Genomics of Vero cells: Understanding this cell line and its virus-host interactions for improved vaccine production

The Vero cell line is the most used continuous cell line for viral vaccine manufacturing with more than 40 years of accumulated experience in the vaccine industry. Additionally, the Vero cell line has shown high affinity for infection by MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV and recently SARS-CoV-2, emerging as an important discovery and screening tool to support the global research and development efforts in this COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, Vero cells anchorage-dependent use renders scaling-up challenging and operations very labor intensive which affects cost effectiveness. Thus, efforts to adapt Vero cells to suspension cultures have been invested but hurdles such as the long doubling time and low cell viability remain to be addressed. However, the lack of a reference genome for the Vero cell line has limited our understanding of host-virus interactions underlying such affinity of the Vero cell towards key emerging pathogens, and more importantly our ability to re-design high-yield vaccine production processes using Vero genome editing. In this study, we present an annotated highly contiguous 2.9 Gb assembly of the Vero cell genome. Please click Download on the upper right corner to see the full abstract

A Bayesian approach to flow record infilling and extension for reservoir design

International audienceA Bayesian approach is described for dealing with the problem of infilling and generating stochastic flow sequences using rainfall data to guide the flow generation process, and including bounded (censored) observed flow and rainfall data to provide additional information. Solutions are obtained using a Gibbs sampling procedure. Particular problems discussed include developing new procedures for fitting transformations when bounded values are available, coping with additional information in the form of values, or bounds, for totals of flows across several sites, and developing relationships between annual flow and rainfall data. Examples are shown of both infilled values of unknown past river flows, with assessment of uncertainty, and realisations of flows representative of what might occur in the future. Several procedures for validating the model output are described and the central estimates of flows, taken as a surrogate for historical observed flows, are compared with long term regional flow and rainfall data

Identification des usages de Sclerocarya birrea (A. Rich) hoscht dans la zone du Ferlo (Senegal) et evaluation du potentiel biochimique et nutritionnel de son fruit

Le prunier d’Afrique ou Sclerocarya birrea est un arbre fruitier de la famille des Anacardiaceae, qui fournit aux populations des fruits consommables pendant la période de soudure. Bien que présente dans les régions à climat soudano-sahélien du Sénégal, sa zone de prédilection demeure le Ferlo. Elle y fait l’objet de réhabilitation dans la mise en place du programme de l’Union Africaine dite de la muraille verte. Malheureusement, peu d’études scientifiques n’ont encore fait mention de la composition nutritive des fruits issus de cette zone. Dans le cadre de la reconstitution du couvert végétal des zones arides, la connaissance des relations entre l’homme et son milieu s’avère importante. Ainsi, la présente étude est entreprise dans le but de connaître les usages de Sclerocarya birrea et les potentialités qu’offre son fruit. Des enquêtes ethnobotaniques ont permis de recueillir les connaissances sur les usages de l’espèce dans la zone du Ferlo (Sénégal). Des échantillons de fruits mûrs récoltés ont été analysés grâce à des techniques de dosages normalisés et conventionnelles. Les résultats révèlent que les populations du Ferlo connaissent bien S. birrea, dont l’usage médicinal est de loin le plus important (79%). En usage médicinal, les organes végétaux les plus utilisés sont les écorces et les feuilles. Les résultats obtenus sur la pulpe du fruit montrent qu'elle constitue une bonne source en vitamine C, en sucres, en Calcium, Magnésium, Potassium, Sodium et en Polyphénols totaux. L'huile de l'amande présente des caractéristiques qui dans l'ensemble restent dans la norme admise pour les huiles alimentaires. Ces résultats sont marqués par une forte variabilité de la composition physico-chimique qui semble être liées aux variations des conditions édaphiques et climatiques. Il ressort de cette analyse que le fruit de S. birrea constitue une excellente source de nutriments et peut valablement combler certaines carences nutritionnelles des populations autochtones. Par ailleurs, le fruit présente aussi des potentialités de transformation et de conservation qui doivent être explorées.Mots clés:  Sclerocarya birrea, fruits, usages, valeurs nutritionnelles, polyphénols, vitamine C, variabilité, FerloEnglish AbstractThe present study was undertaken to know the uses and some nutritional potentials of Sclerocarya birrea. The African plum tree called Sclerocarya birrea is a fruit tree of the Anacardiaceae family, which provides populations some consumable fruits during the lean season. Although it is present in Sudano-Sahelian regions of Senegal, its favorite repartition zone is the Ferlo. Sclerocarya birrea is being rehabilitated in the framework of the implementation of the African Union program called the “Green Wall”. Unfortunately, no scientific studies have mentioned the nutritional content of fruits coming from this area. In the context of the reconstitution of the vegetation cover, knowledge of the relations between man and his environment is important. Thus, the present study is undertaken with the aim of knowing the uses of Sclerocarya birrea and its fruits attibutes. According to that, ethnobotanical surveys have gathered knowledge on the species' uses in the Ferlo area (Senegal). Samples of ripe fruits harvested were analyzed using standard and conventional assay techniques. The results revealed that the populations of the Ferlo are well acquainted with Sclerocarya birrea and that its medicinal use is by far the most important (79%). In medicinal use, the most commonly used plant organs are barks and leaves. The results obtained on the pulp of the fruit showed that it is a good source of vitamin C, sugars, Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, Sodium and total polyphenols. The almond oil has characteristics that remain within the accepted food standards. These results are marked by a high variability in the physicochemical composition, which appears to be linked to variations in edaphic and climatic conditions. The analysis shows that the fruit of Sclerocarya birrea is an excellent source of nutrients and can validly fill certain nutritional deficiencies of indigenous peoples. The fruit also has potential for transformation that needs to be explored.Keywords: Sclerocarya birrea, fruits, uses, nutritional values, polyphenols, vitamin C, variability, Ferl

High efficacy of photodynamic therapy on rat endometrium after systemic administration of benzoporphyrin derivative monoacid ring A

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the benzoporphyrin derivative monoacid ring A (verteporfin)‐mediated photodynamic therapy (PDT) on rat endometrium and to determine the optimal drug concentration for endometrial ablation. METHODS: Five minutes after i.v. injection of different concentrations of verteporfin into 24 female Sprague-Dawley rats, 630nm light treatment was delivered for 500 s (120J/cm2) to the left horn of the uterus. The 24 rats were divided into six groups according to the drug dose injected, four rats per group: group I (2 mg/kg), group II (1 mg/kg), and groups III, IV, V and VI with 0.5, 0.25, 0.125 and 0.0625mg/kg respectively. Four days later, the rat uteri were analysed by light microscopy. RESULTS: Endometrial destruction was seen in all six groups, with the most significant result in group I (P < 0.008). Conservation of the myometrium was most significant in groups III, IV, V and VI. Acute inflammatory cells in the stromal endometrium were recorded mainly in groups I and II. However, the drug dosage that was most significant in destroying the glands with conservation of the myometrium and not causing severe inflammation was between 0.5 and 0.125mg/kg. CONCLUSIONS: Verteporfin was effective in endometrial ablation in all our animal groups, and the dose range of 0.5-0.125mg/kg appeared to be adequate. This observation will have to be scaled for clinical applicatio