INTRODUCTION: Evaluate how esthetic smiling variables influence laypeople’s preference for a step or no step between the incisal edges of the maxillary central and lateral incisors, and how subject demographics may modify such an association. METHODS: Sixteen smiling photographs with differing esthetic variable combinations were duplicated and paired. One of each pair was modified to create a 1mm step between the maxillary central and lateral incisors, while the other picture had no step. Photos were shown to 200 laypeople, and they were asked to choose which smile they prefer for each pairing. RESULTS: 99% of the subjects did not realize any difference between the photos in each pairing. 63% of the subjects surveyed in this study were college educated. For ten out of sixteen esthetic combinations, people preferred no step between central and lateral incisors. People younger than 43 years of age preferred no step for four esthetic categories. In one of the esthetic categories, males preferred a step, while females preferred no step. Caucasians and other racial backgrounds preferred no step for one esthetic combination. For two categories, people who did not attend college preferred a step, and those who did attend college preferred no step. CONCLUSIONS: More people prefer no step between maxillary central and lateral incisors, and patient background and demographics have little-to-no influence on this preference.

The aim of this diploma thesis is to describe and evaluate the influence of climatic conditions on the most significant and most valuable protected areas Mohelno Serpentine Steppe which are characterised by a unique microclimatic environment. In its first part the thesis seeks to elaborate a literary overview. It provides not only the characteristics of the climate but also its categories. This section also includes a description of mesoclimatic and topoclimatic studies published both in the Czech Republic and abroad. The other parts then incorporate data recorded by several stations placed in a steppe. The thesis analyses the data of average air temperature, precipitation, relation of the soil temperature to the air temperature, temperature and precipitation in different seasons of the year, extreme temperatures and relations between such elements.

Subject of this thesis is Sheep farming in protected areas. Goal of the work is to evaluate pasture management in Mohelno serpentine steppe National Nature Reserve. In this area we conducted ethological observations of sheep herd during two days at the end of May and during eight days in June. Also, samples of pasture crop were collected before the start of grazing and after its ending. Ethological observations were performed in ten-minute intervals. We observed daily activities of the sheep with focus on grazing (19.01 % to 43.58 %), walking (2.92 % to 10.92 %), standing (2.23 % to 16.87 %) and resting (38.29 % to 64.16 %). Gathered data were organized into ethogram, spreadsheet tables, graphs and maps.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:22:49Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2011-07-01Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:28:12Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 fioramonte_isk_me_prud.pdf: 478645 bytes, checksum: 419ea45576dee0fb0d8d49b20ebe7459 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / A velocidade de contração é um importante fator de interferência na relação entre força e eletromiografia. O presente trabalho visa promover uma melhor compreensão da relação EMG x força no quesito velocidade de contração. Foi coletado o sinal eletromiográfico de superfície do músculo bíceps braquial de dez voluntários. Os sujeitos realizaram três CIVM, onde a média das três foi considerada a capacidade máxima de força gerada pelo indivíduo sendo utilizada para a normalização dos valores de RMS. Em seguida os sujeitos foram orientados a realizar 10 contrações isométricas em rampa e 10 contrações isométricas em degrau de maneira aleatória com sobrecarga de 40% da CVM. Nos exercícios em rampa a força era incrementada de maneira gradativa de 0 a 40% da CVM, e nos exercícios em degrau o indivíduo era orientado a incrementar a força em sua máxima velocidade de contração, em ambas as velocidades de contração o voluntário realizava os exercícios com encorajamento verbal e “feedback” visual na tela do computador. Resultados: o tempo de subida em degrau variou significantemente, o aumento dos valores de RMS em rampa e em degrau foi gradativo, porém em rampa foi maior do que em degrau. O resultado neste trabalho nos permite concluir que há diferenças quando se aplica diferentes velocidades de contração. Sendo que essas diferenças podem indicar um maior recrutamento de fibras do tipo II e ativação muscular nos exercícios em rampa e que esse recrutamento pode ser gradativo. / Filho, Presidente Prudente, 2011. The speed of contraction is an important factor that influences the relationship between strength and electromyography. The present work aims to promote a better understanding of the relation x EMG power in the issue of contraction speed. We collected surface electromyographic signal of the biceps brachii ten volunteers. The subjects performed three MVC, where the average of the three was considered the maximum force generated by person being used for the normalization of the RMS values. Then the subjects were instructed to perform 10 isometric ramps and step isometric 10 randomly loaded with 40% of MVC. In the exercise on ramp the force was increased will gradually from 0 to 40% of MVC, and exercises on step the individual was instructed to increase the force at its maximum speed of contraction in both the voluntary contraction speeds perform the exercises with verbal encouragement and visual feedback on the computer screen. Results: the ascent time in step varied significantly, the increase of RMS values in step and ramp were gradual, but a ramp was higher than in step. The result of this work allows us to conclude that there are differences when applying different speeds of contraction. Since these differences may indicate a higher recruitment of type II fibers and muscle activation exercises ramp and that recruitment may be gradual.

The object of the diploma work is strategic marketing of a selected company. The objective consists in elaboration of the project study, by another name in suggesting the marketing strategy. The diploma work consists of the theoretical and practical part. The theoretical part includes the explanation of terms like strategy and strategic management. Then it follows the progression of strategic marketing process, which includes the planning, realization and control phase. In the phase of planing, it introduces methods of environmental analysis and its evaluation as a part of making strategic decision. The practical part includes the description of Mountfield Company Ltd. and environmental analysis, which conclusion is SWOT analysis. The position in the GE and BCG matrix is described below. On these fact there is the marketing strategy created.

The Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) is a popular data assimilation method for state-parameter estimation. Following a sequential assimilation strategy, it breaks the problem into alternating cycles of forecast and analysis steps. In the forecast step, the dynamical model is used to integrate a stochastic sample approximating the state analysis distribution (called analysis ensemble) to obtain a forecast ensemble. In the analysis step, the forecast ensemble is updated with the incoming observation using a Kalman-like correction, which is then used for the next forecast step. In realistic large-scale applications, EnKFs are implemented with limited ensembles, and often poorly known model errors statistics, leading to a crude approximation of the forecast covariance. This strongly limits the filter performance. Recently, a new EnKF was proposed in [1] following a one-step-ahead smoothing strategy (EnKF-OSA), which involves an OSA smoothing of the state between two successive analysis. At each time step, EnKF-OSA exploits the observation twice. The incoming observation is first used to smooth the ensemble at the previous time step. The resulting smoothed ensemble is then integrated forward to compute a "pseudo forecast" ensemble, which is again updated with the same observation. The idea of constraining the state with future observations is to add more information in the estimation process in order to mitigate for the sub-optimal character of EnKF-like methods. The second EnKF-OSA "forecast" is computed from the smoothed ensemble and should therefore provide an improved background. In this work, we propose a deterministic variant of the EnKF-OSA, based on the Singular Evolutive Interpolated Ensemble Kalman (SEIK) filter. The motivation behind this is to avoid the observations perturbations of the EnKF in order to improve the scheme's behavior when assimilating big data sets with small ensembles. The new SEIK-OSA scheme is implemented and its efficiency is demonstrated by performing assimilation experiments with the highly nonlinear Lorenz model and a realistic setting of the Advanced Circulation (ADCIRC) model configured for storm surge forecasting in the Gulf of Mexico during Hurricane Ike.

The diploma thesis is focused on the assessment of the difference in the occurrence of invertebrates in the monitored locality in the Czech Republic and on the evaluation of anthropogenic and environmental influences on the invertebrates. In the introduction, the characteristics of the order of the beetles, most important representatives of the studied area and anthropogenic impacts on the biodiversity of the beetles are described. The monitored territory was Mohelenská hadcová step, which is located in the Vysočina Region. The collection of beetles took place at five sites during the vegetative season in 2016 and 2017. The beetles were determined and evaluated on the basis of individual localities and ecological indices. The results were compared with our and foreign literature. At the end of the thesis are given the context and the possible effects on the occurrence of invertebrates.

Conventional melt transesterification successfully synthesized high molecular weight segmented copolyesters.  The cycloaliphatic monomers 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutanediol (CBDO) and dimethyl-1,4-cyclohexane dicarboxylate (DMCD) afforded sterically hindered, ester carbonyls in high-Tg polyester precursors.   Reaction between the polyester polyol precursor and a primary or secondary alcohol at melt polymerization temperatures revealed reduced transesterification of the polyester hard segment as a result of enhanced steric hindrance adjacent to the ester linkages.  Subsequent polymerization of a 4,000 g/mol polyol with monomers comprising the low-Tg block yielded high molecular weight polymers that exhibited enhanced mechanical properties compared to a non-segmented copolyester control.  Atomic force microscopy uncovered unique needle-like, interconnected, microphase separated surface morphologies, and small-angle X-ray scattering confirmed the presence of bulk microphase separation. This new synthetic strategy enabled selective control of ionic charge placement into the hard segment or soft segment block of segmented copolyesters using melt transesterification.  The ionic placement impacted the microphase-separated morphology, which influenced its thermomechanical properties and resulting mechanical performance.  Melt transesterification of low-Tg, sodium sulfonated copolyesters achieved up to 15 mol% ionic content.  The 10 and 15 mol% sodium sulfonated copolyesters exhibited water-dispersibility, which enabled cation dialysis exchanges to divalent metal cations.  The sulfonated copolyesters containing divalent metal cations exhibited enhanced rubbery plateau moduli to higher temperatures.   Novel trialkylphosphonium ionic liquids chain extenders enabled the successful synthesis of poly(ethylene glycol)-based, cationic polyurethanes with pendant phosphoniums in the hard segments (HS).  Aqueous size exclusion chromatography (SEC) confirmed the charged polyurethanes, which varied the phosphonium alkyl substituent length (ethyl and butyl) and cationic HS content (25, 50, 75 mol%), achieved high absolute molecular weights.  Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) demonstrated the triethylphosphonium (TEP) and tributylphosphonium (TBP) polyurethanes displayed similar thermomechanical properties, including increased rubbery plateau moduli and flow temperatures.  Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) emphasized the significance of ion-dipole interaction on hydrogen bonding. Atomic force microscopy (AFM), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) supported microphase separated morphologies in the trialkylphosphonium polyurethanes, despite the presence of ionic interactions. Sorption isotherm experiments revealed TBP polyurethanes displayed similar water sorption profiles to the noncharged analogue and lower water absorptivity compared to TEP.  The phosphonium polyurethanes displayed significantly improved tensile strain; however, lower tensile stress of the TEP polyurethane was presumably due to absorbed water.  In addition, we also explored applications of the trialkylphosphonium polyurethanes as nucleic acid delivery vectors and demonstrated their abilities to form colloidally stable polyplexes in salt-containing media. / Ph. D.

Twelve-Step programs of substance abuse recovery are the most popular and most used mutual-help model in the U.S. One of the pivotal aspects of Twelve-Step is the often controversial idea of powerlessness. While a few recent dissertations have been conducted to look at issues related to women in Twelve-Step, most of what has been published in the literature on powerlessness in Twelve-Step is hypothetical, anecdotal, and theoretical. There is debate about the usefulness of the concept of powerless, especially for women in recovery, though no research was found specifically exploring this issue. The current study examines the experiences of powerlessness among women who are using Twelve-Step substance abuse recovery. Because experiences of powerlessness are abstract and may be difficult to articulate, a data collection method called ZMET (Zaltman, 2004) was utilized. This method helped women discuss their thoughts and feelings about powerlessness through the use of images of representative metaphors and analogies. Participants were 13 women who were in various stages of recovery using Twelve-Step. In-depth interviews were used to understand women's experiences of powerlessness in their recovery while two surveys were used to determine women's levels of affiliation with Twelve Step programs and their level of agreement with the First Step of Twelve Step. Overall, women felt positively about powerlessness in their recovery and felt it provided a sense of relief. Eleven of the 13 women felt powerlessness was an important aspect of their recovery while two felt it was either not relevant or not something they fully embraced. In exploring the metaphors women had for their experiences of powerlessness, a number of themes emerged. Many of the metaphors indicated processes while some were static. Themes also included metaphors of current events, nature, and babies. Other themes were: Higher Power; a general sense of powerlessness over many things in life and; choosing not to share certain experiences in Twelve-Step meetings. Implications for women in recovery, clinicians, and future research are included as well as strengths and limitations of the study. / Ph. D.

This research is focused on identifying a single-step procedure that, upon adapting to the data through estimating the unknown parameters, would asymptotically control the False Discovery Rate when testing a large number of hypotheses simultaneously, and exploring some of the characteristics of this procedure. / Statistics