Multimedia performances, uniting music and interactive images, are a unique form of entertainment that has been explored by artists for centuries. This audio-visual combination has evolved from rudimentary devices generating visuals for single instruments to cutting-edge video image productions for musical groups of all sizes. Throughout this evolution, a common goal has been to create real-time, audio-responsive visuals that accentuate the sound and enhance the performance. This paper explains the creation of a project that produces real-time, audioresponsive and artist interactive visuals to accompany a live musical performance by a symphony orchestra. On April 23, 2006, this project was performed live with the Brazos Valley Symphony Orchestra. The artist, onstage during the performance, controlled the visual presentation through a user interactive, custom computer program. Using the power of current visualization technology, this digital program was written to manipulate and synchronize images to a musical work. This program uses pre-processed video footage chosen to reflect the energy of the music. The integration of the video imagery into the program became a reiterative testing process that allowed for important adjustments throughout the visual creation process. Other artists are encouraged to use this as a guideline for creating their own audio-visual projects exploring the union of visuals and music.

We show that results on the characterization of admissible quantizations, which have been derived in Potzelberger [3], have to be modified in case the probability distribution has linear components. Furthermore, we provide an example, where the limit of optimal quantizations is not admissible. (author's abstract) / Series: Forschungsberichte / Institut für Statistik

Let P be a Borel probability measure on Rd. We characterize the maximal elements p E M(P,m) with respect to the Bishop-De Leeuw order, where p E M(P, m) if and only if p P and [supp(p)] m. The results obtained have important consequences for statistical inference, such as tests of homogeneity or multivariate cluster analysis and for the theory of comparison of experiments. (author's abstract) / Series: Forschungsberichte / Institut für Statistik

Androgens are the main regulators of human hair growth stimulating larger, terminal hair development e.g. beard and causing scalp balding, androgenetic alopecia. Hair disorders cause psychological distress but are poorly controlled. Androgens probably act by altering regulatory paracrine factors produced by the mesenchyme-derived dermal papilla. This study aimed to investigate paracrine factors involved in androgen-regulated alopecia, particularly hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) family members, by investigating their in vivo status. Balding and non-balding scalp hair follicles and their component tissues were isolated and analysed by molecular biological methods (reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), quantitative PCR and DNA microarray analysis), cell culture and immunohistochemistry. Scalp follicles expressed a range of paracrine messenger genes. The dermal papilla, cultured dermal papilla cells and dermal sheath expressed several HGF family genes, while matrix cells only produced the receptor RON suggesting autocrine roles for HGF and MSP, but a paracrine route only for MSP. Comparing balding and non-balding follicles from the same individuals revealed the expected reduction in several keratin and keratin-related protein genes supporting this approach's validity. There were also significant differences in paracrine factors previously implicated in androgen action by in vitro studies. Several factors believed to increase during androgen stimulation of larger, darker follicles, e.g. IGF-I and SCF, were lowered in balding follicles, while putative inhibitory factors, e.g. TGFß-1, were increased. HGF and MSP and their receptors, c-Met and RON, were significantly reduced. These results increase our understanding of androgen action in human hair follicles; this could lead to better treatments for hair disorders.

The present paper deals with the choice of clustering algorithms before treating a k-sample problem. We investigate multivariate data sets that are quantized by algorithms that define partitions by maximal support planes (MSP) of a convex function. These algorithms belong to a wide class containing as special cases both the well known k-means algorithm and the Kohonen (1985) algorithm and have been profoundly investigated by Pötzelberger and Strasser (1999). For computing the test statistics for the k-sample problem we replace the data points by their conditional expections with respect to the MSP-partition. We present Monte Carlo simulations of power functions of different tests for the k-sample problem whereas the tests are carried out as multivariate permutation tests to ensure that they hold the level. The results presented show that there seems to be a vital and decisive connection between the optimal choice of the clustering algorithm and the tails of the probability distribution of the data. Especially for distributions with heavy tails like the exponential distribution the performance of tests based on a quadratic convex function with k-means type partitions totally breaks down. (author's abstract) / Series: Report Series SFB "Adaptive Information Systems and Modelling in Economics and Management Science"

The main goal of the diploma thesis is to determine the possibility of application of selected internationalization models in the conditions of Czech SMEs, to define limits of these models and eventually to draw up their modification. To meet that objective it was necessary to collect primary data from the Czech SMEs, which were acquired through the realisation of a questionnaire survey. Based on the results obtained by evaluating the primary data there are in the thesis defined differences between internationalization process of Czech SMEs in comparison with stage models of internationalization, namely with Uppsala model and models based on theory of innovations. At the end of the diploma thesis there are summarised the typical characteristics of the process of internationalization of Czech SMEs.

The main objective of this thesis is an analysis of support programs focused on small businesses, the program most suitable applications for the enterprise and assess the contribution of selected operational program for the examinees.

The thesis is focused on feasibility study, which respect subsidy policy Operational Programme ICT and shared services for obtain grant from EU funds. Introduces part of the thesis contains desciption of parts the feasibility study and supporting a grant from Operational Programme Enterprise and Innovations for Competitiveness intended mainly for small and medium-sized enterprises.

My composition, Maitreya, combines vocal synthesis techniques with the theoretical concept of Deep Listening. This essay discusses developments in vocal synthesis and digital signal processing (DSP) software that can be performed in real-time and contributed to my composition. Deep Listening involves meditative practices to make one more aware of sounds that are both audible and inaudible. The composition utilizes recordings of male and female voices that recite poetry, chant, and are phase-vocoded. The composition also features various DSP techniques, and a custom-built modular synthesizer. The composition has three sections that were compiled and edited in Ableton Live 8.2.2.

My diploma thesis deals with the problem of financial and economical crisis and its impact on economy of medium-sized enterprise (MSE). First part defines the crisis phenomena themselves and discusses their upraise in the USA following by their expansion into the rest of of the world. Major part of my work addresses the situation in the Czech Republic, primarily the analysis of impacts onto the MSE. Another part of my work is a questionnaire research within the company employees. Company's effectiveness and efficiency evaluation are based on the research results. Concluding part proposes particular solutions and procedures suitable for the economical situation improvement of this particular MSE.