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The aim of this diploma thesis is to analyze the media construct of the European Union in chosen Czech mediae. The work applies to a concrete section of medial world using the method of discourse analysis and describes the structural means of the medial image of the European Union, emphasizing the ideological and political aspect of the analyzed material. The analysis is based on the certain period of 2018, when the presidential elections took place. This period was chosen due to the higher probability of occurrence of the required material. The material for discourse analysis was selected in the weekly magazines Echo and Respekt. The crucial criterion for the selection of these two periodicals was their explicit orientation towards conservative, alternatively liberal ideological orientation. The work describes the variability of the creation of media constructs. Due to the wide range of linguistic means, that can be used in discourse analysis, it was necessary to concretize the analysis into several partial linguistic phenomenons. The work is mainly structured in a form of metaphor due to the frequency and the influence. In the analysis, it was necessary to proceed to a more detailed categorization of metaphor so that it could be applied to specific textual material. At the same time, the most...

<p><br></p> <p>Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) plays an important role in providing structural information, aiding in disease diagnosis, probing neuron activities, and etc. Sampling k-space, which is the Fourier transform of the image, is a necessary step in MRI scans. The most widely used k-space sampling strategy is the Cartesian trajectories. However, novel non-Cartesian trajectories are flexible and efficient in k-space sampling, permit shorter echo time, and are insensitive to motion artifacts. The non-Cartesian k-space patterns include radial, spiral, concentric rings, rosette, and etc. Some protons restricted by the chemical environment, or other nuclei because of their nature, have short transverse relaxation times (T₂). Ultra-short echo time (UTE) and zero echo time (ZTE) modalities are the promising techniques to capture the rapid decaying signals directly. The common k-space pattern for UTE and ZTE applications is the three-dimensional radial acquisition, which allows a center-out trajectory. Rosette k-space trajectory, which also allows center-out sampling, is a potential candidate for UTE purposes. In addition, it acquires more samples in the peripheral k-space for better spatial resolution, and is more incoherent to stand image quality upon undersampling than radial. However, the rosette trajectories have not yet been applied in UTE.</p> <p> </p> <p>In this study, a 3D rosette k-space trajectory designed for UTE acquisition is developed. In addition, a rosette-based magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) is also developed to measure metabolites with short echo time. A comparison between 3D rosette and 3D radial UTE sequences, based on both phantom and <em>in vivo</em> scans, was performed to test the performance of the novel sequence. In addition, the 3D rosette UTE sequence was also applied in 1) myelin bilayer imaging, 2) brain iron content mapping, 3) cartilage image by sodium MRI, and 4) phosphorus MRSI. In summary, the 3D rosette k-space trajectory performs better than radial, in terms of point spread function (PSF), signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and ability to provide structural details. Furthermore, the applications have demonstrated that 3D rosette UTE sequence is able to capture fast decaying signals.</p>

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of short-term lower body unilateral resistance training on hormonal, muscle morphological, and performance measures in young men. METHODS: Seventeen healthy, untrained young men (Age: 22.8 ± 3.7 y; BMI: 26.5 ± 4.9 kg/m2) were randomly assigned to one of two groups (UT: 22.9 ± 4.6 y, 25.3 ± 4.2 kg/m2; CON: 24.0 ± 4.6 y, 27.7 ± 5.1 kg/m2). Resistance training consisted of 4 weeks of unilateral lower body and bilateral upper body exercises on 3 days per week. Each training session entailed unilateral countermovement jumps (3 × 8), unilateral leg press (LP), bilateral chest press (CP), unilateral leg extension (LE), and bilateral low row (LR). Strength exercises were performed for 3 sets of 8-10 repetitions; lower body exercises were performed with the dominant leg only. Muscle thickness (MT), pennation angle (PA), cross-sectional area (CSA), and echo-intensity (EI) of the vastus lateralis (VL) and rectus femoris (RF) muscles of both legs was assessed via ultrasound. Fascicle length (FL) was calculated as [MT / sin(PA)]. Maximal dynamic unilateral LP and LE strength was assessed during one-repetition maximum (1RM) testing; CP and LR 1RM strength was estimated as [repetition weight/(1.0278-0.0278)(reps)]. Maximal isometric knee extensor strength was isolaterally assessed via maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) testing. Mean and peak power output (Watts) was quantified during unilateral countermovement jumps via accelerometry. Fasting concentrations of total testosterone and growth hormone were obtained at baseline (PRE), immediately post (IP), 30-minutes post (30P), and 60-minutes post (60P) during both testing exercise sessions (Pre and Post). Following the 4-week intervention, all participants’ maximal dynamic and isometric strength, mean and peak power output, muscle morphology, and hormonal responses were reassessed. Performance, ultrasound, and area under the curve data were analyzed using ANCOVA to observe between-group comparisons while controlling for baseline (PRE) values. Endocrine data were analyzed using a two-way, mixedfactorial repeated-measures ANOVA. RESULTS: Participants in the UT group experienced significant strength improvements of the trained (28 to 150%) and untrained legs (12 to 160%). Training did not elicit significant improvements in maximal isometric strength or power output of the trained or untrained leg. The trained RF experienced significant increases in CSA and MT. The trained VL experienced a significant increase in CSA. Muscle size of the untrained leg was not significantly augmented. Training did not elicit changes in the acute hormonal response to exercise. CONCLUSIONS: Four weeks of unilateral lower body resistance training using the dominant leg appears sufficient to evoke strength gains of both the ipsilateral and contralateral legs. However, meaningful morphological changes were observed in the trained leg only. Differences in acute hormonal responses to resistance exercise did not appear to explain the observed differences. In addition, unilateral lower body resistance training did not appear to augment the acute endocrine response to an acute bout of resistance exercise. Current findings suggest that the cross-educational strength transfer during the early stage of training is attributable to factors other than changes in muscle morphology and circulating hormones.

Muscle function is determined by structure and morphology at the architectural level. In response to resistance training, older adults have demonstrated that the neuromuscular system has a substantial adaptability, which may compensate for muscle size and quality and lead to improved functional capacities and higher quality of life. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of six weeks of progressive resistance exercise on muscle morphology and architecture in healthy older adults. METHODS: Twenty- five healthy men and women were randomly assigned to either six weeks of progressive resistance training (RT) (n=13; age = 71.08 ± 6.75, BMI = 28.5 ± 5.22) or to serve as a control (CON) (n = 12; age = 70.17 ± 5.58, BMI = 27.52 ± 5.6). Fat mass (FM), lean mass (LM), and lean thigh mass (LTM) were evaluated using dual x-ray absorptiometry. Lower body strength was estimated by predicting maximal knee extensor strength (1RM). Muscle quality (MQ) was evaluated as strength per unit mass (kg/kg). Cross-sectional area (CSA), muscle thickness (MT), fascicle length (Lf), pennation angle (cosΘ), and echo intensity (EI) of the rectus femoris (RF) and vastus lateralis (VL) were collected using B-mode ultrasound and extended field of view (FOV) ultrasound. EI was quantified using grayscale analysis software. Strength per unit of echo intensity (REI) was determined by dividing 1RM by EI of the thigh. Physiological cross-sectional area (PCSA) was calculated as the ratio of (CSA x cosΘ) / (EI x Lf). A 2x2 (group [exercise vs. control] x time [pre vs. post]) repeated measures ANOVA was used to identify group differences and group x time interactions and stepwise regression was performed to assess variables related to strength. RESULTS: 1RM increased by 31.9% (p ≤ 0.01) in the RT group and was significantly correlated to PCSA of the thigh (r = .579; p = .003) at baseline. MQ increased 31.4% (p ≤ 0.01) in the RT group consistent iv with an REI increase of 33.3% (p ≤ 0.01). There were no significant changes in LTM in either group. VL CSA increased 7.4%, (p ≤ 0.05) and demonstrated a significant interaction (p ≤ 0.05) in the RT group. There were no significant changes in the CON group for 1RM, MQ, REI or VL CSA. PCSA demonstrated a significant (p ≤ 0.05) group x time interaction but did not significantly change in either group. EI did not significantly change in the RT or CON groups. CONCLUSION: Calculated PCSA of the thigh assessed by ultrasound was related to the force producing capacity of muscle and demonstrated a significant interaction following resistance training. Short term resistance exercise training was effective in increasing 1RM, muscle quality as relative strength, muscle quality as relative echo intensity, and muscle morphology, but not EI. In addition, ultrasonography appears to be a safe, feasible, informative and sensitive clinical technique to aid in our understanding of muscle strength, function, and quality.

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The purpose of this research study was to determine if there is a correlation between personality type and level of confirmation bias. Confirmation bias is the idea that people are more likely to agree with opinions already similar to their own and they will actively seek out that opinion. The NEO Five Factor Inventory was administered to determine the subjects’ levels in openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. The Confirmation Inventory was administered to determine the level of confirmation bias. It was predicted that people high in openness will score low in confirmation bias; people who score high in conscientiousness will score high in confirmation bias; high levels of agreeableness will result in low scores of confirmation bias; and the final hypothesis is people who score high in neuroticism will also score high levels of confirmation bias. It is predicted that a person's level of extraversion will not affect their level of confirmation bias. The low participant number caused non-significant results. Overall, no significant differences were found that illuminate the relationship between confirmation bias and personality. None of the comparisons were found to be significant at the .01 level.

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