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Evaluating side-to-side symmetry in the lower extremity has been significant in assessing injury risk and the success of rehabilitation programs. Considering limb dominance in the lower limbs is also important as limb dominance could influence symmetry measures. There is a need to assess symmetry, particularly in healthy populations, in tasks other than walking and running and establish how the dominant limb can impact symmetry. By evaluating symmetry in healthy adults, how the limbs function with respect to one another can be determined. Therefore, the first purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of lower limb dominance on walking and sitting-to-standing. Data was collected from 49 healthy older adults, aged 50-89 years old. Using loadsol® sensors (Novel, St. Paul, MN, USA), plantar loading data such as peak impact force and loading rate was calculated. Participants completed one sit-to-stand trial and three 10-meter walking trials, as these serve as prime examples of daily activities. The secondary purpose of this study was to assess the impact of lower limb dominance on athletic tasks like running and agility. The pedar-X® pressure insoles (Novel, St. Paul, MN, USA) were used to collect plantar loading data such as peak force, contact area, and contact time, from 10 athletes. Participants completed five t-drill trials and five agility ladder drill trials. The acceleration phase of the t-drill served as standard running. A mixed effects model was used to test if differences existed in various plantar loading outcome measures based on limb dominance. Non-parametric tests were used for non-normally distributed data. The statistical analysis determined that no significant differences existed between the dominant limb and non-dominant limb for the 10-meter walking trials peak impact force (p=0.245) or average loading rate (p=0.943). During the sit-to-stand trial, no significant differences existed in peak impact force (p=0.317) or average loading rate (p=0.943). For the agility ladder drill, the maximum force (p=0.427), contact area (p=0.517), or contact time (p=0.734) showed no significant differences. In the T-drill, the maximum force (p=0.385), contact area (p=0.571), or contact time (p=0.571) had no significant differences. These drive the conclusion that limb dominance does not need to be considered when assessing side-to-side symmetry. / Master of Science / Understanding how the left and right lower limbs of the body compare is important to preventing injuries and measuring if rehabilitation interventions are beneficial. A factor in that is knowing how the dominant limb can affect how the lower limbs compare to one another. Through symmetry, especially in healthy adults, a greater comprehension for over limb functionality can be better understood. There is need to assess the lower limb symmetry in healthy populations in tasks aside from walking and running as well as establish how the dominant limb is impacting that symmetry. The first purpose of this study was to observe how lower limb dominance affects walking and standing from a seated position. Data was collected from 49 healthy older adults, aged 50-89 years old. Insoles were placed in participants' shoes to collect plantar loading data. Each participant did two tasks: one trial of the sit-to-stand and three trials of 10-meter walking. The second purpose of this study was to observe how lower limb dominance affects athletic tasks such as running and agility. Loading insoles were used to collect data from 10 current or previous athletes. Each participant did five t-drill trials and five agility ladder trials. Statistical analyses established no significant differences were shown between the dominant and non-dominant limbs peak impact force for the 10-meter walking trials (p=0.245) nor for the average loading rate (p=0.943). For the sit-to-stand trial, no significant differences were seen in peak impact force (p=0.317) or average loading rate (p=0.943). In the agility ladder drill, no significant differences were shown for the maximum force (p=0.427), contact area (p=0.517), or contact time (p=0.734). In the agility ladder drill, no significant differences existed for the maximum force (p=0.385), contact area (p=0.571), or contact time (p=0.571). These findings suggested that the dominant limb does not impact lower limb comparisons.

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Title: Multivariate stochastic dominance and its application in portfolio optimization Problems Author: Barbora Petrová Department: Department of Probability and Mathematical Statistics Supervisor: doc. RNDr. Ing. Miloš Kopa, Ph.D., Department of Probability and Mathematical Statistics Abstract: This thesis discusses the concept of multivariate stochastic dominance, which serves as a tool for ordering random vectors, and its possible usage in dynamic portfolio optimization problems. We strictly focus on different types of the first-order multivariate stochastic dominance for which we describe their generators in the sense of von Neumann-Morgenstern utility functions. The first one, called strong multivariate stochastic dominance, is generated by all nondecreasing multivariate utility functions. The second one, called weak multivariate stochastic dominance, is defined by relation between survival functions, and the last one, called the first-order linear multivariate stochastic dominance, applies the first-order univariate stochastic dominance notion to linear combinations of marginals. We focus on the main characteristics of these types of stochastic dominance, their relationships as well as their relation to the cumulative and marginal distribution functions of considered random vectors. Formulated...

Title: Almost stochastic dominance Author: Adam Štefánik Department: Probability and Mathematical Statistics Supervisor: RNDr. Ing. Miloš Kopa, PhD. Department of Probability and Mathematical Statistics, MFF UK Abstract: In the presented work we study the almost stochastic dominance and it's properties. Almost stochastic dominance is a relaxation of stochastic dominance. Almost stochastic dominance also deals with paradox situations occurring in case of stochastic dominance. This is a situation when stochastic dominance determines indifferent relation- ship between two portfolios, but in fact almost all investors can choose the better one. The original almost stochastic dominance presented by Leshno and Levy (2002) is compu- tationally expensive. Lizyayev and Ruszczy'nski (2012) suggested an alternative approach. This work introduces both approaches. The most interesting part of this work is a search for efficient portfolio with respect to the almost stochastic dominance by the simple linear programming. Lizyayev and Ruszczy'nski (2012) approach is applied to Kopa and Chovanec (2008) quantile approach for portfolio efficiency testing with respect to second order stochastic dominance. Keywords: almost stochastic dominance, efficiency, CVaR

Competition for resources plays an important role in natural selection, creating winners and losers. Winners become socially dominant, obtain resources and so increase their fitness at the expense of losers. Provided they are heritable, phenotypic traits promoting competitive success will be inherited by subsequent generations. Thus, while resource dependent traits (e.g. growth) that rely on competitive outcomes are widely recognised as being under strong selection, this is also likely to be the case for those traits that determine competitive ability and social dominance. In addition, competition is expected to be an important source of stress, for example, harassment of subordinates by dominant individuals. Consequently individual fitness may depend not only on the ability to win resources, but also on the ability to cope with stress. This thesis proposes that social dominance is not just a simple consequence of body size or weaponry, but rather that the interplay between growth, repeatable behavioural characteristics (i.e. personality), and the ability to cope with social and environmental stressors are equally important factors. Thus the dynamic of dominance arises, a model that highlights the expectation of complex relationships between traits causal and consequent to social dominance. Here, empirical studies of Xiphophorus sp. are used to test each element in the model. First the concept of individual personality is explored, asking to what extent it is really stable over long periods of time (equivalent to lifespans). Next, the links between behaviour, physiological stress and contest outcome are considered and, using a repeated measures approach, the hypothesis that individuals differ in stress coping style is evaluated. Finally, using a quantitative genetic approach the additive genetic variance-covariance matrix (G) is estimated between behavioural and life history traits under experimentally manipulated levels of competition. In this way the contribution of genetic and environmental effects to the patterns of trait (co)variation that make up the dynamic of dominance is assessed.

The major purpose of this study was to determine whether a relationship exists between cerebral laterality dominance and leadership behavior and traits. An additional purpose was to determine whether a relationship exists between cerebral laterality dominance and gender, ethnicity, and educational position.

The P300 component of the average evoked potential was recorded at Pz during two divided visual field tasks. During a lexical decision task, reaction time and P300 latency were faster to stimuli in the right visual field, indicating that the latency of the P300 may be a useful measure in laterality research. A right visual field advantage was obtained for reaction time in a face perception task and the P300 latency difference showed a similar but non-significant advantage. Use of the P300 latency to assess the validity of the assumptions underlying the application of an additive factors model to divided visual field studies of cerebral assymetry was discussed. The present evidence suggests that the assumptions are valid. / Arts, Faculty of / Psychology, Department of / Graduate

Male-female differences in neuropsychological functioning and whether there exists a differential cerebral lateralization between sexes has recently received much attention in the literature. Further research is needed because much of this literature has been plagued by poor experimental design and statistical analyses, and reliance upon measures with little practical significance. The current experiment addresses the question of whether male and female adults with unilateral cerebral lesions have differing neuropsychological profiles and whether these profiles support the hypothesis of differential cerebral lateralization. Subjects were adults with independent neurological evidence of either no brain damage or a unilateral cerebral lesion of either neoplastic or vascular origin. There were 48 with right hemisphere damage, 48 with left hemisphere damage and 28 controls. Each group had equal numbers of males and females, for a total of six sub-groups. The distribution of age, education, lesion locus and severity, and handedness was controlled for all groups. Subjects were administered the Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Test Battery for Adults. The measures from the Halstead-Reitan Battery were divided into groups of variables representing major aspects of neuropsychological functioning. Results for each variable grouping were subjected to multivariate analysis of variance and appropriate post-hoc procedures. Intra-individual patterns of lateralization (Verbal I.Q.-Performance I.Q. differences) were also examined. Contrary to previous reports, the results failed to produce evidence of a differential lateralization of cognitive functions between sexes. Also, the intra-individual patterns of lateralization showed similar patterns among males and females with unilateral cerebral lesions, although the magnitude of the VIQ-PIQ differences were smaller for females than for males. Several significant sex differences consistent with earlier research were found. Of these, a slight female advantage was found on the Digit Symbol test as well as Tactile Finger Recognition of the right hand. Males performed better than females on Finger Oscillation with the dominant hand and made fewer mistakes in reporting on double simultaneous stimulations. It was concluded that although small differences in neuropsychological functions do exist between sexes, they do not reflect major differences in cerebral organization or overall higher cognitive abilities.