Stalking influenza by vaccination with pre-fusion headless HA mini-stem.

Inaccuracies in prediction of circulating viral strain genotypes and the possibility of novel reassortants causing a pandemic outbreak necessitate the development of an anti-influenza vaccine with increased breadth of protection and potential for rapid production and deployment. The hemagglutinin (HA) stem is a promising target for universal influenza vaccine as stem-specific antibodies have the potential to be broadly cross-reactive towards different HA subtypes. Here, we report the design of a bacterially expressed polypeptide that mimics a H5 HA stem by protein minimization to focus the antibody response towards the HA stem. The HA mini-stem folds as a trimer mimicking the HA prefusion conformation. It is resistant to thermal/chemical stress, and it binds to conformation-specific, HA stem-directed broadly neutralizing antibodies with high affinity. Mice vaccinated with the group 1 HA mini-stems are protected from morbidity and mortality against lethal challenge by both group 1 (H5 and H1) and group 2 (H3) influenza viruses, the first report of cross-group protection. Passive transfer of immune serum demonstrates the protection is mediated by stem-specific antibodies. Furthermore, antibodies indudced by these HA stems have broad HA reactivity, yet they do not have antibody-dependent enhancement activity

Natural enemies from South Africa for biological control of Lagarosiphon major (Ridl.) Moss ex Wager (Hydrocharitaceae) in Europe

The non-native invasive plant, Lagarosiphon major (Hydrocharitaceae) is a submersed aquatic macrophyte that poses a significant threat to water bodies in Europe. Dense infestations prove difficult to manage using traditional methods. In order to initiate a biocontrol programme, a survey for natural enemies of Lagarosiphon was conducted in South Africa. Several phytophagous species were recorded for the first time, with at least three showing notable promise as candidate agents. Amongst these, a leaf-mining fly, Hydrellia sp. (Ephydridae) that occurred over a wide distribution causes significant leaf damage despite high levels of parasitism by braconid wasps. Another yet unidentified fly was recorded mining the stem of L. major. Two leaf-feeding and shoot boring weevils, cf. Bagous sp. (Curculionidae) were recorded damaging the shoot tips and stunting the growth of the stem. Several leaf-feeding lepidopteran species (Nymphulinae) were frequently recorded, but are expected to feed on a wide range of plant species and are not considered for importation before other candidates are assessed. The discovery of several natural enemies in the country of origin improves the biological control prospects of L. major in Europe

Identifying divergent design thinking through the observable behavior of service design novices

© 2018, Springer Nature B.V. Design thinking holds the key to innovation processes, but is often difficult to detect because of its implicit nature. We undertook a study of novice designers engaged in team-based design exercises in order to explore the correlation between design thinking and designers’ physical (observable) behavior and to identify new, objective, design thinking identification methods. Our study addresses the topic by using data collection method of “think aloud” and data analysis method of “protocol analysis” along with the unconstrained concept generation environment. Collected data from the participants without service design experience were analyzed by open and selective coding. Through the research, we found correlations between physical activity and divergent thinking, and also identified physical behaviors that predict a designer’s transition to divergent thinking. We conclude that there are significant relations between designers’ design thinking and the behavioral features of their body and face. This approach opens possible new ways to undertake design process research and also design capability evaluation

Internet Gaming Disorder Behaviors in emergent adulthood: a pilot study examining the interplay between anxiety and family cohesion

Understanding risk and protective factors associated with Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) has been highlighted as a research priority by the American Psychiatric Association, (2013). The present study focused on the potential IGD risk effect of anxiety and the buffering role of family cohesion on this association. A sample of emerging adults all of whom were massively multiplayer online (MMO) gamers (18–29 years) residing in Australia were assessed longitudinally (face-to-face: N = 61, Mage = 23.02 years, SD = 3.43) and cross-sectionally (online: N = 64, Mage = 23.34 years, SD = 3.39). IGD symptoms were assessed using the nine-item Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short Form (IGDS-SF9; Pontes & Griffiths Computers in Human Behavior, 45, 137–143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2014.12.006, 2015). The Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI; Beck and Steer, 1990) and the balanced family cohesion scale (BFC; Olson Journal of Marital & Family Therapy, 3(1) 64–80. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1752-0606.2009.00175.x, 2011) were applied to assess anxiety and BFC levels, respectively. Linear regressions and moderation analyses confirmed that anxiety increased IGD risk and that BFC weakened the anxiety-related IGD risk

Assessing Causality in the Relationship Between Adolescents’ Risky Sexual Online Behavior and Their Perceptions of this Behavior

The main aim of this study was to investigate the causal nature of the relationship between adolescents’ risky sexual behavior on the internet and their perceptions of this behavior. Engagement in the following online behaviors was assessed: searching online for someone to talk about sex, searching online for someone to have sex, sending intimate photos or videos to someone online, and sending one’s telephone number and address to someone exclusively known online. The relationship between these behaviors and adolescents’ perceptions of peer involvement, personal invulnerability, and risks and benefits was investigated. A two-wave longitudinal study among a representative sample of 1,445 Dutch adolescents aged 12–17 was conducted (49% females). Autoregressive cross-lagged structural equation models revealed that perceived peer involvement, perceived vulnerability, and perceived risks were all significant predictors of risky sexual online behavior 6 months later. No reverse causal paths were found. When the relationships between perceptions and risky sexual online behavior were modeled simultaneously, only perceived peer involvement was a determinant of risky sexual online behavior. Findings highlight the importance of addressing peer involvement in future interventions to reduce adolescents’ risky sexual online behavior

Early Priming Minimizes the Age-Related Immune Compromise of CD8+ T Cell Diversity and Function

The elderly are particularly susceptible to influenza A virus infections, with increased occurrence, disease severity and reduced vaccine efficacy attributed to declining immunity. Experimentally, the age-dependent decline in influenza-specific CD8+ T cell responsiveness reflects both functional compromise and the emergence of ‘repertoire holes’ arising from the loss of low frequency clonotypes. In this study, we asked whether early priming limits the time-related attrition of immune competence. Though primary responses in aged mice were compromised, animals vaccinated at 6 weeks then challenged >20 months later had T-cell responses that were normal in magnitude. Both functional quality and the persistence of ‘preferred’ TCR clonotypes that expand in a characteristic immunodominance hierarchy were maintained following early priming. Similar to the early priming, vaccination at 22 months followed by challenge retained a response magnitude equivalent to young mice. However, late priming resulted in reduced TCRβ diversity in comparison with vaccination earlier in life. Thus, early priming was critical to maintaining individual and population-wide TCRβ diversity. In summary, early exposure leads to the long-term maintenance of memory T cells and thus preserves optimal, influenza-specific CD8+ T-cell responsiveness and protects against the age-related attrition of naïve T-cell precursors. Our study supports development of vaccines that prime CD8+ T-cells early in life to elicit the broadest possible spectrum of CD8+ T-cell memory and preserve the magnitude, functionality and TCR usage of responding populations. In addition, our study provides the most comprehensive analysis of the aged (primary, secondary primed-early and secondary primed-late) TCR repertoires published to date

Antimicrobial resistance of Shigellae isolated in the Netherlands in 1988

In het kader van de surveillance van antibiotica resistentie bij Shigellae werd van de isolaten die in 1988 voor typering naar het RIVM werden gezonden, kwantitatief de gevoeligheid bepaald voor amoxicilline chlooramfenicol, tetracycline, sulfamethoxazol, trimethoprim, gentamicine, kanamycine, streptomycine, nalidixinezuur, norfloxacine, cefotaxim en furzolidon. Er werden 644 stammen onderzocht, voornamelijk S.flexneri en S.sonnei. Zeer hoge resistentiepercentages (50 a 70%) werden gevonden voor tetracycline, streptomycine en sulfamethoxazol. Het percentage isolaten, dat zowel resistent is tegen sulfonamiden als trimethoprim, en dus tegen cotrimoxazol, bedroeg evenals in 1986 en 1987 ruim 30%. Voorts is ongeveer de helft van de isolaten van S.flexerni resistent tegen amoxicilline (ampicilline) en chlooramfenicol. Resistentie tegen nalidixinezuur en norfloxacine werd niet gevonden.GH

Antibiotic-resistance among Shigellae isolated in the Netherlands during 1987

In het kader van de surveillance van antibiotica resistentie bij Shigellae werd van de isolaten die in 1987 voor typering naar het RIVM werden gezonden, kwantitatief de gevoeligheid bepaald voor amoxicilline chlooramfenicol, tetracycline, sulfamethoxazol, trimetroprim, gentamicine, kanamycine, streptomycine, nalidixinezuur, norfloxacine, cefotaxim en furazolidon. Er werden 504 stammen onderzocht, voornamelijk S.flexneri (48%) en S.sonnei (46%). Zeer hoge resistentiepercentages (50 a 60%) werden gevonden voor tetracycline, streptomycine en sulfamethoxazol. Het percentage isolaten, dat zowel resistent is tegen sulfonamiden als trimethoprim, en dus tegen cotrimoxazol, bedroeg evenals in 1986 30 a 40%. Voorts is ongeveer de helft van de isolaten van S.flexneri resistent tegen amoxicilline (ampicilline) en chlooramfenicol. Resistentie tegen nalidixinezuur en norfloxacine werd (nog) niet gevonden.GH

Antibiotic resistance among Shigella strains isolated in the Netherlands during 1989

In the scope of the surveillance of antimicrobial resistance of Shigellae isolated in 1989 and forwarded to the National Institute of Public Health and Environmental Protection for typing, the sensitivity was assessed for the following antimicrobial agents: amoxicillin, chloramphenicol, tetracycline, sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim, gentamicin, kanamycin, streptomycin, nalidixic acid, norfloxacin, cefotaxime and furazolidone. 597 isolates, predominantly S.flexneri and S.sonnei, were investigated. A very high resistance incidence (50 to 70%) was found for tetracycline, streptomycin and sulfamethoxazole. As in 1986 to 1988 approximately 30% of the isolates were resistant to sulfanomides and trimethoprim and thus to cotrimoxazole. Moreover, approximately 50% of the S.flexneri isolates was resistant to amoxicillin (ampicillin) and chloramphenicol. Nalidixic acid or/and norfloxacin resistant resistant strains were not found.GH