Experiences and Perceptions of Special School Personnel Regarding Inclusive Education: A Qualitative Study

The present study explored the experiences and perceptions of psychologists with regards to the benefits of inclusive education for special needs children. The phenomenological approach was used, and data was collected from four psychologists in the form of semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis was used to interpret the data. The following themes emerged in favor of inclusive education: (i) Providing Support to Special Need Students; (ii) Requiring Qualifications and Experienced Teachers; (iii) Offering Training to School Staff; (iv) Identifying Barriers that Interfere with Inclusion: Stigma and Integration; and (v) The Positive Effects of Inclusive Education: Empathy, Social Skills, and Academic Achievement. The importance of training teachers and staff in inclusive education was also highlighted. The present study indicates that awareness programs are required to remove the social stigma against children with special needs in advancing inclusive education in Pakistan.

Production and Immunological Evaluation of Polyvalent Vaccine of Avian Influenza Aiv-H9 and Fowl Cholera Pasteurella Multocida

Infectious diseases particularly fowl cholera (FC) and avian influenza (AI) are challenge for birds, causes severe economic loss and hampers to the development of poultry industry in the developing countries including Pakistan. Vaccination programs using monovalent vaccines against the diseases are effective but the repeated vaccination induces stress to the animals and increase cost of vaccination for the farmer. Owing to significant role of hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) gene in antigenic drift, AIV field isolates leads to escape the immunity provided by vaccines. In this study, the genetic and antigenic nature was explored in currently prevailing H9N2 viruses in Pakistan during year 2017. The efficacy of bivalent AI+FC vaccine was compared to monovalent AI and FC vaccines. H9N2 AIV samples were collected from affected poultry flocks from different areas of the Punjab and were serologically and molecularly confirmed. Positive isolates were propagated on chicken fibroblast cell line. Direct sequencing of HA and NA gene was performed and phylogenetic relationship of identified strains was evaluated. The distribution of mutations was analyzed on different epitopes of HA antigen. To check the antigenic effect of potential predicted substitutions at different positions of HA surface glycoprotein, protein-peptide modelling was done by GlaxayWEB. Previously isolated and characterized AIV subtype “H9N2” and Pasteurella multocida were used as antigen in the vaccine production. Formalin inactivated alum and oil adjuvated AI, FC and AI+FC vaccines were prepared and injected in experimental poultry birds at 0 and 14th day. The serum samples were collected on 0, 14, 21, 48 and 60 days post-priming. Antibody titer was measured by Hemagglutinin Inhibition (HI) for AI “H9N2” virus and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed for lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of P. multocida. The results showed that H9N2 virus had 99% homology with the earlier reported AIV lineages of Iran, India, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan while their phylogenetic examination showed that the strains of this study belonged to the Pakistani H9N2 viruses isolated during years 2010-2015. The amino acid analysis of isolates (H9N2) showed substitution of A to T at position 198 of HA receptor-binding motif. The in-silico predictive changes in HA’s antigenic sites R180A, T163A and N201A changed the 3D-structure of protein-peptide binding site. The birds exhibited the classical pattern of immune response in multivalent formulation (both oil and alum based) with achievement of peak antibody titers (HI titer 256 and 128; ELISA titer 2.752 and 1.805) at 48th day post vaccination. The HI and ELISA titers in combined vaccine were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than corresponding monovalent formulation. Oil based combined vaccine showed better immune response due to prolonged immunity. In conclusion, our findings demonstrates that present H9N2 AI isolates circulating in poultry flocks were related to previous strains of H9N2 in Pakistan. The change of Amino acid at antigenic sites 163, 180 and 201 play a vital role in determination of the antigen binding to antibody, which may lead to escape immunity provided by vaccine. From immunological point of view, AI vaccine can be combined with FC vaccine and gave better immune response than alone one. Being gram negative, the LPS of P. multocida may acts as a factor contributing towards relatively higher antibody titer in comparison with the respective monovalent vaccine. This combined vaccine may also be helpful to reduce burden as repeated vaccination itself is a stress for poultry birds. It would also be helpful for poultry breeders in reducing the cost as well as frequency of vaccination, leading to less stress and higher immune response in birds. Moreover, oil based combined vaccine is better choice for prolonged titer than alum adjuvanted combined vaccine.