12/2001

Academic bulletin 12/2001

Bohuslav Hostinský

Mathematician and physicist Bohuslav Hostinský was the eldest son of another famous Czech scientist, esthetic and musicologist, Otakar Hostinský. He began his career as a secondary school teacher and later became professor of theoretical physics and director of the Institute of Theoretical Physics of Masaryk University in Brno. His scientific background included differential geometry, general methods of probability and the mechanics of liquids. He was a member of the Royal Society of Sciences and from 1933 the Czech Academy of Art and Sciences. Bohuslav Hostinský was well known especially to scientists in France with whom he co-operated his entire life.

Invention

Czech Contribution to the Struggle against AIDS

A team of Czech scientists from the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the ASCR, led by Professor Antonín Holý (in co-operation with a research group from the Catholic University in Leuven, Belgium), have invented new efficacious substance against AIDS, a preparative called tenofovir. The American company Gilead Sciences has successfully carried out the clinical tests and has begun to produce the new medicine under the trade name Viread. The new cure, which was registered with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in October, brings new hope to all patients suffering from this fatal disease.

Introducing the Projects

From Plants to New Antitubercular Medicaments

The Laboratory of Growth Regulators, a joint laboratory of Palacký University and the Institute of Experimental Botany of the ASCR in Olomouc, began doing research in 1996. Within the last several years a team of young researchers, led by Professor Miroslav Strnad, has discovered completely new effects of group of growth regulators called cytokinins. These inhibitors of cyclin-dependent kinases called roskovitine, olomoucine and bohemine can play a role in the cell cycle and stop the growth of cancer cells. Compared to other cures used in chemotherapy for cancer nowadays, these new substances have no negative impact on the human organism.

Scientific Societies

Czech Archeological Society

The Czech Archeological Society was founded in Prague in 1919 as the Society of Czechoslovak Prehistorians. CAS has two groups of members - professional and amateur archeologists. In addition, some museums participate in its activities. Twice a year CAS publishes CAS News and Supplements to inform members of the latest laws concerning the archeological research, catalogues of collections of regional museums and bibliographies and it also provides methodological help for non-professionals.

Science - Research - Society

Life in the Universe - Projects of Youth European Competition]

In October the Czech Astronomical Society organized the national segment of the international competition Life in the Universe for secondary school students. Young people were asked to express their opinions and feelings about the life of human beings in our world and cosmic space generally in the form of poetry, art presentation, essay or documentary video. The four winners formed a team and represented the Czech Republic in international competition at CERN in Geneva.

Czech-Canadian Forum

Representatives of the ASCR and representatives of the National Research Council of Canada met in Vila Lanna October, 15 - 17, 2001.

Projects of Art Historians

The Institute of Art History of the ASCR opened a new center, Studia Rudolphina, devoted to research into the era of Habsburg Emperor Rudolf II.

Events

The Journey of A Mind to God