Using viral vectors as gene transfer tools (Cell Biology and Toxicology Special Issue: ETCS-UK 1 day meeting on genetic manipulation of cells)

In recent years, the development of powerful viral gene transfer techniques has greatly facilitated the study of gene function. This review summarises some of the viral delivery systems routinely used to mediate gene transfer into cell lines, primary cell cultures and in whole animal models. The systems described were originally discussed at a 1-day European Tissue Culture Society (ETCS-UK) workshop that was held at University College London on 1st April 2009. Recombinant-deficient viral vectors (viruses that are no longer able to replicate) are used to transduce dividing and post-mitotic cells, and they have been optimised to mediate regulatable, powerful, long-term and cell-specific expression. Hence, viral systems have become very widely used, especially in the field of neurobiology. This review introduces the main categories of viral vectors, focusing on their initial development and highlighting modifications and improvements made since their introduction. In particular, the use of specific promoters to restrict expression, translational enhancers and regulatory elements to boost expression from a single virion and the development of regulatable systems is described

The effect of self-esteem development program on the self-esteem levels of ninth grade students

Bu araştırmanın amacı, özsaygı geliştirme programının lise dokuzuncu sınıf öğrencilerinin özsaygı düzeyleri üzerinde etkili olup olmadığını belirlemektir. Yan-deneysel model uygulanan bu araştırmada, 168 lise dokuzuncu sınıf öğrencisine Lise Öğrencileri Özsaygı Envanteri uygulanarak özsaygı düzeyi düşük öğrenciler belirlenmiştir. Tesadüfi örnekleme yöntemi ile 32 öğrenci belirlenerek, 16 öğrenci deney grubuna, 16 öğrenci kontrol grubuna alınmıştır. Deney grubuna katılan deneklere haftada bir gün 90 dakika özsaygı geliştirme programı uygulanmıştır. Kontrol grubundaki deneklere ise bir uygulama yapılmamıştır. Özsaygı geliştirme programının uygulanmasının sonunda deney ve kontrol grubundaki öğrencilere Lise Öğrencileri Özsaygı Envanteri tekrar uygulanmıştır. Veriler, bağımlı ve bağımsız t testi tekniklerinden yararlanılarak çözümlenmiş ve.05 anlamlılık düzeyi esas alınmıştır. Araştırma bulgularının çözümlenmesi sonucunda, deney grubunun ön test ve son test puan farkları ile kontrol grubunun ön test ve son test puan farkları arasındaki fark anlamlı bulunmuştur. Ayrıca deney grubunun ön test ve son test özsaygı puanlan arasındaki fark anlamlı bulunmuştur. Buna karşılık kontrol grubundaki deneklerin ön test ve son test puanlan arasında anlamlı bir fark gözlenmemiştir.The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of "A Self-Esteem Enrichment Program" on the self esteem level of ninth grade high school students. The subjects were 32 (16 treatment group, 16 non-treatment group) ninth grade high school students in Bursa. A quasi-experimental design with a treatment and non- treament group was used to investigate the efiectivness of "A Self-esteem Enrichment Program". "High School Students' Self-Esteem Inventory" was given to 168 ninth grade students in order to determine self-esteem level of the subjects (pre test). 32 subjects, who were identified as having low self-esteem scores were randomly assigned to treatment group (n=16) and non-treatment group (n=16). "A Self-esteem Enrichment Program" was introduced to treatment group subjects' over a period of 10 sessions. The sessions were held once a week and lasted 90 minutes. Non-treatment group received no application at all. Dependent and independent t-tests were used to analyze the data and.05 level of significance was used. After ten session treatment, the treatment and non-treatment group were given High School Students' Self Esteem Inventory again (post test). The main finding of the study was that treatment group gain scores were significantly higher than non-treatment group gain scores at.05 level. Other findings were that: 1. Pre test-post test scores of treatment group on high school students' self-esteem inventory were significant at.05 level. 2. Non-treatment group Pre test-post test scores on high school students' self- esteem inventory were not significant at

Long-term transgene expression by administration of a lentivirus-based vector to the fetal circulation of immuno-competent mice

Inefficient gene transfer, inaccessibility of stem cell compartments, transient gene expression and adverse immune and inflammatory reactions to vector and transgenic protein are major barriers to successful in vivo application of gene therapy for most genetic diseases. Prenatal gene therapy with integrating vectors may overcome these problems and prevent early irreparable organ damage. To this end high dose attenuated VSV-G pseudotyped equine infectious anaemia virus (EIAV) encoding ß-galactosidase under the CMV promoter was injected into the fetal circulation of immuno-competent MF1 mice. We saw prolonged, extensive gene expression in the liver, heart, brain, and muscle and to a lesser extent in the kidney and lung of postnatal mice. Progressive clustered hepatocyte staining suggests clonal expansion of cells stably transduced. We thus provide proof of principle for efficient gene delivery and persistent transgene expression after prenatal application of the EIAV vector and its potential for permanent correction of genetic diseases