Mendel’s journey to Paris and London: context and significance for the origin of genetics.

From a letter Gregor Mendel wrote to his brother-in-law, and a photograph of a large group of people in Paris, it is known that Mendel visited the International Exhibition in London in August 1862. There has been speculation about the status and composition of this travel group; for example, whether it was an official delegation from the city of Brünn. There has also been speculation on whether Mendel visited Charles Darwin on that occasion. We have now found a partial list of participants of the second 1862 pleasure train (Vergnügungszug) from Vienna to Paris and London, which includes Mendel’s name. The names of 158 participants make a partial reconstruction of the travel group possible. Digital newspapers were researched to get more insight into the status, residence, and profession of the participants. Most belonged to the upper-class of the Austrian Empire, among them several citizens of Brünn. Such luxurious all-inclusive pleasure trains were a new phenomenon in Vienna at the time and received much attention in the newspapers. Gregor Mendel was one of the first to participate in this expensive new trend. The person next to Mendel in the photograph shows a clear resemblance with Johann Nave in the photograph of the founding members of the Natural Science Society of Brünn the same year (see Figs. 1 and 5). The newspaper lists of arrivals in Viennese hotels shows that Johann Nave, was in Vienna when the pleasure train departed. Johann Nave was an internationally acknowledged algae expert with interest in plant reproductive processes. In 1858 Mendel had nominated Nave as a new member of the scientific section of the Agricultural Society. A scientific connection between Mendel and Nave has been conjectured previously; however, evidence was lacking so far. After his early death in 1864, Nave’s scientific library was acquired by the Natural Science Society. It contained books about the latest insights on plant fertilization, and since Mendel’s 1866-paper contains a lengthy footnote about this topic, Mendel and Nave likely discussed this area of Mendel’s research. This may also have been the case during their journey to Paris and London because it was in 1862 that Mendel conducted the final crossing experiments to test his hypothesis about the composition and the random union of pollen and egg cells

Mendel’s journey to Paris and London: context and significance for the origin of genetics.

From a letter Gregor Mendel wrote to his brother-in-law, and a photograph of a large group of people in Paris, it is known that Mendel visited the International Exhibition in London in August 1862. There has been speculation about the status and composition of this travel group; for example, whether it was an official delegation from the city of Brünn. There has also been speculation on whether Mendel visited Charles Darwin on that occasion. We have now found a partial list of participants of the second 1862 pleasure train (Vergnügungszug) from Vienna to Paris and London, which includes Mendel’s name. The names of 158 participants make a partial reconstruction of the travel group possible. Digital newspapers were researched to get more insight into the status, residence, and profession of the participants. Most belonged to the upper-class of the Austrian Empire, among them several citizens of Brünn. Such luxurious all-inclusive pleasure trains were a new phenomenon in Vienna at the time and received much attention in the newspapers. Gregor Mendel was one of the first to participate in this expensive new trend. The person next to Mendel in the photograph shows a clear resemblance with Johann Nave in the photograph of the founding members of the Natural Science Society of Brünn the same year (see Figs. 1 and 5). The newspaper lists of arrivals in Viennese hotels shows that Johann Nave, was in Vienna when the pleasure train departed. Johann Nave was an internationally acknowledged algae expert with interest in plant reproductive processes. In 1858 Mendel had nominated Nave as a new member of the scientific section of the Agricultural Society. A scientific connection between Mendel and Nave has been conjectured previously; however, evidence was lacking so far. After his early death in 1864, Nave’s scientific library was acquired by the Natural Science Society. It contained books about the latest insights on plant fertilization, and since Mendel’s 1866-paper contains a lengthy footnote about this topic, Mendel and Nave likely discussed this area of Mendel’s research. This may also have been the case during their journey to Paris and London because it was in 1862 that Mendel conducted the final crossing experiments to test his hypothesis about the composition and the random union of pollen and egg cells

Mendel’s journey to Paris and London: context and significance for the origin of genetics.

From a letter Gregor Mendel wrote to his brother-in-law, and a photograph of a large group of people in Paris, it is known that Mendel visited the International Exhibition in London in August 1862. There has been speculation about the status and composition of this travel group; for example, whether it was an official delegation from the city of Brünn. There has also been speculation on whether Mendel visited Charles Darwin on that occasion. We have now found a partial list of participants of the second 1862 pleasure train (Vergnügungszug) from Vienna to Paris and London, which includes Mendel’s name. The names of 158 participants make a partial reconstruction of the travel group possible. Digital newspapers were researched to get more insight into the status, residence, and profession of the participants. Most belonged to the upper-class of the Austrian Empire, among them several citizens of Brünn. Such luxurious all-inclusive pleasure trains were a new phenomenon in Vienna at the time and received much attention in the newspapers. Gregor Mendel was one of the first to participate in this expensive new trend. The person next to Mendel in the photograph shows a clear resemblance with Johann Nave in the photograph of the founding members of the Natural Science Society of Brünn the same year (see Figs. 1 and 5). The newspaper lists of arrivals in Viennese hotels shows that Johann Nave, was in Vienna when the pleasure train departed. Johann Nave was an internationally acknowledged algae expert with interest in plant reproductive processes. In 1858 Mendel had nominated Nave as a new member of the scientific section of the Agricultural Society. A scientific connection between Mendel and Nave has been conjectured previously; however, evidence was lacking so far. After his early death in 1864, Nave’s scientific library was acquired by the Natural Science Society. It contained books about the latest insights on plant fertilization, and since Mendel’s 1866-paper contains a lengthy footnote about this topic, Mendel and Nave likely discussed this area of Mendel’s research. This may also have been the case during their journey to Paris and London because it was in 1862 that Mendel conducted the final crossing experiments to test his hypothesis about the composition and the random union of pollen and egg cells

Mendel’s journey to Paris and London: context and significance for the origin of genetics.

From a letter Gregor Mendel wrote to his brother-in-law, and a photograph of a large group of people in Paris, it is known that Mendel visited the International Exhibition in London in August 1862. There has been speculation about the status and composition of this travel group; for example, whether it was an official delegation from the city of Brünn. There has also been speculation on whether Mendel visited Charles Darwin on that occasion. We have now found a partial list of participants of the second 1862 pleasure train (Vergnügungszug) from Vienna to Paris and London, which includes Mendel’s name. The names of 158 participants make a partial reconstruction of the travel group possible. Digital newspapers were researched to get more insight into the status, residence, and profession of the participants. Most belonged to the upper-class of the Austrian Empire, among them several citizens of Brünn. Such luxurious all-inclusive pleasure trains were a new phenomenon in Vienna at the time and received much attention in the newspapers. Gregor Mendel was one of the first to participate in this expensive new trend. The person next to Mendel in the photograph shows a clear resemblance with Johann Nave in the photograph of the founding members of the Natural Science Society of Brünn the same year (see Figs. 1 and 5). The newspaper lists of arrivals in Viennese hotels shows that Johann Nave, was in Vienna when the pleasure train departed. Johann Nave was an internationally acknowledged algae expert with interest in plant reproductive processes. In 1858 Mendel had nominated Nave as a new member of the scientific section of the Agricultural Society. A scientific connection between Mendel and Nave has been conjectured previously; however, evidence was lacking so far. After his early death in 1864, Nave’s scientific library was acquired by the Natural Science Society. It contained books about the latest insights on plant fertilization, and since Mendel’s 1866-paper contains a lengthy footnote about this topic, Mendel and Nave likely discussed this area of Mendel’s research. This may also have been the case during their journey to Paris and London because it was in 1862 that Mendel conducted the final crossing experiments to test his hypothesis about the composition and the random union of pollen and egg cells

Type 2 diabetes seems not to be a risk factor for the carpal tunnel syndrome:a case control study

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that the carpal tunnel syndrome seems to occur more frequently in patients with diabetes mellitus and might be associated with the duration of diabetes mellitus, microvascular complications and degree of glycaemic control. Primary aim was to determine if type 2 diabetes can be identified as a risk factor for carpal tunnel syndrome after adjusting for possible confounders. Furthermore, the influence of duration of diabetes mellitus, microvascular complications and glycaemic control on the development of carpal tunnel syndrome was investigated. METHODS: Retrospective, case-control study using data from electronic patient charts from the Isala (Zwolle, the Netherlands). All patients diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome in the period from January 2011 to July 2012 were included and compared with a control group of herniated nucleus pulposus patients. RESULTS: A total of 997 patients with carpal tunnel syndrome and 594 controls were included. Prevalence of type 2 diabetes was 11.5% in the carpal tunnel syndrome group versus 7.2% in the control group (Odds Ratio 1.67 (95% confidence interval 1.16-2.41)). In multivariate analyses adjusting for gender, age and body mass index, type 2 diabetes was not associated with carpal tunnel syndrome (OR 0.99 (95% CI 0.66-1.47)). No differences in duration of diabetes mellitus, microvascular complications or glycaemic control between groups were detected. CONCLUSION: Although type 2 diabetes was more frequently diagnosed among patients with carpal tunnel syndrome, it could not be identified as an independent risk factor

Why does it run in families? Explaining family similarity in help-seeking behaviour by shared circumstances, socialisation and selection

Why do contact frequencies with general practice of family members resemble each other? Many aspects related to the clustering of health-care utilisation within families have been studied, but the underlying mechanisms have not been addressed. This article considers whether family similarity in contact frequency with general practice can be explained as (a) a result of shared circumstances, (b) through socialisation, and (c) through homogeneity of background characteristics. Data from the second Dutch national survey of general practice were used to test these mechanisms empirically. This survey recorded all consultations in 2001 for 104 general practices in the Netherlands, serving 385 461 patients. Information about socio-demographic characteristics was collected by means of a patient survey. In a random sample, an extended health interview took place (n ¼ 12 699). Overall, we were able to show that having determinants in common through socialisation and shared circumstances can explain similarity in contact frequencies within families, but not all hypotheses could be confirmed. In specific terms, this study shows that resemblances in contact frequencies within families can be best explained by spending more time together (socialisation) and parents and children consulting a general practitioner simultaneously (circumstances of the moment). For general practitioners, the mechanisms identified can serve as a framework for a family case history. The importance of the mechanism of socialisation in explaining similarities in help-seeking behaviour between family members points to the significance of knowledge and health beliefs underlying consultation behaviour. An integrated framework including these aspects can help to better explain health behaviour

A previously unknown journey by Gregor Mendel to Leipzig in September 1865 and his likely participation in the Botanical Congress in Erfurt

A hitherto unknown visit by Gregor Mendel to Leipzig, Germany, in September 1865 has been discovered in digitized German newspapers. This trip took place after his two lectures on his pea experiments but before the publication of his later famous article on plant hybrids. The probable purpose of this trip was to visit the Second Congress of German Horticulturists and Botanists and Gardening Enthusiasts, combined with the German Exhibition of Agricultural Products in nearby Erfurt. Crosses between plant species and varieties were among the main topics of the Congress. Mendel's participation cannot be proven beyond doubt, but other participants in the Congress arrived in Leipzig at the same time as Mendel and even stayed in the same hotel. In addition, the uniqueness of the Exhibition and the topics covered at the Congress make it very likely that this was the purpose of his trip. We propose that Mendel's participation in the Congress could explain the early publication of an abridged version of Mendel's article in Bamberg and that the Erfurter plant breeder and seed merchant Ernst Benary was acquainted with Mendel's pea experiments

Evaluation of Treatment Thresholds for Unconjugated Hyperbilirubinemia in Preterm Infants:Effects on Serum Bilirubin and on Hearing Loss?

Background: Severe unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia may cause deafness. In the Netherlands, 25% lower total serum bilirubin (TSB) treatment thresholds were recently implemented for preterm infants.Objective: To determine the rate of hearing loss in jaundiced preterms treated at high or at low TSB thresholds.Design/Methods: In this retrospective study conducted at two neonatal intensive care units in the Netherlands, we included preterms (gestational age 35 dB).Results: There were 479 patients in the high and 144 in the low threshold group. Both groups had similar gestational ages (29.5 weeks) and birth weights (1300 g). Mean and mean peak TSB levels were significantly lower after the implementation of the novel thresholds: 152 +/- 43 mu mol/L and 212 +/- 52 mu mol/L versus 131 +/- 37 mu mol/L and 188 +/- 46 mu mol/L for the high versus low thresholds, respectively (PConclusions: Implementation of lower treatment thresholds resulted in reduced mean and peak TSB levels. The incidence of hearing impairment in preterms with a gestational age</p

All in the Family:Headaches and Abdominal Pain as Indicators for Consultation Patterns in Families

PURPOSE Headaches and abdominal pain are examples of minor ailments that are generally self-limiting. We examined the extent to which patterns of visits to family physicians for minor ailments, such as headaches or abdominal pain, cluster within families. METHODS Using information from the Second Dutch National Survey of General Practice for 96 family practices, we analyzed the visits of families with at least 1 child aged 12 years or younger during a period of 12 months. RESULTS Family patterns were clearest in the visits of mothers and children. A large part of the similarity in the frequencies of contact by mothers and daughters could be attributed to shared family factors. This fi nding was especially true for families with a child who had a headache or abdominal pain as the presenting symptom, rather than physical trauma or chronic disease. Within families, we did not fi nd any specific patterns of diagnoses. Diagnoses were recorded by family physicians. In the case of young children, family similarity may have been overestimated because parents initiated the visits and put their child’s health problem into words. CONCLUSIONS Visits to family physicians for headaches or abdominal pain can be seen as indicators of consultation patterns in families. Family patterns related to minor ailments are likely to be a result of socialization. Family consultation patterns might point toward specifi c needs of families and consequently at a different approach to treatment

Hypomagnesemia in persons with type 1 diabetes:associations with clinical parameters and oxidative stress

Background: Among persons with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) low concentrations of magnesium have been reported. Previous (small) studies also suggested a relation of hypomagnesemia with (poor) glycaemic control and complications. We aimed to investigate the magnitude of hypomagnesemia and the associations between magnesium with parameters of routine T1DM care in a population of unselected outpatients. Methods: As part of a prospective cohort study, initially designed to measure quality of life and oxidative stress, data from 207 patients with a mean age of 45 [standard deviation (SD) 12] years, 58% male, diabetes duration 22 [interquartile range (IQR) 16, 31] years and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) of 60 (SD 11) mmol/mol [7.6 (SD 1.0)%] were examined. Hypomagnesemia was defined as a concentration below Results: Mean magnesium concentration was 0.78 (SD 0.05) mmol/l. A deficiency was present in 4.3% of participants. Among these persons, mean concentration was 0.66 (SD 0.03) mmol/l. There was no correlation between magnesium and HbA1c at baseline (r = -0.014, p = 0.843). In multivariable analysis, free thiols (reflecting the degree of oxidative stress) were significantly and negatively associated with magnesium concentrations. Conclusion: In this cohort of T1DM outpatients, the presence of hypomagnesemia was infrequent and, if present, relative mild. Magnesium was not associated with glycaemic control nor with presence of micro- and macrovascular complications. Although these results need confirmation, in particular the negative association of magnesium with free thiols, this suggests that hypomagnesemia is not a relevant topic in routine care for people with T1DM