2,194 research outputs found
Investigating antibody neutralization of lyssaviruses using lentiviral pseudotypes: a cross-species comparison
No full textCross-neutralization between rabies virus (RABV) and two European bat lyssaviruses (EBLV-1 and -2) was analysed using lentiviral pseudotypes as antigen vectors. Glycoprotein (G-protein) cDNA from RABV challenge virus standard-11 (CVS-11) and EBLV-1 and -2 were cloned and co-expressed with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or murine leukemia virus (MLV) gag–pol and packageable green fluorescent protein (GFP) or luciferase reporter genes in human cells. The harvested lentiviral (HIV) vector infected over 40% of baby hamster kidney (BHK) target cells, providing high-titre pseudotype stocks. Tests on blinded antibody-positive (n515) and -negative (n545) sera, predetermined by the fluorescent antibody virus neutralization (FAVN) test approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Office International des Epizooties (OIE), revealed that the CVS-11 pseudotype assay had 100% concordance with FAVN and strongly correlated with neutralization titres (r250.89). Cross-neutralization tests using sera from RABVvaccinated humans and animals on pseudotypes with CVS-11, EBLV-1 and EBLV-2 envelopes showed that the relative neutralization titres correlated broadly with the degree of G-protein diversity. Pseudotypes have three major advantages over live-virus neutralization tests: (i) they can be handled in low-biohazard-level laboratories; (ii) the use of reporter genes such as GFP or b-galactosidase will allow the assay to be undertaken at low cost in laboratories worldwide; (iii) each assay requires 10 ml serum. This robust microassay will improve our understanding of the protective humoral immunity that current rabies vaccines confer against emerging lyssaviruses, and will be applicable to surveillance studies, thus helping to control the spread of rabies
Potent immunity to low doses of influenza vaccine by probabilistic guided micro-targeted skin delivery in a mouse model
No full textBackground: Over 14 million people die each year from infectious diseases despite extensive vaccine use [1]. The needle and syringe-first invented in 1853-is still the primary delivery device, injecting liquid vaccine into muscle. Vaccines could be far more effective if they were precisely delivered into the narrow layer just beneath the skin surface that contains a much higher density of potent antigen-presenting cells (APCs) essential to generate a protective immune response. We hypothesized that successful vaccination could be achieved this way with far lower antigen doses than required by the needle and syringe
Evidence of endemic Hendra Virus infection in flying-foxes (Pteropus conspicillatus) - implications for disease risk management
No full textThis study investigated the seroepidemiology of Hendra virus in a spectacled flying-fox (Pteropus conspicillatus) population in northern Australia, near the location of an equine and associated human Hendra virus infection in late 2004. The pattern of infection in the population was investigated using a serial cross-sectional serological study over a 25-month period, with blood sampled from 521 individuals over six sampling sessions. Antibody titres to the virus were determined by virus neutralisation test. In contrast to the expected episodic infection pattern, we observed that seroprevalence gradually increased over the two years suggesting infection was endemic in the population over the study period. Our results suggested age, pregnancy and lactation were significant risk factors for a detectable neutralizing antibody response. Antibody titres were significantly higher in females than males, with the highest titres occurring in pregnant animals. Temporal variation in antibody titres suggests that herd immunity to the virus may wax and wane on a seasonal basis. These findings support an endemic infection pattern of henipaviruses in bat populations suggesting their infection dynamics may differ significantly from the acute, self limiting episodic pattern observed with related viruses (e.g. measles virus, phocine distemper virus, rinderpest virus) hence requiring a much smaller critical host population size to sustain the virus. These findings help inform predictive modelling of henipavirus infection in bat populations, and indicate that the life cycle of the reservoir species should be taken into account when developing risk management strategies for henipaviruses.Andrew C. Breed, Martin F. Breed, Joanne Meers and Hume E. Fiel
Easter Morning: A.R. Ammons and His Poem Video Recording
No full textAudio recording of a poem entitled, "Easter Morning", recited by the poem's author, A.R. Ammons
Production, characterization, and antigen specificity of recombinant 62-71-3, a candidate monoclonal antibody for rabies prophylaxis in humans
No full textRabies kills many people throughout the developing world every year. The murine monoclonal antibody (mAb) 62-71-3 was recently identified for its potential application in rabies postexposure prophylaxis (PEP). The purpose here was to establish a plant-based production system for a chimeric mouse-human version of mAb 62-71-3, to characterize the recombinant antibody and investigate at a molecular level its interaction with rabies virus glycoprotein. Chimeric 62-71-3 was successfully expressed in Nicotiana benthamiana. Glycosylation was analyzed by mass spectroscopy; functionality was confirmed by antigen ELISA, as well as rabies and pseudotype virus neutralization. Epitope characterization was performed using pseudotype virus expressing mutagenized rabies glycoproteins. Purified mAb demonstrated potent viral neutralization at 500 IU/mg. A critical role for antigenic site I of the glycoprotein, as well as for two specific amino acid residues (K226 and G229) within site I, was identified with regard to mAb 62-71-3 neutralization. Pseudotype viruses expressing glycoprotein from lyssaviruses known not to be neutralized by this antibody were the controls. The results provide the molecular rationale for developing 62-71-3 mAb for rabies PEP; they also establish the basis for developing an inexpensive plant-based antibody product to benefit low-income families in developing countries.—Both, L., van Dolleweerd, C., Wright, E., Banyard, A. C., Bulmer-Thomas, B., Selden, D., Altmann, F., Fooks, A. R., Ma, J. K.-C. Production, characterization, and antigen specificity of recombinant 62-71-3, a candidate monoclonal antibody for rabies prophylaxis in humans
A.R Baswedan dan PAl: Potret Nasionalisme Warga Keturunan perspektif sosiopolitik historis
No full textIn this article, the authors review about A.R. Baswedan
and his movement through the Arab Party of Indonesia (PAl).
A.R Baswedan is an Arab descendant known as the pioneer
of independence of the Republic of Indonesia. The author
through historical socio-political studies found that A.R
Baswedan is an example of Arabic descent who counter
Arabism and views between the Arab descendants and the
descendants of indigenous Indonesians are the same or
equal and the same fate. They both have one nationality,
Indonesia. This fusion attitude in the Indonesian citizenship
and nationality equation is evident in its movement within
the PAl.
Keywords: A.R. Baswedan, Biography, and Thought
(PAl
Lyssaviruses and Bats: Emergence and Zoonotic Threat
No full textThe continued detection of zoonotic viral infections in bats has led to the microbial fauna of these mammals being studied at a greater level than ever before. Whilst numerous pathogens have been discovered in bat species, infection with lyssaviruses is of particular significance from a zoonotic perspective as, where human infection has been reported, it is invariably fatal. Here we review the detection of lyssaviruses within different bat species and overview what is understood regarding their maintenance and transmission following both experimental and natural infection. We discuss the relevance of these pathogens as zoonotic agents and the threat of newly discovered viruses to human populations
A.R. Luria: Ideas and Prospects of Their Development in Pedagogical Psychology of the Twenty-first Century
No full textA.R. Luria’s ideas are well-known and recognized both in Russia and abroad. Scientists from different countries are actively working in neuropsychology, a part of the psychological science developed by A.R. Luria. The author has shown the relevance and importance of the neuropsychological approach to the pedagogical psychology problems and the availability to choose an adequate educational and nurturing strategy from these standpoints. The study seeks to rethink and assess the importance of A.R. Luria’s main ideas from the modern pedagogical psychology’s standpoints. The characteristic of the main theoretical provisions has been set forth based on the analysis of A.R. Luria’s academic papers and the main directions and prospects for the development of A.R. Luria’s ideas in the modern psychological pedagogical science have been determined. A.R. Luria’s academic papers most sought by the modern researchers have been noted. The study is based on the materials of the thesis researches on the pedagogical psychology problems conducted in the beginning of the twenty-first century, A.R. Luria’s papers, the publications of other researchers who have studied his contribution to the psychological science. The study results show that A.R. Luria has significantly contributed to the development of the pedagogical psychology problems. A.R. Luria’s ideas on the interaction of the humanitarian and science knowledge in the human comprehensive study, the cultural and historical understanding of the psychical functions development, and the language evolution in the music language study for the musical education development seem most promising for the pedagogical psychology development. Note has been taken of the importance of A.R. Luria’s ideas for the elaboration of the relevant problems of the training and development of a person at any age; the study of individual and typical features in mastering a foreign language; the study of the semantics of speech and means of coding meanings in the context of professional training of psychologists and teachers, specialists in the field of artistic creativity. The analysis of A.R. Luria’s main ideas facilitates the deeper understanding of the modern problems of the pedagogical psychology theory and practice
Incorporation of acceleration effects into the one-dimensional-turbulence model, with application to turbulent combustion and shock-turbulence interactions
No full textOne-dimensional turbulence (ODT) is a stochastic simulation in which 3D turbulence effects are captured on a notional 1D line of sight by introducing instantaneous spatial re-arrangements (maps) that represent advection by notional turbulent eddies. These eddy events incorporate the possibility of kinetic-energy changes that are equal and opposite to changes of other forms of energy such as the gravitational potential energy change due to a re-arrangement of a vertical density profile. This illustrates that motion aligned with an applied force, in this case gravitation , can be associated with energy change. Using this principle, we 1) present a model of turbulence interaction with the dilatational acceleration caused by thermal expansion in flames and show results for a turbulent counterflow flame with comparison to DNS and 2) present a model for shock-induced turbulence and show results for mixing width growth in a shock tube with comparison to experiments
ODTLES: A multi-scale ansatz for highly turbulent flows
No full textWe use ODTLES, a multi-dimensional extension of the One-Dimensional-Turbulence model (ODT). ODT describes turbulent advection on a 1D sub-domain using a stochastic process for turbulent advection. These 1D sub-domains are coupled to obtain a 3D approach. ODTLES is applied to channel flow. Preliminary results for the pdf of the wall shear stress are compared to DNS
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