da deficiência mental. Busca compreender como esse conceito foi forjado no interior de um campo perceptivo que engloba, entre outros, os saberes médico e pedagógico, e entender como se deu a prática de tutela da pessoa identificada como deficiente mental no Brasil pelas chamadas "escolas especiais". O exame segue por dois caminhos que estão seriamente unificados: o dos discursos que envolvem a concepção de deficiência mental e o dos aspectos condicionantes que envolvem as práticas voltadas ao sujeito deficiente em suas relações recíprocas com as instituições de tutela. A genealogia, estratégia de análise inspirada em Michel Foucault, em cujos estudos nos referenciamos amplamente, foi o instrumento utilizado para evidenciar tais saberes e práticas. Sob a óptica adotada no presente trabalho, a deficiência mental é compreendida como produto dos processos que emanam do corpo social e não como um atributo individual. Considera-se também que a instituição de educação especial tem sido o principal lugar da prática onde se situam os discursos a respeito da deficiência; ela tem sido herdeira e mantenedora de saberes especializados que referendam não só a restrição social das pessoas identificadas como deficientes mentais como também a forma como as percebemos. Entre estes saberes reinam os discursos médico-psiquiátricos que, aliados à ação pedagógica, circunscrevem o sujeito da deficiência e o inscrevem num lugar social restrito. A pesquisa trouxe à tona estes discursos e práticas que envolvem a excepcionalidade e levantou argumentos que mostram que a participação intensa e crítica do deficiente mental no corpo social, entendida pelos discursos atuais como inclusão social, depende de significativas mudanças nos dispositivos e procedimentos normativos que regulam a sociedade atual. / Abstract: This paper proposes an examination of medical-psychiatric and institutional speeches about the mental disabilities. It tries to understand how this concept was forged in a perceptive field that includes, among others, medical and educational knowledge and to understand as the practice of guardianship of the person identified as mentally deficient in Brazil calls for "special schools" happens. The review follows two paths that are seriously unified: the one of the speeches involving the conception of mental disability, and the one of the conditioning aspects involving the practices devoted to the deficient person and his reciprocal relations with the tutelar institutions. The genealogy, a strategy of analysis inspired by Michel Foucault, in whose studies we refer widely, was the instrument used to demonstrate such knowledge and practices. Under the view adopted in this work, mental disability is conceived as a product of processes that emanate from the society and not as an individual attribute. It is also understood that the special education institution has been the main place of practice where there are speeches about the disability; it has been heir and maintainer of specialized knowledge that approves not only the social restriction of people identified as mentally disabled as also the way we recognize them. Among this knowledge the medical-psychiatric speeches dominate that, together with the educational action, close the deficient person and put him in a restricted social place. The research has brought up these speeches and practices involving the exceptionality and raised arguments that show the intensive and critical participation of the mental deficient in society, understood by the speeches as social inclusion, depends on significant changes in regulatory mechanisms and normative procedures that govern the real society. / Mestre

Submitted by isabela.moljf@hotmail.com (isabela.moljf@hotmail.com) on 2017-05-18T12:20:42Z No. of bitstreams: 1 jessicacorreabezerra.pdf: 4319197 bytes, checksum: 86d9f6d6b75d5c485d7ca71acb154e85 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2017-05-18T12:49:51Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 jessicacorreabezerra.pdf: 4319197 bytes, checksum: 86d9f6d6b75d5c485d7ca71acb154e85 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-05-18T12:49:51Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 jessicacorreabezerra.pdf: 4319197 bytes, checksum: 86d9f6d6b75d5c485d7ca71acb154e85 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-03-13 / FAPEMIG - Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais / Incidência de disruptores endócrinos sobre o desenvolvimento gonadal é a causa de muitas anomalias do sistema reprodutor masculino (SRM), principalmente aqueles com ação estrogênica. O Ginkgo biloba é um disruptor endócrino, que possui afinidade por receptores β estrogênicos, importantes no desenvolvimento do SRM. A proposta deste estudo foi avaliar o efeito do Ginkgo biloba, após exposição materna, sobre os parâmetros reprodutivos dos machos F1. Ratas Wistar prenhes receberam 25, 50 ou 100 mg/Kg/dia de Ginkgo biloba, por gavagem, do 16° ao 20º dias de prenhez. As fêmeas prenhes foram avaliadas quanto ao consumo diário de ração, peso corporal e sinais clínicos de toxicidade. Nos machos F1 foram analisados a descida testicular, morfologia da glande do pênis, concentração e morfologia espermática, peso dos órgãos reprodutores e viscerais, níveis séricos de testosterona, e a organização estrutural do tecido testicular e epididimário. Não foram observadas diferenças estatísticas significativas nas variáveis analisadas, com exceção da morfologia espermática, onde houve aumento de espermatozoides anormais em todos os grupos tratados em comparação com o grupo controle. O numero de espermatozoides anormais nos grupos C, T1, T2 e T3 foi, espectivamente, 19,90± 3,53, 29,0± 7,01, 26,05± 3,72 e 30,05± 6,53 (Média ± DP), contando-se 200 espermatozoides/lâmina. A maioria das anomalias concentrou-se na cauda do espermatozoide, totalizando 13,35± 2,42, 18,45± 6,87, 16,15± 4,31 e 19,55± 5,43(Média ± DP) nos grupos C, T1, T2 e T3, respectivamente. Estes resultados indicam que o Ginkgo biloba não causa alterações na toxicidade materna, no desenvolvimento fetal, pósnatal e na data da puberdade, mas induz o aumento da anomalia espermática. / Incidence of endocrine disruptors on the gonadal development is the cause of many anomalies of the male reproductive system (MRS), especially those with estrogen action. Ginkgo biloba is an endocrine disruptor, which has affinity for β estrogen receptors, important in the development of MRS. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of Ginkgo biloba, after maternal exposure on the reproductive parameters of F1 males. Pregnant Wistar rats received 25, 50 or 100 mg /kg/day of Ginkgo biloba, by gavage, from the 16th to 20th days of pregnancy. Pregnant animals were evaluated for daily feed intake, body weight and clinical signs of toxicity. In F1 males were analyzed testicular descent, morphology of the glans penis, sperm concentration, sperm morphology, weight of reproductive and visceral organs, seric concentrations of testosterone, and the structural organization of testicular tissue and epididymis. No statistically significant differences were observed in the analyzed variables, except for sperm morphology, where there was an increase of abnormal sperm in all treated groups compared with the control group. The number of abnormal sperm in groups C, T1, T2 and T3 were, respectively, 19.90 ± 3.53, 29.0 ± 7.01, 26.05 ± 3.72 and 30.05 ± 6.53 (mean ± SD), counting 200 sperm / stain. Most anomalies concentrated in the sperm tail, totaling 13.35 ± 2.42, 18.45 ± 6.87, 16.15 ± 4.31 and 19.55 ± 5.43 (mean ± SD) in groups C, T1, T2 and T3, respectively. These results indicate that Ginkgo biloba does not alter the maternal toxicity, fetal development, postnatal and puberty date, but induces the increase of sperm abnormality.

Abstract The aims were to evaluate the occurrence of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) in children, to assess the frequency of significant ultrasonography (US) abnormalities and to study whether abandoning the use of voiding cystourethrographies (VCUG) is safe in children with urinary tract infection (UTI). We analysed reports on US and VCUG in a consecutive series of 406 paediatric patients and in a large population-based group of 2036 children with UTI. Based on the urine culture data, we analysed the frequencies of VUR and US abnormalities in relation to the reliability of the UTI diagnoses. Using a cohort of 1185 children on whom both VCUG and US had been performed, we evaluated whether US imaging alone is sufficient. In a follow-up study, we excluded 24 cases with major renal dysplasia or obstruction of the urinary tract from this cohort of 1185 children leaving a series of 1161 cases, of which 228 were randomly selected for follow-up and 193 (85%) participated, with a mean follow-up time of 11 years (range 6 to 17 years). The occurrence of VUR was similar among the children with proven (37%) or certain (36%) versus false (35%) or improbable (36%) UTI and decreased with increasing age. Significant US abnormalities were found in 10% and the frequency increased as the diagnostic reliability improved (15% in the proven UTI class and 8% in the false class). In the cohort of 1185 children, initial US was normal in 861 (73%), out of whom VCUG identified two cases of urethral valves and 40 cases of grade III to V VUR who could have benefited from surgical treatment, giving a figure of 42/861 (5%) for pathological findings that might have been missed if VCUG had not been performed. In the follow-up study, unilateral renal parenchymal defect was found in 22 (15%) out of the 150 patients who underwent control US, all except one of these being in patients with grade III to V VUR. Serum cystatin C concentration, estimated glomerular filtration rates and blood pressure were within the normal ranges in all the patients despite the defects seen in US. We conclude that VUR is a common age-related phenomenon in children and is not as closely associated with UTI as was previously thought. Children with UTI could be examined using US alone. Once obstructive uropathy and major renal dysplasia have been ruled out, the risk of long-term consequences in a case of childhood UTI is very low. / Tiivistelmä Tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli selvittää virtsan takaisinvirtauksen (vesikoureteraalinen takaisinvirtaus, VUR) esiintyvyyttä lapsilla sekä arvioida merkittävien virtsateiden rakennepoikkeavuuksien yleisyyttä ja ultraäänitutkimuksen (UÄ) riittävyyttä virtsatieinfektion (VTI) sairastaneilla lapsilla. Analysoimme sairastetun VTI:n vuoksi tehtyjen UÄ- ja miktiokystografiatutkimusten löydökset 406 lapsen potilassarjassa ja 2036 lapsen väestöpohjaisessa aineistossa. Virtsaviljelytulosten pohjalta luokittelimme potilaat VTI-diagnoosin luotettavuuden mukaan. Väestöpohjaisen aineiston 1185 lapselle oli tehty sekä UÄ-tutkimus että miktiokystografia, ja tässä kohortissa arvioimme pelkän UÄ:n riittävyyttä virtsateiden kuvantamisessa. Seurantatutkimusta varten 1185 lapsen kohortista jätimme pois 24 potilasta, joilla oli todettu munuaisdysplasia tai virtsateiden virtauseste. Jälkitarkastukseen kutsuimme tästä 1161 potilaan tutkimusaineistosta ryväsotannalla 228 potilasta, joista 193 (85 %) osallistui. Keskimääräinen seuranta-aika oli 11 vuotta (vaihtelu 6–17 vuotta). Tutkimuksemme mukaan VUR on yleinen myös lapsilla, jotka eivät ole sairastaneet varmennettua VTI:ta. Näillä lapsilla VUR:n esiintyvyys oli 35–36 %, joka oli sama kuin varman VTI:n sairastaneilla (36–37 %), ja esiintyvyys väheni merkittävästi iän myötä. Merkittävä UÄ-poikkeavuus todettiin kaikkiaan 10 %:lla, ja riski oli suurin varman VTI:n sairastaneilla. 1185 lapsen kohortissa UÄ-tutkimus oli normaali 861:lla (73 %). Miktiokystografiassa heistä 42/861:lla (5 %) löydettiin merkittävä virtsatieanomalia (n = 2) tai VUR, joka oli hoidettu kirurgisesti (n = 40). Jälkitarkastuksessa 22:lla (15 %) UÄ:llä tutkitusta 150 potilaasta todettiin toispuoleinen munuaisarpi, ja yhtä tapausta lukuun ottamatta arvet löytyivät niiltä, joilla oli lapsena ollut III−V asteen VUR. Todetuista munuaisarvista huolimatta kaikilla seurantatutkimukseen osallistuneilla potilailla oli normaali munuaisten toiminta ja verenpaine. Aiemmasta käsityksestä poiketen VUR näyttäisi olevan yleinen, kasvun myötä häviävä ilmiö myös terveillä lapsilla. Virtsatieinfektion sairastaneilla lapsilla UÄ-tutkimus riittää virtsateiden kuvantamiseen ja kun synnynnäinen munuaisdysplasia ja virtsateiden virtauseste on poissuljettu, riski merkittäviin myöhäiskomplikaatioihin on hyvin pieni.

Tout dommage que suscite la vie en société ne donne pas lieu à réparation . La formule illustre plus désormais un souhait qu’une réalité alors que l’histoire des conditions posées pour restreindre le champ de la réparation est depuis longtemps celle d’un lent et profond déclin. En principe, un dommage pour être indemnisé doit être personnel, certain et direct. La jurisprudence y ajoute une exigence de légitimité. L’examen du droit positif permet cependant de constater un contrôle de moins en moins poussé de ces différentes conditions. La reconnaissance récente du préjudice écologique pur confirme ce mouvement de recul alors que l’indemnisation de ce dommage collectif au sens strict repose sur l’abandon de l’exigence d’un préjudice personnel. Le phénomène est aujourd’hui acté. Il conduit à faire de presque n’importe quelle atteinte la source d’une indemnisation. Il invite surtout à réfléchir à une réhabilitation de certains caractères généraux du préjudice et même à la redécouverte d’autres caractères plus spéciaux comme la prévisibilité ou l’anormalité pour mieux circonscrire le droit de la réparation. Face à ce phénomène de relâchement, deux attitudes sont en effet possibles : soit y céder et abandonner tout espoir de contrôler par des moyens effectifs le champ de l’indemnisation, soit y résister et tenter de redonner au droit de la réparation une dimension à la fois cohérente et restreinte. C’est cette démarche que nous avons tenté d’entreprendre pour permettre au préjudice de jouer enfin un rôle structurant dans le droit contemporain de la responsabilité. / Not all prejudice emanating from society gives rights to redress. This expression illustrates more of a wish than a reality as the history of conditions to restrict the range of redress is one of long duration and of slow and profound decline. In principle, for prejudice to be compensated it must exist, be personnel, and direct. Jurisprudence adds the demands of legitimacy. An examination of current law however, shows that these conditions have less and less of an impact. For example, recent recognition of ecological prejudice confirms this while the compensation of collective damage in the strict sense rests on the relinquishment of the requirement of personal damage. The phenomenon is today acted upon, and results in the making of almost any infringement a source of compensation. As well, it encourages a reflection on the rehabilitation of certain general characteristics of the damage and even about the rediscovery of other more special characteristics. A reaction to the prejudice or an abnormality, to confine better the right are examples. To confront this, two attitudes are possible: either abandon any hope to control the field of the compensation effectively or to resist the phenomenon and restore in the right of redress incorporating a coherent and restricted dimension. It is this latter approach that this dissertation argues to enable prejudice to finally play a structuring role in contemporary law of responsibility.

L’animal, c’est d’abord un mouvement, une animation. Chez Vian celle-ci se présente sous bien des formes, comme dans les dessins animés. Dans son œuvre, réels ou fictifs, issus de l’imagination confinant aux êtres hybrides et aux monstres, les animaux prennent vie, partageant régulièrement les événements de l’existence des personnages humains. Avec eux le lecteur est pris dans une farandole d’animaux, allant des surprises-parties à la maladie et à la mort. Compagnons, ils vont jusqu’à acquérir le statut de personnage, adoptant même des caractéristiques et comportements propres aux hommes… Ils sont à la fois matière de l’œuvre et son langage, des « animots », à l’origine du jeu et du canular, parfois jusqu’au burlesque. Nonobstant ils révèlent une observation, une connaissance scientifique chère à l’ingénieur de l’Afnor, qui rejette cependant la norme par l’invention multiple de néologismes, de calembours et d’images. Il fait « swinguer la langue », sur un air éclaté par le rythme du jazz, poussant ainsi à bouts rimés bien des conventions, sans aller tout à fait jusqu’au surréalisme et à l’Oulipo de l’ami Raymond Queneau. Le satrape Vian est plein de fantaisie….Sa gidouille devient corne d’abondance animalière. Fable nouvelle ? Les ani-maux parlent du monde, en révèlent les cruautés et violences : monde en guerre, racisme, sadisme. De là s’installe un langage allant jusqu’à l’absurde, qui tourne à vide. Néanmoins, la poésie, comme un coup d’éclat, instant magique, traduit une innocence enfantine sur la beauté du monde, parmi lequel les animaux règnent. Ultime provocation ? En fait Vian révèle constamment à travers les animaux le paradoxe de l’homme et de l’œuvre. Entre une farandole gaie et un rythme de jazz hérité des hommes noirs, il est partagé entre un cri de bête écorchée et un chant éphémère, comme un « baiser d’escargot ». Avec ce cri qui résonne sur la toile, ou sur sa trompinette, Vian imprime sa patte à tous les arts et en voulant mettre des mots à travers les « animots/animaux », il louvoie entre un homme de feinte et un créateur de fiction. / The animal is foremost a movement, an animation. With Vian, the latter comes in many forms, like in cartoons. In his work, whether real or fictious, born from the imagination confining to hybrid beings and monsters, animals come to life, often sharing the life events of human characters. With them the reader is taken in a farandole of animals, going from celebrations to illness and death. Companions, they even gain a character status, adopting characteristics and behaviours specific to men... They are both the work's material and its language, "animots" originator of the game and the hoax, sometimes up to the burlesque. Notwithstanding they reveal an eye, a scientific knowledge dear to the Afnor engineer who nevertheless rejects the standard with the multiple inventions of neologisms, puns and images. He makes the language "swing" on a melody blown up by jazz rhythm, thus pushing to rimed limits many conventions, without extending to surrealism and friendly Raymond Queneau's Oulipo. Vian the satrap is fanciful... His "gidouille" turns into a wildlife horn of abundance. New fable? « Ani-maux » talk about the world, revealing its cruelties and violences : world at war, racism, sadism. From there sets up a language going up to the absurd, running idle. Nevertheless, poetry, like a stunning blow, a magical moment, shows a childish innocence over the world’s beauty among which animals reign. Final provocation? Actually, through animals Vian constantly reveals the paradox between the man and his work. Between a cheerful farandole and a jazz rhythm inherited from black men, he is torn between the scream of a skinned beast and an ephemeral chant, like a “snail kiss”. With this scream resonating on the canvass, or on his “trompinette”, Vian prints his hand to every arts and by willingly putting words across the “animots/animals”, he weaves between a man of diversion and a creator of fictions.

The male gametes (sperms) are under strong sexual selection and are therefore very diverse in their morphology and often differ even amongst closely related species. Sperms are thus assumed to play very important role in reproductive isolation between species, due to their fast evolution in morphology. In my master thesis, I have studied the possible role of sperm morphology divergence in reproductive isolation in two sister species of passerine birds, the common nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos) and the thrush nightingale (L. luscinia). The areas of these species overlap in secondary contact zone running across central and Eastern Europe, where they occasionally hybridize. I have compared sperm morphology of males of both species originating in allopatric and sympatric localities as well as interspecies hybrids. The results showed significant differences in total sperm length which is approximately 20 % longer in the common nightingale. That is caused by great interspecies divergence in midpiece (containing mitochondria) length. Interspecific hybrids showed sperms with intermediate length but despite expectations completely morphologically normal. This outcome corresponds with observed fertility in F1 hybrid males. What I consider to be an essential finding is a significant divergence in head...