Evaluation of the Influenza A Replicon for Transient Expression of Recombinant Proteins in Mammalian Cells

Recombinant protein expression in mammalian cells has become a very important technique over the last twenty years. It is mainly used for production of complex proteins for biopharmaceutical applications. Transient recombinant protein expression is a possible strategy to produce high quality material for preclinical trials within days. Viral replicon based expression systems have been established over the years and are ideal for transient protein expression. In this study we describe the evaluation of an influenza A replicon for the expression of recombinant proteins. We investigated transfection and expression levels in HEK-293 cells with EGFP and firefly luciferase as reporter proteins. Furthermore, we studied the influence of different influenza non-coding regions and temperature optima for protein expression as well. Additionally, we exploited the viral replication machinery for the expression of an antiviral protein, the human monoclonal anti-HIV-gp41 antibody 3D6. Finally we could demonstrate that the expression of a single secreted protein, an antibody light chain, by the influenza replicon, resulted in fivefold higher expression levels compared to the usually used CMV promoter based expression. We emphasize that the influenza A replicon system is feasible for high level expression of complex proteins in mammalian cells

How generations remember: Conflicting histories and shared memories in post-war Bosnia and Herzegovina

This book provides a profound insight into post-war Mostar, and the memories of three generations of this Bosnian-Herzegovinian city. Drawing on several years of ethnographic fieldwork, it offers a vivid account of how personal and collective memories are utterly intertwined, and how memories across the generations are reimagined and ‘rewritten’ following great socio-political change. Focusing on both Bosniak-dominated East Mostar and Croat-dominated West Mostar, it demonstrates that, even in this ethno-nationally divided city with its two divergent national historiographies, generation-specific experiences are crucial in how people ascribe meaning to past events

Social ties and embeddedness in old age: older Turkish labour migrants in Vienna

This paper focuses on older Turkish labour migrants and their spouses, who mostly came to Vienna as young adults in the 1960s and thereafter. They are now entering retirement age and constitute a significant part of Vienna’s older population. I analyse their understandings of transnational ageing, their social ties and feelings of social embeddedness. For those still mobile, active participation in one of Vienna’s Turkish cultural/religious/political associations is identified as a particular source of social embeddedness. I argue that these voluntary associations provide an important place for older migrants to strengthen social ties and are relatively easy to access, including in old age. Nevertheless, I demonstrate that older Turkish labour migrants are exposed to several forms of discrimination, some of which are felt especially strongly in old age, including a lack of adequate institutionalised late life care. In the discussion of the paper, I critically revisit the debate on ethnicity as a resource versus ethnicity as a vulnerability factor in old age. I argue that this debate is misleading since it camouflages other central social categories and relations. I conclude by suggesting closer attention be paid to the specific but multiple generational experiences of older labour migrants and their spouses