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Overview of healthcare system in the Czech Republic
Kinkorová, Judita
Topolčan, Ondřej
The EPMA Journal
The healthcare system in the Czech Republic underwent and still is undergoing dramatic changes since the Velvet revolution in 1989. History of the Czech healthcare system, main healthcare laws, and the current status of healthcare documented in the main healthcare indicators is described based on the several main sources as well as delivery of health services and the role of the main actors in healthcare system. The material is based mainly on Czech Health Statistics 2009, and HiT Summary, Health Care Systems in Translation, 2005, public information of Ministry of Health CR.
Czech Republic; Healthcare system; Politics; Financing; Predictive, Preventive and Personalised Medicine; Recommendations
Related Articles
The Velvet Family of Fungal Regulators Contains a DNA-Binding Domain Structurally Similar to NF-κB
Ahmed, Yasar Luqman
Gerke, Jennifer
Park, Hee-Soo
Bayram, Özgür
Neumann, Piotr
Ni, Min
Dickmanns, Achim
Kim, Sun Chang
Yu, Jae-Hyuk
Braus, Gerhard H.
Ficner, Ralf
PLoS Biology
This study reveals an important family of fungal regulatory proteins to be transcription factors that contain a DNA-binding "velvet" domain structurally related to that of mammalian NFkB.
Morphological development of fungi and their combined production of secondary metabolites are both acting in defence and protection. These processes are mainly coordinated by velvet regulators, which contain a yet functionally and structurally uncharacterized velvet domain. Here we demonstrate that the velvet domain of VosA is a novel DNA-binding motif that specifically recognizes an 11-nucleotide consensus sequence consisting of two motifs in the promoters of key developmental regulatory genes. The crystal structure analysis of the VosA velvet domain revealed an unforeseen structural similarity with the Rel homology domain (RHD) of the mammalian transcription factor NF-κB. Based on this structural similarity several conserved amino acid residues present in all velvet domains have been identified and shown to be essential for the DNA binding ability of VosA. The velvet domain is also involved in dimer formation as seen in the solved crystal structures of the VosA homodimer and the VosA-VelB heterodimer. These findings suggest that defence mechanisms of both fungi and animals might be governed by structurally related DNA-binding transcription factors.
Author Summary
In many fungi, developmental processes and the synthesis of nonessential chemicals (secondary metabolites) are regulated by various external stimuli, such as light. Although fungi employ them for defensive purposes, secondary metabolites range from useful antibiotics to powerful toxins, so understanding the molecular processes that regulate their synthesis is of particular interest to us. In the mold Aspergillus nidulans the main regulators of these processes are the so-called "velvet" proteins VeA, VelB, and VosA, which share a 150-amino acid region known as the velvet domain. Velvet proteins interact with each other, alone ("homodimers"), in various combinations ("heterodimers"), and also with other proteins, but the molecular mechanism by which these proteins exert their regulatory function has been unclear. In this work we show that velvet proteins form a family of fungus-specific transcription factors that directly bind to target DNA, even though analysis of their amino acid sequence does not reveal any known DNA-binding domains or motifs. We determined the three-dimensional structure of the VosA-VosA homodimer and the VosA-VelB heterodimer and found that the structure of the velvet domain is strongly reminiscent of the N-terminal immunoglobulin-like domain found in the mammalian transcription factor NFκB-p50, despite the very low sequence similarity. We propose that, like NFκB, various homo- or heterodimers of velvet proteins modulate gene expression to drive development and defensive pathways in fungi.
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Theory and practice of informed consent in the Czech Republic
Krizova, Eva
Simek, Jiri
Journal of Medical Ethics
The large‐scale change of Czech society since 1989 has involved the democratic transformation of the health system. To empower the patient was one important goal of the healthcare reform launched immediately after the Velvet Revolution. The process has been enhanced by the accession of the Czech Republic to the European Union and the adoption of important European conventions regulating the area. The concept of informed consent and a culture of negotiation are being inserted into a traditionally paternalistic culture. Our article describes the current situation on the issue of the communication of information on state of health and treatment, and on the question of the participation of the patient in decisions on treatment. We present empirical results of a public opinion survey on this issue. The results show a still prevailing submissive attitude towards the physicians, despite the fact that the concept of informed consent has become more and more publicly familiar (42% of respondents gave the completely correct answer regarding informed consent). The impact of age, education and sex on answers to the questionnaire was analysed. Men, younger and more educated respondents were more likely to show the autonomous attitude, whereas women, older and less educated people tended to show the traditional submissive attitude. Further, our article raises the question of the cultural and historical background within which the current ethically and legally binding norms (products of western democracies, in fact) are interpreted. The question is how far cultural modifications are tolerable in the practical implementation of universal ethical constructs (informed consent).
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Tobacco Industry Manipulation of Tobacco Excise and Tobacco Advertising Policies in the Czech Republic: An Analysis of Tobacco Industry Documents
Shirane, Risako
Smith, Katherine
Ross, Hana
Silver, Karin E.
Williams, Simon
Gilmore, Anna
PLoS Medicine
Risako Shirane and colleagues examined the the Legacy Tobacco Documents Library and found evidence of transnational tobacco company influence over tobacco advertising and excise policy in the Czech Republic, a country with one of the poorest tobacco control records in Europe.
The Czech Republic has one of the poorest tobacco control records in Europe. This paper examines transnational tobacco companies' (TTCs') efforts to influence policy there, paying particular attention to excise policies, as high taxes are one of the most effective means of reducing tobacco consumption, and tax structures are an important aspect of TTC competitiveness.
Methods and Findings
TTC documents dating from 1989 to 2004/5 were retrieved from the Legacy Tobacco Documents Library website, analysed using a socio-historical approach, and triangulated with key informant interviews and secondary data. The documents demonstrate significant industry influence over tobacco control policy. Philip Morris (PM) ignored, overturned, and weakened various attempts to restrict tobacco advertising, promoting voluntary approaches as an alternative to binding legislation. PM and British American Tobacco (BAT) lobbied separately on tobacco tax structures, each seeking to implement the structure that benefitted its own brand portfolio over that of its competitors, and enjoying success in turn. On excise levels, the different companies took a far more collaborative approach, seeking to keep tobacco taxes low and specifically to prevent any large tax increases. Collective lobbying, using a variety of arguments, was successful in delaying the tax increases required via European Union accession. Contrary to industry arguments, data show that cigarettes became more affordable post-accession and that TTCs have taken advantage of low excise duties by raising prices. Interview data suggest that TTCs enjoy high-level political support and continue to actively attempt to influence policy.
There is clear evidence of past and ongoing TTC influence over tobacco advertising and excise policy. We conclude that this helps explain the country's weak tobacco control record. The findings suggest there is significant scope for tobacco tax increases in the Czech Republic and that large (rather than small, incremental) increases are most effective in reducing smoking.
Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary
Editors' Summary
Every year, about 5 million people die from tobacco-related diseases and, if current trends continue, annual tobacco-related deaths will increase to 10 million by 2030. Faced with this global tobacco epidemic, national and international bodies have drawn up conventions and directives designed to control tobacco. For example, European Union (EU) Directives on tobacco control call for member states to ban tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship and to adopt taxation policies (for example, high levels of tobacco excise tax) aimed at reducing tobacco consumption. Within the EU, implementation of tobacco control policies varies widely but the Czech Republic, which was formed in 1993 when Czechoslovakia split following the 1989 collapse of communism, has a particularly poor record. The Czech Republic, which joined the EU in 2004, is the only EU Member State not to have ratified the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which entered into force in 2005, and its tobacco control policies were the fourth least effective in Europe in 2010.
Why Was This Study Done?
During the communist era, state-run tobacco monopolies controlled the supply of cigarettes and other tobacco products in Czechoslovakia. Privatization of these monopolies began in 1991 and several transnational tobacco companies (TTCs)—in particular, Philip Morris and British American Tobacco—entered the tobacco market in what was to become the Czech Republic. In this socio-historical study, which aims to improve understanding of both effective tobacco excise policy and the ways in which TTCs seek to influence policy in emerging markets, the researchers analyze publically available internal TTC documents and interview key informants to examine efforts made by TTCs to influence tobacco advertising and tobacco excise tax policies in the Czech Republic. A socio-historical study examines the interactions between individuals and groups in a historical context.
What Did the Researchers Do and Find?
The researchers analyzed 511 documents (dated 1989 onwards) in the Legacy Tobacco Documents Library website (a collection of internal tobacco industry documents released through US litigation cases) that mentioned tobacco control policies in the Czech Republic. They also analyzed information obtained from sources such as tobacco industry journals and data obtained in 2010 in interviews with key Czech informants (including a tobacco industry representative and a politician). The researchers' analysis of the industry documents indicates that Philip Morris ignored, overturned, and weakened attempts to restrict tobacco advertising and promoted voluntary approaches as an alternative to binding legislation. Importantly, while the internal documents show that Philip Morris lobbied for a specific excise tax (a fixed amount of tax per cigarette, a tax structure that favors the expensive brands that Philip Morris mainly markets), the European strategy employed at that time by British American Tobacco was to lobby for a mixed excise structure that combined an "ad valorem" tax (a tax levied as a proportion of price) and a specific tax, an approach that favors a mixed portfolio of tobacco brands. By contrast, the documents show that TTCs collaborated in trying to keep tobacco taxes low and in trying to prevent any large tax increases. This collective lobbying successfully delayed the tobacco tax increases required as a condition of the Czech Republic's accession to the EU. Finally, the interview data suggest that TTCs had high-level political support in the Czech Republic and continue actively to attempt to influence policy.
What Do These Findings Mean?
These findings provide clear evidence that Philip Morris and British American Tobacco (the two TTCs that have dominated the Czech market since privatization of the tobacco industry) have significantly influenced tobacco advertising and excise policy in the Czech Republic since 1989. The findings, which also suggest that this influence is ongoing, help to explain the Czech Republic's poor tobacco control record, which was reflected in a fall in the real price of cigarettes between 1990 and 2000. More generally, this study provides valuable insight into how TTCs might try to influence policy in other emerging markets. Improvements in global tobacco control, the researchers conclude, will be possible only if efforts are made to protect tobacco control policies from the vested interests of the tobacco industry, a principle enshrined in the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco control, and if public and political attitudes to the industry shift.
Additional Information
Please access these Web sites via the online version of this summary at http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1001248.
The World Health Organization provides information about the dangers of tobacco (in several languages) and about its Framework Convention on Tobacco Control
For information about the tobacco industry's influence on policy, see the 2009 World Health Organization report Tobacco interference with tobacco control
The Framework Convention Alliance more information about the FCTC
Details of European Union legislation on excise duty applied to manufactured tobacco and on the manufacture, presentation and sale of tobacco products are available (in several languages)
The Legacy Tobacco Documents Library is a searchable public database of tobacco company internal documents detailing their advertising, manufacturing, marketing, sales, and scientific activities
The UK Centre for Tobacco Control Studies is a network of UK universities that undertakes original research, policy development, advocacy, and teaching and training in the field of tobacco control
SmokeFree, a website provided by the UK National Health Service, offers advice on quitting smoking and includes personal stories from people who have stopped smoking
Smokefree.gov, from the US National Cancer Institute, offers online tools and resources to help people quit smoking and not start again
Related Articles
Salaried general practice in Czechoslovakia: personal observations and impressions.
Gibbons, B
The British Journal of General Practice
In 1991, a visit was undertaken, to the former Czechoslovakia, during which discussions were held with general practitioners. Some personal observations and impressions from the visit are presented. For four decades, salaried general practice was a feature of the Czechoslovakian health care system. Primary health care comprised three strands: paediatric services, an occupational health service and community general practitioner care. The main point of service delivery was the polyclinic which, although being large and impersonal, provided easy access to other primary and secondary services. General practitioners, over half of whom were women, had regular leave entitlement and predictable hours of work, out of hours work being provided through separate contracts based on primary care emergency centres. However, doctors were poorly paid compared with industrial workers. Following the 'velvet revolution' in 1989, all aspects of the health service have been subject to major review, and salaried general practice is likely to give way to a more entrepreneurial system.
Related Articles
LaeA Control of Velvet Family Regulatory Proteins for Light-Dependent Development and Fungal Cell-Type Specificity
Sarikaya Bayram, Özlem
Bayram, Özgür
Valerius, Oliver
Park, Hee Soo
Irniger, Stefan
Gerke, Jennifer
Ni, Min
Han, Kap-Hoon
Yu, Jae-Hyuk
Braus, Gerhard H.
PLoS Genetics
VeA is the founding member of the velvet superfamily of fungal regulatory proteins. This protein is involved in light response and coordinates sexual reproduction and secondary metabolism in Aspergillus nidulans. In the dark, VeA bridges VelB and LaeA to form the VelB-VeA-LaeA (velvet) complex. The VeA-like protein VelB is another developmental regulator, and LaeA has been known as global regulator of secondary metabolism. In this study, we show that VelB forms a second light-regulated developmental complex together with VosA, another member of the velvet family, which represses asexual development. LaeA plays a key role, not only in secondary metabolism, but also in directing formation of the VelB-VosA and VelB-VeA-LaeA complexes. LaeA controls VeA modification and protein levels and possesses additional developmental functions. The laeA null mutant results in constitutive sexual differentiation, indicating that LaeA plays a pivotal role in inhibiting sexual development in response to light. Moreover, the absence of LaeA results in the formation of significantly smaller fruiting bodies. This is due to the lack of a specific globose cell type (Hülle cells), which nurse the young fruiting body during development. This suggests that LaeA controls Hülle cells. In summary, LaeA plays a dynamic role in fungal morphological and chemical development, and it controls expression, interactions, and modification of the velvet regulators.
Author Summary
Numerous fungi have the potential to infect immunocompromised patients or to contaminate and spoil our nutrients. They represent an increasing danger that threatens public health and agriculture. This requires improved understanding of fungal growth, development, dissemination of spores, and mycotoxin production. We have discovered two related fungal specific protein complexes that provide a molecular link among spore formation, fungal development, and secondary metabolite production. The subunit allocation of both complexes depends on each other, and they share a common subunit. These complexes comprise three related and in fungi conserved proteins of the velvet family that function in concert with a known regulator of secondary metabolism, LaeA. This protein controls the formation of both complexes but is only a part of the trimeric complex. We found that this regulator of secondary metabolism also possesses several developmental control functions in gene expression. These protein complexes discovered in the fungal model system Aspergillus nidulans are conserved in fungal pathogens where they might provide novel insights for understanding growth, development, and interaction with their respective hosts.
Related Articles
MetaVelvet: an extension of Velvet assembler to de novo metagenome assembly from short sequence reads
Namiki, Toshiaki
Hachiya, Tsuyoshi
Tanaka, Hideaki
Sakakibara, Yasubumi
Nucleic Acids Research
An important step in 'metagenomics' analysis is the assembly of multiple genomes from mixed sequence reads of multiple species in a microbial community. Most conventional pipelines use a single-genome assembler with carefully optimized parameters. A limitation of a single-genome assembler for de novo metagenome assembly is that sequences of highly abundant species are likely misidentified as repeats in a single genome, resulting in a number of small fragmented scaffolds. We extended a single-genome assembler for short reads, known as 'Velvet', to metagenome assembly, which we called 'MetaVelvet', for mixed short reads of multiple species. Our fundamental concept was to first decompose a de Bruijn graph constructed from mixed short reads into individual sub-graphs, and second, to build scaffolds based on each decomposed de Bruijn sub-graph as an isolate species genome. We made use of two features, the coverage (abundance) difference and graph connectivity, for the decomposition of the de Bruijn graph. For simulated datasets, MetaVelvet succeeded in generating significantly higher N50 scores than any single-genome assemblers. MetaVelvet also reconstructed relatively low-coverage genome sequences as scaffolds. On real datasets of human gut microbial read data, MetaVelvet produced longer scaffolds and increased the number of predicted genes.
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Gender Inequalities in the Health of Immigrants and Workplace Discrimination in Czechia
Dzúrová, Dagmar
Drbohlav, Dušan
BioMed Research International
This study analyses the relationship between immigrants' self-reported/rated health (SRH) and their perceived working conditions in Czechia materialized via discrimination, based on the example of Ukrainian immigrants analyzed by gender dimension. The role of age, education, and marital status is also analyzed. A sample of native-born Czechs serves as a reference frame. A cross-sectional design was applied. Using data from two surveys of Ukrainian immigrants in Czechia and a countrywide health interview survey for Czechs, we analyse inequalities in SRH and workplace discrimination loads. Four binary logistic regression models were computed separately for women and men from Ukraine and Czechia to identify the determinants of fair/poor SRH. We found that only Ukrainian immigrant females were heavily exposed to all four measured types of workplace discrimination, thereby modifying and worsening the quality of their SRH. Determinants which are behind respondents' SRH differ between Ukrainian immigrants vis-à-vis Czechs with one exception. The "oldest age group" (41–62) contributes to poorer assessment of SRH among Ukrainian females, Czech females, and Czech males too. The lowest educational level (primary education) correlates with poor SRH within the sample of Czech males.
Related Articles
Long-term changes in CO2 emissions in Austria and Czechoslovakia—Identifying the drivers of environmental pressures
Gingrich, Simone
Kušková, Petra
Steinberger, Julia K.
Energy Policy
This study presents fossil-fuel related CO2 emissions in Austria and Czechoslovakia (current Czech Republic and Slovakia) for 1830–2000. The drivers of CO2 emissions are discussed by investigating the variables of the standard Kaya identity for 1920–2000 and conducting a comparative Index Decomposition Analysis. Proxy data on industrial production and household consumption are analysed to understand the role of the economic structure. CO2 emissions increased in both countries in the long run. Czechoslovakia was a stronger emitter of CO2 throughout the time period, but per-capita emissions significantly differed only after World War I, when Czechoslovakia and Austria became independent. The difference in CO2 emissions increased until the mid-1980s (the period of communism in Czechoslovakia), explained by the energy intensity and the composition effects, and higher industrial production in Czechoslovakia. Counterbalancing factors were the income effect and household consumption. After the Velvet revolution in 1990, Czechoslovak CO2 emissions decreased, and the energy composition effect (and industrial production) lost importance. Despite their different political and economic development, Austria and Czechoslovakia reached similar levels of per-capita CO2 emissions in the late 20th century. Neither Austrian "eco-efficiency" nor Czechoslovak restructuring have been effective in reducing CO2 emissions to a sustainable level.
Research Highlights
►CO2 emissions in Austria and Czechoslovakia increased during industrialisation. ►The differences were strongest during periods of different political regimes. ►The main drivers for differences were energy composition and energy intensity.
Carbon dioxide emissions; Decomposition analysis; Energy transition
Related Articles
Secular trends: a ten-year comparison of the amount and type of physical activity and inactivity of random samples of adolescents in the Czech Republic
Sigmundová, Dagmar
El Ansari, Walid
Sigmund, Erik
Frömel, Karel
BMC Public Health
An optimal level of physical activity (PA) in adolescence influences the level of PA in adulthood. Although PA declines with age have been demonstrated repeatedly, few studies have been carried out on secular trends. The present study assessed levels, types and secular trends of PA and sedentary behaviour of a sample of adolescents in the Czech Republic.
The study comprised two cross-sectional cohorts of adolescents ten years apart. The analysis compared data collected through a week-long monitoring of adolescents' PA in 1998-2000 and 2008-2010. Adolescents wore either Yamax SW-701 or Omron HJ-105 pedometer continuously for 7 days (at least 10 hours per day) excluding sleeping, hygiene and bathing. They also recorded their number of steps per day, the type and duration of PA and sedentary behaviour (in minutes) on record sheets. In total, 902 adolescents (410 boys; 492 girls) aged 14-18 were eligible for analysis.
Overweight and obesity in Czech adolescents participating in this study increased from 5.5% (older cohort, 1998-2000) to 10.4% (younger cohort, 2008-2010). There were no inter-cohort significant changes in the total amount of sedentary behaviour in boys. However in girls, on weekdays, there was a significant increase in the total duration of sedentary behaviour of the younger cohort (2008-2010) compared with the older one (1998-2000). Studying and screen time (television and computer) were among the main sedentary behaviours in Czech adolescents. The types of sedentary behaviour also changed: watching TV (1998-2000) was replaced by time spent on computers (2008-2010).
The Czech health-related criterion (achieving 11,000 steps per day) decreased only in boys from 68% (1998-2000) to 55% (2008-2010). Across both genders, 55%-75% of Czech adolescents met the health-related criterion of recommended steps per day, however less participants in the younger cohort (2008-2010) met this criterion than in the older cohort (1998-2000) ten years ago. Adolescents' PA levels for the monitored periods of 1998-2000 and 2008-2010 suggest a secular decrease in the weekly number of steps achieved by adolescent boys and girls.
In the younger cohort (2008-2010), every tenth adolescent was either overweight or obese; roughly twice the rate when compared to the older cohort (1998-2000). Sedentary behaviour seems relatively stable across the two cohorts as the increased time that the younger cohort (2008-2010) spent on computers is compensated with an equally decreased time spent watching TV or studying. Across both cohorts about half to three quarters of the adolescents met the health-related criterion for achieved number of steps. The findings show a secular decrease in PA amongst adolescents. The significant interaction effects (cohort × age; and cohort × gender) that this study found suggested that secular trends in PA differ by age and gender.
Related Articles
Neighbourhood socioeconomic status and cardiovascular risk factors: a multilevel analysis of nine cities in the Czech Republic and Germany
Dragano, Nico
Bobak, Martin
Wege, Natalia
Peasey, Anne
Verde, Pablo E
Kubinova, Ruzena
Weyers, Simone
Moebus, Susanne
Möhlenkamp, Stefan
Stang, Andreas
Erbel, Raimund
Jöckel, Karl-Heinz
Siegrist, Johannes
Pikhart, Hynek
BMC Public Health
Previous studies have shown that deprived neighbourhoods have higher cardiovascular mortality and morbidity rates. Inequalities in the distribution of behaviour related risk factors are one possible explanation for this trend. In our study, we examined the association between cardiovascular risk factors and neighbourhood characteristics. To assess the consistency of associations the design is cross-national with data from nine industrial towns from the Czech Republic and Germany.
We combined datasets from two population based studies, one in Germany ('Heinz Nixdorf Recall (HNR) Study'), and one in the Czech Republic ('Health, Alcohol and Psychosocial Factors in Eastern Europe (HAPIEE) Study'). Participation rates were 56% in the HNR and 55% in the HAPIEE study. The subsample for this particular analysis consists of 11,554 men and women from nine German and Czech towns. Census based information on social characteristics of 326 neighbourhoods were collected from local administrative authorities. We used unemployment rate and overcrowding as area-level markers of socioeconomic status (SES). The cardiovascular risk factors obesity, hypertension, smoking and physical inactivity were used as response variables. Regression models were complemented by individual-level social status (education) and relevant covariates.
Smoking, obesity and low physical activity were more common in deprived neighbourhoods in Germany, even when personal characteristics including individual education were controlled for. For hypertension associations were weak. In the Czech Republic associations were observed for smoking and physical inactivity, but not for obesity and hypertension when individual-level covariates were adjusted for. The strongest association was found for smoking in both countries: in the fully adjusted model the odds ratio for 'high unemployment rate' was 1.30 [95% CI 1.02–1.66] in the Czech Republic and 1.60 [95% CI 1.29–1.98] in Germany.
In this comparative study, the effects of neighbourhood deprivation varied by country and risk factor; the strongest and most consistent effects were found for smoking. Results indicate that area level SES is associated with health related lifestyles, which might be a possible pathway linking social status and cardiovascular disease. Individual-level education had a considerable influence on the association between neighbourhood characteristics and risk factors.
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A Temperature-Responsive Network Links Cell Shape and Virulence Traits in a Primary Fungal Pathogen
Beyhan, Sinem
Gutierrez, Matias
Voorhies, Mark
Sil, Anita
PLoS Biology
Analysis of a transcriptional regulatory network in a fungal pathogen reveals that four interdependent transcription factors respond to human body temperature to trigger changes in cell shape and virulence gene expression.
Survival at host temperature is a critical trait for pathogenic microbes of humans. Thermally dimorphic fungal pathogens, including Histoplasma capsulatum, are soil fungi that undergo dramatic changes in cell shape and virulence gene expression in response to host temperature. How these organisms link changes in temperature to both morphologic development and expression of virulence traits is unknown. Here we elucidate a temperature-responsive transcriptional network in H. capsulatum, which switches from a filamentous form in the environment to a pathogenic yeast form at body temperature. The circuit is driven by three highly conserved factors, Ryp1, Ryp2, and Ryp3, that are required for yeast-phase growth at 37°C. Ryp factors belong to distinct families of proteins that control developmental transitions in fungi: Ryp1 is a member of the WOPR family of transcription factors, and Ryp2 and Ryp3 are both members of the Velvet family of proteins whose molecular function is unknown. Here we provide the first evidence that these WOPR and Velvet proteins interact, and that Velvet proteins associate with DNA to drive gene expression. Using genome-wide chromatin immunoprecipitation studies, we determine that Ryp1, Ryp2, and Ryp3 associate with a large common set of genomic loci that includes known virulence genes, indicating that the Ryp factors directly control genes required for pathogenicity in addition to their role in regulating cell morphology. We further dissect the Ryp regulatory circuit by determining that a fourth transcription factor, which we name Ryp4, is required for yeast-phase growth and gene expression, associates with DNA, and displays interdependent regulation with Ryp1, Ryp2, and Ryp3. Finally, we define cis-acting motifs that recruit the Ryp factors to their interwoven network of temperature-responsive target genes. Taken together, our results reveal a positive feedback circuit that directs a broad transcriptional switch between environmental and pathogenic states in response to temperature.
Author Summary
Microbial pathogens of humans display the ability to thrive at host temperature. So-called "thermally dimorphic" fungal pathogens, which include Histoplasma capsulatum, are a class of soil fungi that upon being inhaled into the human lung, undergo dramatic changes in cell shape and virulence gene expression in response to host temperature. The ability of these pathogens to cause disease is exquisitely coupled to temperature response. Here we elucidate the regulatory network that governs the ability of H. capsulatum to switch from a filamentous form in the soil environment to a pathogenic yeast form at body temperature. The circuit is driven by three transcription regulators (Ryp1, Ryp2, and Ryp3) that control yeast-phase growth. We show that these factors, which include two highly conserved proteins of the Velvet family of unknown function, bind to specific regulatory DNA elements and directly regulate expression of virulence genes. We identify and characterize Ryp4, a fourth regulator of this pathway, and define DNA motifs that recruit these transcription factors to their temperature-responsive target genes. Our results provide a molecular understanding of how changes in cell shape are linked to expression of virulence genes in thermally dimorphic fungi.
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Political changes and trends in cardiovascular risk factors in the Czech Republic, 1985-92.
Bobak, M
Skodova, Z
Pisa, Z
Poledne, R
Marmot, M
Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health
BACKGROUND: Mortality from cardiovascular diseases is substantially higher in central and eastern Europe than in the west. After the fall of communism, these countries have undergone radical changes in their political, social, and economic environments but little is known about the impact of these changes on health behaviours or risk factors. Data from the Czech Republic, a country whose mortality rates from cardiovascular diseases are among the highest, were analysed in this report. OBJECTIVES: To examine the trends in cardiovascular risk factors in Czech population over the last decade during which a major and sudden change of the political and social system occurred in 1989, and whether the trends differed in relation to age and educational group. DESIGN AND SETTING: Data from three cross sectional surveys conducted in 1985, 1988, and 1992 as a part of the MONICA project were analysed. The surveys examined random samples of men and women aged 25-64 in six Czech districts and measured the following risk factors: smoking, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), and total and high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. RESULTS: The numbers of subjects (response rate) examined were 2573 (84%) in 1985, 2769 (87%) in 1988, and 2353 (73%) in 1992. Total cholesterol and body mass index increased between 1985 and 1988 and decreased between 1988 and 1992. The prevalence of smoking was declining slightly in men between 1985 and 1992 but remained stable in women. There were only small changes in blood pressure. The decline in cholesterol and BMI in 1988-92 may be related to changes in foods consumption after the price deregulation in 1991. An improvement in risk profile was more pronounced in younger age groups, and the declines in cholesterol and obesity were substantially larger in men and women with higher education. By contrast, there was an increase in smoking in women educated only to primary level. CONCLUSION: Substantial changes in cholesterol, obesity, and women's smoking occurred in the Czech population after the political changes in 1989. Although a causal association cannot be claimed, national trends in foods consumption are consistent with changes in blood lipids and obesity. Further monitoring of trends is required to confirm these trends.
Related Articles
Finding of widespread viral and bacterial revolution dsDNA translocation motors distinct from rotation motors by channel chirality and size
De-Donatis, Gian Marco
Zhao, Zhengyi
Wang, Shaoying
Huang, Lisa P
Schwartz, Chad
Tsodikov, Oleg V
Zhang, Hui
Haque, Farzin
Guo, Peixuan
Cell & Bioscience
Double-stranded DNA translocation is ubiquitous in living systems. Cell mitosis, bacterial binary fission, DNA replication or repair, homologous recombination, Holliday junction resolution, viral genome packaging and cell entry all involve biomotor-driven dsDNA translocation. Previously, biomotors have been primarily classified into linear and rotational motors. We recently discovered a third class of dsDNA translocation motors in Phi29 utilizing revolution mechanism without rotation. Analogically, the Earth rotates around its own axis every 24 hours, but revolves around the Sun every 365 days.
Single-channel DNA translocation conductance assay combined with structure inspections of motor channels on bacteriophages P22, SPP1, HK97, T7, T4, Phi29, and other dsDNA translocation motors such as bacterial FtsK and eukaryotic mimiviruses or vaccinia viruses showed that revolution motor is widespread. The force generation mechanism for revolution motors is elucidated. Revolution motors can be differentiated from rotation motors by their channel size and chirality. Crystal structure inspection revealed that revolution motors commonly exhibit channel diameters larger than 3 nm, while rotation motors that rotate around one of the two separated DNA strands feature a diameter smaller than 2 nm. Phi29 revolution motor translocated double- and tetra-stranded DNA that occupied 32% and 64% of the narrowest channel cross-section, respectively, evidencing that revolution motors exhibit channel diameters significantly wider than the dsDNA. Left-handed oriented channels found in revolution motors drive the right-handed dsDNA via anti-chiral interaction, while right-handed channels observed in rotation motors drive the right-handed dsDNA via parallel threads. Tethering both the motor and the dsDNA distal-end of the revolution motor does not block DNA packaging, indicating that no rotation is required for motors of dsDNA phages, while a small-angle left-handed twist of dsDNA that is aligned with the channel could occur due to the conformational change of the phage motor channels from a left-handed configuration for DNA entry to a right-handed configuration for DNA ejection for host cell infection.
The revolution motor is widespread among biological systems, and can be distinguished from rotation motors by channel size and chirality. The revolution mechanism renders dsDNA void of coiling and torque during translocation of the lengthy helical chromosome, thus resulting in more efficient motor energy conversion.
DNA translocase; DsDNA viruses; Viral DNA packaging motor; Viral assembly; Bacteriophage; DNA helicase; Revolution force; Phi29; FtsK; RecA; Nanomotor
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A Blend of Chlorophytum Borivilianum and Velvet Bean Increases Serum Growth Hormone in Exercise-Trained Men
Alleman, Rick J.
Canale, Robert E.
McCarthy, Cameron G.
Bloomer, Richard J.
Nutrition and Metabolic Insights
Several isolated ingredients have been proposed to increase growth hormone (GH) release, including Chlorophytum borivilianum and Velvet bean. A combination of these two ingredients has been packaged within an investigational dietary supplement. It was the purpose of the present investigation to determine the impact of acute ingestion of this supplement on circulating GH in healthy, exercise-trained men.
Fifteen men ingested the dietary supplement on two different days, separated by one week. Blood was collected from subjects before ingestion of the supplement and at 20, 40, 60, 80, 100, and 120 minutes post ingestion. GH was analyzed in serum samples using an ELISA method. Values for GH for each subject, at each collection time, were averaged over both test days and used in the main analysis.
Serum GH increased over time, with higher values at 60 minutes (1.56 ± 0.65 ng · mL−1; P = 0.04; +767%), 80 minutes (1.76 ± 0.69 ng · mL−1; P = 0.02; +878%), and 100 minutes (1.48 ± 0.62 ng · mL−1; P = 0.05; +722%) compared to pre ingestion (0.18 ± 0.04 ng · mL−1). A great deal of subject variability existed in the area under the curve (AUC) for GH, with pooled values ranging from 0.49 to 61.2 ng · mL−1 · 2 hr−1
Acute ingestion of an investigational dietary supplement containing the active ingredients Chlorophytum borivilianum and Velvet bean results in an increase in circulating GH in exercise-trained men. Additional placebo controlled investigations are needed to extend these findings. Moreover, studies are needed to determine if chronic use of such supplementation leads to favorable changes in health-related parameters associated with increased circulating GH.
supplements; growth hormone; Chlorophytum borivilianum; Velvet bean; Mucuna pruriens
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An inquiry into good hospital governance: A New Zealand-Czech comparison
Ditzel, Elizabeth
Štrach, Pavel
Pirozek, Petr
Health Research Policy and Systems
This paper contributes to research in health systems literature by examining the role of health boards in hospital governance. Health care ranks among the largest public sectors in OECD countries. Efficient governance of hospitals requires the responsible and effective use of funds, professional management and competent governing structures. In this study hospital governance practice in two health care systems – Czech Republic and New Zealand – is compared and contrasted. These countries were chosen as both, even though they are geographically distant, have a universal right to 'free' health care provided by the state and each has experienced periods of political change and ensuing economic restructuring. Ongoing change has provided the impetus for policy reform in their public hospital governance systems.
Two comparative case studies are presented. They define key similarities and differences between the two countries' health care systems. Each public hospital governance system is critically analysed and discussed in light of D W Taylor's nine principles of 'good governance'.
While some similarities were found to exist, the key difference between the two countries is that while many forms of 'ad hoc' hospital governance exist in Czech hospitals, public hospitals in New Zealand are governed in a 'collegiate' way by elected District Health Boards. These findings are discussed in relation to each of the suggested nine principles utilized by Taylor.
This comparative case analysis demonstrates that although the New Zealand and Czech Republic health systems appear to show a large degree of convergence, their approaches to public hospital governance differ on several counts. Some of the principles of 'good governance' existed in the Czech hospitals and many were practiced in New Zealand. It would appear that the governance styles have evolved from particular historical circumstances to meet each country's specific requirements. Whether or not current practice could be improved by paying closer attention to theoretical models of 'good governance' is debatable.
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MetaVelvet-SL: an extension of the Velvet assembler to a de novo metagenomic assembler utilizing supervised learning
Sato, Kengo
Sakakibara, Yasubumi
DNA Research: An International Journal for Rapid Publication of Reports on Genes and Genomes
The assembly of multiple genomes from mixed sequence reads is a bottleneck in metagenomic analysis. A single-genome assembly program (assembler) is not capable of resolving metagenome sequences, so assemblers designed specifically for metagenomics have been developed. MetaVelvet is an extension of the single-genome assembler Velvet. It has been proved to generate assemblies with higher N50 scores and higher quality than single-genome assemblers such as Velvet and SOAPdenovo when applied to metagenomic sequence reads and is frequently used in this research community. One important open problem for MetaVelvet is its low accuracy and sensitivity in detecting chimeric nodes in the assembly (de Bruijn) graph, which prevents the generation of longer contigs and scaffolds. We have tackled this problem of classifying chimeric nodes using supervised machine learning to significantly improve the performance of MetaVelvet and developed a new tool, called MetaVelvet-SL. A Support Vector Machine is used for learning the classification model based on 94 features extracted from candidate nodes. In extensive experiments, MetaVelvet-SL outperformed the original MetaVelvet and other state-of-the-art metagenomic assemblers, IDBA-UD, Ray Meta and Omega, to reconstruct accurate longer assemblies with higher N50 scores for both simulated data sets and real data sets of human gut microbial sequences.
metagenomic; de novo assembler; short read; supervised learning; microbial community
Related Articles
SCORE performance in Central and Eastern Europe and former Soviet Union: MONICA and HAPIEE results
Vikhireva, Olga
Pająk, Andrzej
Broda, Grazyna
Malyutina, Sofia
Tamosiunas, Abdonas
Kubinova, Ruzena
Simonova, Galina
Skodova, Zdena
Bobak, Martin
Pikhart, Hynek
European Heart Journal
The Systematic COronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE) scale assesses 10 year risk of fatal atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD), based on conventional risk factors. The high-risk SCORE version is recommended for Central and Eastern Europe and former Soviet Union (CEE/FSU), but its performance has never been systematically assessed in the region. We evaluated SCORE performance in two sets of population-based CEE/FSU cohorts.
Methods and results
The cohorts based on the World Health Organization MONitoring of trends and determinants in CArdiovascular disease (MONICA) surveys in the Czech Republic, Poland (Warsaw and Tarnobrzeg), Lithuania (Kaunas), and Russia (Novosibirsk) were followed from the mid-1980s. The Health, Alcohol, and Psychosocial factors in Eastern Europe (HAPIEE) study follows Czech, Polish (Krakow), and Russian (Novosibirsk) cohorts from 2002–05. In Cox regression analyses, the high-risk SCORE ≥5% at baseline significantly predicted CVD mortality in both MONICA [n = 15 027; hazard ratios (HR), 1.7–6.3] and HAPIEE (n = 20 517; HR, 2.6–10.5) samples. While SCORE calibration was good in most MONICA samples (predicted and observed mortality were close), the risk was underestimated in Russia. In HAPIEE, the high-risk SCORE overpredicted the estimated 10 year mortality for Czech and Polish samples and adequately predicted it for Russia. SCORE discrimination was satisfactory in both MONICA and HAPIEE.
The high-risk SCORE underestimated the fatal CVD risk in Russian MONICA but performed well in most MONICA samples and Russian HAPIEE. This SCORE version might overestimate the risk in contemporary Czech and Polish populations.
Cardiovascular mortality; Cardiovascular risk factors; SCORE risk function; Risk prediction; Central and Eastern Europe; Former Soviet Union
Related Articles
Down syndrome, paternal age and education: comparison of California and the Czech Republic
Dzurova, Dagmara
Pikhart, Hynek
BMC Public Health
The association between maternal age and risk of Down syndrome has been repeatedly shown in various populations. However, the effect of paternal age and education of parents has not been frequently studied. Comparative studies on Down syndrome are also rare. This study evaluates the epidemiological characteristics of Down syndrome in two culturally and socially contrasting population settings, in California and the Czech Republic.
The observed live birth prevalence of Down syndrome was studied among all newborns in the California counties monitored by California Birth Defects Monitoring Program from 1996 to 1997, and in the whole Czech Republic from 1994 to 1998. Logistic regression was used to analyze the data.
A total of 516,745 (California) and 475,834 (the Czech Republic) infants were included in the analysis. Among them, 593 and 251, respectively, had Down syndrome. The mean maternal age of children with Down syndrome was 32.1 years in California and 26.9 years in the Czech Republic. Children born to older mothers were at greater risk of Down syndrome in both populations. The association with paternal age was mostly explained by adjusting for maternal age, but remained significant in the Czech Republic. The association between maternal education and Down syndrome was much stronger in California than in the Czech Republic but parental age influences higher occurrence of Down syndrome both in California and in the Czech Republic.
The educational gradient in California might reflect selective impact of prenatal diagnosis, elective termination, and acceptance of prenatal diagnostic measures in Californian population.
Related Articles
Efficient parallel and out of core algorithms for constructing large bi-directed de Bruijn graphs
Kundeti, Vamsi K
Rajasekaran, Sanguthevar
Dinh, Hieu
Vaughn, Matthew
Thapar, Vishal
BMC Bioinformatics
Assembling genomic sequences from a set of overlapping reads is one of the most fundamental problems in computational biology. Algorithms addressing the assembly problem fall into two broad categories - based on the data structures which they employ. The first class uses an overlap/string graph and the second type uses a de Bruijn graph. However with the recent advances in short read sequencing technology, de Bruijn graph based algorithms seem to play a vital role in practice. Efficient algorithms for building these massive de Bruijn graphs are very essential in large sequencing projects based on short reads. In an earlier work, an O(n/p) time parallel algorithm has been given for this problem. Here n is the size of the input and p is the number of processors. This algorithm enumerates all possible bi-directed edges which can overlap with a node and ends up generating Θ(nΣ) messages (Σ being the size of the alphabet).
In this paper we present a Θ(n/p) time parallel algorithm with a communication complexity that is equal to that of parallel sorting and is not sensitive to Σ. The generality of our algorithm makes it very easy to extend it even to the out-of-core model and in this case it has an optimal I/O complexity of Θ(nlog(n/B)Blog(M/B)) (M being the main memory size and B being the size of the disk block). We demonstrate the scalability of our parallel algorithm on a SGI/Altix computer. A comparison of our algorithm with the previous approaches reveals that our algorithm is faster - both asymptotically and practically. We demonstrate the scalability of our sequential out-of-core algorithm by comparing it with the algorithm used by VELVET to build the bi-directed de Bruijn graph. Our experiments reveal that our algorithm can build the graph with a constant amount of memory, which clearly outperforms VELVET. We also provide efficient algorithms for the bi-directed chain compaction problem.
The bi-directed de Bruijn graph is a fundamental data structure for any sequence assembly program based on Eulerian approach. Our algorithms for constructing Bi-directed de Bruijn graphs are efficient in parallel and out of core settings. These algorithms can be used in building large scale bi-directed de Bruijn graphs. Furthermore, our algorithms do not employ any all-to-all communications in a parallel setting and perform better than the prior algorithms. Finally our out-of-core algorithm is extremely memory efficient and can replace the existing graph construction algorithm in VELVET.
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e-Health, m-Health and healthier social media reform: the big scale view
Bahagon, Yossi
Jacobson, Orit
International Journal of Integrated Care
In the upcoming decade, digital platforms will be the backbone of a strategic revolution in the way medical services are provided, affecting both healthcare providers and patients. Digital-based patient-centered healthcare services allow patients to actively participate in managing their own care, in times of health as well as illness, using personally tailored interactive tools. Such empowerment is expected to increase patients' willingness to adopt actions and lifestyles that promote health as well as improve follow-up and compliance with treatment in cases of chronic illness. Clalit Health Services (CHS) is the largest HMO in Israel and second largest world-wide. Through its 14 hospitals, 1300 primary and specialized clinics, and 650 pharmacies, CHS provides comprehensive medical care to the majority of Israel's population (above 4 million members). CHS e-Health wing focuses on deepening patient involvement in managing health, through personalized digital interactive tools. Currently, CHS e-Health wing provides e-health services for 1.56 million unique patients monthly with 2.4 million interactions every month (August 2011). Successful implementation of e-Health solutions is not a sum of technology, innovation and health; rather it's the expertise of tailoring knowledge and leadership capabilities in multidisciplinary areas: clinical, ethical, psychological, legal, comprehension of patient and medical team engagement etc. The Google Health case excellently demonstrates this point. On the other hand, our success with CHS is a demonstration that e-Health can be enrolled effectively and fast with huge benefits for both patients and medical teams, and with a robust business model.
CHS e-Health core components
They include:
1. The personal health record layer (what the patient can see) presents patients with their own medical history as well as the medical history of their preadult children, including diagnoses, allergies, vaccinations, laboratory results with interpretations in layman's terms, medications with clear, straightforward explanations regarding dosing instructions, important side effects, contraindications, such as lactation etc., and other important medical information. All personal e-Health services require identification and authorization.
2. The personal knowledge layer (what the patient should know) presents patients with personally tailored recommendations for preventative medicine and health promotion. For example, diabetic patients are push notified regarding their yearly eye exam. The various health recommendations include: occult blood testing, mammography, lipid profile etc. Each recommendation contains textual, visual and interactive content components in order to promote engagement and motivate the patient to actually change his health behaviour.
3. The personal health services layer (what the patient can do) enables patients to schedule clinic visits, order chronic prescriptions, e-consult their physician via secured e-mail, set SMS medication reminders, e-consult a pharmacist regarding personal medications. Consultants' answers are sent securely to the patients' personal mobile device.
On December 2009 CHS launched secured, web based, synchronous medical consultation via video conference. Currently 11,780 e-visits are performed monthly (May 2011). The medical encounter includes e-prescription and referral capabilities which are biometrically signed by the physician. On December 2010 CHS launched a unique mobile health platform, which is one of the most comprehensive personal m-Health applications world-wide. An essential advantage of mobile devices is their potential to bridge the digital divide. Currently, CHS m-Health platform is used by more than 45,000 unique users, with 75,000 laboratory results views/month, 1100 m-consultations/month and 9000 physician visit scheduling/month.
4. The Bio-Sensing layer (what physiological data the patient can populate) includes diagnostic means that allow remote physical examination, bio-sensors that broadcast various physiological measurements, and smart homecare devices, such as e-Pill boxes that gives seniors, patients and their caregivers the ability to stay at home and live life to its fullest. Monitored data is automatically transmitted to the patient's Personal Health Record and to relevant medical personnel.
The monitoring layer is embedded in the chronic disease management platform, and in the interactive health promotion and wellness platform. It includes tailoring of consumer-oriented medical devices and service provided by various professional personnel—physicians, nurses, pharmacists, dieticians and more.
5. The Social layer (what the patient can share). Social media networks triggered an essential change at the humanity 'genome' level, yet to be further defined in the upcoming years. Social media has huge potential in promoting health as it combines fun, simple yet extraordinary user experience, and bio-social-feedback. There are two major challenges in leveraging health care through social networks:
a. Our personal health information is the cornerstone for personalizing healthier lifestyle, disease management and preventative medicine. We naturally see our personal health data as a super-private territory. So, how do we bring the power of our private health information, currently locked within our Personal Health Record, into social media networks without offending basic privacy issues?
b. Disease management and preventive medicine are currently neither considered 'cool' nor 'fun' or 'potentially highly viral' activities; yet, health is a major issue of everybody's life. It seems like we are missing a crucial element with a huge potential in health behavioural change—the Fun Theory. Social media platforms comprehends user experience tools that potentially could break current misconception, and engage people in the daily task of taking better care of themselves.
CHS e-Health innovation team characterized several break-through applications in this unexplored territory within social media networks, fusing personal health and social media platforms without offending privacy. One of the most crucial issues regarding adoption of e-health and m-health platforms is change management. Being a 'hot' innovative 'gadget' is far from sufficient for changing health behaviours at the individual and population levels.
CHS health behaviour change management methodology includes 4 core elements:
1. Engaging two completely different populations: patients, and medical teams. e-Health applications must present true added value for both medical teams and patients, engaging them through understanding and assimilating "what's really in it for me". Medical teams are further subdivided into physicians, nurses, pharmacists and administrative personnel—each with their own driving incentive. Resistance to change is an obstacle in many fields but it is particularly true in the conservative health industry. To successfully manage a large scale persuasive process, we treat intra-organizational human resources as "Change Agents". Harnessing the persuasive power of ~40,000 employees requires engaging them as the primary target group. Successful recruitment has the potential of converting each patient-medical team interaction into an exposure opportunity to the new era of participatory medicine via e-health and m-health channels.
2. Implementation waves: every group of digital health products that are released at the same time are seen as one project. Each implementation wave leverages the focus of the organization and target populations to a defined time span. There are three major and three minor implementation waves a year.
3. Change-Support Arrow: a structured infrastructure for every implementation wave. The sub-stages in this strategy include:
Cross organizational mapping and identification of early adopters and stakeholders relevant to the implementation wave
Mapping positive or negative perceptions and designing specific marketing approaches for the distinct target groups
Intra and extra organizational marketing
Conducting intensive training and presentation sessions for groups of implementers
Running conflict-prevention activities, such as advanced tackling of potential union resistance
Training change-agents with resistance-management behavioural techniques, focused intervention for specific incidents and for key opinion leaders
Extensive presence in the clinics during the launch period, etc.
The entire process is monitored and managed continuously by a review team.
4. Closing Phase: each wave is analyzed and a "lessons-learned" session concludes the changes required in the modus operandi of the e-health project team.
e-Health; mobile health; personal health record; online visit; patient empowerment; knowledge prescription
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Observational, retrospective study of a large cohort of patients with Niemann-Pick disease type C in the Czech Republic: a surprisingly stable diagnostic rate spanning almost 40 years
Jahnova, Helena
Dvorakova, Lenka
Vlaskova, Hana
Hulkova, Helena
Poupetova, Helena
Hrebicek, Martin
Jesina, Pavel
Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases
Niemann-Pick disease type C (NPC) is a rare, fatal neurovisceral disorder with autosomal recessive inheritance, and featuring striking clinical variability dependent on the age at onset of neurological symptoms. We report data from a large cohort of 56 Czech patients with NPC diagnosed over a period of 37 years.
An observational, retrospective analysis of historic and current clinical and laboratory information was performed among all NPC patients originating from the area of the contemporary Czech Republic and diagnosed between 1975 and 2012. All patients with ≥1 positive diagnostic test and relevant clinical information were included. Data on diagnostic methods (histopathological and/or ultrastructural; biochemical; genetic), clinical status and general information on treatment were collated. Data were examined in accordance with international guidelines for the management of NPC.
Between 1975 and 1985 diagnoses were based exclusively on specific histopathological findings, often at autopsy. Bone marrow smear (BMS) analyses have proved to be a very specific indicator for NPC and have become an important part of our diagnostic algorithm. Filipin staining and cholesterol esterification assays became the definitive diagnostic tests after 1985 and were applied in 24 of our patients. Since 2005, more and more patients have been assessed using NPC1/NPC2 gene sequencing. Twelve patients were diagnosed with neonatal/early-infantile onset NPC, 13 with the late-infantile onset form, 20 with the juvenile onset form, and nine with the adolescent/adult onset form. Two diagnosed patients remained neurologically asymptomatic at study completion. Nineteen patients were siblings. Causal NPC1 mutations were determined in 38 patients; two identical NPC2 mutations were identified in one patient. In total, 30 different mutations were identified, 14 of which have been confirmed as novel. The frequency of individual mutated NPC1 alleles in our cohort differs compared with previous published data: the most frequent mutant NPC1 allele was p.R1186H (n = 13), followed by p.P1007A (n = 8), p.S954L (n = 8) and p.I1061T (n = 4).
These data demonstrate the evolution of the diagnostic process in NPC over the last four decades. We estimate the contemporary birth prevalence of NPC in the Czech Republic at 0.93 per 100,000.
Niemann-Pick disease type C (NPC); Bone marrow smear (BMS); Cholesterol; Filipin; NPC1; NPC2; Diagnosis
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The Role of Game (Wild Boar and Roe Deer) in the Spread of Tick-Borne Encephalitis in the Czech Republic
Kriz, Bohumir
Daniel, Milan
Benes, Cestmir
Maly, Marek
Vector Borne and Zoonotic Diseases
In the Czech Republic, the incidence of human tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) has been increasing over the last two decades. At the same time, populations of game have also shown an upward trend. In this country, the ungulate game is the main host group of hosts for Ixodes ricinus female ticks. This study examined the potential contribution of two most widespread game species (roe deer [Capreolus capreolus] and wild boar [Sus scrofa]) to the high incidence of TBE in the Czech Republic, using the annual numbers of culls as a proxy for the game population. This was an ecological study, with annual figures for geographical areas—municipalities with extended competence (MEC)—used as units of analysis. Between 2003 and 2011, a total of 6213 TBE cases were reported, and 1062,308 roe deer and 989,222 wild boars were culled; the culls of roe deer did not demonstrate a clear temporal trend, but wild boar culls almost doubled (from 77,269 to 143,378 per year). Statistical analyses revealed a positive association between TBE incidence rate and the relative number of culled wild boars. In multivariate analyses, a change in the numbers of culled wild boars between the 25th and 75th percentile was associated with TBE incidence rate ratio of 1.23 (95% confidence interval 1.07–1.41, p=0.003). By contrast, the association of TBE with culled roe deer was not statistically significant (p=0.481). The results suggest that the size of the wild boar population may have contributed to the current high levels and the rising trend in incidence of TBE, whereas the regulated population of roe deer does not seem to be implicated in recent geographical or temporal variations in TBE in the Czech Republic.
Tick-borne encephalitis; Incidence; Game; Wild boar; Roe deer
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The changing nutrition scenario
Gopalan, C.
The Indian Journal of Medical Research
The past seven decades have seen remarkable shifts in the nutritional scenario in India. Even up to the 1950s severe forms of malnutrition such as kwashiorkar and pellagra were endemic. As nutritionists were finding home-grown and common-sense solutions for these widespread problems, the population was burgeoning and food was scarce. The threat of widespread household food insecurity and chronic undernutrition was very real. Then came the Green Revolution. Shortages of food grains disappeared within less than a decade and India became self-sufficient in food grain production. But more insidious problems arising from this revolution were looming, and cropping patterns giving low priority to coarse grains and pulses, and monocropping led to depletion of soil nutrients and 'Green Revolution fatigue'. With improved household food security and better access to health care, clinical manifestations of severe malnutrition virtually disappeared. But the decline in chronic undernutrition and "hidden hunger" from micronutrient deficiencies was slow. On the cusp of the new century, an added factor appeared on the nutritional scene in India. With steady urban migration, upward mobility out of poverty, and an increasingly sedentary lifestyle because of improvements in technology and transport, obesity rates began to increase, resulting in a dual burden. Measured in terms of its performance in meeting its Millennium Development Goals, India has fallen short. Despite its continuing high levels of poverty and illiteracy, India has a huge demographic potential in the form of a young population. This advantage must be leveraged by investing in nutrition education, household access to nutritious diets, sanitary environment and a health-promoting lifestyle. This requires co-operation from all the stakeholders, including governments, non government organizations, scientists and the people at large.
Dual nutrition burden; green revolution; micronutrients; nutrition; supplementation
Related Articles
Common Mechanisms of DNA translocation motors in Bacteria and Viruses Using One-way Revolution Mechanism without Rotation
Guo, Peixuan
Zhao, Zhengyi
Haak, Jeannie
Wang, Shaoying
Weitao, Tao
Biotechnology advances
Biomotors were once classified into two categories: linear motor and rotation motor. For decades, the viral DNA-packaging motor has been popularly believed to be a five-fold rotation motor. Recently, a third type of biomotor with revolution mechanism without rotation has been discovered. By analogy, rotation resembles the Earth rotating on its axis in a complete cycle every 24 hours, while revolution resembles the Earth revolving around the Sun one circle per 365 days (see animations http://nanobio.uky.edu/movie.html). The action of revolution that enables a motor free of coiling and torque has solved many puzzles and debates that have occurred throughout the history of viral DNA packaging motor studies. It also settles the discrepancies concerning the structure, stoichiometry, and functioning of DNA translocation motors. This review uses bacteriophages Phi29, HK97, SPP1, P22, T4, T7 as well as bacterial DNA translocase FtsK and SpoIIIE as examples to elucidate the puzzles. These motors use a ATPase, some of which have been confirmed to be a hexamer, to revolve around the dsDNA sequentially. ATP binding induces conformational change and possibly an entropy alteration in ATPase to a high affinity toward dsDNA; but ATP hydrolysis triggers another entropic and conformational change in ATPase to a low affinity for DNA, by which dsDNA is pushed toward an adjacent ATPase subunit. The rotation and revolution mechanisms can be distinguished by the size of channel: the channels of rotation motors are equal to or smaller than 2 nm, whereas channels of revolution motors are larger than 3 nm. Rotation motors use parallel threads to operate with a right-handed channel, while revolution motors use a left-handed channel to drive the right-handed DNA in an anti-parallel arrangement. Coordination of several vector factors in the same direction makes viral DNA-packaging motors unusually powerful and effective. Revolution mechanism avoids DNA coiling in translocating the lengthy genomic dsDNA helix could be advantage for cell replication such as bacterial binary fission and cell mitosis without the need for topoisomerase or helicase to consume additional energy.
Bionanomotor; One-way Traffic Mechanism; DNA packaging; Virus Assembly; Bionanotechnology
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Water Pollution:
Many Violations Have Not Received Appropriate Enforcement Attention
RCED-96-23: Published: Mar 20, 1996. Publicly Released: Mar 29, 1996.
Additional Materials:
- Full Report:
(202) 512-4907
Office of Public Affairs
(202) 512-4800
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) progress in ensuring that facilities comply with federal pollutant discharge requirements, focusing on: (1) the frequency of facilities' violations; (2) the limitations of EPA systems and the effects of these limitations; and (3) EPA plans to correct these facilities.
GAO found that EPA: (1) compliance data for FY 1994 show that 1 in 6 of the nation's 7,053 major regulated facilities have significantly violated the discharge limits in their permits; (2) considers facilities to be in significant noncompliance of their discharge levels when discharged pollutants exceed permit limits by 20 percent or more in a 2- to 6-month period; (3) is unable to identify all of the facilities that violate their discharge limits because the criteria it uses to screen facilities have not remained consistent with the types of discharge limits used in permits; (4) has expanded its criteria for identifying cases of significant noncompliance and assigning priorities of enforcement action in order to identify major facilities that have violated discharge levels in the past; and (5) assessed penalties of about $25 million in 323 cases of Clean Water Act violations in 1994, and its studies indicate that very few penalties are assessed for significant violations of daily maximum discharge limits.
Recommendation for Executive Action
Status: Closed - Implemented
Comments: EPA's regional water enforcement managers have been instructed to ensure that penalties for violations of different types of discharge limits are equitable and comparable. Although this can be achieved using the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance's (OECA) existing penalty policy, OECA believes that additional guidance would be helpful and plans to issue such guidance.
Recommendation: The Administrator, EPA, should revise the assessment of penalties for violations of the Clean Water Act to ensure that the penalties for significant and comparable violations of different types of discharge limits are equitable. In developing the changes, the Administrator should consider the economic benefits gained from noncompliance, the severity of the violations, the permittee's previous compliance record, and the deterrent effect of the penalty.
Agency Affected: Environmental Protection Agency
Explore the full database of GAO's Open Recommendations »
Aug 15, 2016
Grants Management:EPA Could Improve Certain Monitoring PracticesGAO-16-530: Published: Jul 14, 2016. Publicly Released: Aug 15, 2016.
Jul 26, 2016
Army Corps of Engineers:Additional Steps Needed for Review and Revision of Water Control ManualsGAO-16-685: Published: Jul 26, 2016. Publicly Released: Jul 26, 2016.
Levee Safety:Army Corps and FEMA Have Made Little Progress in Carrying Out Required ActivitiesGAO-16-709: Published: Jul 26, 2016. Publicly Released: Jul 26, 2016.
Jul 21, 2016
Oil and Gas:Interior Could Do More to Account for and Manage Natural Gas EmissionsGAO-16-607: Published: Jul 7, 2016. Publicly Released: Jul 21, 2016.
Jul 14, 2016
Environmental Protection Agency:Status of Efforts to Address Nonpoint Source Water Pollution through the Section 319 ProgramGAO-16-697R: Published: Jul 14, 2016. Publicly Released: Jul 14, 2016.
Jul 7, 2016
Polar Satellites:NOAA Faces Challenges and Uncertainties that Could Affect the Availability of Critical Weather DataGAO-16-773T: Published: Jul 7, 2016. Publicly Released: Jul 7, 2016.
Unauthorized Grazing:Actions Needed to Improve Tracking and Deterrence EffortsGAO-16-559: Published: Jul 7, 2016. Publicly Released: Jul 7, 2016.
Jun 14, 2016
Environmental Protection:Status of GAO Recommendations to EPAGAO-16-722T: Published: Jun 14, 2016. Publicly Released: Jun 14, 2016.
Indian Energy Development:Interior Could Do More to Improve Its Process for Approving Revenue-Sharing AgreementsGAO-16-553: Published: Jun 13, 2016. Publicly Released: Jun 14, 2016.
Jun 13, 2016
Climate Change:Selected Governments Have Approached Adaptation through Laws and Long-Term PlansGAO-16-454: Published: May 12, 2016. Publicly Released: Jun 13, 2016.
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Tag Archives: King Abdullah
The Jordan Valley is vital to Israel's security
Despite the noise about the settlements being the main stumbling block towards a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians, the latest sticking point in the abortive "peace" talks with the Palestinians is the Jordan Valley. Despite all the cajoling, … Continue reading
Final Israeli election results
The complete election results are finally in, with the soldiers' votes having been counted over the last day, and the numbers having changed slightly, with Kadima squeaking past the threshold with 2 seats, Bayit Yehudi gaining one seat for a … Continue reading
Posted in Israel news Tagged Bayit Yehudi, elections, Israeli politics, Jordan, King Abdullah, Likud, Muslim Brotherhood, Yesh Atid, Yisrael Beitenu 8 Comments


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open cart installation with directadmin control panel
This project received 10 bids from talented freelancers with an average bid price of $6 USD / hour.Get free quotes for a project like this
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i have backup files and db. need to install and configure with hosting. the host is direct admin. so if you expert in direct admin it will good. i have very limited budget 5$. but its not take more then 30 mins.
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MEMCURVProject reference: 300109
Funded under :
Dynamic control of membrane curvature and its role in membrane protein assembly
Project details
Total cost:EUR 278 807,4
EU contribution:EUR 278 807,4
Coordinated in:United Kingdom
Call for proposal:FP7-PEOPLE-2011-IIFSee other projects for this call
Funding scheme:MC-IIF - International Incoming Fellowships (IIF)
"Changes in the curvature of the cell membrane play an important role in many important biological processes, including cell division, vesicle trafficking, and neurotransmission. These changes in morphology are not just a passive consequence of other events in the cell, but can also drive the action of other proteins. For example, changes in curvature are thought to affect protein binding, the gating kinetics of ion channels, and to direct the localisation of proteins in vivo.
Although current methods can measure the presence of such interactions, they cannot directly measure real-time changes in membrane curvature or correlate individual protein binding events with changes in curvature. Dr Junhong Lu has a proven track record in Biological Atomic Force Microscopy. We propose to combine his expertise with new synthetic mimics of the cell membrane recently produced in the laboratory of Dr Mark Wallace at Oxford University. This combination of methods will enable us to manipulate and characterize the curvature of the cell membrane, and study its effects on protein function using single-molecule methods."
Related information
EU contribution: EUR 278 807,4
University Offices, Wellington Square
United Kingdom
Tel.: +44 1865 289800
Fax: +44 1865 289801


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Audi opens Mexico plant to build Q5Fri, 30, Sep 2016
Audi on Friday inaugurated its new $1.3 billion plant in Mexico, where it will build the redesigned Q5 crossover. The plant near the central city of Puebla will have production capacity of 150,000 cars a year.
2016 PARIS AUTO SHOWSun, 25, Sep 2016
Germany's automakers will use the Paris auto show to highlight their latest battery technologies as they seek to recapture ground from Tesla.
Audi Q5 gains size, powerThu, 29, Sep 2016
Audi aims to retain its leadership position in luxury crossovers with a second-generation Q5 that adds size, technology and power to the outgoing model.
VW scandal spreading to Audi risks hitting automaker's top profit generatorTue, 27, Sep 2016
Volkswagen Group's attempts to contain the fallout from the emissions-cheating scandal suffered setbacks after Audi, the group's biggest profit generator, lost a key engineer tainted by the scandal and a media report suggested its CEO, Rupert Stadler, knew about the cheating back in 2010.
Audi seizes on Clinton-Trump debate with new adMon, 26, Sep 2016
Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump won't be the only man and woman dueling on TV on Monday night. Audi is seizing on the highly anticipated presidential debate by running a new ad showing two hotel valets battling to get behind the wheel of an Audi RS 7.
In and out: How Lichte is reshaping Audi designMon, 26, Sep 2016
When Marc Lichte took over Audi's design department in February 2014, a sense of stability returned to an operation that had suffered from considerable friction -- and a new styling direction.
Audi's r&d boss leaves amid emissions scandal inquiryMon, 26, Sep 2016
Audi's head of technical development, Stefan Knirsch, is leaving the carmaker, as investigations continue into parent Volkswagen Group's diesel emissions scandal.
Here, automakers team up to share data on traffic conditionsMon, 26, Sep 2016
Digital map maker Here will introduce a new set of traffic services this week that allows drivers to see for themselves what live road conditions are like miles ahead using data from competing automakers, an industry first.
What's the real secret to striking design?Mon, 26, Sep 2016
Even the most beautifully sketched exterior remains just an idea on a piece of paper if, in the end, it can't be pressed into actual metal.
VW emissions inquiry has found no evidence against Audi CEO, report saysFri, 23, Sep 2016
Investigators looking into Volkswagen's diesel-emissions scandal have found no suspicious facts against Rupert Stadler, the head of Audi, Reuters reported.
Audi CEO risks being drawn into VW scandal, report saysTue, 20, Sep 2016
Audi CEO Rupert Stadler risks being pulled into the emissions crisis that's engulfed parent VW Group for the last year amid a report by a German weekly magazine that witnesses inside the company alleged the executive had known about the engine manipulation since 2010.
Audi tech chief faces suspension over emissions scandal, report saysMon, 19, Sep 2016
Audi head of technical development Stefan Knirsch will be suspended this week as part of the investigation into VW Group's emissions-cheating scandal, Germany's Bild am Sonntag newspaper reported, citing sources.


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Party Food: Delicious Recipes That Get the Party Started (Paperback)Good Housekeeping Institute
Paperback Published: 15/08/2013
- In stock
Click & Collect From your local shop
Good Housekeeping recipes tick all the boxes - They look great They taste delicious They're easy to make Now, learn how to be a clever cook with this amazing new cookery series. Each Good Housekeeping recipe - triple-tested for perfect results - is guaranteed to stand the test of your occasion, be it birthday, Easter, Christmas, Halloween or even Valentine's Day. Packed with good old favourites, tasty new ideas, save money, time and effort tips, up-to-date nutritional breakdown including protein and fibre, and savvy advice throughout, it couldn't be easier to create a delicious masterpiece for your special event. Enjoy! Other titles in the Good Housekeeping series include Bake Me a Cake, Easy Peasy, Al Fresco Eats, Let's Do Brunch, Cheap Eats, Gluten-free & Easy, Low Fat Low Cal, Salad Days, Posh Nosh, Flash in the Pan, Roast It!, Great Veg and Slow Stoppers
Publisher: Pavilion Books
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Note from Weronika:
These contests are terribly hard to judge, as they are contests—competitive, and definitely comparative. I'm not sitting down to read queries: to skip what I don't like; to ignore those two lines that I would cut out in a line edit if, potentially, I signed the client; to give what is okay a chance because there is an element that personally intrigues me; etc. I only have what is before me.
In the end, the greatest decision factor was entirely personal: a gut feeling. What made me want to read more? What pitches and/or excerpts am I still thinking about a few days later? I cut a few entries based on word count—some were incredibly high or incredibly short. I cut the most entries based on the pitches, which I judged based on quality of concept and quality of pitch (how the concept was conveyed). Then I looked at the writing. Did the writer, in a few hundred words, show me they can write, potentially very well—voice, rhythm, pacing, etc.? (On that note, many, many excerpts felt forced—as if the writer was trying to convey the hook in the word count; those were immediate passes, as it needs to be organic.)
The four winners grabbed me with their pitches and/or their excerpts—and if one has a poorer quality than the other, it means the other was just good enough to grab me and not let go.
full manuscript request (please send to email@example.com)
query + first ten pages critique
Adult Fantasy—110,000
Lindsay Smith
A cocky young sorceress turns to the same forbidden magic that threatens her kingdom in a dangerous attempt to save it.
The day before I went to Merona to become a mage, another shadow welled in the study, on the spot where my father had died. Second one this month, my governess noted grimly, and went to summon the Justicars to clear it away. I braced myself against the cool marble fireplace and crouched down beside it; breathed in the stench of rotting pears. Its skin shimmered with my oily reflection. I wanted to scrub it out--sink my fingers into it, listen to its words--no. I pulled back the hand I didn't remember extending.
The shadow shifted, and whispers threaded through my mind.
partial manuscript (first 50 pages) request (please send to firstname.lastname@example.com)
query + first ten pages critique
Romantic Suspense—128,000
Christine M. Fairchild
When former war photographer JULES LARSON braves a PTSD attack to jog beyond her five-block safety zone, she runs right into a murder scene, where she's taken hostage by SAM FIELDS, an undercover FBI agent desperate to avoid capture by his former mentor, NYPD Detective STONE MCCARTHY, who might be part of Sam's two-year investigation of dirty cops.
We jogged into Central Park at dawn, my yellow mutt, Max, marching at my side, Johnny Cash pounding over my iPod, my ponytail lashing my back. In college a five-mile run didn't break a sweat on me, but now a casual stroll beyond Great Hill could drop me to my knees. So I'd pumped myself with enough caffeine to power Manhattan and rolled out before the food vendors. Now all I needed was courage to exceed my five-block safety zone without another damn panic attack.
Today was the day I broke free.
I aimed for the hill at a clip...
partial manuscript (first 50 pages) request (please send to email@example.com)
query critique
Psychological Thriller—117,000
Rachel Haimowitz
Waking injured and alone in an unknown country with a three-month hole where his memory used to be, KBC news anchor Fletcher Hannigan must fight shadowy external forces and the darkness in his own mind to reconstruct the story of the century.
I have dreamed of many things these weeks, but never sunlight. So when I open my eyes to a sky streaked with pink, a sea of rolling hills and damp grass and snow-capped mountains in the distance, I am fairly certain it's real. There is hope in this, but also fear--where am I, and why have they released me? Did I escape? Are They coming to drag me back?
I need to hide, find help, but moving is agony. Just getting to my feet takes several tries, and for many moments after, I'm not sure which way is up.
partial manuscript (first 30 pages) request (please send to firstname.lastname@example.com)
query critique
Michael C. Boxall
Impoverished software genius risks his career, his marriage and his life itself when he is torn between following the best idea he's ever had and helping protesters fight a murderous Shanghai property developer.
SHANGHAI, 1923, five years after Bolsheviks shot the czar and shot the empress and shot their children and their doctor and their servants and splashed the faces with acid. Nikolai follows the rickshaw and its passenger inland from the Bund, flapping along in his threadbare greatcoat as if blown by the wind. Ahead of him Chatwin's skull gleams pink through thinning sandy hair. The rickshaw's bamboo chassis creaks.
Potholes on Nanking Road are filled with scummy brown water. The barefoot puller stumbles, almost falls, slows down.
Chatwin aims a kick. "You one damn slow Chinaman! You makee chop-chop!"
* * *If you didn't win, please feel free to query me. Send your query and first five pages in the body of an e-mail to email@example.com with QUERY in the subject line.
* * *A huge congratulations to all the winners, and thank you again to Ms. Janczuk!


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Leaning In, Without Fear
Inspired by the best selling book "Lean In," Rebecca Anderson, Queens vice president for marketing and community relations provides women with advice on how to balance professional and personal life. Rebecca was one of nine Charlotte-area business leaders to write an essay on the book written by Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook's chief operating officer. All of the essays were part of a Charlotte Observer article that ran in the Sunday, August 4 paper.
Learn more about Rebecca's experience and her role at Queens. Read the full article and get advice from all of the women who provided insight.
Rebecca's Essay
When it comes to balancing the personal and the professional, it's not the big dilemmas that give me trouble.
Far more vexing are the dozens of small choices I make each and every week ... the decisions I make without any due diligence. Can I shuffle my schedule at the last minute to make it to the school talent show? Should I call into a conference call while my family's on vacation? If I wake up early, will I exercise or take that time to prepare for a critical meeting? Will we have a healthy, homemade dinner tonight or will we be eating at Brixx (again)?
These types of dilemmas - and the trade-offs that go with them - seem trivial enough. It's just Brixx after all! But the mini-decisions become patterns, and it's the patterns that matter. Unless you pay attention it's easy to wake up one day and realize you're out of whack. Worse yet, you realize you got there by accident.
Here's my big aha: To everything there is a season. Sometimes I tilt toward career and sometimes toward home. Sometimes I tilt inward and that's OK, too. In May I finished my MBA at the McColl School of Business at Queens. For two years, class time, homework and study group added 25 hours to my weekly schedule. I had to ask for help from my colleagues. Our friends didn't get holiday cards. My house wasn't spotless. But where it really counted - the parenting of our son - my husband stepped in and cheerfully took the lead. Despite my having to let a few things go, the earth did not stop turning.
I came to realize giving 125 percent to everything all the time just isn't practical. So when it comes to work-life balance, I play the long game. I look for the patterns. I take some time each week to consider if and why I'm tilting. If I am, I make sure it's intentional. And then I ask myself when and how I'll tilt back toward the middle.
- Queens Rallies Together in Time of Need
- Queens Alerts Students of Sexual Misconduct Cases on Campus
- Queens once again makes U.S. News & World Report's Top 25 List
- MBA and MSOD Programs Recognized in CBJ
- Thesis on Social Media Evolves Into Publication
- MSN Program Named Among Top Southern Colleges in Graduate Healthcare Management
- Queens Students Published on WCNC
- Dr. Paul Nitsch Featured in Charlotte Magazine
- Queens Sends Two Swimmers to Rio Olympics
- Conceptual Era Places Emphasis on Liberal Arts


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Orma J. Smith Museum of Natural History
The only natural history museum in the region encompassing southwestern Idaho, southeastern Oregon and northern Nevada, the Orma J. Smith Museum of Natural History is the premier resource for environmental and natural history education in the region. The Museum is listed in the "30 Most Amazing Higher Education Natural History Museums" list compiled by Best College Reviews. The Museum's extensive collections and programs support the education of The College of Idaho students and the general public.
The Museum is located in the basement of Boone Hall on The College of Idaho campus in Caldwell, Idaho. It is open to the public Friday afternoons and one Saturday a month for workdays and public research seminars. It may also be open for special events and by appointment. Click here to see the Museum calendar.
To arrange for group tours contact Kinga Britschgi at 208.459.5211 or [email protected].
Holdings of the Museum include:
- Invertebrates, including Snake River mollusks. Museum collections include voucher repositories for Idaho Power Company, Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and others.
- One of the world's largest collections of insects from Baja California
- Vertebrates (mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and birds), including the largest collection of modern fishes in Idaho
- Paleontological collections (especially fossil leaves and fishes)
- Native American archaeological and ethnographic artifacts, including Luther Douglas sand paintings
- Artifacts from ancient Egypt and Rome including a kestrel mummy
Next Lunchtime research Seminar and Volunteer Workday
Next workday is Saturday, October 1. The lunchtime research seminar will be "Idaho Ground Squirrel Translocation," by Dr. Eric Yensen (OJSMNH).
Click on the "Museum calendar" or "Volunteer workdays and research seminars" link (to the right of the jaguar photo) to download the latest version of the workday and seminar schedule for all of 2016.
Click here for more information on workdays and public research seminars.
Latest news
The Museum welcomes Will Callahan (College of Idaho) as the first Student Member of the Board of Directors.
Steve Lysne recently resigned his position as the Museum's Curator of Mollusca.
Anna Chase (who graduated from The College of Idaho last May) has completed fieldwork on her project entitled, "Lower Boise River Mollusk Inventory." This project was funded by the first Museum Student Research Award. Click on the "Museum Student Research Grants" link to the right of the leopard photo at the top of this page for more information about the Award program.
Ashley Rohde (United States Geological Survey) presented the lunchtime seminar at the September Museum Workday. The title of her presentation was, "Insect Community Response to Disturbance and Altered Habitat in Sagebrush Ecosystems."
The Gift Shop has keychains, refrigerator magnets, and other items with the Museum's new logo. Come check them out!
Progress on moving the Evans Gem and Mineral Collection to the Museum continues. Help from volunteers is needed. Contact the Collection's Curator, Nate Carpenter, for more information.
Click here for more information about this and other Museum news.