This work deals with the linear analysis of plasma waves, especially with the methods of solution of a hot plasma dispersion relation. There are cited some results achieved in the space plasma research and mapped current numerical methods of their analysis. Besides, this work introduces a new numeric procedure, computer code PDRS (Plasma Dispersion Relation Solver), which allows finding solution of a dispersion function of a cold or hot plasma with general distribution function. It also demonstrates the usage of the PDRS methods on real examples of waves in space plasma based on the spacecraft Cluster measurement.

Assessment of semen quality (sperm viability) is an essential for the efficient honeybee semen storage. The motility of spermatozoa is not the ultimate parameter of sperm viability. Instead, the viability of spermatozoa is assessed by testing their structural or functional plasma membrane integrity. These assays are based primarily on the technique of microscopy evaluation of either fluorescent DNA dyes or hypo-osmotic "tail-coiling" reaction of spermatozoa. However, the technique of microscopy evaluation is time-consuming, subjective and often is not accurate. On the other hand, the technique of flow cytometry is rapid, objective and precise. Nowadays, this technique is affordable for many institutions, as the price of "benchtop" flow cytometer is relatively low. To best of our knowledge, there is currently no flow cytometry assay available for evaluation of functional integrity of honeybee spermatozoa. Here we report the establishing of novel flow cytometry assay for simultaneous evaluation of structural and functional plasma membrane integrity. DRAQ7, the new fluorescent DNA dye was used to test the structural integrity of plasma membranes. The hypo-osmotic "tail-coiling" reaction was used for flow cytometric assessment of functional integrity of spermatozoa plasma membranes. The combination of both is a valuable tool for rapid and precise evaluation of sperm viability in honey bees.

The master’s thesis deals with two applications of gold discoidal nanostructures exhibiting plasmon resonance for biodetection. The first approach considers the detection of changes in the phase on plasmonic antennas using coherence-controlled holography microscope. It was found that the steepness of the phase is increasing with the illumination wavelength when plasmon resonance is excited in larger antennas. The sensitivity of the phase to refractive-index changes of the surrounding media was observed when the largest response was given by antennas in resonance with wavelength of illumination. Next part deals with plasmon resonance detection by means of optical spectroscopy combined with voltametry which characterizes the electrochemical activity. Changes in resonance wavelength induced by the presence of SSC buffer were observed, although this influence seems to diminish in time. Conducted experiments have also shown that oxygen-plasma cleaning is not suitable for sample surface cleaning because of oxidation of metals including gold as well.

The aim of this thesis was to elaborate the issue of the decomposition of volatile organic compounds in the Gliding Arc plasma discharge at atmospheric pressure. Technologies based on nonthermal plasma could offer a good alternative to conventional techniques for the decomposition of volatile organic compounds, such as thermal and catalytic oxidation. Gliding Arc discharge (GidArc) is a widely exploited nonthermal plasma source used for many industrial applications, such as air-pollution control. The energy efficiency, reaction selectivity or production of specific species may be achieved in this kind of plasma, and thus for various chemical processes it can be much more effective then in conventional techniques. Presented experiments are linked to the previous results published in diploma thesis, which gave us the basics for construction of new reactor and optical emission spectroscopy measurements have been done to characterize the plasma. Toluene (aromatic, unsaturated), cyclohexane (aromatic, saturated) and hexane (aliphatic, saturated) were used as the model compounds for these experiments in the concentration range from hundreds to thousands ppm. Results focused on the electrical parameters of the reactor were carried out, with the aim to operate the system at a lower energy cost. In order to get the time-resolved diagnostics of the moving plasma channel, the evolution of the plasma channel was recorded continuously by using a high-speed video camera. In next part of the work, some results concerning generation of low molecular products like nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, hydrogen and carbon monoxide on the discharge conditions are presented. In combustion process, undesirable mixture of toxic highmolecular by-products can be formed. Samples were therefore analysed in gas chromatograph linked to mass spectrometer, to characterize the chemical transformation pathway of VOC in plasma.

The diploma thesis is focused on the study of the thermal sprayed coating consisting of the NiCrAlY alloy bond layer and the partially stabilized zirconium oxide (8YSZ) top layer on the AZ91 magnesium alloy. The theoretical part deals with the structure of the alloy AZ91, NiCrAlY and partially stabilized zirconia. Furthermore, the methods of thermal spraying and the function and properties of thermal barrier coatings are summarized. The experimental part deals with the characterization of the thermal sprayed coating and the AZ91 alloy in terms of elemental, structural and phase composition. Optical and electron microscopy, EDS and XRD analysis were used for characterization. Electrochemical properties were investigated in~3.5% sodium chloride solution by potentiodynamic polarization. The mechanical properties (hardness, coefficient of friction) of the substrate and coating were measured using a hardness tester and tribological tests.

MicroRNA (miRNA) are short non-coding RNA molecules that regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. Many miRNAs are involved in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases, which is associated with altered gene expression. This work compares miRNA gene expression profiles among various biological sources - whole peripheral venous blood (whole PB), plasma and plasma exosomes. For all tested groups combined, the expression levels of miRNA were maximal in whole PB and lowered in plasma and plasma exosomes, and the expression levels of miRNA were higher in plasma than in plasma exosomes, except miR-126-3p, which had a higher level detected in plasma exosomes compared to plasma. This work also compares expression levels of cardiovascular miRNA between women with anamnesis of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and physiological gravidity 3-11 years postpartum in whole PB, plasma and plasma exosomes. In whole PB, 12 of 29 tested miRNAs were up-regulated in women with prior exposure to GDM. MiR-181a-5p was up-regulated in plasma exosomes and miR-499a-5p in plasma in women with prior exposure to GDM. The changes in whole peripheral venous blood seem to reflect the complex systemic response to the changes that occurred during the onset of GDM. Women with aberrant epigenetic profiles may...

This thesis deals with the silicon etching technology. It Examines using of water solution of potassium hydroxide. It focuses on plasma etching of silicon using mixture of CF4 and O2 as the dry way of etching. Important parameters of etching like etching rate of silicon and masking materials, etching selectivity, surface roughness and underetching of mask are determined for both ways. Some additional processes has been examined as well, namely creating of mask of resist and silicon dioxide, lithography process and etching of resist using oxygen plasma.

In this thesis, we start with the description of the biophysical properties of the plasma membrane models upon signaling processess such as the increased cytoso- lic concentration of calcium ions, or posttranslational modifications of membrane proteins. Calcium signaling is characterized by a rapid increase of its cytosolic concentration. We identify calcium binding sites and characterize the binding in the plasma membrane models of increasing complexity from pure phospholipid bilayers, through cholesterol and peptide rich lipid membranes, to membranes ex- tracted from HEK293 cells. We use Time-Dependent Fluorescent Shift method, which provides direct information on hydration and mobility in defined regions of a lipid bilayer, accompanied with molecular dynamic (MD) simulations, which give molecular details of the studied interactions. The initial step of signaling mediated by PAG protein is its double palmi- toylation. We investigate changes of the biophysical properties of both the lipid membrane and the peptide itself upon the incorporation of the palmitoyls. Em- ploying all atom MD simulations, we study inter- and intramolecular interactions as well as changes in membrane hydration, thickness, or lipid ordering. The second part of the thesis, realized in a direct collaboration with a phar- macological...

The aim of this Ph.D. thesis was to analyze the morphine-induced changes of frontal brain cortex protein composition in rats exposed to increasing doses of morphine (10-50 mg/kg) for prolonged period of time (10 days). The first part of this work was oriented to the analysis of the phenomenon of hypersensitization/superactivation of adenylyl cyclase (AC), which is regarded as one of the crucial molecular mechanisms causing drastic pathological consequences of drug addiction. The increase of AC activity represents a "compensatory" response and is functionally related to the desensitization of G protein response to prolonged morphine exposure of target cells. The clear desensitization of µ-OR- and δ-OR-stimulated G protein response by morphine was demonstrated in our laboratory by analysis of the dose-response curves of DAMGO and DADLE-stimulated, high-affinity [35 S] GTPγS binding in plasma membranes isolated from frontal brain cortex of rats exposed to morphine according to the same protocol as that used in my Ph.D. thesis (10-50 mg/kg, 10 days). The κ-OR-stimulated [35 S] GTPγS binding was unchanged. It has been determined the amount of all AC isoforms (AC I-IX) in plasma membranes (PM) isolated from control and morphine-treated rats which were sacrificed 24 hours since the last dose of morphine....