scholarly journals Emergence and spread of a sub-lineage of SARS-CoV-2 Alpha variant B.1.1.7 in Europe, and with further evolution of spike mutation accumulations shared with the Beta and Gamma variants

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marlena Stadtmueller ◽  
Alexa Laubner ◽  
Fabian Rost ◽  
Sylke Winkler ◽  
Eva Patrasova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Neutralizing Antibodies ◽  
Neutralization Assay ◽  
Border Region ◽  
European Countries ◽  
European Continent ◽  
Reading Frame ◽  
Genomic Epidemiology ◽  
Virus Mutant ◽  
Replication Fitness

SARS-CoV-2 evolution plays a significant role in shaping the dynamics of the COVD-19 pandemic. To monitor the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 variants, through international collaborations, we performed genomic epidemiology analyses on a weekly basis with SARS-CoV-2 samples collected from a border region between Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic in a global background. For identified virus mutant variants, active viruses were isolated and functional evaluations were performed to test their replication fitness and neutralization sensitivity against vaccine elicited serum neutralizing antibodies. Thereby we identified a new B.1.1.7 sub-lineage carrying additional mutations of nucleoprotein G204P and open-reading-frame-8 K68stop. Of note, this B.1.1.7 sub-lineage is the predominant B.1.1.7 variant in several European countries, such as Czech Republic, Austria and Slovakia. The earliest samples belonging to this sub-lineage were detected in November 2020 in a few countries in the European continent, but not in the UK. We have also detected its further evolution with extra spike mutations D138Y and A701V, which are signature mutations shared with the Beta and Gamma variants, respectively. Antibody neutralization assay of virus variant isolations has revealed that the variant with extra spike mutations is 3.2-fold less sensitive to vaccine-elicited antibodies as compared to other B.1.1.7 variants tested, indicating potential for immune evasion, but it also exhibited reduced replication fitness. The wide spread of this B.1.1.7 sub-lineage was related to the pandemic waves in early 2021 in various European countries. These findings about the emergence, spread, evolution, infection and transmission abilities of this B.1.1.7 sub-lineage add to our understanding about the pandemic development in Europe, and could possibly help to prevent similar scenarios in future.

INTERNATIONAL GRANT COOPERATION AS A TOOL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES OF UNIVERSITY TEACHERS

2018 ◽  
pp. 4-8
Author(s):  
Milan Chmura
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Czech Republic ◽  
Professional Education ◽  
European Countries ◽  
International Project ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
University Teachers ◽  
Quality Of Higher Education ◽  
Education And Development

The education and development of university teachers have its justifcation and its importance is signifcant not only in the Czech Republic but also abroad. This study provides an analysis of further professional education of university teachers in the Czech Republic and in selected European countries. Subsequently, it presents an international project with participants from the Czech Republic, Ukraine, Slovakia and Poland, which, ultimately, plays a role in the improvement of the quality of higher education.

16th and 17th Workshops of the International Association of Vegetation Science Working Group for the European Vegetation Survey (Rome, Italy, 22-26 March 2007; Brno, Czech Republic, 1-5 May 2008)

2008 ◽  
pp. 131-133
Author(s):  
T. M. Lysenko ◽  
Yu. A. Semenishchenkov
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Working Group ◽  
International Association ◽  
Botanical Garden ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Vegetation Survey ◽  
Vegetation Science ◽  
The University ◽  
Science Working

22-26 March 2007 in Rome (Italy), in the Botanical garden of the University «La Sapienza» hosted the 16th meeting of the Working group «Review of the Vegetation of Europe» of the International Association of Vegetation Science (IAVS). These meetings are held every spring in one of the European countries and dedicated to various topics.

scholarly journals Investigator Initiated Clinical Trials (IICTs): A Systematic Search in Registries to Compare the Czech Republic and Portugal in Terms of Funding Policies and Scientific Outcomes

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Madeira ◽  
L. Hořavová ◽  
F. dos Santos ◽  
J. R. Batuca ◽  
K. Nebeska ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Czech Republic ◽  
Clinical Research ◽  
Systematic Search ◽  
European Countries ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
Research Outcomes ◽  
Funding Policies ◽  
Funding Agencies ◽  
First Time

Abstract Objectives Clinical trials provide one of the highest levels of evidence to support medical practice. Investigator initiated clinical trials (IICTs) answer relevant questions in clinical practice that may not be addressed by industry. For the first time, two European Countries are compared in terms of IICTs, respective funders and publications, envisaging to inspire others to use similar indicators to assess clinical research outcomes. Methods A retrospective systematic search of registered IICTs from 2004 to 2017, using four clinical trials registries was carried out in two European countries with similar population, GDP, HDI and medical schools but with different governmental models to fund clinical research. Each IICT was screened for sponsors, funders, type of intervention and associated publications, once completed. Results IICTs involving the Czech Republic and Portugal were n = 439 (42% with hospitals as sponsors) and n = 328 (47% with universities as sponsors), respectively. The Czech Republic and Portuguese funding agencies supported respectively 61 and 27 IICTs. Among these, trials with medicinal products represent 52% in Czech Republic and 4% in Portugal. In the first, a higher percentage of IICTs’ publications in high impact factor journals with national investigators as authors was observed, when compared to Portugal (75% vs 15%). Conclusion The better performance in clinical research by Czech Republic might be related to the existence of specific and periodic funding for clinical research, although further data are still needed to confirm this relationship. In upcoming years, the indicators used herein might be useful to tracking clinical research outcomes in these and other European countries.

scholarly journals Evaluation of a Pseudovirus Neutralization Assay for SARS-CoV-2 and Correlation with Live Virus-Based Micro Neutralization Assay

Diagnostics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 994
Author(s):  
Ahmed Majdi K. Tolah ◽  
Sayed S. Sohrab ◽  
Khaled Majdi K. Tolah ◽  
Ahmed M. Hassan ◽  
Sherif A. El-Kafrawy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Neutralizing Antibodies ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Neutralization Assay ◽  
Serum Samples ◽  
Live Virus ◽  
Spike Gene ◽  
Microneutralization Assay ◽  
Viral Particles ◽  
Reliable Performance ◽  
Prior Infection

The unusual cases of pneumonia outbreak were reported from Wuhan city in late December 2019. Serological testing provides a powerful tool for the identification of prior infection and for epidemiological studies. Pseudotype virus neutralization assays are widely used for many viruses and applications in the fields of serology. The accuracy of pseudotype neutralizing assay allows for its use in low biosafety lab and provides a safe and effective alternative to the use of wild-type viruses. In this study, we evaluated the performance of this assay compared to the standard microneutralization assay as a reference. The lentiviral pseudotype particles were generated harboring the Spike gene of SARS-CoV-2. The generated pseudotype particles assay was used to evaluate the activity of neutralizing antibodies in 300 human serum samples from a COVID-19 sero-epidemiological study. Testing of these samples resulted in 55 positive samples and 245 negative samples by pseudotype viral particles assay while microneutralization assay resulted in 64 positive and 236 negative by MN assay. Compared to the MN, the pseudotyped viral particles assay showed a sensitivity of 85.94% and a specificity of 100%. Based on the data generated from this study, the pseudotype-based neutralization assay showed a reliable performance for the detection of neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 and can be used safely and efficiently as a diagnostic tool in a biosafety level 2 laboratory.

scholarly journals Analysis and phylogenetic comparisons of full-length VP2 genes of the 24 bluetongue virus serotypes

2007 ◽  
Vol 88 (2) ◽  
pp. 621-630 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Maan ◽  
N. S. Maan ◽  
A. R. Samuel ◽  
S. Rao ◽  
H. Attoui ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bluetongue Virus ◽  
Neutralizing Antibodies ◽  
Neutralizing Antibody ◽  
Full Length ◽  
Molecular Diagnostic ◽  
Mammalian Host ◽  
Reading Frame ◽  
Diagnostic Assays ◽  
Primary Determinant ◽  
Serotype Identification

The outer capsid protein VP2 of Bluetongue virus (BTV) is a target for the protective immune response generated by the mammalian host. VP2 contains the majority of epitopes that are recognized by neutralizing antibodies and is therefore also the primary determinant of BTV serotype. Full-length cDNA copies of genome segment 2 (Seg-2, which encodes VP2) from the reference strains of each of the 24 BTV serotypes were synthesized, cloned and sequenced. This represents the first complete set of full-length BTV VP2 genes (from the 24 serotypes) that has been analysed. Each Seg-2 has a single open reading frame, with short inverted repeats adjacent to conserved terminal hexanucleotide sequences. These data demonstrated overall inter-serotype variations in Seg-2 of 29 % (BTV-8 and BTV-18) to 59 % (BTV-16 and BTV-22), while the deduced amino acid sequence of VP2 varied from 22.4 % (BTV-4 and BTV-20) to 73 % (BTV-6 and BTV-22). Ten distinct Seg-2 lineages (nucleotypes) were detected, with greatest sequence similarities between those serotypes that had previously been reported as serologically ‘related’. Fewer similarities were observed between different serotypes in regions of VP2 that have been reported as antigenically important, suggesting that they may play a role in the neutralizing antibody response. The data presented form an initial basis for BTV serotype identification by sequence analyses and comparison of Seg-2, and for development of molecular diagnostic assays for individual BTV serotypes (by RT-PCR).

scholarly journals Titers of Neutralizing Antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 Are Independent of Symptoms of Non-Severe COVID-19 in Young Adults

Viruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 284
Author(s):  
Hulda R. Jonsdottir ◽  
Michel Bielecki ◽  
Denise Siegrist ◽  
Thomas W. Buehrer ◽  
Roland Züst ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Neutralizing Antibodies ◽  
Severe Disease ◽  
Humoral Response ◽  
Neutralizing Antibody ◽  
Neutralization Assay ◽  
Asymptomatic Infection ◽  
Homogeneous Population ◽  
Humoral Immune ◽  
Antibody Titers

Neutralizing antibodies are an important part of the humoral immune response to SARS-CoV-2. It is currently unclear to what extent such antibodies are produced after non-severe disease or asymptomatic infection. We studied a cluster of SARS-CoV-2 infections among a homogeneous population of 332 predominantly male Swiss soldiers and determined the neutralizing antibody response with a serum neutralization assay using a recombinant SARS-CoV-2-GFP. All patients with non-severe COVID-19 showed a swift humoral response within two weeks after the onset of symptoms, which remained stable for the duration of the study. One month after the outbreak, titers in COVID-19 convalescents did not differ from the titers of asymptomatically infected individuals. Furthermore, symptoms of COVID-19 did not correlate with neutralizing antibody titers. Therefore, we conclude that asymptomatic infection can induce the same humoral immunity as non-severe COVID-19 in young adults.

A Mistrustful Society?

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 52-71
Author(s):  
Nicole Horáková
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Empirical Data ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Eastern European ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
State Institutions ◽  
Government Institutions ◽  
European Values ◽  
European Values Study ◽  
Eastern European Countries

The level of trust in politicians also in government institutions is taken as an indicator of the state of society in general. Various studies have shown that the population of the Central Eastern European countries, and especially the citizens of the Czech Republic, lack trust in state institutions and democratic structures. The trust of the Czech population in government institutions is, compared to other (Western) European countries, at a relatively low level. This article aims to discuss different factors that are currently influencing this lack of trust: the historical, cultural, and institutional. The empirical data for this article is based on the European Values Study and Czech surveys of public opinion concerning trust in government institutions.

A Comparative Analysis of the Power of Selected European Countries. The Economic Determinants

2021 ◽  
Vol 37 (37) ◽  
pp. 22-42
Author(s):  
Alicja Paluch ◽  
Henryk Spustek
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Economic Power ◽  
Strongly Correlated ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
Independent Variables ◽  
Economic Sphere ◽  
National Power

The ever-increasing need for in-depth analysis and quantification of the national power, in particular ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ power-generating factors as well as difficulties in identifying a comprehensive and effective method for scientific determination of the national power, have given rise to research in the indicated scientific issues within this article. The presented considerations aim to define the assumptions for a descriptive sub-model that would enable a comparison of Poland’s power in the economic sphere (which is a component of the non-military sphere) with the power of selected European countries. The research hypothesis is that, among the variety of descriptive variables in the economic sphere of the national power, there is a subset of mutually independent variables, at the same time strongly correlated with the national power, which make it possible to define assumptions for the sub-model of the national power. The steps of the research procedure were carried out using the method of system analysis (multi-criteria comparative analysis) and statistical analysis. The research activities undertaken have shown that the factors that are strongly correlated with the national power in the economic area of the European countries adopted for the analysis are: dynamics of industrial production, private sector credit flows and economic freedom index. The comparative analysis carried out demonstrates that the greatest increase in the economic power in the analysed period took place in Germany (0.68). Slightly smaller growth was recorded in the Czech Republic (0.62) and Poland (0.60), while the lowest value of increase was in Romania (0.23). The conducted qualitative comparative analysis of the economic power of selected European countries allowed to conclude that the independent variables identified are crucial for the formation of the economic power of the analysed countries. At the same time, a fairly strong position of the Czech Republic and Poland in relation to the economic power of Germany was found. The performed quantification of the economic power of the European countries provides a basis for the correct determination of changes in the power distribution of political units, assessment of the power and resources held by the state.

Prospects for European Integration of the Republic of Moldova and the Constitutional Component

2021 ◽  
pp. 84-89
Author(s):  
K. Gylka
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
European Economic Community ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Minority Languages ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Economic Community ◽  
European Continent ◽  
European Economic ◽  
Economic Relations ◽  
The Republic

The European Union (EU) is an economic and political union of 28 European countries. The population is 508 million people, 24 official and working languages and about 150 regional and minority languages. The origins of the European Union come from the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) and the European Economic Community (EEC), consisting of six states in 1951 - Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. These countries came together to put an end to the wars that devastated the European continent, and they agreed to share control over the natural resources needed for war (coal and steel). The founding members of ECSC have determined that this European project will not only be developed in order to share resources or to prevent various conflicts in the region. Thus, the Rome Treaty of 1957 created the European Economic Community (EEC), which strengthened the political and economic relations between the six founding states. The relevance of the topic stems from their desire of peoples and countries to live better. The purpose of the study is to identify the internal and external development mechanisms of European countries and, on this basis, to formulate a model of economic, legislative and social development for individual countries. The results of the study provide a practical guideline for determining the vector of the direction of efforts of political, economic, legislative, humanitarian, etc.

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