Enhancing dna immunization by targeting asfv antigens to sla-ii bearing cells

One of the main criticisms to DNA vaccines is the poor immunogenicity that they confer on occasions, at least in large animals. Confirming this theory, immunization with plasmid DNA encoding two African swine fever virus genes in frame (pCMV-PQ), failed in inducing detectable immune responses in pigs, while it was successful in mice. Aiming to improve the immune responses induced in swine, a new plasmid was constructed, encoding the viral genes fused in frame with a single chain variable fragment of an antibody specific for a swine leukocyte antigen II (pCMV-APCH1PQ). Our results clearly demonstrate that targeting antigens to antigen professional cells exponentially enhanced the immune response induced in pigs, albeit that the DNA vaccine was not able to confer protection against lethal viral challenge. Indeed, a viremia exacerbation was observed in each of the pigs that received the pCMV-APCH1PQ plasmid, this correlating with the presence of non-neutralizing antibodies and antigen-specific SLA II-restricted T-cells. The implications of our discoveries for the development of future vaccines against African swine fever virus and other swine pathogens are discussed.Fil: Argilaguet, J. M.. No especifíca;Fil: Pérez Martín, E.. No especifíca;Fil: Gallardo, C.. No especifíca;Fil: Salguero, F. J.. No especifíca;Fil: Borrego, B.. No especifíca;Fil: Lacasta, A.. No especifíca;Fil: Accensi, F.. No especifíca;Fil: Díaz, I.. No especifíca;Fil: Nofrarías, M.. No especifíca;Fil: Pujols, J.. No especifíca;Fil: Blanco, E.. No especifíca;Fil: Pérez Filgueira, Daniel Mariano. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Escribano, José M.. No especifíca;Fil: Rodríguez, F.. No especifíca

The Sea State CCI dataset v1: towards a sea state climate data record based on satellite observations

Sea state data are of major importance for climate studies, marine engineering, safety at sea and coastal management. However, long-term sea state datasets are sparse and not always consistent, and sea state data users still mostly rely on numerical wave models for research and engineering applications. Facing the urgent need for a sea state climate data record, the Global Climate Observing System has listed “Sea State” as an Essential Climate Variable (ECV), fostering the launch in 2018 of the Sea State Climate Change Initiative (CCI). The CCI is a programme of the European Space Agency, whose objective is to realise the full potential of global Earth observation archives established by ESA and its member states in order to contribute to the ECV database. This paper presents the implementation of the first release of the Sea State CCI dataset, the implementation and benefits of a high-level denoising method, its validation against in situ measurements and numerical model outputs, and the future developments considered within the Sea State CCI project. The Sea State CCI dataset v1 is freely available on the ESA CCI website (http://cci.esa.int/data, last access: 25 August 2020) at ftp://anon-ftp.ceda.ac.uk/neodc/esacci/sea_state/data/v1.1_release/ (last access: 25 August 2020). Three products are available: a multi-mission along-track L2P product (http://dx.doi.org/ 10.5285/f91cd3ee7b6243d5b7d41b9beaf397e1, Piollé et al., 2020a), a daily merged multi mission along-track L3 product (http://dx.doi.org/10.5285/3ef6a5a66e9947d39b356251909dc12b, Piollé et al., 2020b) and a multimission monthly gridded L4 product (http://dx.doi.org/10.5285/47140d618dcc40309e1edbca7e773478, Piollé et al., 2020c)

Revisiting the use of Live Attenuated viruses as models to study the pathogenesis and the mechanisms involved in protection against African swine fever

Trabajo presentado en el 8th EPIZONE Annual Meeting "Primed for tomorrow", celebrado en Copenhague (Dinamarca) del 23 al 25 de septiembre de 2014.The meeting is entitled: "Primed for tomorrow" and will address the latest developments aimed at monitoring and understanding the evolution, emergence, transmission and spread of epizootic viruses. The focus will remain on the EPIZONE themes aimed at improved disease control through integration and collaboration of research in diagnosis, intervention strategies, risk assessment, surveillance and epidemiology. A stimulating scientific programme will be provided by invited speakers and selected poster and oral presentations describing recent research on epizootic diseases of cattle, pigs, poultry, sheep, goats, fish and horses. This meeting builds on previous highly successful EPIZONE meetings and will provide extensive opportunities for networking, scientific exchange and fostering collaboration

Towards a DNA-vaccine against African swine fever: an ongoing effort

Trabajo presentado en el 6th International Symposium on Emerging and Re-emerging pig Diseases, celebrado en Barcelona (España) del 12 al 15 de julio de 2011

A surface kinematics buoy (SKIB) for wave–current interaction studies

Global navigation satellite systems (GNSSs) and modern motion-sensor packages allow the measurement of ocean surface waves with low-cost drifters. Drifting along or across current gradients provides unique measurements of wave–current interactions. In this study, we investigate the response of several combinations of GNSS receiver, motion-sensor package and hull design in order to define a prototype “surface kinematics buoy” (SKIB) that is particularly optimized for measuring wave–current interactions, including relatively short wave components that are important for air–sea interactions and remote-sensing applications. The comparison with existing Datawell Directional Waverider and Surface Wave Instrument Float with Tracking (SWIFT) buoys, as well as stereo-video imagery, demonstrates the performance of SKIB. The use of low-cost accelerometers and a spherical ribbed and skirted hull design provides acceptable heave spectra E(f) from 0.09 to 1&thinsp;Hz with an acceleration noise level (2πf)4E(f) close to 0.023&thinsp;m2&thinsp;s−3. Velocity estimates from GNSS receivers yield a mean direction and directional spread. Using a low-power acquisition board allows autonomous deployments over several months with data transmitted by satellite. The capability to measure current-induced wave variations is illustrated with data acquired in a macro-tidal coastal environment.</p

Immunity Traits in Pigs: Substantial Genetic Variation and Limited Covariation

BACKGROUND: Increasing robustness via improvement of resistance to pathogens is a major selection objective in livestock breeding. As resistance traits are difficult or impossible to measure directly, potential indirect criteria are measures of immune traits (ITs). Our underlying hypothesis is that levels of ITs with no focus on specific pathogens define an individual's immunocompetence and thus predict response to pathogens in general. Since variation in ITs depends on genetic, environmental and probably epigenetic factors, our aim was to estimate the relative importance of genetics. In this report, we present a large genetic survey of innate and adaptive ITs in pig families bred in the same environment. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Fifty four ITs were studied on 443 Large White pigs vaccinated against Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae and analyzed by combining a principal component analysis (PCA) and genetic parameter estimation. ITs include specific and non specific antibodies, seric inflammatory proteins, cell subsets by hemogram and flow cytometry, ex vivo production of cytokines (IFNα, TNFα, IL6, IL8, IL12, IFNγ, IL2, IL4, IL10), phagocytosis and lymphocyte proliferation. While six ITs had heritabilities that were weak or not significantly different from zero, 18 and 30 ITs had moderate (0.1<h2≤0.4) or high (h2>0.4) heritability values, respectively. Phenotypic and genetic correlations between ITs were weak except for a few traits that mostly include cell subsets. PCA revealed no cluster of innate or adaptive ITs. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our results demonstrate that variation in many innate and adaptive ITs is genetically controlled in swine, as already reported for a smaller number of traits by other laboratories. A limited redundancy of the traits was also observed confirming the high degree of complementarity between innate and adaptive ITs. Our data provide a genetic framework for choosing ITs to be included as selection criteria in multitrait selection programmes that aim to improve both production and health traits

Vaccines prospects against africa swain virus: lessons learned from DNA immunization

Trabajo presentado en la XIX International Poxvirus, Asfarvirus & Iridovirus Conference, celebrada en Salamanca (España) del 24 al 28 de junio de 2012

Nuevos avances en el desarrollo de vacunas ADN frente al virus de la peste porcina africana

Trabajo presentado en el XI Congreso Nacional de Virología, celebrado en Granada (España) del 29 de mayo al 01 de junio de 2011