The thesis is aimed at comparing the systems of education and work with left-handed pupils in Germany and the USA (and some other selected countries if need be) and subsequent comparison with the attitude to left-handed individuals prevailing in our country. The thesis is based on a good orientation in specialized literature, contemporary textbooks and guides. The objective rests in mapping the phenomenon of left-handedness in selected countries and its subsequent comparison with the situation in the Czech Republic. The final part of the thesis contains a comprehensive analysis of left-handedness in our country and in the world. The thesis shall highlight differences in viewing this phenomenon in its complexity and outline feasibilities of enriching our views on laterality not only in education.

This thesis introduces, for the first time, Stepped Impedance Resonator (SIR) bandpass filters (BPF) based on Composite Right/Left-Handed (CRLH) transmission lines. In other words, a novel approach in design of BPFs for RF and microwave applications is successfully proposed and examined, which can serve both miniaturisation and performance enhancement purposes. In conducting this research, design, development and optimisation procedures and techniques for the proposed BPFs have been presented. Theoretical, numerical and experimental results have confirmed that these filters are capable of significantly reducing the size while maintaining the integrity of the filter performance; and in some cases, extensively enhancing the performance.Two λg/4-type CRLH SIRs are designed and characterised based on the available equations. ADS lumped-element equivalent circuit model and HFSS full-wave electromagnetic simulation, and measurement results prove that both CRLH SIRs surpassed their RH counterparts, in terms of both size and performance. Indeed, comparison of the first CRLH SIR with its RH counterpart revealed a 35% size (length) reduction. The second CRLH SIR design is measured to be 66% smaller than its RH counterpart and 14% smaller than the initial CRLH SIR. In addition, simulation and measurement results reveal that an intelligently designed CRLH SIR shows a better quality factor Q and input impedance |Zin| response, and provides higher design flexibility. Phase unwrapping and energy (current) flow analysis have been used to prove left-handedness of the CRLH SIRs. The concept is extended to propose multi-section (λg/2-type and tri-section SIRs) and tunable CRLH SIRs. Numerical analysis and obtained results show that the λg/2-type CRLH SIR benefits from a 45% size (length) reduction compared to its RH counterpart, and a better |Zin| response. The results obtained from the tri-section CRLH SIR (TSSIR), clearly show that the TSSIR is capable of relocating (and minimising) the multiple spurious resonance frequencies, while maintaining the same fundamental frequency f0. As such, no spurious frequency is observed before 8 GHz. Also, measurements indicated that the CRLH TSSIR is not only 30% smaller in length compared to its RH counterpart, it was even 28% smaller than a two-section RH SIR resonating at the same frequency of 2.5 GHz. In addition, the tuning capability of the ferrite CRLH SIR is illustrated when the operating frequency of the resonator is tuned from 5.1 GHz to 5.4 GHz, and 5.65 GHz for H0 = 2000, 2250, and 2500 Oe, respectively.These SIRs are then combined and configured to form two main categories of CRLH SIR bandpass filters: PCB filters based on RT Duroid and MMIC filters based on GaAs. In both filters, the homogeneity condition has been satisfied by ensuring that the longest length is much less than λg (in this case l = λg/12) for PCB-based filters and l = λg/14 for MMIC filters at the centre frequency of the filters. The first PCB-based CRLH SIR filter, which has been designed to operate at 2.75 GHz, is measured 24mm × 28mm. HFSS 3-D full-wave simulations and measurement results of this filter reveal that, with an insertion loss of -2.6dB and return loss of -21.5dB, the filter not only has a very good selectivity, but also is extremely efficient in extending the free-spurious stop-band, pushing the first spurious response to around 11 GHz (about 4×f0). The second PCB-based CRLH SIR filter has much smaller size, measuring overall filter dimensions of 6mm × 5.14mm. This filter also benefits from a smaller resonator size, improved overall coupling and a more controllable circuit. Theory, full-wave simulation and measurement results demonstrate that, with an insertion loss of -1dB and return loss of -34dB, the miniaturised CRLH SIR filter proves very successful as it was about 80% smaller in size compared to its RH counterpart with the same centre frequency, while maintaining the integrity of the filter performance. Moreover, the miniaturised CRLH SIR BPF is significantly more controllable in its dimensions and response due to the fact that more elementary parameters are available in the CRLH configuration.The MMIC CRLH SIR bandpass filters are then proposed with an emphasis on further size reduction with maintenance (or enhancement) of their transmission responses. As such, two classes of MMIC filters were designed: the first one is very small measuring 3.2mm × 3.4mm, with an insertion loss of -5.3dB at the centre frequency 3.1 GHz. The filter also shows good attenuation both before and after the passband with its first spurious frequency occurring at 13.52 GHz (i.e. > 4×f0). The second set of MMIC filters employed multilayer topology to reduce the filter size. It has been clearly shown that with an intelligent design, the size (dimension) limitations of the PCB-based filters have been overcome by using the MMIC technology, resulting in filters with significantly reduced sizes - design I: 1.32mm×3.35mm, and design II: 1.4mm × 1.5mm. It has also been observed that MMIC structures are generally exposed to inevitable losses, though steps can be taken to reduce such losses.

The evolutionary origins of human handedness are not yet fully understood as evidence of lateralized behavior in nonhuman primates is inconclusive. In the present study, lateralized behavior in both spontaneously occurring motor patterns and a tube task was examined in 15 white-handed gibbons (Hylobates lar). Significant side preferences at the individual level were found within all 15 studied motor patterns. However, no population-level side bias was found for any of the spontaneously occurring or task-related motor patterns and none of the gibbons were consistent in their hand preference across all motor patterns. When only considering the individuals with a significant preference, a significant majority was left-preferent for resting foot. Strength of side preference was significantly higher for the tube task than for all spontaneously occurring motor patterns. Side preferences for manipulation and resting position were significantly stronger than those for supporting hand. Additionally, the preferences for manipulation were significantly stronger than those for leading limb. In the bimanual tube task, females displayed a tendency towards a left-side bias, while males tended to display a bias to the right. Furthermore, females had a significantly stronger hand preference for supporting hand than males. No other sex differences were found. Age, posture, and kinship had no significant effect on lateralized behavior for any of the motor patterns. As in other nonhuman primates, the white-handed gibbons were only consistent in their hand preference across tasks that required similar movements. Altogether, these findings support the notion that population-level handedness may be restricted to human subjects.

No description available.

The theses The issue of left-handedness focuses on left-handedness at its complexity. The theoretical part is focused on laterality and the left-handedness in general, the place of left-handed people in society and the changing view on laterality during times. It focuses on the differences between left and right-handed people and points out possible difficulties the left-handed might face. At the end I dealt with testing laterality and focused on possible ways to guide left-handed pupils. The practical research part is based on finding out the number of left-handed pupils in 1st grades on schools in the Karlovy Vary region. I farther focused on how aware of the lefthanded pupils problems the teachers are and how they guide them. The research took part in 16 randomly picked schools.

The diploma thesis deals with metamaterial structures. Metamaterials are periodic structures, which have got permittivity or permeability, eventually both parameters, negative. Test is applied on three basic structures: Split Loop Array; Spiral Array a Double Spiral Array. For each structure is made dispersion diagram and are monitored S – parameters. Test is run in Ansoft High Frequency Structure Simulator and CST Microwave Studio software. Are monitored bandgaps and when structure is as left – handed medium or right – handed medium. Results are compared with results in literature.

<p>Structural bioinformatics deals with the analysis, classification and prediction of three-dimensional structures of biomacromolecules. It is becoming increasingly important as the number of structures is growing rapidly. This thesis describes three studies concerned with protein-function prediction and two studies about protein structure validation.</p><p>New protein structures are often compared to known structures to find out if they have a known fold, which may provide hints about their function. The functionality and performance of eleven fold-comparison servers were evaluated. None of the tested servers achieved perfect recall, so in practise a combination of servers should be used.</p><p>If fold comparison does not provide any hints about the function of a protein, structural motif searches can be employed. A survey of left-handed helices in known protein structures was carried out. The results show that left-handed helices are rare motifs, but most of them occur in active or ligand-binding sites. Their identification can therefore help to pinpoint potentially important residues.</p><p>Sometimes all available methods fail to provide hints about the function of a protein. Therefore, the potential of using docking techniques to predict which ligands are likely to bind to a particular protein has been investigated. Initial results show that it will be difficult to build a reliable automated docking protocol that will suit all proteins.</p><p>The effect of various phenomena on the precision of accessible surface area calculations was also investigated. The results suggest that it is prudent to report such values with a precision of 50 to 100 Ų.</p><p>Finally, a survey of register shifts in known protein structures was carried out. The identified potential register shifts were analysed and classified. A machine-learning approach ("rough sets") was used in an attempt to diagnose register errors in structures.</p>

Structural bioinformatics deals with the analysis, classification and prediction of three-dimensional structures of biomacromolecules. It is becoming increasingly important as the number of structures is growing rapidly. This thesis describes three studies concerned with protein-function prediction and two studies about protein structure validation. New protein structures are often compared to known structures to find out if they have a known fold, which may provide hints about their function. The functionality and performance of eleven fold-comparison servers were evaluated. None of the tested servers achieved perfect recall, so in practise a combination of servers should be used. If fold comparison does not provide any hints about the function of a protein, structural motif searches can be employed. A survey of left-handed helices in known protein structures was carried out. The results show that left-handed helices are rare motifs, but most of them occur in active or ligand-binding sites. Their identification can therefore help to pinpoint potentially important residues. Sometimes all available methods fail to provide hints about the function of a protein. Therefore, the potential of using docking techniques to predict which ligands are likely to bind to a particular protein has been investigated. Initial results show that it will be difficult to build a reliable automated docking protocol that will suit all proteins. The effect of various phenomena on the precision of accessible surface area calculations was also investigated. The results suggest that it is prudent to report such values with a precision of 50 to 100 Å2. Finally, a survey of register shifts in known protein structures was carried out. The identified potential register shifts were analysed and classified. A machine-learning approach ("rough sets") was used in an attempt to diagnose register errors in structures.

People use both their hands together cooperatively in many everyday activities. The modern computer interface fails to take advantage of this basic human ability, with the exception of the keyboard. However, the keyboard is limited in that it does not afford continuous spatial input. The computer mouse is perfectly suited for the point and click tasks that are the major method of manipulation within graphical user interfaces, but standard computers have a single mouse. A single mouse does not afford spatial coordination between the two hands within the graphical user interface. Although the advent of the Universal Serial Bus has made it possible to easily plug in many peripheral devices, including a second mouse, modern operating systems work on the assumption of a single spatial input stream. Thus, if a second mouse is plugged into a Macintosh computer, a Windows computer or a UNIX computer, the two mice control the same cursor. <br /><br /> Previous work in two-handed or bimanual interaction techniques has often followed the asymmetric interaction guidelines set out by Yves Guiard's Kinematic Chain Model. In asymmetric interaction, the hands are assigned different tasks, based on hand dominance. I show that there is an interesting class of desktop user interface tasks which can be classified as symmetric. A symmetric task is one in which the two hands contribute equally to the completion of a unified task. I show that dual-mouse symmetric interaction techniques outperform traditional single-mouse techniques as well as dual-mouse asymmetric techniques for these symmetric tasks. I also show that users prefer the symmetric interaction techniques for these naturally symmetric tasks.

People use both their hands together cooperatively in many everyday activities. The modern computer interface fails to take advantage of this basic human ability, with the exception of the keyboard. However, the keyboard is limited in that it does not afford continuous spatial input. The computer mouse is perfectly suited for the point and click tasks that are the major method of manipulation within graphical user interfaces, but standard computers have a single mouse. A single mouse does not afford spatial coordination between the two hands within the graphical user interface. Although the advent of the Universal Serial Bus has made it possible to easily plug in many peripheral devices, including a second mouse, modern operating systems work on the assumption of a single spatial input stream. Thus, if a second mouse is plugged into a Macintosh computer, a Windows computer or a UNIX computer, the two mice control the same cursor. <br /><br /> Previous work in two-handed or bimanual interaction techniques has often followed the asymmetric interaction guidelines set out by Yves Guiard's Kinematic Chain Model. In asymmetric interaction, the hands are assigned different tasks, based on hand dominance. I show that there is an interesting class of desktop user interface tasks which can be classified as symmetric. A symmetric task is one in which the two hands contribute equally to the completion of a unified task. I show that dual-mouse symmetric interaction techniques outperform traditional single-mouse techniques as well as dual-mouse asymmetric techniques for these symmetric tasks. I also show that users prefer the symmetric interaction techniques for these naturally symmetric tasks.