93 research outputs found
An empirical approach towards the efficient and optimal production of influenza-neutralizing ovine polyclonal antibodies demonstrates that the novel adjuvant CoVaccine HT(TM) is functionally superior to Freund's adjuvant
Passive immunotherapies utilising polyclonal antibodies could have a valuable role in preventing and treating infectious diseases such as influenza, particularly in pandemic situations but also in immunocompromised populations such as the elderly, the chronically immunosuppressed, pregnant women, infants and those with chronic diseases. The aim of this study was to optimise current methods used to generate ovine polyclonal antibodies. Polyclonal antibodies to baculovirus-expressed recombinant influenza haemagglutinin from A/Puerto Rico/8/1934 H1N1 (PR8) were elicited in sheep using various immunisation regimens designed to investigate the priming immunisation route, adjuvant formulation, sheep age, and antigen dose, and to empirically ascertain which combination maximised antibody output. The novel adjuvant CoVaccine HT™ was compared to Freund’s adjuvant which is currently the adjuvant of choice for commercial production of ovine polyclonal Fab therapies. CoVaccine HT™ induced significantly higher titres of functional ovine anti-haemagglutinin IgG than Freund’s adjuvant but with fewer side effects, including reduced site reactions. Polyclonal hyperimmune sheep sera effectively neutralised influenza virus in vitro and, when given before or after influenza virus challenge, prevented the death of infected mice. Neither the age of the sheep nor the route of antigen administration appeared to influence antibody titre. Moreover, reducing the administrated dose of haemagglutinin antigen minimally affected antibody titre. Together, these results suggest a cost effective way of producing high and sustained yields of functional ovine polyclonal antibodies specifically for the prevention and treatment of globally significant diseases.Natalie E. Stevens, Cara K. Fraser, Mohammed Alsharifi, Michael P. Brown, Kerrilyn R. Diener, John D. Haybal
MOA-2016-BLG-227Lb: A Massive Planet Characterized by Combining Light-curve Analysis and Keck AO Imaging
We report the discovery of a microlensing planet—MOA-2016-BLG-227Lb—with a large planet/host mass ratio of q ≃ 9 × 10−3. This event was located near the K2 Campaign 9 field that was observed by a large number of telescopes. As a result, the event was in the microlensing survey area of a number of these telescopes, and this enabled good coverage of the planetary light-curve signal. High angular resolution adaptive optics images from the Keck telescope reveal excess flux at the position of the source above the flux of the source star, as indicated by the light-curve model. This excess flux could be due to the lens star, but it could also be due to a companion to the source or lens star, or even an unrelated star. We consider all these possibilities in a Bayesian analysis in the context of a standard Galactic model. Our analysis indicates that it is unlikely that a large fraction of the excess flux comes from the lens, unless solar-type stars are much more likely to host planets of this mass ratio than lower mass stars. We recommend that a method similar to the one developed in this paper be used for other events with high angular resolution follow-up observations when the follow-up observations are insufficient to measure the lens–source relative proper motion
2019 international consensus on cardiopulmonary resuscitation and emergency cardiovascular care science with treatment recommendations : summary from the basic life support; advanced life support; pediatric life support; neonatal life support; education, implementation, and teams; and first aid task forces
The International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation has initiated a continuous review of new, peer-reviewed, published cardiopulmonary resuscitation science. This is the third annual summary of the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care Science With Treatment Recommendations. It addresses the most recent published resuscitation evidence reviewed by International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation Task Force science experts. This summary addresses the role of cardiac arrest centers and dispatcher-assisted cardiopulmonary resuscitation, the role of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation in adults and children, vasopressors in adults, advanced airway interventions in adults and children, targeted temperature management in children after cardiac arrest, initial oxygen concentration during resuscitation of newborns, and interventions for presyncope by first aid providers. Members from 6 International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation task forces have assessed, discussed, and debated the certainty of the evidence on the basis of the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation criteria, and their statements include consensus treatment recommendations. Insights into the deliberations of the task forces are provided in the Justification and Evidence to Decision Framework Highlights sections. The task forces also listed priority knowledge gaps for further research
Dual Neonate Vaccine Platform against HIV-1 and M. tuberculosis
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and tuberculosis (TB) are two of the
world's most devastating diseases. The first vaccine the majority of
infants born in Africa receive is Mycobacterium bovis bacillus
Calmette-Guérin (BCG) as a prevention against TB. BCG protects against
disseminated disease in the first 10 years of life, but provides a variable
protection against pulmonary TB and enhancing boost delivered by recombinant
modified vaccinia virus Ankara (rMVA) expressing antigen 85A (Ag85A) of
M. tuberculosis is currently in phase IIb evaluation in
African neonates. If the newborn's mother is positive for human
immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), the baby is at high risk of acquiring
HIV-1 through breastfeeding. We suggested that a vaccination consisting of
recombinant BCG expressing HIV-1 immunogen administered at birth followed by a
boost with rMVA sharing the same immunogen could serve as a strategy for
prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1 and rMVA expressing an
African HIV-1-derived immunogen HIVA is currently in phase I trials in African
neonates. Here, we aim to develop a dual neonate vaccine platform against HIV-1
and TB consisting of BCG.HIVA administered at birth followed by a boost with
MVA.HIVA.85A. Thus, mMVA.HIVA.85A and sMVA.HIVA.85A vaccines were constructed,
in which the transgene transcription is driven by either modified H5 or short
synthetic promoters, respectively, and tested for immunogenicity alone and in
combination with BCG.HIVA222. mMVA.HIVA.85A was produced markerless
and thus suitable for clinical manufacture. While sMVA.HIVA.85A expressed higher
levels of the immunogens, it was less immunogenic than mMVA.HIVA.85A in BALB/c
mice. A BCG.HIVA222–mMVA.HIVA.85A prime-boost regimen induced
robust T cell responses to both HIV-1 and M. tuberculosis.
Therefore, proof-of-principle for a dual anti-HIV-1/M.
tuberculosis infant vaccine platform is established. Induction of
immune responses against these pathogens soon after birth is highly desirable
and may provide a basis for lifetime protection maintained by boosts later in
life
T- and B-cell responses to multivalent prime-boost DNA and viral vectored vaccine combinations against hepatitis C virus in non-human primates.
Immune responses against multiple epitopes are required for the prevention of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, and the progression to phase I trials of candidates may be guided by comparative immunogenicity studies in non-human primates. Four vectors, DNA, SFV, human serotype 5 adenovirus (HuAd5) and Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA) poxvirus, all expressing hepatitis C virus Core, E1, E2 and NS3, were combined in three prime-boost regimen, and their ability to elicit immune responses against HCV antigens in rhesus macaques was explored and compared. All combinations induced specific T-cell immune responses, including high IFN-γ production. The group immunized with the SFV+MVA regimen elicited higher E2-specific responses as compared with the two other modalities, while animals receiving HuAd5 injections elicited lower IL-4 responses as compared with those receiving MVA. The IFN-γ responses to NS3 were remarkably similar between groups. Only the adenovirus induced envelope-specific antibody responses, but these failed to show neutralizing activity. Therefore, the two novel regimens failed to induce superior responses as compared with already existing HCV vaccine candidates. Differences were found in response to envelope proteins, but the relevance of these remain uncertain given the surprisingly poor correlation with immunogenicity data in chimpanzees, underlining the difficulty to predict efficacy from immunology studies.This work was supported by European Union contract QLK2-CT-1999-
00356, by the Biomedical Primate Research Centre, The Netherlands, and by the Swedish
Research Council. We are grateful to Alexander van den Berg for technical assistance with the
ICS, to our colleagues from Animal Science Department for technical assistance and expert care
of the macaques, to the participants of the European HCVacc Cluster who provided help and
support, and to Thomas Darton (Oxford Vaccine Group, UK) for input and advice on the
manuscript. Christine Rollier is an Oxford Martin fellow and a Jenner Insitute Investigator.This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Nature Publishing Group at https://doi.org/10.1038/gt.2016.55
Glossary
We present the analysis of the binary gravitational microlensing event
MOA-2015-BLG-020. The event has a fairly long timescale (about 63 days) and
thus the light curve deviates significantly from the lensing model that is
based on the rectilinear lens-source relative motion. This enables us to
measure the microlensing parallax through the annual parallax effect. The
microlensing parallax parameters constrained by the ground-based data are
confirmed by the Spitzer observations through the satellite parallax method. By
additionally measuring the angular Einstein radius from the analysis of the
resolved caustic crossing, the physical parameters of the lens are determined.
It is found that the binary lens is composed of two dwarf stars with masses
and in the
Galactic disk. Assuming the source star is at the same distance as the bulge
red clump stars, we find the lens is at a distance .
In the end, we provide a summary and short discussion of all published
microlensing events in which the annual parallax effect is confirmed by other
independent observations.Comment: 16 pages, 5 figure
The Spitzer microlensing program as a probe for globular cluster planets : analysis of OGLE-2015-BLG-0448
The microlensing event OGLE-2015-BLG-0448 was observed by Spitzer and lay within the tidal radius of the globular cluster NGC 6558. The event had moderate magnification and was intensively observed, hence it had the potential to probe the distribution of planets in globular clusters.We measure the proper motion of NGC 6558 μcl(N, E)=(+0.36 ± 0.10,+1.42 ± 0.10) mas yr-1) as well as the source and show that the lens is not a cluster member. Even though this particular event does not probe the distribution of planets in globular clusters, other potential cluster lens events can be verified using our methodology. Additionally, we find that microlens parallax measured using Optical Gravitational Lens Experiment (OGLE) photometry is consistent with the value found based on the light curve displacement between the Earth and Spitzer.Peer reviewe
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