A bivalent live-attenuated influenza vaccine for the control and prevention of H3N8 and H3N2 canine influenza viruses

Canine influenza viruses (CIVs) cause a contagious respiratory disease in dogs. CIV subtypes include H3N8, which originated from the transfer of H3N8 equine influenza virus (EIV) to dogs; and the H3N2, which is an avian-origin virus adapted to infect dogs. Only inactivated influenza vaccines (IIVs) are currently available against the different CIV subtypes. However, the efficacy of these CIV IIVs is not optimal and improved vaccines are necessary for the efficient prevention of disease caused by CIVs in dogs. Since live-attenuated influenza vaccines (LAIVs) induce better immunogenicity and protection efficacy than IIVs, we have combined our previously described H3N8 and H3N2 CIV LAIVs to create a bivalent vaccine against both CIV subtypes. Our findings show that, in a mouse model of infection, the bivalent CIV LAIV is safe and able to induce, upon a single intranasal immunization, better protection than that induced by a bivalent CIV IIV against subsequent challenge with H3N8 or H3N2 CIVs. These protection results also correlated with the ability of the bivalent CIV LAIV to induce better humoral immune responses. This is the first description of a bivalent LAIV for the control and prevention of H3N8 and H3N2 CIV infections in dogs

Combined use of 16S ribosomal DNA and 16S rRNA to study the bacterial community of polychlorinated biphenyl-polluted soil

The bacterial diversity assessed from clone libraries prepared from rRNA (two libraries) and ribosomal DNA (rDNA) (one library) from polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)-polluted soil has been analyzed. A good correspondence of the community composition found in the two types of library was observed. Nearly 29% of the cloned sequences in the rDNA library were identical to sequences in the rRNA libraries. More than 60% of the total cloned sequence types analyzed were grouped in phylogenetic groups (a clone group with sequence similarity higher than 97% [98% for Burkholderia andPseudomonas-type clones]) represented in both types of libraries. Some of those phylogenetic groups, mostly represented by a single (or pair) of cloned sequence type(s), were observed in only one of the types of library. An important difference between the libraries was the lack of clones representative of the Actinobacteriain the rDNA library. The PCB-polluted soil exhibited a high bacterial diversity which included representatives of two novel lineages. The apparent abundance of bacteria affiliated to the beta-subclass of theProteobacteria, and to the genus Burkholderiain particular, was confirmed by fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis. The possible influence on apparent diversity of low template concentrations was assessed by dilution of the RNA template prior to amplification by reverse transcription-PCR. Although differences in the composition of the two rRNA libraries obtained from high and low RNA concentrations were observed, the main components of the bacterial community were represented in both libraries, and therefore their detection was not compromised by the lower concentrations of template used in this study

Development of a novel equine influenza virus live-attenuated vaccine

H3N8 equine influenza virus (EIV) is an important and significant respiratory pathogen of horses. EIV is enzootic in Europe and North America, mainly due to the suboptimal efficacy of current vaccines. We describe, for the first time, the generation of a temperature sensitive (ts) H3N8 EIV live-attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) using reverse-genetics approaches. Our EIV LAIV was attenuated (att) in vivo and able to induce, upon a single intranasal administration, protection against H3N8 EIV wild-type (WT) challenge in both a mouse model and the natural host, the horse. Notably, since our EIV LAIV was generated using reverse genetics, the vaccine can be easily updated against drifting or emerging strains of EIV using the safety backbone of our EIV LAIV as master donor virus (MDV). These results demonstrate the feasibility of implementing a novel EIV LAIV approach for the prevention and control of currently circulating H3N8 EIVs in horse populations

The K186E amino acid substitution in the canine influenza virus H3N8 NS1 protein restores its ability to inhibit host gene expression

Canine influenza viruses (CIVs) are the causative agents of canine influenza, a contagious respiratory disease in dogs, and include the equine-origin H3N8 and the avian-origin H3N2. Influenza A virus (IAV) non-structural protein 1 (NS1) is a virulence factor essential for counteracting the innate immune response. Here, we evaluated the ability of H3N8 CIV NS1 to inhibit host innate immune responses. We found that H3N8 CIV NS1 was able to efficiently counteract interferon (IFN) responses but was unable to block general gene expression in human or canine cells. Such ability was restored by a single amino acid substitution in position 186 (K186E) that resulted in NS1 binding to the 30-kDa subunit of the cleavage and polyadenylation specificity factor (CPSF30), a cellular protein involved in pre-mRNA processing. We also examined the frequency distribution of K186 and E186 among H3N8 CIVs and equine influenza viruses (EIVs), the ancestors of H3N8 CIV, and experimentally determined the impact of amino acid 186 in the ability of different CIV and EIV NS1s to inhibit general gene expression. In all cases, the presence of E186 was responsible for the control of host gene expression. Contrastingly, the NS1 protein of H3N2 CIV harbors E186 and blocks general gene expression in canine cells. Altogether, our results confirm previous studies on the strain-dependent ability of NS1 to block general gene expression. Moreover, the observed polymorphism on amino acid 186 between H3N8 and H3N2 CIVs might be the result of adaptive changes acquired during long-term circulation of avian-origin IAVs in mammals. IMPORTANCE: Canine influenza is a respiratory disease of dogs caused by two CIV subtypes, the H3N8 and H3N2 viruses of equine and avian origin, respectively. Influenza NS1 is the main viral factor responsible for the control of host innate immune responses and changes in NS1 can play an important role in host adaptation. Here we assessed the ability of H3N8 CIV NS1 to inhibit host innate immune responses and gene expression. The H3N8 CIV NS1 did not block host gene expression but this activity was restored by a single amino acid substitution (K186E), which was responsible for NS1 binding to the host factor CPSF30. In contrast, the H3N2 CIV NS1, that contains E186, blocks general gene expression. Our results suggest that the ability to block host gene expression is not required for influenza replication in mammals but might be important in the long-term adaptation of avian-origin influenza viruses to mammals

Historias de vida e historias lingüísticas : una aproximación a las identidades

Este texto se presentó como comunicación al II Congreso Internacional de Etnografía y Educación: Migraciones y Ciudadanías. Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, 5-8 Septiembre 2008Desde una perspectiva etnográfica, a través de las historias de vida e historias lingüísticas de niños inmigrados, realizamos una aproximación a sus identidades, como parte constitutiva de la realidad escolar actual. Pretendemos conocer las situaciones de multiculturalidad y plurilingüismo, para formar identidades y contribuir al desarrollo de la convivencia en las escuelas, mediante una metodología interdisciplinar que combina las aportaciones de las Ciencias Sociales, Educativas y Lingüísticas. La aplicación de este estudio es principalmente de tipo educativo, para mejorar la formación inicial de los maestros. Esta comunicación forma parte de una investigación que se realiza en nuestro Departamento en la que, con un enfoque interdisciplinar, participan las áreas de conocimiento de Didáctica y Organización Escolar, Didáctica de la Lengua y Didáctica de las Ciencias Sociales. Adoptamos unas estrategias comunes para construir conocimiento, a fin de integrar las aportaciones procedentes de diversos ámbitos científicos, de manera globalizada y relacional (ALTAVA et al.,1999). Puesto que la realidad es compleja (MORIN, 1994) y que también lo es su conocimiento, asumimos que su aprendizaje requiere la convergencia de distintos clases de saberes procedentes de diferentes ámbitos científicos. En nuestro caso, realizamos aportaciones desde los campos disciplinares de la Lingüística, la Pedagogía y la Didáctica, y desde el conjunto de las Ciencias Sociales (Historia, Antropología, etc.). Nuestro objeto de estudio general es la situación escolar de los niños inmigrantes en la provincia de Castellón, las estrategias didácticas y organizativas que existen en la escuela respecto a la educación intercultural y al multilingüismo.Para lograrlo, en una perspectiva de indagación y acción, dicha investigación pretende dar respuesta a las situaciones de multiculturalidad y plurilingüismo en las escuelas actuales, dentro de la formación (inicial y permanente) de los maestros; todo ello bajo un planteamiento didáctico y académico de una mayor adaptación a la realidad y al proceso de armonización europeas en los programas y metodología docentes

A temperature sensitive live-attenuated canine influenza virus H3N8 vaccine

Canine influenza is a respiratory disease of dogs caused by canine influenza virus (CIV). CIV subtypes responsible for influenza in dogs include H3N8, which originated from the transfer of H3N8 equine influenza virus to dogs; and the H3N2 CIV, which is an avian-origin virus that adapted to infect dogs. Influenza infections are most effectively prevented through vaccination to reduce transmission and future infection. Currently, only inactivated influenza vaccines (IIVs) are available for the prevention of CIV in dogs. However, the efficacy of IIVs is suboptimal, and novel approaches are necessary for the prevention of disease caused by this canine respiratory pathogen. Using reverse genetics techniques, we have developed a live-attenuated CIV vaccine (LACIV) for the prevention of H3N8 CIV. The H3N8 LACIV replicates efficiently in canine cells at 33°C but is impaired at temperatures of 37 to 39°C and was attenuated compared to wild-type H3N8 CIV in vivo and ex vivo. The LACIV was able to induce protection against H3N8 CIV challenge with a single intranasal inoculation in mice. Immunogenicity and protection efficacy were better than that observed with a commercial CIV H3N8 IIV but provided limited cross-reactive immunity and heterologous protection against H3N2 CIV. These results demonstrate the feasibility of implementing a LAIV approach for the prevention and control of H3N8 CIV in dogs and suggest the need for a new LAIV for the control of H3N2 CIV. Importance: Two influenza A virus subtypes has been reported in dogs in the last 16 years: the canine influenza viruses (CIV) H3N8 and H3N2 of equine and avian origins, respectively. To date, only inactivated influenza vaccines (IIVs) are available to prevent CIV infections. Here, we report the generation of a recombinant, temperature-sensitive H3N8 CIV as a live-attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV), which was attenuated in mice and dog tracheal, explants compared to CIV H3N8 wild type. A single dose of H3N8 LACIV showed immunogenicity and protection against a homologous challenge that was better than that conferred with an H3N8 IIV, demonstrating the feasibility of implementing a LAIV approach for the improved control of H3N8 CIV infections in dogs

Structural and optical properties of MOCVD AllnN epilayers

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La aparición de la empresa social para la articulación del sector profesional de la cultura en España: El caso de Smart Ibérica

El presente artículo describe de forma exploratoria el caso de la cooperativa de impulso empresarial SMartib cuyas dos principales innovaciones radican en su contribución a una transformación del sector cultural y creativo en España así como sus estrechos vínculos con la economía social española en el campo de la cultura. Partiendo de una visión preliminar de la situación de la cultura en España, incluyendo la situación de los artistas y creadores, el texto analiza el marco en el que surgió la idea original de SMart en Bélgica, hace casi veinte años, como modelo a la base de SMartib. A continuación, se describen los hitos fundamentales en la historia de esta empresa social, así como sus principales objetivos, para concluir con una reflexión sobre los retos y oportunidades que existen para SMartib y la cultura en general en España.-----------------------------------------------------------------------This article explores the case of the SMartib, an “entrepreneurial impulse” cooperative whose two main innovations consist of a contribution to a transformation of the cultural and creative sector in Spain as well as its close links with the Spanish social economy in the specific field of culture. Departing from a preliminary view of the situation of culture in Spain, including the situation of artists and creators, the text analyzes the framework in which the SMart original idea emerged in Belgium, almost twenty years ago, as a model for SMartib. The key milestones in the history of this social enterprise and its main objectives are also described, to conclude with a reflection on the challenges and opportunities that exist for SMartib and culture overall in Spain

La aparición de la empresa social para la articulación del sector profesional de la cultura en España: El caso de Smart Ibérica

El presente artículo describe de forma exploratoria el caso de la cooperativa de impulso empresarial SMartib cuyas dos principales innovaciones radican en su contribución a una transformación del sector cultural y creativo en España así como sus estrechos vínculos con la economía social española en el campo de la cultura. Partiendo de una visión preliminar de la situación de la cultura en España, incluyendo la situación de los artistas y creadores, el texto analiza el marco en el que surgió la idea original de SMart en Bélgica, hace casi veinte años, como modelo a la base de SMartib. A continuación, se describen los hitos fundamentales en la historia de esta empresa social, así como sus principales objetivos, para concluir con una reflexión sobre los retos y oportunidades que existen para SMartib y la cultura en general en España.-----------------------------------------------------------------------This article explores the case of the SMartib, an ¿entrepreneurial impulse¿ cooperative whose two main innovations consist of a contribution to a transformation of the cultural and creative sector in Spain as well as its close links with the Spanish social economy in the specific field of culture. Departing from a preliminary view of the situation of culture in Spain, including the situation of artists and creators, the text analyzes the framework in which the SMart original idea emerged in Belgium, almost twenty years ago, as a model for SMartib. The key milestones in the history of this social enterprise and its main objectives are also described, to conclude with a reflection on the challenges and opportunities that exist for SMartib and culture overall in Spain.Artículo revisado por pare