Background: Strength is considered an important part in swimming and is usually included in training programs for swimmers. However, studies assessing the relationship between muscle strength, muscle endurance and swim performance are not many and have showed different results. Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the correlation between bench press, pull-up and 400 meter freestyle swim performance in elite swimmers. Method: The subjects (n=15, age 16-20) performed a one repetition maximum (1RM) bench press test to measure maximal muscle strength and to measure muscle endurance the subjects performed as many pull-up repetitions as possible during 30 seconds. A velocity four (V4) speed test was performed to assess swim performance by measuring time over covered distance and blood lactate levels. Results: The results of this study showed a moderate correlation (r=-0.54) between one repetition maximum in bench press and 400 meter freestyle swim performance. It showed a strong correlation (r=-0.63) between number of pull-ups repetitions during 30 seconds and 400 meter freestyle swim performance. Conclusion: These results suggest that upper body strength contributes to swim performance over 400 meter. The stronger correlation between pull-ups and swimming may indicate that muscle endurance of m. latissimus dorsi and the back muscles may be important to incorporate in a training program since it has shown to have a strong correlation with swim performance at 400 meters. / Bakgrund: Styrka anses vara en viktig del i simning och är ofta inkluderat i träningsprogram för simmare. Dock har endast ett mindre antal studier undersökt relationen mellan muskelstyrka, muskel uthållighet och simprestation och de som har gjort det visar olika resultat. Syfte: Syftet med denna studie var att utvärdera korrelationen mellan bänkpress, pull-ups och 400m simprestation hos elitsimmare. Metod: Deltagarna (n=15, ålder 16-20) utförde ett en repetition maximum (1RM) i bänkpress för att mäta maximal muskel styrka och för att mäta muskeluthållighet utförde deltagarna så många pull-ups repetitioner som möjligt under 30 sekunder. Ett velocity four (V4) hastighets test utfördes för att utvärdera simprestation genom att mäta tid över simmad distans och blod laktat värden. Resultat: Resultatet i denna studie visade på en moderat korrelation (r=-0,54) mellan en repetition maximum i bänkpress och 400 meter fristil simprestation. Den visade på en stark korrelation (r=-0,63) mellan antalet pull-ups repetitioner under 30 sekunder och 400 meter fristil simprestation. Konklusion: Dessa resultat tyder på att överkroppsstyrka bidrar till simprestation över 400 meter. Den starkare korrelationen mellan pull-ups och simning kan indikera att muskeluthållighet hos m. latisimus dorsi och ryggmusklerna kan vara viktigt att lägga in i ett träningsprogram då det visat på en stark korrelation till simprestation på distansen 400 meter.

Samples of lucerne plants characteristic with local necrosic lesions, leave malformation and yellow spots on leaves were investigated with transmission electron microscopy. Virus particles observed there were filamentous ones of 600 to 700 nm long. Nucleic acid was isolated, transcribed and amplified using PCR. Genus-specific primers were designed based on reverse genetics from the highly conserved genes for carlaviruses, potexviruses and potyviruses. Successful amplification with carlavirus-specific primers, sequencing and comparison with sequences in GenBank database revealed presence of a carlavirus. This was later identified by nucleotide sequence comparison as a new isolate V4 of Alfalfa latent virus. Specific primers for isolate V4 were designed in a coat protein position. Half of the genom of this virus was obtained with PCR and PCR modified amplifications and compared with sequences of Alfalfa latent virus and Pea streak virus from GenBank.

This thesis addresses the issues of data sparsity in the sonar domain. A data pipeline is set up to generate and enhance sonar data. The possibilities and limitations of using cycleGAN as a tool to enhance simulated sonar images for the purpose of training neural networks for detection and classification is studied. A neural network is trained on the enhanced simulated sonar images and tested on real sonar images to evaluate the quality of these images.The novelty of this work lies in extending previous methods to a more general framework and showing that GAN enhanced simulations work for complex tasks on field data.Using real sonar images to enhance the simulated images, resulted in improved classification compared to a classifier trained on solely simulated images. / Denna rapport ämnar undersöka problemet med gles data för djupinlärning i sonardomänen. Ett dataflöde för att generera och höja kvalitén hos simulerad sonardata sätts upp i syfte att skapa en stor uppsättning data för att träna ett neuralt nätverk. Möjligheterna och begränsningarna med att använda cycleGAN för att höja kvalitén hos simulerad sonardata studeras och diskuteras. Ett neuralt nätverk för att upptäcka och klassificera objekt i sonarbilder tränas i syfte att evaluera den förbättrade simulerade sonardatan.Denna rapport bygger vidare på tidigare metoder genom att generalisera dessa och visa att metoden har potential även för komplexa uppgifter baserad på icke trivial data.Genom att träna ett nätverk för klassificering och detektion på simulerade sonarbilder som använder cycleGAN för att höja kvalitén, ökade klassificeringsresultaten markant jämfört med att träna på enbart simulerade bilder.

Background: Competitive swimming is a sport that require high muscle strength to overcome the forces in the water. A phenomenon called post activation potentiation (PAP) is known to acutely increase power output. PAP can be defined as an increase in muscle performance after muscle contraction. Previous research on PAP has shown positive effects on different sports, including swimming. However, a limited amount of studies exists on PAP associated with swimming and distances longer than 100 meters. Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate if PAP for triceps brachii and latissimus dorsi with elastic bands can improve the aerobic performance, V4-speed, of elite freestyle swimmers. Methods: 13 elite swimmers participated in this study (mean ±SD: age 18 ±1.15). The participants performed three test sessions on two different days. The first occasion evaluated aerobic performance, V4-speed, where the participants performed a 400-m freestyle swim race and lactate and time were collected. At the second occasion, a 10-repetition maximum (RM) elastic resistance band test was done to get the right resistance band for each individual participant for the PAP exercise. At the third occasion, a PAP exercise, that mimics freestyle swim, with elastic resistance band was performed with 10 repetitions in two sets. After, a rest of six minutes was performed and then the same 400-m freestyle swim test as the first occasion. A paired samples t-test was used to evaluate significant differences between the swim test performed with and without a PAP exercise. Results: The study showed no statistical difference between the V4-speed with or without PAP exercise (p=0.93). An increase in lactate was seen after the PAP exercise (p=0.02). Conclusion: This study could not ensure an improvement of the aerobic performance, V4-speed, of elite swimmers when a PAP exercise, similar to a freestyle stroke, was performed before a 400-m submaximal freestyle swim race with elastic resistance band. Further research must be done in this area before coaches and athletes can apply this in training programs.

The question of how shape is represented is of central interest to understanding visual processing in cortex. While tuning properties of the cells in early part of the ventral visual stream, thought to be responsible for object recognition in the primate, are comparatively well understood, several different theories have been proposed regarding tuning in higher visual areas, such as V4. We used the model of object recognition in cortex presented by Riesenhuber and Poggio (1999), where more complex shape tuning in higher layers is the result of combining afferent inputs tuned to simpler features, and compared the tuning properties of model units in intermediate layers to those of V4 neurons from the literature. In particular, we investigated the issue of shape representation in visual area V1 and V4 using oriented bars and various types of gratings (polar, hyperbolic, and Cartesian), as used in several physiology experiments. Our computational model was able to reproduce several physiological findings, such as the broadening distribution of the orientation bandwidths and the emergence of a bias toward non-Cartesian stimuli. Interestingly, the simulation results suggest that some V4 neurons receive input from afferents with spatially separated receptive fields, leading to experimentally testable predictions. However, the simulations also show that the stimulus set of Cartesian and non-Cartesian gratings is not sufficiently complex to probe shape tuning in higher areas, necessitating the use of more complex stimulus sets.

The question of how shape is represented is of central interest to understanding visual processing in cortex. While tuning properties of the cells in early part of the ventral visual stream, thought to be responsible for object recognition in the primate, are comparatively well understood, several different theories have been proposed regarding tuning in higher visual areas, such as V4. We used the model of object recognition in cortex presented by Riesenhuber and Poggio (1999), where more complex shape tuning in higher layers is the result of combining afferent inputs tuned to simpler features, and compared the tuning properties of model units in intermediate layers to those of V4 neurons from the literature. In particular, we investigated the issue of shape representation in visual area V1 and V4 using oriented bars and various types of gratings (polar, hyperbolic, and Cartesian), as used in several physiology experiments. Our computational model was able to reproduce several physiological findings, such as the broadening distribution of the orientation bandwidths and the emergence of a bias toward non-Cartesian stimuli. Interestingly, the simulation results suggest that some V4 neurons receive input from afferents with spatially separated receptive fields, leading to experimentally testable predictions. However, the simulations also show that the stimulus set of Cartesian and non-Cartesian gratings is not sufficiently complex to probe shape tuning in higher areas, necessitating the use of more complex stimulus sets.

The main goal of this thesis is to evaluate and analyze the development of publicfinance in the V4 countries and their consolidation during the period 2002 - 2010. In that period of time there have been significant changes that directly affected the fiscal policies of all members of the V4. The examples of such changes is the fiscal decentralization, the admittance of this countries into the European Union and in the case of Slovakia also the fulfillment of the convergence criteria before joining the Eurozone in 2009. The work also analyses the transformation process in the V4 countries, because it very influenced the other fiscal development. The thesis seeks to examine and compare the economic policies of the governments of V4, which aim to restructure of public funds. The thesis also tries to link the knowledge obtained with the political cycle.

The theme of the diploma thesis is the Visegrad Four and its activity from the establishment in 1991 to the present. The aim of the thesis is to focus on the main purpose of the Group. The thesis examines fulfillment of set goals, which accomplishment the cooperation of V4 enabled. Significant activities of the group include EU entry, NATO entry, Schengen membership and establishment of CEFTA. The thesis covers present economic development of members of Visegrad and monetary policy regarding possible Euro acceptance. In the closing part there are the current priorities and spheres of cooperation of the Visegrad Group evaluated, i.e. activity in the EU and cooperation within V4, as well as other future perspective interest areas.

The main aim of the master's thesis is to clarify the problematic of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), analyse relevancy and historical development of selected ratios influencing business environment conditions for SMEs, and determine the best country within V4 region in terms of favourableness of selected business environment conditions for 2014. Theoretical part of the thesis discusses the problematic of SMEs from different points of view emphasizing on the approach of European Union. Based on literature relevant indicators are selected and presented for each V4 country individually. Analytical part of the thesis analyses external environment conditions for SMEs within V4 region in 2014 through five groups of indicators: Taxation, Labour Cost, Demand, Corruption and Law Enforcement, and Easy of Doing Business. The whole analysis is conducted based on secondary data and method of indexes. All of the five groups of indicators are analysed separately and based on these results the final ranking is created. The results of the study show relatively similar business conditions for SMEs within V4 area with Poland having the best SMEs business environment in 2014.

Visegrád countries were forced to adopt a widespread pension reform due to demographic facts. This reform led to the creation of the 2nd pillar. This thesis deals with this new funded pillar, which should facilitate the financing of the PAYG system (1st pillar). Using comparative analysis I reveal why all of Visegrád countries reduce 2nd pillar after several years of its functioning. The most common reason for this reducing was an effort to improve the unsatisfactory situation of public finances. The abolition of 2nd pillar actually leads to a certain improvement of public debt and deficit, but this positive effect is only short-term. More specifically I focus on the arguments of the Government for the abolition of the funded pillar in the Czech Republic, which I consider largely baseless. I also discuss the possible impacts of the reducing of the 2nd pillar. Currently, the countries of V4 try to save their pension systems using the 3rd pillars, however the current form of this supplementary pillar cannot provide a sufficient financing of the PAYG system.