Masaryk University Research Articles

Deep learning v psychoterapii: Strojová analýza nahrávek terapeutických sezení

An expert team from Brno University of Technology and Masaryk University is developing a web application to provide therapists with feedback based on automatic processing of regularly collected questionnaire data and audio recordings from therapy sessions (from project report).

Conference Skills in Remote Learning

Abstract: Practising conference skills improves students’ language competence for their future careers and increases their motivation to study a foreign language. The project of a “mock scientific conference” developed at the Language Centre at the Faculty of Science of Masaryk University can be seen as an instance of project-based learning. In the first section of our paper, we discuss individual tasks and activities designed for the students at a postgraduate level, including practice in delivering expert talks, writing abstracts and bionotes, organizing the event and performing various roles, such as chairing sessions and leading discussions. The second chapter is devoted to the adaptation of the originally in-class course to the remote-learning environment. It outlines the modifications needed for achieving a successful online communication and the cooperation of students and establishing a meaningful social interaction. Suggestions for an efficient use of interactive online tools, applications and platforms are given that can be employed in enhancing the writing and speaking skills of students.

Cyberspace as a Metaphor of Being Online or a Particular form of Space Organization?

Cyberspace gradually becomes a place (state, space) in which more and more interactions between users take place. The boundaries between online and offline are progressively being washed away, and it will be increasingly important to be able to work with it adequately for research in pedagogy and historiography. I aimed to create an empirical probe into how the term “cyberspace” works by students of the Faculty of Arts of Masaryk University in Brno, or how they perceive it. For the research, I used the study of metaphors.

Nanoparticle‐Based Biosensing: En Route to Ultimate Sensitivity

AbstractZdeněk Farka is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University (Czech Republic). He is a member of the Analysis & Sensing Early Career Advisory Board.

"And My Screen Wouldn't Share": Student-Teachers' Perceptions of ICT in Online Teaching Practice and Online Teaching

The sudden switch to online teaching enforced by the covid-19 pandemic has impacted teacher education at universities, particularly micro-teachings and teaching practice, as technology has become an inherent part of these processes. The growing body of literature on online teaching and teacher education during lockdown conditions mainly addresses challenges in teacher education and educator perceptions. However, very few studies deal with the perceptions of student- teachers. To fill this gap, a group of teacher educators conducted a research study with 63 students enrolled in a master’s Degree in Teaching efl for Secondary Schools offered at Masaryk University, Czechia. To carry it out, qualitative coding procedures were employed on a dataset of 120 lesson reflections written by students completing their teaching practice via online courses which were ordinarily conducted in person. The purpose was to find out how student-teachers perceived technology use when teaching online. The main findings show that, despite constant comparison between the face-to-face and online classrooms and an initial reliance on the success of technology to determine a lesson’s success, the majority of student-teachers normalized technology as a platform for teaching, using technology-specific language for teaching strategies and classroom events. These findings suggest that online teaching and learning should be seen as an integral part of teacher education.

"And My Screen Wouldn't Share": Student-Teachers' Perceptions of ICT in Online Teaching Practice and Online Teaching

The sudden switch to online teaching enforced by the covid-19 pandemic has impacted teacher education at universities, particularly micro-teachings and teaching practice, as technology has become an inherent part of these processes. The growing body of literature on online teaching and teacher education during lockdown conditions mainly addresses challenges in teacher education and educator perceptions. However, very few studies deal with the perceptions of student- teachers. To fill this gap, a group of teacher educators conducted a research study with 63 students enrolled in a master’s Degree in Teaching efl for Secondary Schools offered at Masaryk University, Czechia. To carry it out, qualitative coding procedures were employed on a dataset of 120 lesson reflections written by students completing their teaching practice via online courses which were ordinarily conducted in person. The purpose was to find out how student-teachers perceived technology use when teaching online. The main findings show that, despite constant comparison between the face-to-face and online classrooms and an initial reliance on the success of technology to determine a lesson’s success, the majority of student-teachers normalized technology as a platform for teaching, using technology-specific language for teaching strategies and classroom events. These findings suggest that online teaching and learning should be seen as an integral part of teacher education.

Sign language lexicography: a case study of an online dictionary

As a growing field of study within sign language linguistics, sign language lexicography faces many challenges that have already been answered for audio-oral language material. In this paper, we present some of these challenges and methods developed to help navigate the complex lexical classification field. The described methods and strategies are implemented in the first Czech sign language (ČZJ) online dictionary, a part of the platform Dictio, developed at Masaryk University in Brno. We cover the topic of lemmatisation and how to decide what constitutes a lexeme in sign language. We introduce four types of expressions that qualify for a dictionary entry: a simple lexeme, a compound, a derivative, and a set phrase. We address the question of the place of classifier constructions and shape and size specifiers in a dictionary, given their peculiar semantic status. We maintain the standard classification of classifiers (whole entity and holding classifiers) and size and shape specifiers (SASSes; static and tracing specifiers). We provide arguments for separating the category of specifiers from the category of classifiers. We discuss the proper treatment of mouthings and mouth gestures concerning citation forms, derivation and translation. We show why it is difficult in sign language to distinguish synonyms from variants and how our proposed phonological criteria can help. We explain how to construct a semantic definition in a sign language and what is the solution for multiple meanings of one form. We offer simple guidelines for forming proper examples of use in a sign language. And finally, we briefly comment on the process of the translation between sign and spoken languages. We conclude the paper with a summary of roles that Dictio plays in the ČZJ-signing community.

Research Productivity and Network Visualization on Digital Evidence: A Bibliometric Study

ABSTRACT The present study focuses on evaluating the research productivity in the domain of digital evidence using various bibliometric indicators. Total 4458 scientific publications were retrieved from Scopus database from period 1889 to 2020 applying related keyword search. The results were presented in tabular and graphical form. Study also used VOSviewer© tool to evaluate the network visualization and discovered the collaboration and relationship with authors, coauthors, countries, institutions, co-occurrence of keywords, and co-citation of cited references in the subject domain digital evidence. The result revealed that growing trends of total publications in last 10 years of research. Of total 4458 scientific publications, 40,936 total citations were found with 9.18 average citation per publication. UK and USA were top-productive country in terms of publishing research in the field, and Czech Republic and Switzerland have produced more prolific authors. University van Pretoria, Masaryk University and University of South Australia were reported top three productive organizations in the realm of digital evidence. Study also observed collaboration and cooperation between authors, country, and organizations in the visualization analysis. The results of co-occurrence of keywords were reported that digital evidence, digital forensics, computer forensics, and digital investigation were found frequently used keywords and have maximum link strength.

Application of land use regression modelling to describe atmospheric levels of semivolatile organic compounds on a national scale

Despite the success of passive sampler-based monitoring networks in capturing global atmospheric distributions of semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs), their limited spatial resolution remains a challenge. Adequate spatial coverage is necessary to better characterize concentration gradients, identify point sources, estimate human exposure, and evaluate the effectiveness of chemical regulations such as the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants. Land use regression (LUR) modelling can be used to integrate land use characteristics and other predictor variables (industrial emissions, traffic intensity, demographics, etc.) to describe or predict the distribution of air concentrations at unmeasured locations across a region or country. While LUR models are frequently applied to data-rich conventional air pollutants such as particulate matter, ozone, and nitrogen oxides, they are rarely applied to SVOCs.The MONET passive air sampling network (RECETOX, Masaryk University) continuously measures atmospheric SVOC levels across Czechia in monthly intervals. Using monitoring data from 29 MONET sites over a two-year period (2015–2017) and a variety of predictor variables, we developed LUR models to describe atmospheric levels and identify sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and DDT across the country. Strong and statistically significant (R2 > 0.6; p < 0.05) models were derived for PAH and PCB levels on a national scale. The PAH model retained three predictor variables – heating emissions represented by domestic fuel consumption, industrial PAH point sources, and the hill:valley index, a measure of site topography. The PCB model retained two predictor variables – site elevation, and secondary sources of PCBs represented by soil concentrations. These models were then applied to Czechia as a whole, highlighting the spatial variability of atmospheric SVOC levels, and providing a tool that can be used for further optimization of sampling network design, as well as evaluating potential human and environmental chemical exposures.

Transmembrane Transport of Bicarbonate Unravelled.

Invited for the cover of this issue are Dr. Stephen Butler, Dr. Hennie Valkenier and co‐workers at Université Libre de Bruxelles, Loughborough University, Masaryk University, and the University of Bristol. The image depicts the transport of bicarbonate anions versus the spontaneous diffusion of CO2 across the lipid bilayer of a liposome. Read the full text of the article at 10.1002/chem.202100491.

Aspects of embryo selection and their preparation for the formation of human embryonic stem cells intended for human therapy.

The work deals with a clinical part of human embryonic stem cell (hESC) research. The aim of the project is the differentiation of somatic cell types, useful in drug development, regenerative medicine and cell therapy. The aim of this work is to enable targeted therapy of yet incurable diseases. The pluripotent hESCs have unlimited self-renewal capacity. This ability is used in therapy to create missing or damaged cells in the human body. It is of interest to develop clinical-grade hESC lines useful in preclinical and clinical studies. The derivation of the hESC must respect the legislation of the Czech Republic and the EU. The aim was to develop an informed consent of both donors for donated discarded embryos that are not suitable for treatment by in vitro fertilization according to Directive 2004/23/EC. The FNBs Center for Assisted Reproduction (CAR) participates in oocyte collection, cultivation and cryopreservation of embryos, communication with clients and ensuring the informed consent of embryo donors. A transport protocol and a methodology for handing over the thawed embryos with the original numerical code were developed. Before the embryos are handed over to the ICRC co-authors workplace (CTEF), they are thawed and, if necessary, recultivated to the blastocyst stage; afterwards, assisted hatching is performed. In the period from January 2018 to July 2020, 138 selected suitable clients were asked for donations, with 52 not responding, 19 terminating and 29 extending the embryo storage. Only 38 clients, i.e. 27.5%, agreed with the usage of their embryos for the preparation of hESCs. In the same period, personal communication with suitable CAR clients took place and another 17 embryo donors were obtained. A total of 160 embryos were obtained from 55 donors aged 26 to 42 years. The embryos were most often frozen in the blastocyst (53 embryos - 33.1%) and morula (74 embryos - 46.3%) stages. Of the 29 genetically examined embryos, only 5 are euploid (17.2%), 2 are mosaic and 22 are aneuploid or with translocations or carriers with a monogenic defect. We have an informed consent prepared and approved by the Ethics Committee of the Masaryk University and the University Hospital Brno; 160 donated embryos have been selected and secured. A transport protocol and handover methodology are developed. The plan for the transfer of thawed anonymized embryos in the first phase, October - December 2020, includes approximately 5 thawed blastocysts per week with assisted hatching. After their transfer to the CTEF, the embryoblast will be isolated with subsequent cultivation. The established hESCs must meet the specified criteria of safety, stability and pluripotency. We believe that, in accordance with the project plan, we will obtain at least 3 clinical-grade hESC lines, the first created in the Czech Republic, respecting the requirements for Advanced Medicinal Therapy Products (AMTP).

Learning French through English: students’ beliefs and motivations and the role of English as language medium

English has become a language commonly used in fields such as business, diplomacy, or tourism. It is also a medium which enables the transfer of knowledge and the development of ideas in science and education. Scientists and undergraduates can nowadays pursue their research and studies at laboratories and universities all over the world using English as the language of the educational process. Thus, they access knowledge in their respective fields through English, and this applies also to learning other languages. Learning a foreign language using English poses various challenges, starting from the learners’ level of English over to the influences that English can have on the process of acquisition. Also, learners can have beliefs about learning the other language (L3) which differ from beliefs they have about learning English. This set of ideas, attitudes and opinions could have an impact on how students learn L3. This paper explores the beliefs about, and motivations for, language learning among a small group of Erasmus students in the International Relations Programme at the Faculty of Social Sciences, Masaryk University, Brno. The students, who have various ethnic origins and language backgrounds, took part in a thirteen-week course of French for Beginners, taught in English by a Czech teacher. Most students were complete beginners, but others already had basic knowledge of French, as the entry questionnaire had shown. This course of French for specific purposes (diplomacy) covered the first three units of an A1-A2 textbook called Objectif Diplomatie: Le francais des relations europeennes et internationales. At the end of the course, learners completed a questionnaire in English. This research gauges the role of English as a medium in learning French at a beginner’s level and investigates students’ perceptions of the accuracy and the difficulty of learning French through English. Avoiding any generalisations, the study reports group-specific results with a view to showing whether, and to what extent, students conform to other research findings in the areas of learner beliefs and motivations in English-medium language instruction.

Pulmonary circulation biomarkers acquired by cardiovascular magnetic resonance in population after heart transplant

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: Public grant(s) – EU funding. Main funding source(s): This study was supported by the European Regional Development Fund - Project ENOCH. This study was conducted at Masaryk University as part of the project "New Methods in Diagnostic and Stratification of Cardiovascular Diseases" MUNI/A/1393/2019 with the support of the Specific University Research Grant, as provided by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic in 2019. Introduction Right heart catheterization still remains the golden standard in measuring pulmonary circulation parameters, although its clinical use is limited due to it being an invasive examination. Pulmonary circulation biomarkers acquired by cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) could provide a non-invasive alternative for assuming congestion in patients. Biomarkers such as pulmonary transit time (PTT), pulmonary transit beats (PTB) and pulmonary blood volume index (PBVI) are not new themselves, however, data on cut-off values of these biomarkers and on different populations are limited. To our knowledge, these biomarkers have never been measured in patients after heart transplant (HT) before and PTT from stress perfusion has only been acquired by a single study, which makes the data on this relatively new marker very limited. Purpose The purpose of this study was to calculate PTT stress/rest ratio and provide more evidence about pulmonary circulation biomarkers in HT patients. Methods In this retrospective study, 38 patients after HT who had undergone a CMR examination including contrast methods and stress CMR perfusion were enrolled. PTT values in both rest and stress perfusion were measured as peak-to-peak time in main contrast bolus of dual-bolus stress CMR examination. PTB was calculated by dividing PTT by RR interval obtained from heart rate and PBVI from PTB and right ventricle systolic volume. PTT under stress and rest condition was afterwards compared and PTT ratio was calculated dividing stress values by rest values. Obtained results were further compared to a healthy group as published previously. PTT ratio of HT patients was then compared to measurements conducted on a control group consisting of 10 patients after anthracycline treatment. Results Patients after HT showed biomarker values as follows PBVI 250 ± 59 mL/m2, PTT 6,26 ± 1,05 s, PTT stress 5,66 ± 1,09 s, PTB 7,39 ± 1,31 and PTT ratio 0,91 ± 0,14. These results resemble previously published healthy group values (PBVI 308 ± 92 ml/m2, PTT 6,8 s, PTB 7) and none of the patients enrolled in our study crossed the presented cut-off value of PBVI 492 mL/m2 for hemodynamic congestion. PTT ratio in our control group was 0,77 ± 0,14. In both the populations, PTT values under stress were lower than in rest condition and therefore PTT ratio values were below 1. Conclusions The study provided more evidence about pulmonary circulation biomarkers acquired by CMR in HT patients and presented PTT ratio as a new biomarker. Patients 1 year after HT have comparable values to those of healthy population. PTT stress values were shorter than PTT rest values in both HT group and control group.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of CoronaVac Side Effects: An Independent Cross-Sectional Study Among Healthcare Workers in Turkey

Background: COVIC-19 vaccine hesitancy is a serious threat to mass vaccination strategies that need to be accelerated currently for achieving a substantial level of community immunity. Independent (non-sponsored) studies have a great potential to enhance public confidence in vaccines and accelerate their uptake process.Methods: A nationwide cross-sectional study for the side effects (SE) of CoronaVac was carried out in February 2021 among Turkish healthcare workers who got recently vaccinated. The questionnaire inquired about local and systemic SEs that occurred in the short-term, within four weeks, following vaccination.Findings: A total of 780 healthcare workers were included in this study; 62.5% of them experienced at least one SE. Injection site pain (41.5%) was the most common local SE, while fatigue (23.6%), headache (18.7%), muscle pain (11.2%) and joint pain (5.9%) were the common systemic SE. Female healthcare workers (67.9%) were significantly more affected by local and systemic SEs than male colleagues (51.4%). Younger age, previous infection, and compromised health status (chronic illnesses and regular medicines uptake) can be associated with an increased risk of CoronaVac SEs.Interpretation: The independent research shows a higher prevalence of CoronaVac SEs than what is reported by phase 1 – 3 clinical trials. In general, the results of this study confirm the overall safety of CoronaVac and suggest potential risk factors for its SEs. Gender-based differences and SEs distribution among age groups are worth further investigation.Trial Registration: The study protocol was registered in the National Library of Medicine (NLM) registry – NCT047706156Funding Statement: This study was supported by the INTER-EXCELLENCE grant number LTC20031 — "Towards an International Network for Evidence-based Research in Clinical Health Research in the Czech Republic".Declaration of Interests: None to declare. Ethics Approval Statement: The study protocol was reviewed and approved by the General Directorate of Health Services of the Turkish Ministry of Health within the scope of the Public Health Law no. 1593; additionally, it had been approved by the Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University (MUNI) on January 20th, 2021 (Ref. 2/2021).(16) All the participants had to provide their informed consent digitally before joining the study, and the data was stored and handled by MUNI in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).(

Michal Radvan: Czech tax law, Masaryk University, Brno, 2020

Michal Radvan: Czech tax law, Masaryk University, Brno, 2020

Brittle Biballism‐Dystonia in a Pediatric Patient with GNAO1 Mutation Managed Using Pallidal Deep Brain Stimulation

Brittle Biballism‐Dystonia in a Pediatric Patient with <scp>GNAO1</scp> Mutation Managed Using Pallidal Deep Brain Stimulation

The Czech Pirate Party

In 2017, in addition to the traditional, old, and more recently established political parties, a new formation – the Czech Pirate Party – espousing more participative principles, including the use of online platforms for discussions – arrived on the political scene in the Czech Republic. This newcomer to the parliamentary ecosystem, shortly after achieving success at the national level, also managed to attract significant support in local elections. For this reason, there is currently a Pirate Party parliamentary group present in the Chamber of Deputies (the lower chamber of the Czech parliament), while simultaneously the mayor of Prague and members of the ruling coalition in Brno – the second biggest city in the Czech Republic – also represent the Pirate Party. Furthermore, recent opinion polls show support for the Pirates running at about 14%. This is coupled with another new feature: the young age of the party’s elected parliamentarians and local councilors, which brings new challenges to politics. After the elections, a number of commentators immediately dubbed the Pirate Party a ‘youth party.’ But is this really the case? What forms of participation do the party and/or its members use and encourage? This article offers answers to these questions. In particular, it presents the electoral base of this new political party through interpretative analysis. The data are based on election results triangulated with other sources – specifically, a Czech election study is juxtaposed against a quantitative survey carried out by three academic institutions in the Czech Republic (the Faculty of Social Studies at Masaryk University, Brno; Palacký University, Olomouc; and the Institute of Sociology at the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague). These statistical tools enable us to identify in great detail the demographic and socio-economic characteristics of Pirate Party voters (for instance: age, education, their views about contemporary democracy, and the timing of their decision to vote) and map their attitudes towards other parties and their leaders. The article reveals how popular the Czech Pirate Party is among the younger generation of voters, where the latter come from, and what political preferences they had previously.

Decreased global strains of the left ventricle in asymptomatic female carriers for duchenne muscular dystrophy gene using feature-tracking: a prospective study

Abstract Background Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked recessive disease manifested in males predominantly by skeletal muscle wasting but also dilated myocardium. Heterozygous female carriers often have normal echocardiographic findings. Nevertheless, untreated could develop in 4th and 5th decade of life to cardiomyopathy, probably due to progressive myocardial fibrosis. CMR feature tracking (FT) is an innovative technique that measures the myocardial wall deformation and could help to detect the contractile dysfunction, even in its early stages, due to its high sensitivity. Thus, it could identify asymptomatic carriers at higher risk of developing cardiomyopathy later in life. Aim This prospective study aimed to assess left ventricular systolic function (LV) in DMD carriers using CMR-FT. Methodology Global longitudinal strain (GLS), global circumferential strain (GCS) and global radial strain (GRS) were evaluated by CMR-FT. End-systolic (ESV), end-diastolic (EDV) LV volumes and ejection fraction (EF) LV were also measured using CMR-FT. There were 37 carriers, and 20 healthy controls enrolled in the study. The measured parameters showed a Gaussian distribution and were compared using a t-test, followed by Benjamini-Hochberg correction. Results Groups carriers and controls did not differ in basic demographic data (age: 39.5±9.1 vs. 39.1±10.7 years). In contrast, there were found statistically significant differences in EF LV (56±5 vs. 60±3%), and all strain parameters (GLS (−19.4±2.4 vs. −22.3±2.2%), GCS (26.8±3.3 vs. 29.5±2.0%) and GRS (59.8±12.9 vs. 70.9±14.8%, all p&amp;lt;0.05)). Conclusion Carriers had significantly lower values of all strains compared to controls using CMR-FT, although they had preserved EF LV. CMR-FT could be beneficial for early diagnosis of the developing heart disease in asymptomatic patients with a genetic predisposition. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: Public grant(s) – National budget only. Main funding source(s): The work was supported by project no. LQ1605 from the National Program of Sustainability II (MEYS CR).This publication was written at Masaryk University as part of the project “Evaluation of left ventricular function using the feature tracking technique of Duchenne muscular dystrophy genes carriers” MUNI/A/1493/2018 with the support of the Specific University Research Grant, as provided by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic in the year 2018.

Missing Maps Project and Its Use in Education

Abstract. The article is about OpenStreetMap and Missing Maps Project and their introducing in the remote sensing classes at universities to show potential of geographic information to improve education of people about how to help to solve the disaster and crisis situations in the World. This approach also serves as a real model for learning to interpret satellite imagery in such situations.At the beginning of the article different kinds of disasters are briefly mentioned including their causes and effect on the life of people. Then crisis management is briefly introduced from the point of view selected voluntary projects which are analysed to make process more targeted and efficient. After that Missing Maps project is introduced together with OpenStreetMap and their outputs on the example of non-profit organization Doctors Without Borders (MSF) operating in different parts of the World. In the next part the ways how to contribute and improve their activities and how the whole cooperation works are arranged. Next part of the article focuses on Missing Maps mapathons (meetings of volunteers who create open-source maps for MSF) and the way how they are organized in Brno, Czechia. Editing of the OpenStreetMap for the Missing Maps project has been recently introduced to usual remote sensing classes for students of Masaryk University in Brno. Information about this activity is also described.

Canadian Studies in the Czech Republic and Central Europe

This article surveys the development of Canadian Studies in Czechoslovakia/the Czech Republic from 1985 (the year the first such course was offered at a Czech university) down to the present. It also deals with the wider context of the development of Canadian Studies in Central Europe under the aegis of the Central European Association for Canadian Studies, established in 2003 with its Secretariat located at Masaryk University, Brno. In both the Czech Republic and the wider region, the late 1990s saw a steady growth in Canadian Studies, fostered by financial support from the Canadian government and outreach activities by Western European Canadian Studies associations. The first decade of the twenty-first century saw an explosion of activities - many new courses and degree programmes, conferences and specialized seminars, international projects, publications, the launching of the Central European Journal for Canadian Studies. The century’s second decade, however, has witnessed retrenchment, the result of systemic changes in higher education systems and the Canadian government’s cancellation of all support for Canadian Studies activities in 2012. Nevertheless, in both the Czech Republic and Central Europe, Canadian Studies continues to enjoy a significant and respected presence in the higher education sphere.