The purpose of this study was to examine the criterion-related validity of the sit and reach test as a measure of hamstring and low back flexibility in adult males and females. Subjects were 52 males and 52 females, 20 to 45 years of age. Hamstring flexibility was measured using a goniometer. Spinal flexibility was measured using a tape measure and an inclinometer. The sit and reach test was performed according to the AAHPERD Health Related Fitness Test Manual. Data were analyzed using correlations and appropriate descriptive statistics. Conclusions of the investigation were: 1) in adult males 20 to 45, the sit and reach test is a valid measure of hamstring flexibility but has questionable validity as a measure of low back flexibility, 2) in adult females 20 to 45, the sit and reach test is a moderately valid measure of hamstring flexibility and is not a valid measure of low back flexibility.

This thesis presents a new approach to extend and reduce the transmission range in wireless systems. Conditioning is defined as purposeful electromagnetic interference that affects a wireless signal as it propagates through the air. This interference can be used constructively to enhance a signal and increase its energy, or destructively to reduce energy. The constraints and limitations of the technology are described as a system model, and a flow chart is used to describe the circuit process. Remaining theoretical in nature, practical circuit implementations are foregone in the interest of elementary simulations depicting the interactions of modulated signals as they experience phase mismatch. Amplitude modulation and frequency modulation are explored with using both positive and negative conditioning, and conclusions to whether one is more suitable than the other are made.

Denton, Texas consistently reaches ozone nonattainment levels. This has led to a large focus of air pollution monitoring efforts in the region, with long-range transport being explored as a key contributor. For this study, the University of North Texas Discovery Park campus was chosen as a prospective location for an extensive air quality monitoring station. Sixteen years of ozone and meteorological data for five state-run monitoring sites within a 25 mile radius, including the nearest Denton Airport site, was gathered from TCEQ online database for the month of April for the years 2000 to 2015. The data was analyzed to show a historical, regional perspective of ozone near the proposed site. The maximum ozone concentration measured at the Denton Airport location over the 16 year period was measured at 96 ppb in 2001. Experimental ozone and meteorological measurements were collected at the Discovery Park location from March 26 to April 3 and April 8 to April, 2016 and compared to the Denton Airport monitoring site. A time lag in ozone trends and an increase in peak ozone concentrations at the proposed location were observed at the proposed site in comparison to the Denton Airport site. Historical and experimental meteorological data agreed in indicating that southern winds that rarely exceed 20 miles per hour are the predominant wind pattern. Back trajectories, wind roses, pollution roses, and bivariate plots created for peak ozone days during experimental periods support long range transport as a considerable cause of high ozone levels in Denton. Furthermore, a study of the precursor characteristics at the Denton Airport site indicated the site was being affected by a local source of nitrogen dioxide that was not affecting the proposed location. The differences in the Denton Airport site and the proposed site indicate that further monitoring at Discovery Park would be insightful. An outline of an expansive mobile monitoring station and suggestions for effective utilization are provided to guide future studies in Denton and the surrounding North Texas region.

Non-Destructive Testing of industrial components carries vital importance, both financially and safety-wise. Among all Non-Destructive techniques, Long Range Ultrasonic Testing utilizing the guided wave phenomena is a young technology proven to be commercially valid. Owing to its well-documented analytical models, Ultrasonic Guided Waves has been successfully applied to cylindrical and plate-like structures. Its applications to complex structures such as multi-wire cables are fairly immature, mainly due to the high complexity of wave propagation. Research performed by the author approaches the long range inspection of overhead transmission line cables using ultrasonic guided waves. Existing studies focusing on guided wave application on power cables are extremely limited in inspection range, which dramatically degrades its chances of commercialization. This thesis consists of three main chapters, all of which approaches different problems associated with the inspection of power cables. In the first chapter, a thorough analysis of wave propagation in ACSR (most widely used power cable) cables is conducted. It is shown that high frequency guided waves, by concentrating the energy on the surface layers, can travel much further in the form of fundamental longitudinal wave mode, than previous studies have shown. Defect detection studies proved the system’s capability of detecting defects which introduce either increase or decrease in cross sectional area of the cable. Results of the chapter indicate the detectability of defects as small as 4.5% of the cross sectional area through a 26.5 meter long cable without any post-processing. In the second chapter, several algorithms are proposed to increase the inspection range and signal quality. Well-documented wavelet-denoising algorithm is optimized for power cables and up to 24% signal-to-noise ratio improvement is achieved. By introducing an attenuation correction framework, a theoretical inspection range of 75 meters is presented. A new framework combining dispersion compensation and attenuation correction is proposed and verified, which shows an inspection range of 130 meters and SNR improvement up to 8 dBs. Last chapter addresses the accurate localization of structural defects. Having proven the optimum excitation and related wave propagation in ACSR cables, a system having a more complex wave propagation characteristics is studied. A new algorithm combining pulse compression using Maximal Length Sequences and dispersion compensation is applied to multi-modal signals obtained from a solid aluminum rod. The algorithm proved to be able to improve signal quality and extract an accurate location for defects. Maximal Length Sequences are compared to chirp signals in terms of SNR improvement and localization, which produced favourable results for MLS in terms of localization and for chirp in terms of SNR improvement.

The tench Tinca tinca (Linnaeus, 1758) is a valued table fish native to Europe and Asia, but which is now widely distributed in many temperate freshwater regions of the world as the result of human-mediated translocations. Spatial genetic analysis applied to sequence data from four unlinked loci (introns of three nuclear genes and mitochondrial DNA) defined two groups of populations that were little structured geographically but were significantly differentiated from each other, and it identified locations of major genetic breaks, which were concordant across genes and were driven by distributions of two major phylogroups. This pattern most reasonably reflects isolation in two principal glacial refugia and subsequent range expansions, with the Eastern and Western phylogroups remaining largely allopatric throughout the tench range. However, this phylogeographic variation was also present in European cultured breeds and some populations at the western edge of the native range contained the Eastern phylogroup. Thus, natural processes have played an important role in structuring tench populations, but human-aided dispersal have also contributed significantly, with the admixed genetic composition of cultured breeds most likely contributing to the introgression. I have then designed novel PCR-RFLP assays...

Tato práce hledá souvislost mezi intonačním rozpětím a přívětivostí, která je podle Pětifaktorového modelu považována za jednu ze složek osobnosti. Jelikož zkoumání projevů osobnostních rysů v hlase není ve fonetickém výzkumu příliš běžné, je v teoretické části popsán sou- časný stav poznání v oblasti postojů, popisu osobnosti a prvních do- jmů v hodnocení osobnosti. Představeny jsou především studie, které se týkají působení řeči. Jádrem práce je experiment, v němž je porov- náván vliv tří úrovní intonačního rozpětí (komprimovaná, normální a expandovaná) na hodnocení přívětivosti u 15 českých mluvčí. Per- cepčního testu se účastnilo 41 respondentů Intonačnímu rozpětí je věnována samostatná kapitola, která se zaměřuje především na pro- blematická místa popisu. Statistická analýza neprokázala významné rozdíly mezi úrovněmi rozpětí, podrobnější rozbor se tak zaměřil na odhalení rušivých proměnných a popis slabších trendů. Klíčová slova: intonační rozpětí, melodie řeči, vnímání mluvčího, stereo- typní hodnocení Abstract The purpose of the current study is to establish the relationship be- tween pitch range and agreeableness which is viewed as one of the personality traits according to the Big Five model. As the focus on the manifestation of personality traits in speech is not very common in phonetic...

Teorie a praxe tvorby učebnic chemie pro střední školy Mgr. Milan Klečka Abstrakt: Disertační práce je zaměřena na problematiku teorie a praxe tvorby učebnic chemie pro střední školy. Východiskem práce je rozsáhlá rešerše naší a zahraniční literatury zaměřená na analýzu významu, pojetí, charakteristiky a hodnocení učebnic. Dále je uvedena příprava, realizace a výsledky rozsáhlého šetření v rámci České republiky, týkajícího se reálného používání učebnic chemie na středních školách. Formou dotazníkového šetření bylo zjištěno, jaké učebnice chemie jsou v současnosti v praxi nejpoužívanější. Nejvíce používané učebnice obecné a anorganické chemie byly pak vybrány k dalšímu hodnocení metodikou Nestlerová-Průcha-Pluskal. Byl proveden komplexní rozbor osmi nejpoužívanějších učebnic a učebnicových řad obecné a anorganické chemie a porovnány jejich parametry. V závěru disertační práce je uveden přehled jednotlivých parametrů pro každou učebnici a návrh kritérií pro tvorbu optimální učebnice chemie pro střední školy.

This dissertation deals with monitoring of European brown bears behavior (Ursus arctos arctos), namely of males Pišta, Miky and Honzík and of female Eliška in zoological garden in Plzen in spring 2012. Behaviour of all European brown bears is for better clarity presented in the form of tables and graphs. The dissertation includes overview of all kinds of ursine (size, environment, food and reproduction). Key words: bear, hibernation, bears activity

In the pre-lacation, lactation and post-lactation periods in 2010 and 2011 and the pre-lactation period in 2012 we used radio-telemetry to determine changes in home range and habitat activity and preference of the maternity colony of the Mediterranean horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus euryale) in Slovak Karst. The colony roosted in the attic of the monastery in Jasov. This area represents the northern margin of the species distribution range. In total, we tagged 35 females that were radio-tracked for 31 nights. For the all pre- lactation periods 17 females were marked, in the lactation periods 12 females were marked, and 6 females were marked in the post-lactation periods. The females were marked with radiotags and the VHF telemetry (radio telemetry using very high frequencies) was used. We compared the spatial and habitat preferences in the above defined seasons of the annual reproductive cycle. The total number of recorded locations was 858 for all reported periods. We compared the varios aspects of activity of the females during the night in the particular periods. We have shown that the females left their roost in the pre-lactation periods as the most late. These were followed by the females in the lactation periods and as the most early after the sunsetthe roost was left by the females in the...

The title of the diploma's thesis: Effect of kinesiotape on range of motion in the flexion of the trunk measured from standing position. Objective/ Aim: The main aim of this work is to evaluate whether the kinesiotape applied to the paravertebral muscles of the lumbar spine affect the range of motion in trunk flexion from standing position. Another aim is to exclude the possibility of a placebo effect by using control material in an identical manner. Methods: The data required for the practical part of this work were obtained on the basis of experimental measurements, where the kinesiotape was applied to the paravertebral muscles of the lumbar spine and it evaluated the change in range of motions in trunk flexion from standing position. The measurements were taken on the basis of the Thomayer and Schober sign. The controll group was measured in a similar way with a material fixomull, which has similar attributes as kinesiotape. Data were analyzed using MS Excel and in a program Gretl. Results: Stastically significant results showing that kinesiotape affects the increase in the trunk flexion motion with the average value of 2,24 cm (t(24) = 2,86, p <0,05) in total and 0,51 cm (t(24) = 0,67, p <0,05) for local effect in the place of use of kinesiotape. Measurement with fixomull hasn't shown...