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RNA-Based Vaccines for Infectious Disease
Published in Yashwant V. Pathak, Gene Delivery Systems, 2022
Deepa Dehari, Aiswarya Chaudhuri, Sanjay Singh, Ashish Kumar Agrawal
In the midst of the Ebola virus (EBOV) epidemic in 2014–2016, various vaccine research programs were launched, including the usage of saRNA virus vectors. In a phase 1 trial to evaluate the safety and immunogenic activity, vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) particles displaying the glycoprotein of a Zaire EBOV strain (VSV-ZEBOV) were utilized to immunize 78 participants with one of three concentrations (3 × 106, 2 × 107, or 1 × 108 pfu). The vaccination precipitated some side effects, like pain at the site of injection, tiredness, muscle weakness, and headache, but the second vaccination had fewer side effects. The two heaviest injections had greater antibody titers toward ZEBOV glycoprotein than that of the smallest dose. Furthermore, after the second immunization, antibody titers were considerably greater but the effect faded after six months. Lastly, the immunization evoked anti-EBOV antibody responses, and the maximum dose must be investigated further before a decision on prophylaxis can be made [73–74].
Biomedical Applications of Pullulan
Published in Shakeel Ahmed, Aisverya Soundararajan, Pullulan, 2020
J. Hemapriya, Ashwini Ravi, Aisverya Soundararajan, P.N. Sudha, S. Vijayanand
Vaccination is essential to provoke immune response in order to prevent infectious diseases. Several vaccines came into the market for various infectious diseases. Still vaccines that can be administered by nasal and oral routes are very few, and hence several works have been performed to produce the above-mentioned vaccines for easy administration to children, ill individuals. Pullulan composites with TNF-α provoked better humoral and cell-mediated response for influenza virus[69]. On conjugation with chitosan and cationic pullulan nanogels, they were used as nasal vaccines for preventing respiratory ailments[15, 76]. Apart from their direct use as vaccine, they also play an important role in storing vaccines, especially live vaccines. Pullulan being thermally stable retained the efficacy of DNA and RNA vaccines along with trehalose[1, 55].
Bioresponsive Nanoparticles
Published in Deepa H. Patel, Bioresponsive Polymers, 2020
Drashti Pathak, Deepa H. Patel
Similarly, in the fight against antibiotic-resistant microbes, the number of effective antibiotic drugs available is limited. Recently, infections from bacteria strains resistant to our last line of antibiotic defense, the carbapenem class of antibiotic drugs that includes vancomycin, have been increasing in number. There are currently no new drugs in the pipeline to combat carbapenem-resistant bacterial infections. The widespread emergence of such infections is considered a significant threat to the public health. Hospital-acquired infections of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) were responsible for the deaths of 19,000 Americans in 2005 (the last year for which the US Centers for Disease Control has recorded). In order to prolong the lifespan of these critical, life-saving drugs, more efficient and effective delivery using nanomedicine technologies must be explored in earnest. Vaccination is another strategy that can benefit from the use of drug delivery vehicles [12–14]. Vaccinations rely on the body’s own defenses to combat the infection by providing the immune system with the proper tools to identify the infection. In one immunological pathway, antigens from the infectious pathogen are taken up by DCs, professional antigen-presenting cells, which then present the antigens to other immune cells such as T cells and B cells.
Herd immunity for traffic safety in mixed automated traffic: what if cars could not crash!?
Published in Transportation Letters, 2023
Simeon C. Calvert, Bart van Arem, Jane Lappin
The comparison to Herd immunity applied to CAVs can have a similar effect on traffic safety as vaccination has on the spread of a virus. Connected vehicles (CV) have the ability to react faster to changes in their environment compared to non-connected traffic by receiving near instant information from and about other vehicles. In the case of a CAV with some level of automation, their reaction is much faster as the influence of human reaction times is not present if the CAV is driving in automated mode. These CAVs therefore have a form of immunity through vaccination (i.e. connectivity) that allows them to react quickly and avoid potential dangerous situations and reduce their risk and chances of being involved in an accident (which would equate to becoming infected in the virus example). With increasing penetration of vehicle connectivity in a traffic flow, it is hypothesized that secondary levels of immunity also occur due to CAVs not only preventing themselves from crashing but also being able to ‘absorb’ driving errors or critical situations from human driven vehicles and in turn offering these other vehicles immunity: herd immunity! Later in this section, we give an example of this, which can also be viewed in Figure 2.
Principles of risk decision-making
Published in Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part B, 2022
Daniel Krewski, Patrick Saunders-Hastings, Patricia Larkin, Margit Westphal, Michael G. Tyshenko, William Leiss, Maurice Dusseault, Michael Jerrett, Doug Coyle
Other medical interventions, notably vaccines, may also involve benefit-risk considerations at the societal as well as the individual level (P3). This is due in large part to ‘herd immunity,’ wherein changes in individual immunity status might have important implications for pathogen transmission dynamics and human health outcomes at the population level (Metcalf et al. 2015). Vaccine hesitancy, a behavior manifested among a minority of the population, may reflect a personal view that the risks of vaccination outweigh the personal benefits, in conflict with public health recommendations for standard vaccination protocols for children for diseases such as measles and polio (WHO: World Health Organization 2016).
Gold nanoparticles as radiosensitizer for radiotherapy and diagnosis of COVID-19: A review
Published in Nanoscale and Microscale Thermophysical Engineering, 2022
Abdul Khaliq Mokhtar, Norsyahidah Mohd Hidzir, Faizal Mohamed, Irman Abdul Rahman, Syazwani Mohd Fadzil, Afifah Mardhiah Mohamed Radzi, Nur Ain Mohd Radzali
Three circumstances exist for which nanoparticles (mainly AuNP) may be used to resolve the COVID-19 pandemic. First, an accurate and rapid diagnostic detection system (e.g., molecular, antigen, or antibody tests) for tracking contacts, isolating infected individuals, and mitigating the virus spread must be established [172, 173]. Second, therapeutic and clinical interventions can help alleviate the symptoms of the infection and reduce morbidity and mortality brought on by the virus [174, 175]. Third, the formulation of a vaccine will help generate antibodies for mass vaccination to induce herd immunity [176, 177].