Inherent biophysical stability of foot-and-mouth disease SAT1, SAT2 and SAT3 viruses

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) virus (FMDV) isolates show variation in their ability to withstand an increase in temperature. The FMDV is surprisingly thermolabile, even though this virus is probably subjected to a strong extracellular selective pressure by heat in hot climate regions where FMD is prevalent. The three SAT serotypes, with their particularly low biophysical stability also only yield vaccines of low protective capacity, even with multiple booster vaccinations. The aim of the study was to determine the inherent biophysical stability of field SAT isolates. To characterise the biophysical stability of 20 SAT viruses from Southern Africa, the thermofluor assay was used to monitor capsid dissociation by the release of the RNA genome under a range of temperature, pH and ionic conditions. The SAT2 and SAT3 viruses had a similar range of thermostability of 48–54 °C. However, the SAT1 viruses had a wider range of thermostability with an 8 °C difference but with many viruses being unstable at 43–46 °C. The thermostable A-serotype A24 control virus had the highest thermostability of 55 °C with some SAT2 and SAT3 viruses of similar thermostability. There was a 10 °C difference between the most unstable SAT virus (SAT1/TAN/2/99) and the highly stable A24 control virus. SAT1 viruses were generally more stable compared to SAT2 and SAT3 viruses at the pH range of 6.7–9.1. The effect of ionic buffers on capsid stability showed that SAT1 and SAT2 viruses had an increased stability of 2–9 °C and 2–6 °C, respectively, with the addition of 1 M NaCl. This is in contrast to the SAT3 viruses, which did not show improved stabilisation after addition of 1 M or 0.5 M NaCl buffers. Some buffers showed differing results dependent on the virus tested, highlighting the need to test SAT viruses with different solutions to establish the most stabilising option for storage of each virus. This study confirms for the first time that more stable SAT field viruses are present in the southern Africa region. This could facilitate the selection of the most stable circulating field strains, for adaptation to cultured BHK-21 cells or manipulation by reverse genetics and targeted mutation to produce improved vaccine master seed viruses.The Vaccine Initiative (ESCP) in South Africa.http://www.elsevier.com/locate/virusres2020-04-15hj2019BiochemistryGeneticsMicrobiology and Plant PathologyVeterinary Tropical Disease

Intra-serotype SAT2 chimeric foot-and-mouth disease vaccine protects cattle against FMDV challenge

The genetic diversity of the three Southern African Territories (SAT) types of foot-and-mouth diseasevirus (FMDV) reflects high antigenic variation, and indications are that vaccines targeting each SAT-specific topotype may be needed. This has serious implications for control of FMD using vaccines as wellas the choice of strains to include in regional antigen banks. Here, we investigated an intra-serotypechimeric virus, vSAT2ZIM14-SAT2, which was engineered by replacing the surface-exposed capsid-codingregion (1B-1D/2A) of a SAT2 genome-length clone, pSAT2, with that of the field isolate, SAT2/ZIM/14/90.The chimeric FMDV produced by this technique was viable, grew to high titres and stably maintained the1B-1D/2A sequence upon passage. Chemically inactivated, oil adjuvanted vaccines of both the chimericand parental immunogens were used to vaccinate cattle. The serological response to vaccination showedthe production of strong neutralizing antibody titres that correlated with protection against homolo-gous FMDV challenge. We also predicted a good likelihood that cattle vaccinated with an intra-serotypechimeric vaccine would be protected against challenge with viruses that caused recent outbreaks insouthern Africa. These results provide support that chimeric vaccines containing the external capsid offield isolates induce protective immune responses in FMD host species similar to the parental vaccine.MSD Animal Health (previously Intervet SPAH)http://www.elsevier.com/locate/vaccine2016-06-30hb201

Connection between dynamically derived initial mass function normalization and stellar population parameters

Date of Acceptance: 10/08/2014We report on empirical trends between the dynamically determined stellar initial mass function (IMF) and stellar population properties for a complete, volume-limited sample of 260 early-type galaxies from the ATLAS3D project. We study trends between our dynamically derived IMF normalization αdyn ≡ (M/L)stars/(M/L)Salp and absorption line strengths, and interpret these via single stellar population-equivalent ages, abundance ratios (measured as [α/Fe]), and total metallicity, [Z/H]. We find that old and alpha-enhanced galaxies tend to have on average heavier (Salpeter-like) mass normalization of the IMF, but stellar population does not appear to be a good predictor of the IMF, with a large range of αdyn at a given population parameter. As a result, we find weak αdyn-[α/Fe] and αdyn -Age correlations and no significant αdyn -[Z/H] correlation. The observed trends appear significantly weaker than those reported in studies that measure the IMF normalization via the low-mass star demographics inferred through stellar spectral analysis.Peer reviewe

The ATLAS3D project - XXIV. The intrinsic shape distribution of early-type galaxies

We use the ATLAS3D sample to perform a study of the intrinsic shapes of early-type galaxies, taking advantage of the available combined photometric and kinematic data. Based on our ellipticity measurements from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 7, and additional imaging from the Isaac Newton Telescope, we first invert the shape distribution of fast and slow rotators under the assumption of axisymmetry. Theso-obtained intrinsic shape distribution for the fast rotators can be described with a Gaussian with a mean flattening of q=0.25 and standard deviation σq = 0.14, and an additional tail towards rounder shapes.The slow rotators are much rounder, and are well described with a Gaussian with mean q = 0.63 and σq =0.09. We then checked that our results were consistent when applying a different and independent method to obtain intrinsic shape distributions, by fitting the observed ellipticity distributions directly using Gaussian parametrizations for the intrinsic axis ratios. Although both fast and slow rotators are identified as early-type galaxies in morphological studies, and in many previous shape studies are therefore grouped together, their shape distributions are significantly different, hinting at different formation scenarios. The intrinsic shape distribution of the fast rotators shows similarities with the spiral galaxy population. Including the observed kinematic misalignment in our intrinsic shape study shows that the fast rotators are predominantly axisymmetric, with only very little room for triaxiality. For the slow rotators though there are very strong indications that they are (mildly) triaxial.PostprintPeer reviewe

The ATLAS3D project - XXVI : H I discs in real and simulated fast and slow rotators

One quarter of all nearby early-type galaxies (ETGs) outside Virgo host a disc/ring of H I with size from a few to tens of kpc and mass up to ∼109 M⊙. Here we investigate whether this H I is related to the presence of a stellar disc within the host making use of the classification of ETGs in fast and slow rotators (FR/SR). We find a large diversity of H I masses and morphologies within both families. Surprisingly, SRs are detected as often, host as much H I and have a similar rate of H I discs/rings as FRs. Accretion of H I is therefore not always linked to the growth of an inner stellar disc. The weak relation between H I and stellar disc is confirmed by their frequent kinematical misalignment in FRs, including cases of polar and counterrotating gas. In SRs the H I is usually polar. This complex picture highlights a diversity of ETG formation histories which may be lost in the relative simplicity of their inner structure and emerges when studying their outer regions. We find that Λ CDM hydrodynamical simulations have difficulties reproducing the H I properties of ETGs. The gas discs formed in simulations are either too massive or too small depending on the star formation feedback implementation. Kinematical misalignments match the observations only qualitatively. The main point of conflict is that nearly all simulated FRs and a large fraction of all simulated SRs host corotating H I. This establishes the H I properties of ETGs as a novel challenge to simulationsPeer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

Integrating stakeholder knowledge through modular cooperative participatory processes for marine spatial planning outcomes (CORPORATES)

This research was funded by the UK Natural Environment Research Council NERC (Knowledge Exchange Award 2014-2016) RC Grant reference: NE/M000184/1Peer reviewedPostprin

Combining genomics and epidemiology to track mumps virus transmission in the United States.

Unusually large outbreaks of mumps across the United States in 2016 and 2017 raised questions about the extent of mumps circulation and the relationship between these and prior outbreaks. We paired epidemiological data from public health investigations with analysis of mumps virus whole genome sequences from 201 infected individuals, focusing on Massachusetts university communities. Our analysis suggests continuous, undetected circulation of mumps locally and nationally, including multiple independent introductions into Massachusetts and into individual communities. Despite the presence of these multiple mumps virus lineages, the genomic data show that one lineage has dominated in the US since at least 2006. Widespread transmission was surprising given high vaccination rates, but we found no genetic evidence that variants arising during this outbreak contributed to vaccine escape. Viral genomic data allowed us to reconstruct mumps transmission links not evident from epidemiological data or standard single-gene surveillance efforts and also revealed connections between apparently unrelated mumps outbreaks

A four-stage process for intervention description and guide development of a practice-based intervention: refining the Namaste Care intervention implementation specification for people with advanced dementia prior to a feasibility cluster randomised trial

Some interventions are developed from practice, and implemented before evidence of effect is determined, or the intervention is fully specified. An example is Namaste Care, a multi-component intervention for people with advanced dementia, delivered in care home, community, hospital and hospice settings. This paper describes the development of an intervention description, guide and training package to support implementation of Namaste Care within the context of a feasibility trial. This allows fidelity to be determined within the trial, and for intervention users to understand how similar their implementation is to that which was studied. A four-stage approach: a) Collating existing intervention materials and drawing from programme theory developed from a realist review to draft an intervention description. b) Exploring readability, comprehensibility and utility with staff who had not experienced Namaste Care. c) Using modified nominal group techniques with those with Namaste Care experience to refine and prioritise the intervention implementation materials. d) Final refinement with a patient and public involvement panel. Eighteen nursing care home staff, one carer, one volunteer and five members of our public involvement panel were involved across the study steps. A 16-page A4 booklet was designed, with flow charts, graphics and colour coded information to ease navigation through the document. This was supplemented by infographics, and a training package. The guide describes the boundaries of the intervention and how to implement it, whilst retaining the flexible spirit of the Namaste Care intervention. There is little attention paid to how best to specify complex interventions that have already been organically implemented in practice. This four-stage process may have utility for context specific adaptation or description of existing, but untested, interventions. A robust, agreed, intervention and implementation description should enable a high-quality future trial. If an effect is determined, flexible practice implementation should be enabled through having a clear, evidence-based guide