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Nipah virus is an emerging zoonotic pathogen that causes disease outbreaks in South-East Asia with high case fatality rates. It is considered to be a public health risk and there are limited medical countermeasures for treatment or prevention, and as a Biosafety Level 4 pathogen, limited places able to work with Nipah virus. Animal models are required for the evaluation of medical countermeasures. Female hamsters, in groups of three or six were infected IP with a sixlog10 range doses of Nipah virus Malaysia. Hamsters were weighed daily and checked every four hours. Animals were scored on the condition of coat, posture, eyes, respiration, activity and neurological signs. Hamsters were monitored for 14 post-infection. Organ samples were taken for histopathological analysis and for viral load determination. Immunohistochemistry was performed with anti-Nipah virus glycoprotein antibody. Hamsters were susceptible to infection with NiV-M by the IP. route at all challenge doses. Animals started showing signs of infection and succumbing to disease in a dose-dependent manner, succumbing between days 4 and 9. The progression of clinical signs was rapid. Viable virus could not be detected in any of the organs, or in the blood of any of the eight animals that survived the infection. No viable virus was recovered from six of the animals that succumbed to infection. Where viable virus was recovered, it was predominantly in the spleen, brain or lung. No pathological changes were observed in the brain whislt many pathological changes were observed in the lungs. Immunohistochemistry showed NiV was localised to the lung blood vessel endothelial cells in animals that succumbed. We demonstrated that, similar to previously known data, the hamster is susceptible to Nipah virus. We have shown that disease progressed rapidly, and that the lungs were the main site for viral replication and pathological changes. © Crown copyright (2022), Dstl. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Defining Filipinoness has been problematic throughout history. Previous studies have focused on the persistent impact of the colonial experience on Filipinos (Bernad, 1971; Constantino, 1977; Enriquez, 1992; Yacat, 2005). Some scholars have framed their understanding vis-a-vis the search for a national consciousness resulting in a unif ied Filipino identity (Anderson, 1983; Constantino, 1969). But in the age of globalization, statehood and nationhood have become questionable concepts (Adamson & Demetriou, 2007; Ahmad & Eijaz, 2011; Guéhenno, 1995; Omae, 1995). Who has the Filipino become amid a modern-day diaspora? I propose an analysis of history not as archival and disconnected from the present but as part of an ongoing story of identity formation. Recognition is given to kapwa, a view of self-and-other as one. This indigenous ontology offers a postmodern lens to understand the complexities of being Filipino through time and space. For contemporary Filipinos, identity formation may involve a continuing resistance against colonialism now set amid the diaspora in the digital age. This article further presents an alternative view of Filipinoness by arguing that diasporics remain Filipino despite physical estrangement from the Philippines. An essential point echoed from other scholars is how cultural identity should not be seen as singular and unchanging (Hall, 1990; Said, 1993/2012). Rather, Filipinoness may refer to evolving, varied and fluid Filipino identities. This evolution involves a past that folds into the present and impacts the future in locations around the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Overweight and obesity are increasingly contributing to disease burden among military populations. The purpose of this study was to calculate and examine the prevalence of overweight and obesity among the veteran population. Data were obtained from the 2004 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Overweight (body mass index > or = 25 kg/m2) prevalence in veterans was 73.3% (SE, 0.4%) for males and 53.6% (SE 1.7%) for females. Obesity (body mass index > or = 30 kg/m2) prevalence in veterans was 25.3% (SE, 0.4%) for males and 21.2% (SE, 1.4%) for females. After adjusting for sociodemographics and health status, veterans were no more likely to be overweight (odds ratio, 1.05; 95% confidence interval, 0.99-1.11) or obese (odds ratio 0.99; confidence interval, 0.93-1.05) than nonveterans. Despite previous participation in a culture and environment that selects for and enforces body weight standards, veterans have a high prevalence of overweight and obesity that is similar to general population estimates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The replication dynamics of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIVmac32H-C8), attenuated through discrete genetic disruption of the nef gene, were compared with the wild-type parental clone (SIVmac32H-J5) using quantitative molecular methods. The primary viraemia of both infections were similar during the first week, but peaked on Day 10 at higher levels for wild-type virus. Viral RNA levels differed most markedly at Day 14. The frequency and levels of viral DNA species, detectable as gag provirus or circular 2-LTR episomes, differed depending on the virus and the lymphoid compartment sampled. 2-LTR circles persisted for prolonged periods in the peripheral blood but were never detected in any SIVmac32H C8-infected tissue, even if positive by gag PCR. Paradoxically, the converse was observed following wild-type infection. 2-LTR circles disappeared from the peripheral blood by Day 42 postinfection but persisted in lymphoid tissues. These findings are discussed in terms of nef and the role and stability of 2-LTR circle forms in vivo. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The anti-phosphoryl choline antibody responses of resistant and susceptible strains of mice infected with microfilariae of Dipetalonema viteae or the gastrointestinal nematode parasite Trichinella spiralis were determined. The responses were characterized both in terms of their kinetics and the constituent role played by each immunoglobulin heavy-chain class. Infection with either parasite elicited detectable responses in all strains investigated. However, the kinetics of the response of each heavy-chain class within each strain could vary independently. Furthermore, differences were observed between the responses of inbred mouse strains that differ in their ability to control infection. It was not possible, however, to correlate these differences in the serological response with the ability of these animals to control infection. The results are discussed in relation to attempts to improve serological diagnostic assays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies whether different attenuated strains of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) confer protection against pathogenic isolates of AIDS and whether such protection is effective against cell-associated and cell-free virus challenge. Live-attenuated vaccines as protection against SIV in macaques; Evaluation of the safety of attenuated retroviruses for humans.

We demonstrate the amplitude stabilization of a 2.85 THz quantum cascade laser with a graphene loaded split-ring-resonator array acting as an external amplitude modulator. The transmittance of the modulator can be actively changed by modifying the graphene conductivity via electrostatic back-gating. The modulator operates at room temperature and is capable of actively modulating the quantum cascade laser power level and thus stabilizing the power output via a proportional-integral-derivative feedback control loop. The stability was enhanced by more than 10 times through actively tuning the modulation. Furthermore, this approach can be used to externally control the laser power with a high level of stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An abstract of the conference paper "Intra-dermal immunisation with SIV gag-based vaccines alone inhibits acquisition of SIVmac251," by N. Almond and colleagues are presented.

Abstract: A precursor site which is likely to be involved in the formation of graphite on the diamond (100) 1×2 surfaces has been created by bombardment with low energy Ar ions and characterised by high resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) of the C 1s photoelectron line. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A temporal relationship has been demonstrated between persisting immune complexes and non-antigen-specific immunodepression. Mice were given intraperitoneal injections of Bordetella pertussis at weekly intervals. After 7 weeks they developed circulating immune complexes, the levels of which increased with continued administration of pertussis. The increase in immune complex levels was accompanied by a diminished primary immune response to intraperitoneally injected sheep erythrocytes (SRBC) as judged by a reduction in their direct and indirect plaque-forming cell response and serum agglutination titres. Spleen cells from immunodepressed pertussisatreated mice were transferred to irradiated normal recipients and displayed a normal response to SRBC. By contrast, spleen cells transferred from normal donors to irradiated pertussis-treated recipients had an impaired response to SR BC. Thus, the immunodepression caused by pertussis treatment is a property of the environment and not the lymphocytes themselves. It is considered that chronic circulating immune complexes induced by pertussis administration may cause non-antigen-specific immunodepression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel dual route vaccination using the MERS-CoV RBD sub-unit has been developed. • Murine antisera induced to the RBD protein , were neutralising in vitro. • MERS-CoV susceptibility was induced in naïve mice with Ad5hDPP4. • Passive transfer of anti-RBD sera protected susceptible mice. • Protected mice had a significantly reduced viral titre (P = 0.02) in their lungs. Murine antisera with neutralising activity for the coronavirus causative of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) were induced by immunisation of Balb/c mice with the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the viral Spike protein. The murine antisera induced were fully-neutralising in vitro for two separate clinical strains of the MERS coronavirus (MERS-CoV). To test the neutralising capacity of these antisera in vivo , susceptibility to MERS-CoV was induced in naive recipient Balb/c mice by the administration of an adenovirus vector expressing the human DPP4 receptor (Ad5-hDPP4) for MERS-CoV, prior to the passive transfer of the RBD-specific murine antisera to the transduced mice. Subsequent challenge of the recipient transduced mice by the intra-nasal route with a clinical isolate of the MERS-CoV resulted in a significantly reduced viral load in their lungs, compared with transduced mice receiving a negative control antibody. The murine antisera used were derived from mice which had been primed sub-cutaneously with a recombinant fusion of RBD with a human IgG Fc tag (RBD-Fc), adsorbed to calcium phosphate microcrystals and then boosted by the oral route with the same fusion protein in reverse micelles. The data gained indicate that this dual-route vaccination with novel formulations of the RBD-Fc, induced systemic and mucosal anti-viral immunity with demonstrated in vitro and in vivo neutralisation capacity for clinical strains of MERS-CoV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The restricted major histocompatibilty complex of Mauritian cynomolgus macaques confers exceptional potential on this species in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) vaccine development. However, knowledge of the effects of Mhc genetics on commonly used simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) and simian/human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV) stocks is incomplete. We determined the effect of Mhc haplotypes on SHIVsbg replication kinetics in a cohort of 25 naïve cynomolgus macaques. Haplotype M3 was associated with a 1.58log10 reduction in viraemia at day 28 post infection (p.i.). Haplotype M6 was associated with elevated SHIVsbg viraemia at days 28 and 56. No significant effect of Mhc class II haplotypes on viral replication was observed. These data emphasise the importance of genetic characterisation of experimental macaques and advance our understanding of host genetic effects in SIV/SHIV models of HIV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Prevalence of simian retrovirus-2 (SRV-2) and simian T lymphotropic virus type I (STLV-I), was unknown in 337 captive cynomolgus macaques. Methods and Results Molecular assays identified 29% of animals as SRV-2 mono-infected, 4% of animals as STLV-I mono-infected and 9% of animals as dual-infected. Of 108 juvenile animals, 83% were SRV-2-negative and no juvenile animal was STLV-I-positive. A subsequent study of juvenile macaques over a period of 2.5 years detected no STLV-I and 10 SRV-2 infections, six of which occurred between testing and day of colony formation. The study also highlighted that an anti-SRV-2 serological response does not presuppose infection. Tissue reservoirs of latent SRV-2 were not identified in suspected SRV-2 infections. Conclusions Low transmissibility of the viruses present in the parental cohort and improved knowledge of the host response to SRV-2 has facilitated the creation of specific-retrovirus-free colonies of cynomolgus macaques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simian retrovirus type 2 (SRV-2) is a natural pathogen of Macaca fascicularis. Although SRV-2 may be endemic in macaque colonies, it is not necessarily detected in all individuals suggesting differential susceptibility to SRV-2; factors contributing to this susceptibility are not fully understood. We have investigated the role of host genetic origin on virus susceptibility. We have shown that high levels of anti-SRV-2 antibodies correlate with failure to establish persistent virus infection, thus we targeted our genetic analysis of virus susceptibility with an investigation of the role of the polymorphic macaque major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II locus. DRB genotypes, both novel and previously characterised, were identified in individuals and family groups. A discordance with SRV-2 infection status suggests that an Mhc II DRB genotype is not overtly associated with the outcome of viral infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background A new challenge stock of the simian immunodeficiency virus SIVmacJ5 has been produced following passage in vivo. Methods SIVmacJ5 3/92 (J5M), was passaged serially through cynomolgus macaques ( Macaca fascicularis) by intravenous inoculation of infected spleen cells isolated and prepared 14 days post-infection. Two challenge stocks, SIVmacJ5 S61MLN and SIVmacJ5 S62spl, were prepared by culture of lymphoid tissue ex vivo. Results These virus stocks appeared better adapted for replication in M. fascicularis as demonstrated by a greater persistence of recoverable live virus from the periphery and increased pathology in lymphoid tissues 20 weeks post-challenge as detected by immunohistochemistry. Sequence analysis of the envelope gene from these stocks did not identify marked diversification of sequence as a result of this procedure. Conclusions These stocks display more robust peripheral persistence and tissue pathology in cynomolgus macaques and should prove valuable analysing recombinant vaccines based upon SIVmacJ5 transgenes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The immunogenicity and protective efficacy of recombinant modified vaccinia virus Ankara (rMVA) vectors expressing structural ( gag/ pol, env) and regulatory ( tat, rev, nef) genes of SIVmac251/32H-J5 (rMVA-J5) were assessed. Methods Immunization with rMVA constructs (2.5 × 107 IU) 32, 20 and 8 weeks pre-challenge was compared with 32 and 20 weeks but with a final boost 8 weeks pre-challenge with 2 × 106 fixed-inactivated HSC-F4 cells infected with SIVmac32H. Controls received rMVA vectors expressing an irrelevant transgene or were naïve challenge controls. All received 10 MID50 SIVmac32H/J5 intravenously. Results Vaccinates immunized with rMVA-J5 exhibited significant, albeit transient, control of peak primary viraemia despite inconsistent and variable immune responses elicted by vaccination. Humoral and cellular responses to Env were most consistent, with lower responses to Nef, Rev and Tat. Increasing titres of anti-vaccinia neutralizing antibodies reflected the number and dose of rMVA inoculations. Conclusions Improved combinations of viral vectors are required to elicit appropriate immune responses to control viral replication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cynomolgus macaques are frequently used in biomedical research. However, in contrast to their closest relative, the rhesus macaque, little is known about their Mhc genes except for the DQB1 locus. In this study, 33 DRB-sequences belonging to 17 allelic lineages were detected in a total of 68 macaques, 58 originating from Mauritius and 10 from China. The majority of the sequences were detected in the few macaques from China, confirming the low degree of genetic variation in macaques from Mauritius. In summary, the DRB region in cynomolgus macaques is polymorphic. The sequences belong in general to the same allelic lineages as in their closest relative, the rhesus macaque. Two exon 2 DNA sequences were identical in both species and may represent a trans-species origin. In addition, protein sequences of members of the DRB*W1 lineage seem to be rather conserved in the three macaque species examined so far. Six DRB-haplotypes were detected in the macaques from Mauritius. While single DRB-alleles or some protein sequences seemed to be conserved among macaque species, we could not detect any evidence for a trans-species conservation of a complete DRB region. Overall, the data indicate that reorganization of the DRB region by recombination is a major force in creating diversity in cynomolgus macaques as it is in rhesus macaques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines batches of experimental oral vaccines against poliovirus (OPV CHAT) used in Central Africa in the 1950s which have been implicated in the origin of the AIDS pandemic because of retroviral contamination during the vaccine's manufacture. Method used in the analysis; Detection of HIV/SIV sequences or chimpanzee cellular components in OPV CHAT stocks; Findings of the research.

An abstract of the conference paper "CN54gp140: Product characteristics, peclinical and clinical use - Recombinant glycoprotein for HIV immunization," by D. Katinger and colleagues is presented.

An abstract of the conference paper "Modelling the Neuropathological Consequences of HIV Vaccines That Confer Partial Protection," by D. Ferguson and colleagues is presented.