Rift Valley fever virus vaccine strategies

Rift Valley fever virus circulates throughout Africa and the Arabian Peninsula and is of great concern for animal and public health. Infections in humans are often manifested as mild self‐limiting illness, although in some cases there are more severe symptoms such as neurological complications and hemorrhagic fever. Spontaneous abortions among livestock are a hallmark for Rift Valley fever virus outbreaks and disease in small ruminants often has a deadly outcome. At present, there is no vaccine available for use in humans and the ones used in livestock are either poorly immunogenic or cause severe adverse effects. The economic impact of this pathogen in the form of livestock losses and restrictions on the trade of animals and animal products as well as its significance in relation to public health underscores the importance of developing safe and effective vaccines. The main focus of this thesis was to evaluate existing vaccines and novel vaccine candidates, with special emphasis on vaccine platforms practical in resource‐poor areas. It is difficult to maintain a cold‐chain during transit in Mozambique and the inactivated Rift Valley fever virus vaccine is transported more than 2000 km within the country before it is administered to livestock in Zambezia Province. For that reason, the vaccine was evaluated for its ability to induce antibodies in cattle after storage at ambient temperatures. Importantly, the storage and transport conditions used in Mozambique did not have an adverse effect on the antibody responses induced by the vaccine. When performing the aforementioned study, we found evidence of previous Rift Valley fever virus infections in livestock in Maputo Province, a region where there had been no recorded evidence of the virus since 1969. A cross‐sectional seroprevalence study was undertaken to examine the need to implement a vaccination program in this particular province. Unexpectedly, seroconversion was observed in 37% of the investigated cattle, suggesting that this pathogen is widely distributed throughout Maputo Province. Rift Valley fever virus is highly pathogenic and to circumvent the handling of replicating virus during the vaccine manufacturing process would be advantageous. Other highly desirable vaccine‐characteristics are low production costs, high immunogenicity to reduce the number of doses, and a non‐invasive delivery route to avoid the challenge of maintaining sterility of hypodermic equipment. To fulfill some of those requirements we developed and evaluated three different vaccine strategies i) DNA vaccines, ii) vaccine based on virus‐like particles, and iii) plant‐derived protein subunit vaccines. All candidates induced vaccine‐specific antibody responses in mice and the DNA‐ and virus‐like particle‐based vaccines conferred protection against Rift Valley fever disease. Here, we raise the question of extending the vaccination program in Mozambique to include Maputo Province. We show that the inactivated virus vaccine is well‐suited for that purpose until more effective alternatives are available. In the search for such an alternative, we evaluated three vaccine candidates. One of those candidates, vaccine based on virus‐like particles, was found to have good prospects as a future Rift Valley fever virus vaccine

Comment on "Characterization of the tunneling conductance across DNA bases"

In a recent article, Zikic {\it et al.} [Phys. Rev. E {\bf 74}, 011919 (2006)] present first-principles calculations of the DNA nucleotides electrical conductance. They report qualitative and quantitative differences with previous work, in particular with that of Zwolak and Di Ventra [Nano Lett. {\bf 5}, 421 (2005)] and Lagerqvist {\it et al.} [Nano Lett. {\bf 6}, 779 (2006)]. In this comment we address the alleged discrepancies and show that Zikic {\it et al.} have seriously misread and misunderstood the existing literature. In addition, we point out the deficiencies of their approach in calculating the conductance of nucleotides and the consequent erroneous conclusions they report.Comment: 3 pages, 1 figur

Fast DNA Sequencing via Transverse Electronic Transport

A rapid and low-cost method to sequence DNA would usher in a revolution in medicine. We propose and theoretically show the feasibility of a protocol for sequencing based on the distributions of transverse electrical currents of single-stranded DNA while it translocates through a nanopore. Our estimates, based on the statistics of these distributions, reveal that sequencing of an entire human genome could be done with very high accuracy in a matter of hours without parallelization, e.g., orders of magnitude faster than present techniques. The practical implementation of our approach would represent a substantial advancement in our ability to study, predict and cure diseases from the perspective of the genetic makeup of each individual.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

When what should not happen has happened - A narrative study of womens´ experiences of receiving the diagnosis of cancer

Cancer är en av vår tids absolut största sjukdomar och varje år insjuknar drygt 55 000 människor i Sverige. Risken att drabbas är ungefär lika stor hos kvinnor som hos män, men om man ser bara till bröstcancer så får en kvinna i timman besked om att hon har drabbats av cancer. Den forskning som finns idag belyser på ett väldigt generaliserande sätt kvinnors reaktioner i samband med sina cancerdiagnoser. Majoriteten av studierna fokuserar på tiden under, alternativt efter själva behandlingen och i de resultat som presenteras så belyses sällan den känslomässiga process som äger rum hos kvinnorna vid det absolut första diagnostiseringstillfället. Syftet med denna studie är att genom att göra en kvalitativ innehållsanalys baserad på narrativa berättelser, kunna undersöka kvinnors omedelbara upplevelser i samband med att de får sitt cancerbesked. Totalt har vi analyserat 15 kvinnors berättelser hämtade från böcker och bloggar/videoklipp och vi kunde utifrån dessa berättelser sedan identifiera ett huvudtema: När livet och jaget raseras och ur detta huvudtema framkom sedan fem subteman; mörker och ljus i ett virrvarr av kaos, när kroppen tappar andan, det händer inte mig, hur ska jag göra för att överleva samt en förändrad verklighet. Studien påvisar det breda känslospann som äger rum hos kvinnorna i samband med diagnostiseringstillfället i en större utsträckning än tidigare forskning och känslor som sällan tidigare lyfts fram kommer här att presenteras. Att för oss som sjuksköterskor förstå vidden av det känsloförlopp som passerar inom en människa när man får ett så svårt besked som att man är cancersjuk är av stor vikt. Genom denna studie hoppas vi kunna erbjuda en djupare förståelse för det spektrum av känslor kopplade till diagnostiseringstillfället som vi kunnat identifiera ur kvinnornas berättelser och på så sätt öka förutsättningarna för ett så bra bemötande som möjligt

Shot noise in parallel wires

We report first-principles calculations of shot noise properties of parallel carbon wires in the regime in which the interwire distance is much smaller than the inelastic mean free path. We find that, with increasing interwire distance, the current approaches rapidly a value close to twice the current of each wire, while the Fano factor, for the same distances, is still larger than the Fano factor of a single wire. This enhanced Fano factor is the signature of the correlation between electron waves traveling along the two different wires. In addition, we find that the Fano factor is very sensitive to bonding between the wires, and can vary by orders of magnitudes by changing the interwire spacing by less than 0.5 \AA. While these findings confirm that shot noise is a very sensitive tool to probe electron transport properties in nanoscale conductors, they also suggest that a considerable experimental control of these structures is required to employ them in electronics.Comment: 5 figure

Quantized ionic conductance in nanopores

Granyer Giralt, JosepPla general lateral de l'obra Coqueta, més coneguda com la Girafa. Mesura 3,07 x 2,73 x 0,90 metres i és de bronze

Vaccination with DNA plasmids expressing Gn coupled to C3d or alphavirus replicons expressing Gn protects mice against rift valley fever virus

Background: Rift Valley fever (RVF) is an arthropod-borne viral zoonosis. Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) is an important biological threat with the potential to spread to new susceptible areas. In addition, it is a potential biowarfare agent. Methodology/Principal Findings: We developed two potential vaccines, DNA plasmids and alphavirus replicons, expressing the Gn glycoprotein of RVFV alone or fused to three copies of complement protein, C3d. Each vaccine was administered to mice in an all DNA, all replicon, or a DNA prime/replicon boost strategy and both the humoral and cellular responses were assessed. DNA plasmids expressing Gn-C3d and alphavirus replicons expressing Gn elicited high titer neutralizing antibodies that were similar to titers elicited by the live-attenuated MP12 virus. Mice vaccinated with an inactivated form of MP12 did elicit high titer antibodies, but these antibodies were unable to neutralize RVFV infection. However, only vaccine strategies incorporating alphavirus replicons elicited cellular responses to Gn. Both vaccines strategies completely prevented weight loss and morbidity and protected against lethal RVFV challenge. Passive transfer of antisera from vaccinated mice into naïve mice showed that both DNA plasmids expressing Gn-C3d and alphavirus replicons expressing Gn elicited antibodies that protected mice as well as sera from mice immunized with MP12. Conclusion/Significance: These results show that both DNA plasmids expressing Gn-C3d and alphavirus replicons expressing Gn administered alone or in a DNA prime/replicon boost strategy are effective RVFV vaccines. These vaccine strategies provide safer alternatives to using live-attenuated RVFV vaccines for human use. © 2010 Bhardwaj et al

Stabilising heritage Iron gall ink corrosion on paper and the eternal search for an ideal treatment

Degree project for Master of Science with a major in Conservation 2024, 60 HEC Second Cycle 2024:23This study has been conducted to investigate the complexities of iron gall ink, its degradation mechanisms and possible stabilisation methods. Iron gall ink represents a writing medium that was commonly used from the Middle Ages to the 20th century and is frequently found in historical documents in archives. The condition of iron gall ink documents can vary greatly, from very good to a state of degradation where the corrosion rate causes substantial material and informational loss. Extensive research has been carried out the past three decades to nuance the understanding of the ink, its historical variations in composition and degradation patterns. A part of this study has been directed towards providing an overview of the experimental work conducted within the cross- disciplinary field of iron gall ink research, as well as identifying current practices of treating iron gall ink objects within conservation-restoration. To this end, a survey was created and internationally distributed to practising conservator-restorers. The results from the study indicate a gap in communication and knowledge transfer between the experimental context of conservation science and the heritage management of conservation-restoration practice. Guiding principles of the contemporary conservation profession could be defined as continuously evolving in accordance with the discursive flows of contemporary heritage theory. A significant part of the study was focused on evaluating a proposed stabilisation method, based on a modified adhesive of Klucel G dissolved in an ethanol dispersion of nano-calcium hydroxide with the addition of an antioxidant, tetrabutylammonium bromide (TBAB). This was applied to groups of mock-ups that were created using Whatman No.1 paper and hand-made rag paper in combination with two sorts of iron gall ink, one containing copper and one without. Pre-aged and not-pre-aged mock-ups were after treatment submitted to processes of accelerated aging for different durations. For comparison, additional groups of mock-ups were treated with the proposed method in its decomposed variations: Klucel G in ethanol, Klucel G in an ethanol-based dispersion of nano-calcium hydroxide, Klucel G in ethanol with TBAB but was also compared with an aqueous method based on gelatine, dissolved in water and diluted with ethanol, with an addition of calcium propionate. After aging, the effects of the treatments were analysed using tensile testing, colorimetry, pH measurements, SEM-EDS, μ-XRF, bathophenanthroline test strips and ocular examination. The results indicated positive effects from both the proposed method and the aqueous treatment with gelatine, but with some effects on visual appearance that would be important to consider when planning a conservation action

I choose Swedish! Or do I?

In Sweden, the population is encouraged to choose food produced in Sweden. This is encouraged since food produced in Sweden includes many sustainable advantages like Sweden’s good conditions for cultivation, the food is produced in a safe way with low antibiotic use and good animal welfare. Despite this, almost 50 percent of the food in Sweden is imported. A large amount of imported food competes directly with Swedish food production such as various meats, fruits and dairy products. Studies in Sweden show that even if consumers express that they purchase sustainable products, they are shown to choose the opposite at the time of purchasing. It has been shown that there is relatively low awareness and knowledge concerning environmental labels and thereof could rather confuse the consumers than help. This could mean that consumers think they choose Swedish food but are actually not. The store managers have the power of influencing the consumers’ buying decisions, whereby the aim is to increase the understanding of how managers at large grocery stores work with marketing of food produced in Sweden. The study is based on two research questions that have been implemented to answer the purpose; How do the department managers at the ICA Maxi stores’ meat, diary, fruits and greens departments work with marketing to promote food produced in Sweden? What are the drivers and barriers affecting ICA’s marketing strategies of food produced in Sweden? To answer the aim, a qualitative case study has been applied. To collect the empirical data, nine semi-structured interviews have been conducted with ICA Maxi's department managers for meat, dairy, fruit and greens at ICA Maxi, in the cities of Stockholm, Uppsala and Gothenburg. The study was based on the theoretical framework that forms the basis for analyzing the empirical data. The theories used in the study are the sustainability marketing mix, labeling and nudging. The results of the study showed that all ICA's department managers apply many different marketing strategies, to varying degrees. Also, the study showed that there were many drivers to increase the marketing of Swedish-produced food shown in table VI, at the same time, there were barriers that affected the grocery stores' marketing of Swedish-produced food table V. The results of this study therefore imply there is a need to implement a clearer marketing strategy at all the ICA stores in order to increase sales of Swedish produced food that could contribute to a sustainable development.I Sverige uppmuntras befolkningen att välja mat som produceras i Sverige då svensk mat produceras hållbart. Sveriges matproduktion har goda förutsättningarna för odling, mat produceras på ett säkert sätt med låg antibiotikaanvändning samt uppfyller god djurvälfärd. Trots detta importeras nästan 50 procent av maten i Sverige. En stor mängd av den importerade maten konkurrerar direkt med den svenska livsmedelsproduktionen såsom olika kött, frukt och mejeriprodukter. Studier visar även att om konsumenter uttrycker att de köper hållbara produkter väljer de det motsatta vid köptillfället. Kunskapen om olika märken har visat sig vara relativt låg och kan förvirra, snarare än att hjälpa, konsumenterna. Detta kan innebära att konsumenterna handlar mat i tron om att den är svensk utan att den är det. Butikspersonal har möjlighet att påverka konsumenternas köpbeslut genom marknadsföring, varvid syftet av denna studie var att öka förståelsen för hur chefer på stora livsmedelsbutiker jobbar med marknadsföringen av mat som är producerad i Sverige. Studien bygger på två forskningsfrågor som implementerats för att besvara syftet; Hur arbetar avdelningschefer i ICA Maxi-butiker på avdelningarna kött, mejeri, frukt och grönsaker med deras marknadsföring för att främja de svenska produkterna i Sverige. Vilka är de drivkrafter och hinder som påverkar ICAs marknadsföringsstrategier av livsmedel som produceras i Sverige? För att svara på syftet har en kvalitativ fallstudie tillämpats. För att samla den empiriska data har nio semistrukturerade intervjuer utförts med ICA Maxis avdelningsansvariga för kött, mejeri, frukt och grönt på ICA Maxi, i städerna Stockholm, Uppsala och Göteborg. Empirin har genom en innehållsanalys analyserats utifrån den teoretiska referensramen som utgjort grunden i studien. Teorierna som använts var the sustainability marketing mix, labeling och nudging. Resultaten av studien visade att alla ICAs avdelningsansvariga tillämpar många olika marknadsföringsstrategier, i olika grad. Studien visade även att det fanns många drivkrafter till att öka marknadsföringen av svenskproducerad mat, samtidigt som det fanns en del hinder som påverkade matbutikernas marknadsföring av svenskproducerad mat. Studiens resultat visar att det finns ett behov av att implementera en tydligare marknadsföringsstrategi i alla ICA butiker för att öka försäljningen av svenska livsmedel, som bidrar till en hållbar utveckling