scholarly journals Production of recombinant antigens in plants for animal and human immunization - a review

1997 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 703-711 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ekkehard Hansen

Plants present a cost effective production system for high value proteins. There is an increasing world demand for cheap vaccines that can be readily administered to the population, especially in economically less developed regions. A promising concept is the production of vaccines in plants that could be grown locally. Expression of antigenic peptides in the palatable parts of plants can lead to the production of edible active vaccines. Two major strategies are: i) to express antigens in transgenic plants, and ii) to produce antigenic peptides on the surface of plant viruses that could be used to infect host plants. This review considers the experimental data and early results for both strategies, and discusses the potential and problems of this new technology

2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-29
Author(s):  
Constance Hilory Tomberlin

There are a multitude of reasons that a teletinnitus program can be beneficial, not only to the patients, but also within the hospital and audiology department. The ability to use technology for the purpose of tinnitus management allows for improved appointment access for all patients, especially those who live at a distance, has been shown to be more cost effective when the patients travel is otherwise monetarily compensated, and allows for multiple patient's to be seen in the same time slots, allowing for greater access to the clinic for the patients wishing to be seen in-house. There is also the patient's excitement in being part of a new technology-based program. The Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System (GCVHCS) saw the potential benefits of incorporating a teletinnitus program and began implementation in 2013. There were a few hurdles to work through during the beginning organizational process and the initial execution of the program. Since the establishment of the Teletinnitus program, the GCVHCS has seen an enhancement in patient care, reduction in travel compensation, improvement in clinic utilization, clinic availability, the genuine excitement of the use of a new healthcare media amongst staff and patients, and overall patient satisfaction.


2013 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 152-157
Author(s):  
Nora Fawzi ◽  
Ramachandran Vasudevan ◽  
Patimah Ismail ◽  
Mazeni Alwi ◽  
Ahmad Fazli Abdul Aziz ◽  
...  

Summary Background: Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common birth defect; however, the underlying etiology is unrecognized in the majority of cases. GATA-binding protein 4 (GATA4), a cardiac transcription factor gene, has a crucial role in the cardiogenesis process; hence, a number of heterozygote sequence variations were identified as a cause of CHD. G296S heterozygote variant is the most frequently reported GATA4 gene sequence alteration. This study aims to investigate the role of G296S variant of the GATA4 gene in Malaysian CHD subjects. Methods: We have investigated 86 Malaysian CHD subjects with cardiac septation defects for the presence of the GATA4 gene heterozygote variant (G296S) by the new technology of high resolution melting (HRM) analysis. Results: Genotyping of G296S (c.886G>A) by HRM analysis shows that all the sample genotypes were of the wild GG type genotype and the heterozygote mutant GA genotype was totally absent from this study cohort. Conclusions: The results of our study showed that the G296S variant of the GATA4 gene was not associated with the development of CHD in Malaysian subjects. The use of HRM analysis proved a cost-effective, high-throughput, specific and sensitive genotyping technique which eliminates the need for unnecessary sequencing.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiao-Bin Shi ◽  
Shuo Yan ◽  
Chi Zhang ◽  
Li-Min Zheng ◽  
Zhan-Hong Zhang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Most plant viruses rely on vectors for their transmission and spread. One of the outstanding biological questions concerning the vector-pathogen-symbiont multi-trophic interactions is the potential involvement of vector symbionts in the virus transmission process. Here, we used a multi-factorial system containing a non-persistent plant virus, cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), its primary vector, green peach aphid, Myzus persicae, and the obligate endosymbiont, Buchnera aphidicola to explore this uncharted territory. Results Based on our preliminary research, we hypothesized that aphid endosymbiont B. aphidicola can facilitate CMV transmission by modulating plant volatile profiles. Gene expression analyses demonstrated that CMV infection reduced B. aphidicola abundance in M. persicae, in which lower abundance of B. aphidicola was associated with a preference shift in aphids from infected to healthy plants. Volatile profile analyses confirmed that feeding by aphids with lower B. aphidicola titers reduced the production of attractants, while increased the emission of deterrents. As a result, M. persicae changed their feeding preference from infected to healthy plants. Conclusions We conclude that CMV infection reduces the B. aphidicola abundance in M. persicae. When viruliferous aphids feed on host plants, dynamic changes in obligate symbionts lead to a shift in plant volatiles from attraction to avoidance, thereby switching insect vector’s feeding preference from infected to healthy plants.


2013 ◽  
Vol 19 (64) ◽  
pp. 24-26
Author(s):  
Anne Goulding ◽  
Evelyn Kerslake

Flexibility is a vaguely defined media buzzword connoting the progressive, forward-looking workplace. Employers report that increased labour market flexibility has made them more cost-effective, efficient, better able to deal with customer and employee demands and the implementation of new technology. But what is happening to those workers who make up the flexible workforce? For a while in the 1980s it seemed that flexibility could do no wrong; now, however, the shortcomings of flexible labour markets are becoming more apparent.


Author(s):  
András Takács ◽  
József Horváth ◽  
Richard Gáborjányi ◽  
Gabriella Kazinczi ◽  
József Mikulás

2021 ◽  
pp. e20210011
Author(s):  
Chanh-Phong Tran ◽  
John J Kim ◽  
Jordan J Feld ◽  
William WL Wong

Background: Currently, there are no pharmacological options available for the treatment of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). In the 18-month interim analysis of an ongoing randomized, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial (REGENERATE), early results demonstrated that obeticholic acid (OCA) 25 mg significantly improved fibrosis with no worsening of NASH among patients with NASH and fibrosis compared to placebo (PBO). This study aimed to assess the potential cost-effectiveness of OCA compared to PBO in NASH patients. Methods: A state-transition model was developed to perform a cost-utility analysis comparing two treatment strategies, PBO and OCA 25 mg, from a Canadian public payer perspective. The model time horizon was lifetime with annual cycle lengths. Cost and utility parameters were discounted at 1.5% annually. The efficacy data were obtained from the REGENERATE trial, and costs and utilities were derived from other published literature. Probabilistic and deterministic sensitivity analyses were performed to test the robustness of the model. Results: Treatment with OCA led to reductions of 3.58% in decompensated cirrhosis cases, 3.95% in hepatocellular carcinoma, 7.88% in liver transplant, and 6.01% in liver-related death. However, at an annual price of CDN$36,000, OCA failed to be cost-effective compared to PBO at an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $815,514 per quality-adjusted life year (QALY). An 88% reduction in drug price to an annual cost of $4,300 would make OCA cost-effective at a willingness-to-pay threshold of $50,000/QALY. Conclusions: OCA failed to be cost-effective compared to PBO, despite demonstrating clinical benefits due to a high drug cost. A significant price reduction would be needed to make the drug cost-effective.


Change is not easy! People adhere to old routines and habits tenaciously. Most people are slow to accept new ideas, new products, in short, innovations. When it comes to new technologies that can aid in adaptation to climate change, there is fierce resistance from farmers (to sustainable agriculture), from the fossil fuels industries (to sustainable energy), from developers (to going green), and the list goes on. While a new technology does involve a certain investment of time and money at first, it is cost effective and profitable in the long term. When it comes to sustainability, nothing less than the future of our planet is at stake, so it is incumbent upon us to find a way to “sell” the innovations to the masses. The Diffusion of Innovations (DOI) Theoretical Framework provides an effective, structured means of doing this; its efficacy has been established for hundreds of innovations, and it is particularly suited to technologies.


Author(s):  
Bui Huy Khoi

In recent years, the internet market in Vietnam has developed strongly, leading to many forms of electronic business being born and with rapid growth. Online shopping is seen as the solution to cost-effective, fast, and convenient shopping. This chapter was based on concepts and theoretical grounds related to behavior intention to accept and apply new technology to form the proposed research model. It consists of three independent factors—(1) utility perception, (2) trust, (3) social influence—and one dependent factor, online purchasing intention. This study reveals the optimal choice by the AIC algorithm.


Author(s):  
W. Evert Meyer ◽  
William J. Willkie

Because of the hushkitting of older Stage 2 aircraft such as the Boeing 727 to meet Part 36 Stage 3 requirements of Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs), up to 1,000 older and noisier aircraft may still be flying in the United States after December 31, 1999. Many noise studies with FAA’s Integrated Noise Model (INM) have predicted a significant decrease in the noise contours after this date, anticipating replacement of most Stage 2 aircraft with modern Stage 3 aircraft, such as Boeing 737-700 series, Boeing 757-200, and Airbus A320 series aircraft. The INM noise footprints of a Boeing 727-200 with the Federal Express Aviation Services Inc. (FedEx) and Raisbeck Stage 3 hushkit treatments were compared with that of an unmodified Boeing 727-200 as well as that of a Boeing 757-200, which is representative of a true new-technology Stage 3 aircraft. Although the FedEx and Raisbeck Stage 3 kits are extremely cost-effective solutions for achievement of Stage 3 compliance under FAR Part 36, the real benefits to the community are somewhat limited compared with those from an aircraft designed from the outset as a Stage 3 aircraft.


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