The cyto-protective compositions and effects of antiviral Maillard reaction products (MRPs) derived from roots of Isatis indigotica F. were examined using biochemical and biophysical methods. The Maillard reaction was identified as the main source of compounds with antiviral activity, an observation which has led to the proposal of a new class of active compounds that protect cells from influenza virus infection. In the roots, arginine and glucose were revealed to be the predominant reactants for the Maillard reaction. Significant anti-influenza virus effects were demonstrated in the RIE MRPs derived from the roots (RIE refers to the ‘radix Isatidis extracts’), and in Arg-Glc MRPs which are synthesised with arginine and glucose. Arg-Glc MRPs were confirmed as suitable models for the study of the antiviral effects of the root extracts. Furthermore, RIE MRPs and Arg-Glc MRPs were found to bind to the plasma membranes of erythrocytes and MDCK cells, and altered their properties. A novel antiviral mechanism was proposed: that MRPs achieve their cyto-protective effects by binding to the cell membrane rather than by direct action on viral particles. To validate the proposed mechanism, the interaction between MRPs and membrane lipids was investigated by biophysical experiments with phospholipids bilayers. Arg-Glc MRPs affected the rigidity of lipid packing in monolayers and bilayers, while RIE MRPs enhanced the fluidity. Both types of MRPs inserted into the hydrophobic core of bilayers, to differing extents, and induced the stabilisation or destabilisation of bilayers in a concentrationdependent manner. At certain concentrations, MRPs prevented the lamellar structure of bilayers from being destabilised by a viral fusion peptide, improved the lipid order and thereby inhibited cell-virus membrane fusion. The mechanism of the anti-influenza virus activity of RIE was therefore correlated to the interaction between MRPs and phospholipid bilayers, an integral component of the plasma membrane.

Cascade Drives specializes in high-performance electromechanical linear actuators (EMA). The company has developed a range of linear rack and pinion actuators based on a patented load distribution technique that allows multiple pinions to interact with a single gear rack. A project where one of their EMAs is to be implemented into an excavator boom is about to be initiated. It is suspected that extreme shock loads are present in such applications. The shock loads could potentially cause problems for the structural integrity of the gear train. This master thesis focused on defining requirements for an overload protection mechanism and identifying and evaluating possible solutions that could be implemented into the EMA to protect it from damage. At the start of the thesis, a pre-study had already been conducted. The author found that the forces present during shock loading warrant some protection strategy to be researched and implemented into the EMA. A comprehensive multibody dynamics model (MBD) of the EMA was developed in MSC Adams (View) to validate the result from the pre-study. The MBD model was later expanded to include a torsional stiffness model derived from physical tests and the flexibility of the excavator boom itself, which was extracted from flexible body simulations of the excavator boom assembly in Adams. The expanded MBD model simulations revealed that a protection mechanism was needed in the thought application. Three protection mechanisms/strategies were simulated and evaluated in the MBD environment. A slipping solution in the form of a friction clutch, a disconnecting solution in the form of an electromagnetic clutch, and an active solution in which the electric motor was controlled to produce maximum torque in the opposite direction of motion at the point of impact to dampen the loads through the gear train. Running the motor in reverse at impact proved to be an insufficient strategy. Even for an idealized motor that combined the maximum torque from the strongest motor and the rotational inertia from the lightest motor available for the EMA, simulations resulted in loads above the static load limit through the gear train. The friction clutch was shown to be plausible but inefficient. The slipping torque of a friction clutch had to be detuned way below the static load limit due to the delays in peak torque throughout the gear train, which meant that the overall actuating force of the actuator was severely hampered. The electromechanical disconnecting clutch was proved to be the most promising alternative. The disconnecting clutch completely disengages the upstream components from the downstream components in the drive train, meaning that the overall system performance remained unchanged. The response times needed depended on where the clutch was installed, from around 16ms if only the motor was disengaged up to 17ms if both the motor and the brake were disengaged. Further analysis of triggering strategies and response times has to be conducted to definitely decide if an electromagnetic clutch is a viable option. Still, the result from this thesis shows that it is a promising path. / Cascade Drives är specialiserade på högpresterande elektromekaniska linjära ställdon. Företaget har utvecklat en rad linjära ställdon av kuggstångskonfiguration som bygger på en patenterad lastfördelningsteknik som möjliggör för flera pinjonger att interagera med en enda kuggstång. Ett projekt där ett av deras ställdon ska implementeras i en grävmaskinsbom är på väg att inledas och man misstänker att det i en sådan applikation kan uppstå extrema chocklaster, vilka potentiellt kan orsaka stora skador på ställdonets drivlina. Detta examensarbete fokuserade på att kravställa och analysera ett överbelastningsskydd och att identifiera och utvärdera olika möjliga lösningar som kan implementeras i ställdonet för att skydda det från skador. En förstudie kring problemet har redan genomförts där författaren fann att de krafter som uppstår vid chocklaster motiverar att någon form av skyddsstrategi undersöks och implementeras i ställdonet. En omfattande multibody dynamics (MBD) modell av ställdonet utvecklades i MSC Adams (View) för att validera resultatet från förstudien. MBD-modellen utvidgades senare till att innefatta en torsionsflexmodell härledd från fysiska tester och även flexibiliteten hos själva grävmaskinbommen som extraherades från flexible body-simuleringar av grävmaskinens bomaggregat i Adams. Resultat från de utökade MBD-modellsimuleringarna visade att en skyddsmekanism behövs för att skydda drivlinan i ställdonet mot överlast i den tänkta grävmaskinsapplikationen. Tre olika skyddsmekanismer/strategier simulerades och utvärderades i MBD-miljön. En glidande lösning i form av en friktionskoppling, en frånkopplande lösning i form av en elektromagnetisk koppling, och en aktiv lösning där elmotorn reglerades till att producera maximalt vridmoment bakåt vid tidpunkten för kollisionen för att minska belastningarna i drivlinan. Att köra motorn bakåt vid kollision visade sig vara otillräckligt. Även för en idealiserad motor som kombinerade det maximala vridmomentet från den starkaste motorn som simulerades med rotationströgheten från den lättaste motorn som simulerades resulterade simuleringar i krafter genom drivlinan överstigande den statiska maxbelastningen. Friktionskopplingen visade sig vara en möjlig men ineffektiv lösning. Friktionskopplingens utlösningsmoment måste trimmas ner långt under den statiska maxbelastningen på grund av tiden det tar för maxbelastningen att propagera genom drivlinan. Detta innebar att ställdonets totala prestanda minskade rejält. Den frånkopplande elektromekaniska lösningen visade sig vara det mest lovande alternativet. Det faktum att den frånkopplande kopplingen helt kopplar bort komponenterna uppströms från komponenterna nedströms i drivlinan innebar att systemets prestanda förblev oförändrad. Svarstiderna som krävdes berodde på var kopplingen var installerad, från cirka 16ms om bara motorn skulle kopplas ur och upp till 17ms om både motorn och bromsen kopplades ur. Ytterligare analyser av utlösningsstrategier och svarstider måste genomföras för att definitivt avgöra om en elektrisk frånkopplande koppling är ett bra alternativ, men resultaten från denna avhandling visar att det är en lovande väg.

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<p>In service-oriented architecture, services can communicate and share data among themselves. This thesis presents a solution that allows detecting several types of data leakages made by authorized insiders to unauthorized services. My solution provides role-based and attribute-based access control for data so that each service can access only those data subsets for which the service is authorized, considering a context and service’s attributes such as security level of the web browser and trust level of service. My approach provides data protection in transit and at rest for both centralized and peer-to-peer service architectures. The methodology ensures confidentiality and integrity of data, including data stored in untrusted cloud. In addition to protecting data against malicious or curious cloud or database administrators, the capability of running a search through encrypted data, using SQL queries, and building analytics over encrypted data is supported. My solution is implemented in the “WAXEDPRUNE” (Web-based Access to Encrypted Data Processing in Untrusted Environments) project, funded by Northrop Grumman Cybersecurity Research Consortium. WAXEDPRUNE methodology is illustrated in this thesis for two use cases, including a Hospital Information System with secure storage and exchange of Electronic Health Records and a Vehicle-to-Everything communication system with secure exchange of vehicle’s and drivers’ data, as well as data on road events and road hazards. </p><p>To help with investigating data leakage incidents in service-oriented architecture, integrity of provenance data needs to be guaranteed. For that purpose, I integrate WAXEDPRUNE with IBM Hyperledger Fabric blockchain network, so that every data access, transfer or update is recorded in a public blockchain ledger, is non-repudiatable and can be verified at any time in the future. The work on this project, called “Blockhub,” is in progress.</p>

The theoretical part of the thesis explains several terms from the area of civil protection, such as civil protection, international humanitarian law, extraordinary and crisis event, and describes the historical development of civil protection in an international environment and in the territory of today's Czech Republic. The thesis also characterizes international institutions while addressing some of them, namely ICRC, UN, NATO and EU, in more detail. It describes the history, characteristics and organization structure of international institutions, as well as involvement of the North Atlantic Alliance and European Union in civil emergency planning. In terms of the Czech Republic, the thesis examines particularly how the population protection is organized in its territory. Last but not least, the thesis specifies international rules of law connected with civil protection, rules of law of the NATO addressing civil protection, rules of law of the EU addressing civil protection and Czech rules of law addressing population protection. The objective of thesis is to compare and evaluate fulfilment of tasks of the Czech and international legislation in the area of civil protection. The thesis will also serve as a study material for students of the branches "Civil Emergency Preparedness" and "Population Protection with Specialization in CBRNE" and as a supporting material for the regional authority and the authorities of municipalities with extended competence. The first section of the research part of the diploma thesis examines selected rules of law of civil protection of the Czech Republic , NATO and EU and, last but not least, Geneva Conventions. In 2013 the new Population Protection Policy for the period until 2020 with an outlook until 2030 entered into effect in the Czech Republic, based on which six areas of population protection were created. A new document of civil emergency planning of NATO is the 2014-2017 Political Guidance of CEP. Decision No. 1313/2013/EU on a Union Civil Protection Mechanism has been used as the principal document for civil protection within the EU since 1. 1. 2014. These three rules of law are the main documents used for the comparison and evaluation of fulfilment of tasks of the Czech and international legislation in this thesis and are examined in more detailed. The last of the documents mentioned in this part of the thesis are the Geneva Conventions, and the thesis examines particularly their embodiment in the Czech legal regulation. At the end of this part there is a summary table that matches Czech rules of law to international rules of law in individual areas. The rules of law of the EU and NATO constitute a superstructure above the rules of law of their Member States and cannot be directly compared; however, it is possible to determine whether the Czech rules of law comply with them. The Geneva Conventions have been embodied in the legal order of the Czech Republic, and other provisions thereof have been implemented through other Acts. As far as NATO is concerned, cooperation takes place particularly between organizations in individual cases. Cooperation and coordination between EU and Member States do not interfere in the primary responsibility for the protection of population, environment, property and cultural heritage of the Member States within their own territories. The Decision on the Mechanism also does not concern mutual rights and obligations of Member States that are embodied in bilateral or multilateral treaties in the area of civil protection. At the conclusion, the thesis proposes certain changes and amendments to the Czech rules of law, which could improve civil protection in the territory of the Czech Republic and facilitate interconnection with the international environment, which has not been working yet as it is supposed to since the new Population Protection Policy has not been in full compliance with the international rules of law.

Dès le sixième siècle avant J.-C. l’homme a été défini comme un « être d’une certaine hauteur, dont la forme de la main est différente de celle du pied, qui possède des cheveux et des dents, et qui peut se déplacer vite et debout ». Il prit alors deux formes de statut : celui de ren pour désigner un homme de vertu ou qui exerce une fonction publique ou privée ; et celui de min pour désigner celui qui n’exerce aucune fonction publique. La société chinoise s’est construite sur cette séparation : les ren, encadré par leur vertu, doivent rendre service aux min et à la société ; et les min disposent de certains droits fondamentaux vis-à-vis des ren. De ce fait, la Chine traditionnelle a mis en place deux mécanismes de protection de ceux-ci : la requête individuelle que les min peuvent utiliser pour valoir leurs droits fondamentaux contre des actes ou des hommes public qui leur ont porté atteinte, et le zuiji zhao par lequel les empereurs s’auto-punissent. Avec le temps, trois formes du contrôle de conformité des actes publics ont été successivement mise en place. A la fin de la dynastie des Qing les droits humains fondamentaux chinois seront confrontés aux droits de l'homme occidentaux auxquels les chinois s’identifièrent parce qu’ils correspondaient à leur tradition temporairement écartée. Trois réformes politico-juridiques principales furent engagées successivement par les Chinois afin de la rétablir et de la concilier avec les théories et les expériences occidentales dans ce domaine. Le point culminant de cette rencontre fut la participation chinoise àl’élaboration de la DUDH et la nomination de son représentant comme vice-président de son comité d’élaboration. En 1949 la République populaire de Chine remplaça la République de Chine. Dans un premier temps ses dirigeants se montrèrent assez sensibles aux droits de l'homme et à leur protection ; mais la Révolution culturelle anéantit cette démarche, créant une situation dont la Chine d’aujourd’hui souffre encore. Ces dernières années, les droits de l'homme connaissent en Chine une forme de renaissance qui se traduit dans les domaines législatif, éducatif, administratif et judiciaire. Le caractère encourageant et constructif de ce mouvement, qui s’appuie sur les exemples étrangers et sur certains progrès régionaux, mais qui se fonde sur les traditions principalement confucéennes chinoises, laisse envisager une protection des droits de l’homme dans le pays analogue à celle qui est garantie dans les pays les plus avancés. / The concept of human being was defined in China since the sixth century B.C. as "a living organism which has a certain height, its hands are different from its feet,covered by hair and has developed teeth, capable of moving quickly in an uprightposture". Since then, two categories of men were defined: the ren, to designate a virtuous man or somebody who xercises public or private functions; and the min, to designate men who have no public power. The Chinese society was built on thisdistinction: the ren, known by their virtuosity, might offer their services to the min and the society itself, and the min have some fundamental rights towards ren population. For that reason, ancient China set up two protection mechanisms: min’sindividual queries to request the respect of their fundamental rights against actions from public agents, and the zuiji zhao, mechanism used by the emperors to punish themselves. Over time, three compliance control mechanisms were developed. By the end of the Qing Dynasty, this Chinese approach to fundamental human rights was compared to Western approach to human rights by the Chinese population, who recognized themselves in the western approach, following the disturbance in the Chinese tradition led by the Manchu. For the re-establishment of Chinese tradition, three main political and legal reforms were carried out by the Chinese in order to restore their tradition, abandoned by the Manchus, and to conciliate Western theories and experiences with Chinese approach. A turning point was achieved with thecontribution of China in the development of UDHR, and the nomination of the Chinese representative as vice president of the redaction committee.