O avanço no desenvolvimento de uma vacina contra o Plasmodium vivax exige a identificação de antígenos capazes de induzir uma resposta imune protetora contra a malária. O presente estudo avalia o potencial da proteína-3 da superfície de merozoítos de P. vivax (PvMSP-3), como candidata a vacina. As proteínas recombinantes representando a região C-terminal da MSP-3α e diferentes regiões (N e C-terminal e proteína inteira) da MSP-3β de P. vivax foram utilizadas como antígeno. A imunogenicidade destas proteínas recombinantes foi avaliada em camundongos BALB/c, utilizando adjuvantes agonistas de TLR (flagelina FliC de Salmonella Typhimurium e CpG ODN) ou adjuvantes convencionais, tais como hidróxido de alumínio, saponinas, TiterMax Gold e adjuvante incompleto de Freund. Os títulos de anticorpos IgG foram determinados por ELISA utilizando soros de camundongos coletados duas semanas após cada dose de imunização. Nossos resultados demonstraram que a MSP-3α e a MSP-3β foram capazes de induzir altos títulos de anticorpos em camundongos na presença de diferentes adjuvantes, incluindo agonistas de TLR. Dentre as formulações testadas, aquelas contendo os adjuvantes CPG ODN 1826, Quil A, TiterMax e adjuvante incompleto de Freund foram mais imunogênicas e, portanto, mais promissoras para os ensaios pré-clínicos em primatas não-humanos. Usando camundongos TLR-4 KO, nós demonstramos que a proteína MSP-3β tem uma propriedade adjuvante intrínseca que é independente do TLR4 e que a contaminação por LPS na proteína purificada não desempenha qualquer papel no nosso sistema. / The advance in the development of a vaccine against Plasmodium vivax requires the identification of immunodominant antigens able to induce a protective immune response against malaria. The present study evaluates the potential of the Merozoite Surface Protein 3 of P. vivax (PvMSP-3) as vaccine candidate. Recombinant proteins representing the C-terminal region of MSP-3α and different regions of MSP-3β (N and C-terminal and full-length protein) of P. vivax were used as antigen. The immunogenicity of these recombinants was evaluated in BALB/c mice using as adjuvant TLR agonists (FliC flagellin of Salmonella Typhimurium and CpG motif-containing DNA) or conventional adjuvants such as Aluminum hidroxide, Saponins, TiterMax Gold and Incomplete Freund\'s Adjuvant. The IgG antibodies were determined by ELISA in sera from mice two weeks after each immunizing dose. Our results demonstrated that MSP-3α and MSP-3β were able to induce high antibody titres in mice in the presence of different adjuvants, including TLR agonists. Among the tested formulations, the adjuvants CPG ODN 1826, Quil A, TiterMax and Incomplete Freund\'s Adjuvant were more immunogenic, therefore more promising for pre-clinical trials in non-human primates. Using TLR-4 KO mice, we demonstrated that the MSP-3β protein has an intrinsic adjuvant property that is independent of TLR4 and that contaminating LPS in the purified protein did not play any role in our system.

La Néphronophtise (NPH) est une maladie autosomique récessive, qui se caractérise par des lésions tubulo-interstitielles conduisant à une insuffisance rénale terminale avant l'âge adulte. A ce jour des mutations dans 20 gènes (NPHP1-20) ont été identifiées comme responsables de la maladie. Les produits de ces gènes, les néphrocystines ou NPHP, se localisent et ont un rôle au cil primaire, définissant ainsi la NPH comme une ciliopathie. Nous avons identifié des mutations dans un nouveau gène candidat. Ces mutations ont été détectées dans six familles indépendantes, présentant une NPH tardive avec une fibrose rénale importante. Ce gène code MAPKBP1, une protéine très peu étudiée, ayant été décrite comme une protéine d'échafaudage de la voie JNK. MAPKBP1 interagit également avec WDR62, le produit d'un paralogue qui est le second gène le plus fréquemment muté dans les microcéphalies primaire récessives. La protéine WDR62 localise aux pôles du fuseau mitotiques (MSP) d'où elle régule l'orientation de l'axe des mitoses via la voie JNK dans le système nerveux central. Au cours de mon travail de thèse au sein du laboratoire des Maladies Rénales Héréditaires de l'Institut Imagine, j'ai étudié les fonctions cellulaires de la protéine MAPKBP1. J'ai ainsi pu mettre en évidence dans les lignées cellulaires ainsi que dans les tissus, que la protéine MAPKBP1 n'est pas présente au cil primaire et que les fibroblastes de patients ne présentent pas de défauts de ciliogenèse, indiquant que MAPKBP1 pourrait être le représentant d'une nouvelle famille de NPHP ne possédant pas de fonctions ciliaires. De manière intéressante, j'ai pu observer que MAPKBP1 est recruté aux MSP au cours des phases précoces de la mitose. Ainsi, en démontrant que certaines des mutations retrouvées chez les patients affectent le recrutement de MAPKBP1 aux MSP et perturbent également l'interaction de MAPKBP1 avec JNK et/ou WDR62, j'ai pu valider l'effet pathogène de ces mutations. De plus, j'ai montré des défauts dans la voie de réponse aux dommages à l'ADN dans les différents fibroblastes de patients comme récemment observé dans de nombreux modèles NPHP. / Nephronophthisis (NPH) is an autosomal recessive disease, characterised by tubulointerstitial lesions leading to an end-stage renal disease before adulthood. Causative mutations in 20 genes (NPHP1-20) have been identified so far. The products of those genes, the nephrocystins or NPHP, localise and function at the primary cilium, defining NPH as a ciliopathy. We identified mutations in a new candidate gene. Those mutations have been detected in six independent families, displaying late onset NPH with massive fibrosis. This gene encode MAPKBP1, a poorly studied protein that has been described as JNK pathway scaffold protein. MAPKBP1 also interacts with WDR62, the product of a paralogue which is the second most frequently mutated gene in recessive primary microcephalies. The protein WDR62 localises at the mitotic spindle poles (MSP) from where it regulates the orientation of the axis of division, through activation of JNK pathway in the central nervous system. During my work in the laboratory of Hereditary Kidney Diseases in the Imagine Institute, I studied MAPKBP1 cellular functions. I could show that in the various cell lines that have been tested, as well as in human kidney tissues, MAPKBP1 is not present at the primary cilia. And I also could show in patient fibroblasts that there is no ciliary defects, indicating that MAPKBP1 could be a novel NPHP protein that do not display ciliary functions. Interestingly, I could observe that MAPKBP1 is recruited at the MSPs during mitosis. Demonstrating that some patient mutations affect the recruitment of MAPKBP1 at the MSPs and also disturb interaction with JNK and/or WDR62, I could validate the pathogenic effect of those mutations. In addition, I could show defects in the DNA damage response in patient fibroblasts, as observed recently in various NPHP models.

Malaria affects over half of the world's population and causes half a million deaths annually, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. Four species of the apicomplexan Plasmodium parasite (P. falciparum, P. ovale, P. malariae and P. vivax) are responsible for malaria in Africa. Both parasite and host factors contribute to heterogeneity in the risk of developing malaria, clinical manifestation of the disease as well as the number of treatments required to clear parasites. The epidemiology of the different species, and the role of exposure to mixed-species Plasmodium co-infections in generating heterogeneity remains poorly studied. Being an obligate intracellular parasite the blood-stage life cycle of the Plasmodium parasite takes place in the erythrocytes of the human host. The surfaces of these erythrocytes are the medically important ABO blood group antigens that have been reported to influence the susceptibility or otherwise of an individual developing severe malaria. In this thesis I have considered the contributions of the species of Plasmodium parasites and the ABO blood group of the host in driving heterogeneity in human malaria. The aims of this thesis were to determine: (i) the seroepidemiology of the different Plasmodium species in two mesoendemic African populations (Zimbabwe and Sudan); (ii) to determine if heterogeneity in clinical presentations of malaria (history of fever, body temperature and parasitaemia) and response to drug treatment is related to exposure to single vs. mixed-Plasmodium species infection; (iii) the spatial and temporal dynamics of malaria prevalence and Plasmodium species distribution in a mesoendemic village in eastern Sudan; (iv) gene expression changes in 3D7 P. falciparum parasites as they infect erythrocytes of different ABO blood group donors. For aims (i to iii) I developed an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using antigens derived from Plasmodium merozoite surface protein 1, also known as MSP-119, to detect IgG antibodies to all four malaria parasite species in Zimbabwean and Sudanese populations. In the Zimbabwean study, plasma samples from 100 individuals each (aged 5-18 years) from three villages (Burma Valley, Mutoko and Chiredzi) were screened for exposure to Plasmodium parasites. In Daraweesh, Sudan, plasma samples from 333 individuals (aged 1-74 years) who had experienced a first malaria episode between 1990 and 2000 were recruited into the study. For study aim (iv) I cultured a single clone of 3D7 P. falciparum parasite using erythrocytes of individuals of different ABO blood group types, harvested parasite RNA and sequenced it to determine gene expression changes in the different hosts. I showed that human IgG antibodies to MSP-119 antigens of the four Plasmodium species are species-specific and do not cross-react. In both study populations almost all antibody responses involved P. falciparum, and single-species responses were almost exclusively directed against P. falciparum antigens. Mixed-species responses accounted for more than a third of responses, and were associated with chloroquine treatment failure, with significantly high proportion of individuals with mixed-species infections requiring repeated treatment with chloroquine/sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine for parasite clearance. This finding highlights the need for a sensitive method for detecting mixed-species malaria infections to enable the assessment of the true prevalence and magnitude of the disease burden caused by the non-falciparum species in endemic populations. Drug treatment failures associated with mixed species infections have significant impact on malaria morbidity and mortality. Treatment failure or partial parasite clearance has the potential to allow dormant liver stages of P. vivax and P. ovale to become a source of parasite reservoir for onward transmission. Furthermore, untreated low-grade chronic infections caused by P. malariae have been reported to cause systemic diseases many years after the primary infection. Spatial analysis of malaria epidemiology showed that malaria parasite transmission in Daraweesh was focal, and that infections are not randomly distributed in the village. Two space-time clusters of significantly increased malaria risk were identified (1993- 1999, and 1998-1999) with marked variations between households, but little or no variation in the species of Plasmodium over time. Similarly, multiple significant clusters were identified for the parasite species; three for P. falciparum, two for P. vivax and P. malariae, and one for P. ovale. These clusters had overlapping time frames, with some of the species significantly infecting the same households. This suggests that even in a small geographic area malaria transmission shows heterogeneity, and that such data can provide useful information to guide malaria control efforts. Finally, I demonstrated that 3D7 P. falciparum parasite growth was similar in the erythrocytes of different blood group donors, and provide preliminary data to show that the non-coding RNA gene, PF3D7_1370800, is differentially expressed in blood group A donors relative to blood groups B and O donors. Further research is needed to better understand the role of this gene in malaria pathology. All together, these findings will aid malaria researchers and other stakeholders in making informed choices about tools for diagnosing Plasmodium species, and control programmes targeting eradication of malaria caused by all Plasmodium species, as is the case of incorporating these findings into current malaria research in Sudan.

O avanço no desenvolvimento de uma vacina contra o Plasmodium vivax exige a identificação de antígenos capazes de induzir uma resposta imune protetora contra a malária. O presente estudo avalia o potencial da proteína-3 da superfície de merozoítos de P. vivax (PvMSP-3), como candidata a vacina. As proteínas recombinantes representando a região C-terminal da MSP-3α e diferentes regiões (N e C-terminal e proteína inteira) da MSP-3β de P. vivax foram utilizadas como antígeno. A imunogenicidade destas proteínas recombinantes foi avaliada em camundongos BALB/c, utilizando adjuvantes agonistas de TLR (flagelina FliC de Salmonella Typhimurium e CpG ODN) ou adjuvantes convencionais, tais como hidróxido de alumínio, saponinas, TiterMax Gold e adjuvante incompleto de Freund. Os títulos de anticorpos IgG foram determinados por ELISA utilizando soros de camundongos coletados duas semanas após cada dose de imunização. Nossos resultados demonstraram que a MSP-3α e a MSP-3β foram capazes de induzir altos títulos de anticorpos em camundongos na presença de diferentes adjuvantes, incluindo agonistas de TLR. Dentre as formulações testadas, aquelas contendo os adjuvantes CPG ODN 1826, Quil A, TiterMax e adjuvante incompleto de Freund foram mais imunogênicas e, portanto, mais promissoras para os ensaios pré-clínicos em primatas não-humanos. Usando camundongos TLR-4 KO, nós demonstramos que a proteína MSP-3β tem uma propriedade adjuvante intrínseca que é independente do TLR4 e que a contaminação por LPS na proteína purificada não desempenha qualquer papel no nosso sistema. / The advance in the development of a vaccine against Plasmodium vivax requires the identification of immunodominant antigens able to induce a protective immune response against malaria. The present study evaluates the potential of the Merozoite Surface Protein 3 of P. vivax (PvMSP-3) as vaccine candidate. Recombinant proteins representing the C-terminal region of MSP-3α and different regions of MSP-3β (N and C-terminal and full-length protein) of P. vivax were used as antigen. The immunogenicity of these recombinants was evaluated in BALB/c mice using as adjuvant TLR agonists (FliC flagellin of Salmonella Typhimurium and CpG motif-containing DNA) or conventional adjuvants such as Aluminum hidroxide, Saponins, TiterMax Gold and Incomplete Freund\'s Adjuvant. The IgG antibodies were determined by ELISA in sera from mice two weeks after each immunizing dose. Our results demonstrated that MSP-3α and MSP-3β were able to induce high antibody titres in mice in the presence of different adjuvants, including TLR agonists. Among the tested formulations, the adjuvants CPG ODN 1826, Quil A, TiterMax and Incomplete Freund\'s Adjuvant were more immunogenic, therefore more promising for pre-clinical trials in non-human primates. Using TLR-4 KO mice, we demonstrated that the MSP-3β protein has an intrinsic adjuvant property that is independent of TLR4 and that contaminating LPS in the purified protein did not play any role in our system.

Tématické zaměření práce je marketing malých a středních firem. Práce se zabývá konkrétní malou firmou, která se aktuálně potýká s odlivem zákazníků a poklesem tržeb. Autor analyzuje marketingový mix firmy a v něm hledá možné příčiny nepříznivého stavu. Použití nástrojů MM hodnotí a navrhuje možné změny, které by firmě pomohly oživit zájem zákazníků.

Cílem diplomové práce ?Úloha veřejné správy v podpoře malého a středního podnikání v kraji Vysočina? je jednak analyzovat současné podnikatelské prostředí v České republice se zaměřením na kraj Vysočina a jednak představit podpory určené malým a středním podnikatelům, kteří realizují své podnikatelské aktivity na území kraje Vysočina. Dalším cílem je provést analýzu čerpání finančních prostředků z podpor vymezených pro malé a střední podniky a snaha zhodnotit efektivnost těchto poskytnutých podpor v kraji Vysočina.

Práce se zabývá dotační problematikou v ČR se zaměřením na měřitelnost přínosů a efektivnosti získaných prostředků v ziskovém a neziskovém sektoru, kdy byly zpracovany 3 metodiky hodnotící efektivnost, přínosy a rovněž náklady jednotlivých podniků a neziskových organizací s průběhem grantových projektů souvisejících. Práce se opírá o data získaná empirickým výzkumem provedeným formou případových studií ve 4 podnicích a v 5 neziskových organizací. Pro získání dat byly použity 3 typy dotazníků, které byly s respondenty vyplňovány osobně.

Diplomová práce je zaměřena v oblasti teorie na charakteristiku malých a středních firem včetně jejich právních forem, na teorii sestavení podnikatelského plánu a na možné zdroje financování podnikatelského plánu. Praktická část se věnuje sestavení konkrétního plánu společnosti Web Software Consulting. Tato práce slouží pro posouzení reálnosti a životaschopnosti podnikatelského nápadu.[cs]

<p>Predmet istraživanja doktorske disertacije jeste razvoj modela za povećanje poslovnih rezultata preduzeća koji je zasnovan na inovativnim pristupima saradnje sa klijentima. U fokusu rada nalaze se pojmovi malih i srednjih preduzeća (MSP) i poslovni rezultat preduzeća iz komercijalnog dela auto industrije, koji će biti oslikan kroz prihode. Automobilska industrija je izuzetno ciklična industrija, i kao takva zavisi od raspoloživosti investicija u nekom datom trenutku, te je iz tog razloga kvalitetno koncipirana strategija pristupa klijentima kompanije primarna alatka za održanje nivoa prihoda i njihov porast u industriji kao što je automobilska.</p> / <p>The subject of doctoral dissertation research is the development of a model for increasing the business results of the company, which is based on innovative approaches to cooperation with clients. In the focus of the work are the concepts of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the business results of the company from the commercial part of the auto industry, which will be painted through revenues. The automotive industry is a highly cyclical industry, and as such depends on the availability of investments at some point, and for this reason, a well-conceived strategy for accessing the company&#39;s clients is the primary tool for sustaining the level of revenue and their growth in the industry, such as automotive.</p>

Normal Mode is a composition for chamber ensemble and electronics that makes reference to the microtonality employed in Turkish music. In this composition I have made an attempt to expand the timbral palette of standard Western instruments by the use of electronic sounds, which were constructed through digital sound synthesis. The microtonal frequencies, which were used in this synthesis process, were derived from the Turkish tonal system. The ensemble material, on the other hand, was conceived within a Western-influenced serial pitch organization. These two distinct influences invite a dynamic discourse between the ensemble and the electronics. As a new instrument, which was developed specifically for this composition, the electronics initially attracts more attention. Over time a new equilibrium is established and the electronics part is integrated in the ensemble. The electronics part of Normal Mode was created in the object-oriented programming environment Max/MSP. It is realized in a performance of the composition with the same software. Five of the chapters of this thesis discuss the compositional process of the electronic part and the system of organization that guided this process. These chapters describe how this system was incorporated in the programming of Max/MSP patchers which generated the composition's sound library and perform the electronics part in real time. They also describe the relationships between the ensemble and the electronics. The sixth chapter presents the composition Normal Mode. The Max/MSP patchers that perform the electronics part are included in the supplement of this thesis.