Nachruf für Horst Eckhardt

Am 23.01.2000 verstarb der langjährige Kreisnaturschutzbeauftragte des Landkreises Wernigerode, Herr Horst Eckardt, in seinem Heimatort Benneckenstein. Er wurde am 19.05.1918 in Leipzig geboren und das Interesse des Großstadtkindes galt bereits der Pflanzenwelt. Das bestimmte auch seine Berufswahl als Gärtner

Context dependent substitution biases vary within the human genome

Background: Models of sequence evolution typically assume that different nucleotide positions evolve independently. This assumption is widely appreciated to be an over-simplification. The best known violations involve biases due to adjacent nucleotides. There have also been suggestions that biases exist at larger scales, however this possibility has not been systematically explored. Results: To address this we have developed a method which identifies over- and under-represented substitution patterns and assesses their overall impact on the evolution of genome composition. Our method is designed to account for biases at smaller pattern sizes, removing their effects. We used this method to investigate context bias in the human lineage after the divergence from chimpanzee. We examined bias effects in substitution patterns between 2 and 5 bp long and found significant effects at all sizes. This included some individual three and four base pair patterns with relatively large biases. We also found that bias effects vary across the genome, differing between transposons and non-transposons, between different classes of transposons, and also near and far from genes. Conclusions: We found that nucleotides beyond the immediately adjacent one are responsible for substantial context effects, and that these biases vary across the genome

Investing in Mutual Funds

Import 22/07/2015V současné době je mnoho způsobů, jak lze zhodnotit volné finanční prostředky. Jedním z nich je investování prostřednictvím podílových fondů. Cílem práce je porovnání vybraných podílových fondů v České republice na základě stanovených kritérií, kterými jsou výnosnost, rizikovost, nákladovost, velikost a analýza managementu.Poté se věnuje sestavení doporučeného portfolia pro tři zvolené typy investorů. Nejprve bude sestaveno portfolio pro zkušeného dynamického investora s kladným sklonem k riziku a následně bude navržena vyvážená a konzervativní investiční strategie. Tato bakalářská práce je složena z 5 kapitol včetně úvodu i závěru. Po úvodu následuje teoretická část práce. Dále se věnuje popisu investičních společností a jejich fondů a následně komparaci těchto fondů. Poslední část se věnuje zhodnocení těchto fondů a poté sestavení investičních portfolií pro vybrané typy investorů. Na základě zjištěných výsledků z komparovaných kritérií ze třetí kapitoly jsou v poslední části práce sestavena portfolia fondů pro zvolené typy investorů. Z práce vyplývá, že při výběru podílových fondů je velmi důležité, které kritérium je pro investora prioritou.Currently, there are many ways you can assess available funds. One is investment through mutual funds. The aim is to compare selected mutual funds in the Czech Republic on the basis of set criteria such as profitability, risk, cost, size and analysis managementu.Poté is dedicated to build a recommended portfolio for the three selected types of investors. First, the portfolio consists of experienced dynamic investor with a positive inclination towards risk, and consequently will be proposed balanced and conservative investment strategy. This thesis consists of five chapters including an introduction and conclusion. After the introduction the theoretical part. It also discusses the description of investment companies and funds, and then comparing these funds. The last part deals with the evaluation of these funds and then build investment portfolios for certain types of investors. Based on the results of these compares the criteria of chapter three in the last part constructed portfolio of funds for selected types of investors. The work is therefore apparent that the selection of mutual funds is very important, which is the criterion for the investor priority.154 - Katedra financívelmi dobř

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, primary varicella zoster virus coinfection, and a polymicrobial ventilator-associated tracheobronchitis in an adult immunocompetent male: a case report

BACKGROUND: The spectrum of clinical manifestations and differential diagnosis associated with coronavirus disease 2019 is broad, ranging from fever and cutaneous eruptions to respiratory distress or even neurological disorders. Coexisting multipathogen infections significantly increase the complexity of the proper diagnostic and therapeutic approach and correlate with the rate of intensive care unit admissions and in-hospital mortality. CASE PRESENTATION: We present a case of multipathogen respiratory infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, varicella zoster virus, and polymicrobial tracheobronchitis in a 48-year-old Caucasian male hospitalized after traumatic brain injury. The patient tested positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection upon admission. During his stay in the intensive care unit, the patient developed a vesicular exanthema along with respiratory failure and signs of septic shock. CONCLUSION: This case of an adult presenting with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection and simultaneous primary varicella zoster virus infection illustrates the importance of considering coinfections in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 with unusual clinical manifestations

Myotonia congenita in a Labrador Retriever with truncated CLCN1

An eight week old Labrador Retriever puppy presented with stiff-legged robotic gait. Abnormal gait was most evident after rest and improved with prolonged activity. On occasions, initiation of sudden movements would result in collapse with rigidity of the trunk and stiff extended limbs for several seconds. Other clinical signs were excitement-induced upper airway stridor and oropharyngeal dysphagia. Myotonia congenita was diagnosed based on clinical signs, abundant myotonic discharges on electromyography and exclusion of structural myopathies on histology. Whole exome sequencing revealed a case-specific homozygous variant in CLCN1, c.2275A > T resulting in a premature stop codon, p.R759X. The CLCN1 variant was absent from the genomes of 127 Labrador Retriever controls and 474 control dogs from other breeds. This study expands the spectrum of identified canine CLCN1 mutations and the list of affected breeds in myotonia congenita and highlights the potential value of dogs as translational large animal models of human genetic diseases. (C) 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.Peer reviewe

A hypomyelinating leukodystrophy in German Shepherd dogs

Background Shaking puppy syndrome is commonly attributed to abnormal myelination of the central nervous system. Hypothesis/Objectives To report the long-term clinical course and the imaging characteristics of hypomyelinating leukodystrophy in German Shepherd dogs. Animals and Methods Three related litters with 11 affected dogs. Results The 11 affected dogs experienced coarse, side-to-side tremors of the head and trunk, which interfered with normal goal-oriented movements and disappeared at rest. Signs were noticed shortly after birth. Nine dogs were euthanized, 3 dogs underwent pathological examination, and 2 littermates were raised by their breeder. Tremors improved gradually until 6 to 7 months of age. Adult dogs walked with severe residual pelvic limb ataxia. One dog developed epilepsy with tonic-clonic seizures at 15 months of age. Conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) disclosed homogenous hyperintense signal of the entire subcortical white matter in 3 affected 7-week-old dogs and a hypointense signal in a presumably unaffected littermate. Subcortical white matter appeared isointense to gray matter at 15 and 27 weeks of age on repeated MRI. Abnormal white matter signal with failure to display normal gray-white matter contrast persisted into adulthood. Cerebellar arbor vitae was not visible at any time point. Clinical signs, MRI findings, and pathological examinations were indicative of a hypomyelinating leukodystrophy. All parents of the affected litters shared a common ancestor and relatedness of the puppies suggested an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance. Conclusion We describe a novel hypomyelinating leukodystrophy in German Shepherd dogs with a suspected inherited origin.Peer reviewe

Multiple Myeloma Treatment in Real-world Clinical Practice : Results of a Prospective, Multinational, Noninterventional Study

Funding Information: The authors would like to thank all patients and their families and all the EMMOS investigators for their valuable contributions to the study. The authors would like to acknowledge Robert Olie for his significant contribution to the EMMOS study. Writing support during the development of our report was provided by Laura Mulcahy and Catherine Crookes of FireKite, an Ashfield company, a part of UDG Healthcare plc, which was funded by Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc, and Janssen Global Services, LLC. The EMMOS study was supported by research funding from Janssen Pharmaceutical NV and Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Funding Information: The authors would like to thank all patients and their families and all the EMMOS investigators for their valuable contributions to the study. The authors would like to acknowledge Robert Olie for his significant contribution to the EMMOS study. Writing support during the development of our report was provided by Laura Mulcahy and Catherine Crookes of FireKite, an Ashfield company, a part of UDG Healthcare plc, which was funded by Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc, and Janssen Global Services, LLC. The EMMOS study was supported by research funding from Janssen Pharmaceutical NV and Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Funding Information: M.M. has received personal fees from Janssen, Celgene, Amgen, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Sanofi, Novartis, and Takeda and grants from Janssen and Sanofi during the conduct of the study. E.T. has received grants from Janssen and personal fees from Janssen and Takeda during the conduct of the study, and grants from Amgen, Celgene/Genesis, personal fees from Amgen, Celgene/Genesis, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Novartis, and Glaxo-Smith Kline outside the submitted work. M.V.M. has received personal fees from Janssen, Celgene, Amgen, and Takeda outside the submitted work. M.C. reports honoraria from Janssen, outside the submitted work. M. B. reports grants from Janssen Cilag during the conduct of the study. M.D. has received honoraria for participation on advisory boards for Janssen, Celgene, Takeda, Amgen, and Novartis. H.S. has received honoraria from Janssen-Cilag, Celgene, Amgen, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Novartis, and Takeda outside the submitted work. V.P. reports personal fees from Janssen during the conduct of the study and grants, personal fees, and nonfinancial support from Amgen, grants and personal fees from Sanofi, and personal fees from Takeda outside the submitted work. W.W. has received personal fees and grants from Amgen, Celgene, Novartis, Roche, Takeda, Gilead, and Janssen and nonfinancial support from Roche outside the submitted work. J.S. reports grants and nonfinancial support from Janssen Pharmaceutical during the conduct of the study. V.L. reports funding from Janssen Global Services LLC during the conduct of the study and study support from Janssen-Cilag and Pharmion outside the submitted work. A.P. reports employment and shareholding of Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) during the conduct of the study. C.C. reports employment at Janssen-Cilag during the conduct of the study. C.F. reports employment at Janssen Research and Development during the conduct of the study. F.T.B. reports employment at Janssen-Cilag during the conduct of the study. The remaining authors have stated that they have no conflicts of interest. Publisher Copyright: © 2018 The AuthorsMultiple myeloma (MM) remains an incurable disease, with little information available on its management in real-world clinical practice. The results of the present prospective, noninterventional observational study revealed great diversity in the treatment regimens used to treat MM. Our results also provide data to inform health economic, pharmacoepidemiologic, and outcomes research, providing a framework for the design of protocols to improve the outcomes of patients with MM. Background: The present prospective, multinational, noninterventional study aimed to document and describe real-world treatment regimens and disease progression in multiple myeloma (MM) patients. Patients and Methods: Adult patients initiating any new MM therapy from October 2010 to October 2012 were eligible. A multistage patient/site recruitment model was applied to minimize the selection bias; enrollment was stratified by country, region, and practice type. The patient medical and disease features, treatment history, and remission status were recorded at baseline, and prospective data on treatment, efficacy, and safety were collected electronically every 3 months. Results: A total of 2358 patients were enrolled. Of these patients, 775 and 1583 did and did not undergo stem cell transplantation (SCT) at any time during treatment, respectively. Of the patients in the SCT and non-SCT groups, 49%, 21%, 14%, and 15% and 57%, 20%, 12% and 10% were enrolled at treatment line 1, 2, 3, and ≥ 4, respectively. In the SCT and non-SCT groups, 45% and 54% of the patients had received bortezomib-based therapy without thalidomide/lenalidomide, 12% and 18% had received thalidomide/lenalidomide-based therapy without bortezomib, and 30% and 4% had received bortezomib plus thalidomide/lenalidomide-based therapy as frontline treatment, respectively. The corresponding proportions of SCT and non-SCT patients in lines 2, 3, and ≥ 4 were 45% and 37%, 30% and 37%, and 12% and 3%, 33% and 27%, 35% and 32%, and 8% and 2%, and 27% and 27%, 27% and 23%, and 6% and 4%, respectively. In the SCT and non-SCT patients, the overall response rate was 86% to 97% and 64% to 85% in line 1, 74% to 78% and 59% to 68% in line 2, 55% to 83% and 48% to 60% in line 3, and 49% to 65% and 36% and 45% in line 4, respectively, for regimens that included bortezomib and/or thalidomide/lenalidomide. Conclusion: The results of our prospective study have revealed great diversity in the treatment regimens used to manage MM in real-life practice. This diversity was linked to factors such as novel agent accessibility and evolving treatment recommendations. Our results provide insight into associated clinical benefits.publishersversionPeer reviewe