Aim of this work is to study the impact of inaccuracy in execution of required task (inaccuracy in subject’s behavioral response to experimental stimulation) by person who undergoes fMRI examination. The work is solved in several stages. First, theoretical analysis of inaccuracy in fMRI experiment was performed, and simulations with synthetic data were created. Several variables in general linear model and t-statistics were followed. We found that estimated effect size depends linearly on covariance between the corresponding columns of X and D matrices or their linear combination. The component of residual variance caused by inaccuracy is negligible at real-life noise levels. In such case, moreover, the dependence of t-statistics on inaccuracy becomes linear. Next, our theoretical results (dependencies/characteristics of variables) were verified using real data. All results were confirmed. Last, I focused on possible practical use of the uncovered characteristics and dependencies. Optimization of experimental design with respect to inaccuracy, correction of inaccurate results and reliability of inaccurate results are introduced and discussed. Especially, the calculation of maps of maximal tolerable inaccuracy can be useful to find robust or weak (tending to be not detected or to be significantly different from accurate value) activation in real fMRI experiments.

The use of information and communication technologies, including computer graphics, in teaching chemistry is one of the frequent issues of contemporary chemistry didactics. Current publications are mainly focused on displaying structure of chemical compounds and symbolic form of chemical reactions. This thesis offers a more complex view on the computer graphics and other means of information and communication technologies - their possibilities and limits of use in teaching. The goal of the thesis is to provide an overview of selected computer-graphics technologies and to discuss their role during current curricular reform, based on current problems identified by students attending chemistry-teacher training courses and chemistry teachers. Usability of selected elements in pre-teaching and teaching phases was checked. Innovations of contemporary teaching methods were proposed using computer graphics. The thesis is focused on the area of visualization of educational content with use of computer graphics, computer-assisted innovation of methods and educational content, computer games and the role of computer graphics in didactic transformation. Two textbooks for lower-secondary and upper-secondary schools were created. These textbooks contain newly developed parts using computer graphics. According to...

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Hamplová, K.; Transformations of roles and significations of object and material in a visual game. [Diploma thesis] Prague 2014 - Charles University, Faculty of education, 99 pages In my thesis I examine the process of transformation of roles and significations of object and material in visual games. I focus on the game as the experiment with characteristics of objects. I explore using objects and materials as the instruments for opening fictional worlds. A brief outline of the theories of perception of objects and their significations and theories of games and fictional worlds illustrates the base of the theme. Various views on the alterations of significations in creative process are illustrated with a selection of works of contemporary artists. In the didactic part I examine the characteristic position of the make-believe games in the development of a child and possible applications of those characteristics in art education. I also describe the design and realization of my didactic project dealing with this issue there. The applied part of my thesis is a natural extension and application of the thoughts delineated in the theoretic part. Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)

This doctoral thesis concerns the designs, creation, and a pilot survey of real remotely controlled laboratories that can be used for the introduction to modern physics within the integrated e-learning strategy. With grant support four new remote laboratory experiments could be created, featuring some innovations like the possibility to modify experimental setup, and the design allowing to make a mistake and to obtain nonsensical experimental data in order to test students' critical thinking. The new remote experiment topics are: laws of radioactivity, polarisation state of light, photoelectric effect, and the origin of spectral lines. The emphasis is put on easy experimental data acquision (measurement, record, and download) for further scientific statistical or advanced graphical data proces- sing. The pilot survey aims to select adequate research designs, tools, and data sources and it describes the results and experience from the observation at several Czech secondary schools. The most interesting findings were revealed by action log file analysis and interviews with teachers and students. Finally, real usability of remote laboratory experiments in lessons and physics education is discussed. 1

The ATLAS experiment is one of the two general-purpose detectors at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN near Geneva. The goals of this particle physics experiment are the search for new physics phenomena and precision measurement of the particle interactions. Tilecal is the central hadronic calorimeter of the ATLAS. The calorimeter time calibration is important for the time-of-flight measurement of particles (used in some analyses) as well as for the actual energy reconstruction. 1

Im Rahmen dieser Arbeit erfolgte der Aufbau eines neuartigen Versuchsstandes zum praxisnahen Test von Wandaufbauten (VS-WA; Probendimension: 1,9 m x 1,9 m x 0,5 m). Mit dem VS sind praxisnahe Untersuchungen von Dämm- und Dichtstoffen sowie Wandsegmentmaterialien thermischer Energiespeicher in einer Einheit durchführbar. Aufgrund der drehbaren Lagerung des VS ist es möglich, vertikale (Wandbereich) und horizontale (Deckenbereich) Aufbauten zu untersuchen. Mit dem VS erfolgt eine experimentelle Bestimmung von effektiven Wärmeleitfähigkeiten zweier aussichtsreicher Wärmedämmstoffe (Polyurethan-Granulat und expandierte Polystyrol-Partikel). Die Untersuchungsergebnisse zeigen für den vertikalen Betrieb des VS eine erhöhte effektive Wärmeleitfähigkeit im Vergleich zu den Stoffwerten der Hersteller. Der Grund hierfür ist, basierend auf der Auswertung von Temperaturprofilen, ein signifikanter Anteil an freier Konvektion. Dies ist trotz niedriger Permeabilitäten der untersuchten Schüttgüter und demnach entgegen dem aktuellen Stand der Wissenschaft der Fall. Ohne den neuen VS mit den hier realisierten Maßen, wären diese Effekte nicht messbar gewesen (z. B. bei Untersuchungen mit Ein- oder Zwei-Platten-Apparaturen). Die Ergebnisse können dazu beitragen, erhöhte Wärmeverluste an realen Bauwerken zu erklären und zu vermeiden. / Within the context of this thesis, a new test rig for the practical testing of wall structures (VS-WA; sample size: 1.9 m x 1.9 m x 0.5 m) was set up. With the test rig, practical investigations of insulating and sealing materials as well as wall segment materials of thermal energy stores are possible in one unit. Since the test rig is pivoted it is also possible to examine vertical (wall area) and horizontal (ceiling area) structures. The present thesis deals with the experimental determination of the effective thermal conductivity of two promising thermal insulation materials (polyurethane granulate and expanded polystyrene particles). The test results show an increased effective thermal conductivity for the vertical orientation of the VS-WA compared to the material properties given by the manufacturers. The reason for this is, based on the evaluation of temperature profiles, a significant portion of free convection. This is the case despite low permeabilities of the bulk materials investigated and thus contrary to the current state of scientific knowledge. Without the new test rig with the dimensions realized here, the discovered effects could not have been observed (e.g. investigations with one- or two-plate apparatuses). The results can contribute to explain and avoid increased heat losses in real building structures.

Die Dissertation beschäftigt sich mit der Kommunikation der beiden Energie-Technologien Wasserstoff und Offshore-Wind und untersucht, inwieweit konkrete Argumente in der Lage sind, deren Akzeptanz intendiert zu beeinflussen. Um die Wirkung von sowohl positiven als auch negativen Argumenten zu messen, wurde ein repräsentativ angelegtes Experiment durchgeführt. Die Auswahl der dort getesteten Argumente basiert auf zwei Basis-Studien, mit deren Hilfe Argumente identifiziert wurden, welche Akteure aus den Bereichen Wirtschaft, Politik, Forschung, Gesellschaft und Medien in ihrer Kommunikation nutzten: (1) Systematische Dokumentenanalyse von Kommunikationsmaterial und (2) Quantitative Medienanalyse von Nachrichtenmedien für 2009 und 2013. Dabei wurde das Ziel verfolgt, für jedes der fünf Akteurssysteme sowohl häufig (dominante) als auch selten verwendete Argumente (Reframes) aufzuspüren, um die Wirkung beider Argument-Typen zu untersuchen. Die Effekte von Argumenten auf die Akzeptanz wurden sowohl unmittelbar erfasst als auch nach einer Zeitspanne von 3 Wochen, was – durch ein Panel-Design umgesetzt – auch Aussagen über die Wirkungsdauer lieferte. Zudem wurde analysiert, inwieweit der Persuasionsprozess durch bestimmte Moderatoren beeinflusst wird: Emotionalisierung, Competitive Framing, Persönliche Betroffenheit von einer Technologie, Art der Informationsverarbeitung und Zeitpunkt der Urteilsbildung. Die Studie konnte für beide Energie-Technologien eine stärkere Wirkung dominanter Argumente im Vergleich zu Reframes feststellen. Reframes sollten deshalb in der Kommunikation nur dann verwendet werden, wenn das Argument bereits einen gewissen Bekanntheitsgrad erzielt hat. Emotionalisierung wirkte nur bedingt: Insbesondere positive Reframes sowie negative dominante Argumente konnten emotionalisiert die Akzeptanz stärker beeinflussen. Zudem wurde das NIMBY-Konzept relativiert: Besonders von einer Technologie persönlich Betroffene wurden von positiven Argumenten überzeugt – negative Argumente entfalteten ihre Wirkung dagegen eher bei Nicht-Betroffenen. Weiterhin ließen sich die Annahmen der klassischen Zwei-Prozess-Modelle der Informationsverarbeitung entkräften, da auch die in dieser Studie fokussierten inhaltlichen Argumente heuristisch verarbeitet wurden und Wirkung erzielten.

Left-hand drive (LHD) vehicles share higher road accident risks under left-hand traffic because of blind spot areas. Due to low import prices, the number of wrong-hand drive vehicles skyrockets in emerging countries like Georgia, Kyrgyzstan and Russia. I identify the causal effect of wrong-hand drive vehicles on road safety employing a new “backward version” of the synthetic control method. Sweden switched from left-hand to right-hand traffic in 1967. Before 1967, however, almost all Swedish vehicles were LHD for reasons of international trade and Swedish customer demand. I match on accident figures in the period after 1967, when both Sweden and other European countries drove on the right and used LHD vehicles. Results show that right-hand traffic decreased road fatality, injury and accident risk in Sweden by approximately 30 percent. An earlier switch would have saved more than 4,000 lives between 1953 and 1966.

Title: Study of the rare B-meson decays with the ATLAS experiment Author: Marek Biroš Institute: Institute of Particle and Nuclear Physics Supervisor: RNDr. Pavel Řezníček, Ph.D., Institute of Particle and Nuclear Physics Abstract: The rare B0 d → K∗0 (892) μμ decay is one of the B-physics channels sensitive to Beyond Standard Model effects. The potential deviation from Standard Model predictions could be observed in the angular distribution of this decay. The work compiles several sub-tasks at the initial stage of this complex analysis: decay angles fit validation and signal event preselection. The fit functions used in the analysis are verified on generated toy Monte Carlo data. Ranges of parameters, for which are these functions positive, are established and within this parametric space, the testing of possible intrinsic fit biases is evaluated. A dependence of the fit bias with respect to the collected number of events (expected in Run 2 as well as at HL-LHC) and to the different signal-to- background ratio is studied. The second part of the thesis deals with processing of raw reconstructed data from the detector into n-tuples resulting in a more compact dataset that would be used in the final analysis. Within the process, baseline cuts are applied in order to minimize size of final datasets by reducing...