West Nile premembrane-envelope genetic vaccine encoded as a chimera containing the transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains of a lysosome-associated membrane protein: increased cellular concentration of the transgene product, targeting to the MHC II compartment, and enhanced neutralizing antibody response

AbstractA genetic vaccine for West Nile virus (WN) has been synthesized with the WN premembrane-envelope (WN preM-E) gene sequences encoded as a chimera with the transmembrane and carboxyl terminal domains of the lysosome-associated membrane protein (LAMP). The LAMP sequences are used to direct the antigen protein to the major histocompatibility class II (MHC II) vesicular compartment of transfected professional antigen-presenting cells (APCs). Vaccine constructs encoding the native WN preM-E and WN preM-E/LAMP chimera were synthesized in pVAX1 and pITR plasmid backbones. Extracts of human fibroblast 293 and monkey kidney COS-7 cells transfected with the WN preM-E/LAMP chimera constructs contained much greater amounts of E than did the cells transfected with constructs encoding the native WN preM-E. This difference in the concentration of native E and the E/LAMP chimera in transfected cells is attributed to the secretion of native E. The amount of preM protein in cell extracts, in contrast to the E protein, and the levels of DNA and RNA transcripts, did not differ between WN preM-E- and WN preM-E/LAMP-transfected cells. Additionally, confocal and immunoelectron microscopic analyses of transfected B cells showed localization of the WN preM-E/LAMP chimera in vesicular compartments containing endogenous LAMP, MHC II, and H2-M, whereas native viral preM-E lacking the LAMP sequences was distributed within the cellular vesicular network with little LAMP or MHC II association. Mice immunized with a DNA construct expressing the WN preM-E/LAMP antigen induced significant antibody and long-term neutralization titers in contrast to the minimal and short-lived neutralization titer of mice vaccinated with a plasmid expressing the untargeted antigen. These results underscore the utility of LAMP targeting of the WN envelope to the MHC II compartments in the design of a genetic WN vaccine

Solar energy in Sweden: an implementation plan

This project proposes an implementation plan that will contribute to increasing the implementation of solar energy in Sweden. The source of inspiration for this project has been the rapid expansion of the implementation of solar energy in Germany. The reason for this inspiration has been the fact that insolation in Germany is the same as in the most populated areas of Sweden: southern Sweden. Yet the Swedish implementation has been very slow in comparison to the implementation in Germany. The theoretical framework of this project is based on elements of transition theory: the multi-level approach is used as guidance for analyzing the findings of this project such as barriers and drivers for the implementation of solar energy. The transition management cycle is used as a base for the implementation plan that aims to contribute to increasing the implementation of solar energy in Sweden. Furthermore, the information gathered in this project is based on primary sources in the form of interviews; and secondary sources in the form document analysis. This project identifies the drivers and barriers for the implementation of renewable energy in general (with a focus on Sweden) and for the implementation of solar energy in Sweden. The result of this project has been a completion of its objective: creating an implementation plan, based on the identified barriers and drivers, which can contribute to increasing the implementation of solar energy in Sweden. This plan consists of getting necessary actors to work together; following common objectives through visions, paths, and executing different concrete experiments at various levels of aggregation in society in order to reach these objectives

Motivation and Knowledge Work

Master Thesis in Managing People, Knowledge and Change (BUSM18)

MEDIA CULPA? NAIROBI COMMUNITY RADIO STATIONS AND THE POST-ELECTION VIOLENCE

Community radio stations are a new phenomenon in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. While the Kenya Communications (Amendment) Act 2008 recognizes them as a media category, confusion remains around questions of ownership, funding and roles. Following the volatile post-election situation of December 2007, the government imposed a month-long live media ban. Media has been blamed by politicians for inflaming passion and they have received criticism from media professionals for preaching peace. The study explores how the post-election violence has affected community media practitioner’s perceptions of their roles and responsibilities and highlights the debate on the universality of media ethics. The title of this thesis, Media Culpa, is making reference to while questioning the heavy criticism that ‘the media’ received during the post-election violence. The well-known Latin phrase mea culpa, translates into English as ‘ my fault’, ‘my own fault’. The analysis shows to a large extent that community radio practitioners believe in the pre-eminence of the ‘Do no harm’ ethical standard over the ‘Seek truth and report it as fully as possible’ responsibility. Kenyan media specialists demand a recontextualization of media morals. The study is built on questionnaire, nineteen semi-structured interviews and observations conducted in Nairobi, between September and January 08-09. The thesis conveys and is related to ideas within the communitarianism theory and the realist approach applied to news journalism