Prion diseases are fatal neurodegenerative diseases that affect mammals, including humans, which are characterized by accumulation of pathologi- cal prion protein isoform (PrPTSE ) in the brain. The animals were commonly used for the prion disease research in the past but in recent years, the tissue cultures are being used as well. Tissue cultures have many advantages com- pared with animals. E.g. the possibility of a detailed study of the biochemical processes associated with prion diseases, and rapid and sensitive PrPTSE de- tecting method. However no reliable in vitro model was developed for human prion diseases so far. We focused on monitoring of transmission and propagation efficiency of different prion strains and on the influence of cultivation conditions on the transfer of the neuronal cell line CAD5, which is highly sensitive to prion infection. We confirmed the sensitivity of CAD5 cells to mouse-adapted scra- pie prion strains and we presented new facts about their ability to propagate mouse adapted prions of human strains and bovine spongiform encepha- lopathy. We have used CAD5 cell sensitivity to be infected with different prion strains in other parts of this work. In the second part, we focused on the cell sensitivity to prion infection and propagation of prion strains under different culture...

Metabolic syndrome is a prevalent disease characterized by concurrent manifestation of insulin resistance, obesity, dyslipidemia, hypertension and other hemodynamic and metabolic disorders. It has multifactorial type of inheritance and its resultant phenotype is determined by both environmental and genetic factors as well as their interactions. That is the main reason why comprehensive analysis of the genetic component of this syndrome is complicated in human population. Genetically designed experimental animal models are significant tools for analysis of genetic architecture of human complex conditions including the metabolic syndrome. The aim of this Thesis is utilization of functional and comparative genomic tools to uncover pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome aspects and their genetic determinants. We also studied pharmacogenetic interactions of these genetic determinants with drugs affecting particular components of the metabolic syndrome. Establishing and utilizing several genetically designed congenic rat strains, we undertook four different research projects focusing on pharmacogenetic interaction of all-trans retinoic acid and ondansetron with differential segment of rat chromosome 8, pharmacogenetic interaction of differential segment of rat chromosome 4 and dexamethasone, determining Plzf...

Michel Maffesoli and Zygmunt Bauman add the traits of Benjamin's flâneur to the (neo-)nomad, namely his "flâneur" gaze and his relation to commodities. But in the concept of nomad these traits gain specific nature - on the field of fashion they transform nomad into migrant, who is capable of creative work with vanitas. Nomad as a travelling flâneur is a stranger-guest and becomes a tourist, willingly getting lost in the city and voluntarily being surprised by unexpected encounters. Tourists relation to his memories could be described with Benjamin's description of mémoire involontaire as a revived punctum. A tourist prepares his memories like a nicely descending ruins. Souvenir is his materialised memory. It's not only a duplicated plastic Eiffel tower, but a magic artifact. It's a collective aura, what's on Benjamin's mind when he writes about aura regression. The private aura comes instead, turning things to talismans, reenchanting the world. The era of postmechanical reproduction reminds one, that there is a way to reproduce not just mechanically but biologically: a bricolage remix is made. Souvenirs descend and take shape of hommogenic rummage which reveals the fundamental form of postmodern metamorphosis: recyclation. This metamorphosis can finally be used when analyzing the settler turn into nomad...