Long-term cellular immunity of vaccines for Zaire Ebola Virus Diseases

Recent Ebola outbreaks underscore the importance of continuous prevention and disease control efforts. Authorized vaccines include Merck’s Ervebo (rVSV-ZEBOV) and Johnson & Johnson’s two-dose combination (Ad26.ZEBOV/MVA-BN-Filo). Here, in a five-year follow-up of the PREVAC randomized trial (NCT02876328), we report the results of the immunology ancillary study of the trial. The primary endpoint is to evaluate long-term memory T-cell responses induced by three vaccine regimens: Ad26–MVA, rVSV, and rVSV–booster. Polyfunctional EBOV-specific CD4+ T-cell responses increase after Ad26 priming and are further boosted by MVA, whereas minimal responses are observed in the rVSV groups, declining after one year. In-vitro expansion for eight days show sustained EBOV-specific T-cell responses for up to 60 months post-prime vaccination with both Ad26-MVA and rVSV, with no decline. Cytokine production analysis identify shared biomarkers between the Ad26-MVA and rVSV groups. In secondary endpoint, we observed an elevation of pro-inflammatory cytokines at Day 7 in the rVSV group. Finally, we establish a correlation between EBOV-specific T-cell responses and anti-EBOV IgG responses. Our findings can guide booster vaccination recommendations and help identify populations likely to benefit from revaccination

Yellow fever vaccine for patients with HIV infection

BackgroundYellow fever (YF) is an acute viral haemorrhagic disease prevalent in tropical Africa and Latin America. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that there are 200,000 cases of YF and 30,000 deaths worldwide annually. Treatment for YF is supportive, but a live attenuated virus vaccine is effective for preventing infection. WHO recommends immunisation for all individuals > 9 months living in countries or areas at risk. However, the United States Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) advises that YF vaccine is contraindicated in individuals with HIV. Given the large populations of HIV-infected individuals living in tropical areas where YF is endemic, YF vaccine may be an important intervention for preventing YF in immunocompromised populations.ObjectivesTo assess the risk and benefits of YF immunisation for people infected with HIV.Search methodsWe used standard Cochrane methods to search electronic databases and conference proceedings with relevant search terms without limits to language.Selection criteriaRandomised controlled trials and cohort studies of individuals with HIV infection who received YF vaccine (17DD or 17D-204).Data collection and analysisTwo authors screened abstracts of references identified by electronic or bibliographic searches according to inclusion and exclusion criteria as detailed in the protocol. We identified 199 references and examined 19 in detail for study eligibility. Data were abstracted independently using a standardised abstraction form.Main resultsThree cohort studies were included in the review. They examined 484 patients with HIV infection who received YF immunisation. Patients with HIV infection developed significantly lower concentrations of neutralising antibodies in the first year post immunisation compared to uninfected patients, though decay patterns were similar for recipients regardless of HIV infection. No study patient with HIV infection suffered serious adverse events as a result of YF vaccination.Authors' conclusionsYF vaccination can produce protective levels of neutralising antibodies in HIV patients. Immunogenicity of YF vaccine is slightly less in HIV-infected patients compared to HIV-uninfected patients. No serious adverse events related to YF vaccine were observed in HIV-infected study participants. At time of immunisation, higher CD4 cell counts and lower HIV RNA levels in patients with HIV infection seem to be key determinants for development of protective titres of neutralising antibodies. The quality of the evidence for all outcomes was low to very low. YF vaccine may potentially be used safely in HIV-infected patients, although our conclusions are limited by small numbers of patients who have been reported. To assure maximum effectiveness YF vaccine should be given to HIV-infected patients after HIV replication has been suppressed

Automated plastic cup labeling machine

UPMC has been in the packaging business, offering services for various household names in the food industry. To keep up with the intense competition in manufacturing and packaging, the company has to maximize its production capacity and cut up on other possible costs. The manual labeling of the cups of the company\u27s particular product became a concern due to the delay it causes brought about by the varying speeds of the workers in the production line. This led the group to design and fabricate a machine that can automatically affix the labels to the cup. It is aimed to apply the adhesive around the cup and the label attached in a sequential fashion. The vast capacity of the PLC was utilized to achieve the objective. The PLC controlled the operation sequence of the machine. The Ladder Diagram served as our communication tool to encode the program into the PLC. It is further supported by the careful selection of the mechanical parts of the machine. AutoCAD helped us in this selection and design process and the CNC machine was of great help in fabricating some of the complex parts of the machine. To further explore the capability of the machine, we subjected the machine to experiments to determine the best adhesive, correct lift assembly height, label arm orientation and design, and labeling time. All the results of the experiments were taken into consideration in the final design of the Automatic Labeling Machine. The Automatic Plastic Cup Labeling Machine was able to deliver the task of automatically attaching the label to the cup. And importantly, it reduced the time from 9 seconds to 6 seconds. It has cut the labeling time by 34%. The machine will help cut up costs for the company and ensure delivery of goods considering the constant rate of labeling and production

Perinatal reduction of functional serotonin transporters results in developmental delay

Item does not contain fulltextWhile there is strong evidence from rodent and human studies that a reduction in serotonin transporter (5-HTT) function in early-life can increase the risk for several neuropsychiatric disorders in adulthood, the effects of reduced 5-HTT function on behavior across developmental stages are underinvestigated. To elucidate how perinatal pharmacological and lifelong genetic inactivation of the 5-HTT affects behavior across development, we conducted a battery of behavioral tests in rats perinatally exposed to fluoxetine or vehicle and in 5-HTT(-/-) versus 5-HTT(+/+) rats. We measured motor-related behavior, olfactory function, grooming behavior, sensorimotor gating, object directed behavior and novel object recognition in the first three postnatal weeks and if possible the tests were repeated in adolescence and adulthood. We also measured developmental milestones such as eye opening, reflex development and body weight. We observed that both pharmacological and genetic inactivation of 5-HTT resulted in a developmental delay. Except for hypo-locomotion, most of the observed early-life effects were normalized later in life. In adolescence and adulthood we observed object directed behavior and decreased novel object recognition in the 5-HTT(-/-) rats, which might be related to the lifelong inactivation of 5-HTT. Together, these data provide an important contribution to the understanding of the effects of perinatal and lifelong 5-HTT inactivation on behavior across developmental stages.16 p

Spatial aspects in the Alpilles-ReSeDA project

International audienc

Spatial aspects in the Alpilles-ReSeDA project

International audienc