Induction of vaginal-resident HIV-specific CD8 T cells with mucosal prime-boost immunization.

Tissue-resident memory (TRM) CD8 T cells survey a range of non-lymphoid mucosal tissues where they rapidly mediate clearance of viral infections at the entry portals. Vaccines that establish CD8 TRM cells in the cervicovaginal mucosa hold promise for effective immunity against sexually transmitted HIV. We demonstrate that HIV-specific CD8 TRM cells can be established in the murine vaginal mucosa using a combined intranasal and intravaginal mucosal immunization with recombinant influenza-HIV vectors. Using in situ tetramer immunofluorescence microscopy, we found that this mucosally administered prime-boost immunization also resulted in the durable seeding of CD8 T cells in the frontline vaginal epithelial compartment as opposed to the vaginal submucosa. Upon cognate antigen recognition within the vaginal mucosa, these HIV-specific CD8 TRM cells rapidly initiated a tissue-wide state of immunity. The activation of HIV-specific CD8 TRM cells resulted in the upregulation of endothelial vessel addressin expression and substantial recruitment of both adaptive and innate immune cells in the vaginal mucosa. These findings suggest that the epithelial localization of HIV-specific CD8 TRM cell populations and their capacity to rapidly activate both arms of the immune system could significantly augment frontline defenses against vaginal HIV infection.

Improving autologous blood harvest: recovery of red cells from sponges and suction.

The efficacy of red cell salvage was assessed under circumstances which simulated blood loss managed with sponges or suction. Expired banked blood was equally divided and processed by either suction, or absorbing the blood on a sponge followed by rinsing the sponge in saline. These two techniques were used to harvest washed, centrifuged erythrocytes. The volume, haematocrit and free haemoglobin concentration of the banked blood and the processed units were measured, and smears from all units were examined microscopically. The red cell mass was calculated as the product of the volume and haematocrit. The red cell mass recovered by suction and from sponges averaged 93% and 87% respectively. Blood lost in sponges can be recovered and used to increase the available autologous blood, thereby reducing the need for donor blood.

Citizen participation in planning: the relationship between objectives and techniques.

While citizen participation has become a commonplace element in many planning efforts, both planners and citizens often assess the participatory elements as being unsatisfactory. The contention in this article is that not enough attention is being given to the design of participatory programs and that there is a particular failing in matching objectives to techniques. Five objectives of citizen participation are identified: information exchange, education, support building, supplemental decision making, and representational input. Then through the development of a typology of participatory mechanisms, techniques are matched with their most appropriate objectives. This relationship is further illustrated by examining four techniques in detail. The conclusions suggest that if the relationship between objectives and techniques is ignored in the design of a participatory program, the possibility of a successful program decreases.