Using the Past to Maximize the Success Probability of Future Anti-Viral Vaccines

Rapid obtaining of safe, effective, anti-viral vaccines has recently risen to the top of the international agenda. To maximize the success probability of future anti-viral vaccines, the anti-viral vaccines successful in the past are summarized here by virus type and vaccine type. The primary focus is on viruses with both single-stranded RNA genomes and a membrane envelope, given the pandemic past of influenza viruses and coronaviruses. The following conclusion is reached, assuming that success of future strategies is positively correlated with strategies successful in the past. The primary strategy, especially for emerging pandemic viruses, should be development of vaccine antigens that are live-attenuated viruses; the secondary strategy should be development of vaccine antigens that are inactivated virus particles. Support for this conclusion comes from the complexity of immune systems. These conclusions imply the need for a revision in current strategic planning.

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What’s Good for George Sánchez Is Good for Boyle Heights: Regenerative Scholarship, Urban Racism, Gentrification, and East LA Interchange

Kalfou A Journal of Comparative and Relational Ethnic Studies ◽

10.15367/kf.v4i2.163 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 4 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Gilbert Estrada

Keyword(s):

Working Class ◽

Urban Pollution ◽

Metropolitan Regions ◽

The Past ◽

Award Winning ◽

Boyle Heights ◽

Good For ◽

Primary Focus ◽

Deed Restrictions ◽

Class Community

The inclusive ideals of George Sánchez have helped shape a new generation of academics who have promoted connections with nonacademic organizations. This article discusses how Sánchez has continued these efforts through his pivotal contributions to an award-winning documentary focusing on the multiethnic, working-class community of Boyle Heights: Betsy Kalin’s film East LA Interchange (2015). East LA Interchange’s greatest contribution to the generative scholarship Sánchez emphasizes is its critical analysis of modern urban problems, utilizing history as a tool for social change. The story of Boyle Heights is not just a history of a single working-class community with a diverse culture. It is also a tale of a neighborhood trying to solve real world problems such as gentrification, unaffordable housing, community displacement, and urban pollution. The film portrays these difficulties in the present while showing that they originated decades ago. Sánchez and East LA Interchange are at their best when they provide the historical contexts of contemporary problems, emphasizing that history is not only the study of the past. Rather, history is the unending dialogue between the past, present, and future, and any significant discourse on today’s urban ills must be rooted in the past. For students and others interested in the diverse communities common in many US metropolitan regions, East LA Interchange has much to offer regarding the issues of immigration, redlining, deed restrictions, political activism, freeway construction, living with racially and ethnically diverse community members, and the nationwide problem of gentrification. These themes, especially gentrification, are the primary focus of this article.

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241 Trends in the percentage of modified live, killed, and combination respiratory viral vaccines administered to beef calves offered for sale in summer video auctions from 2000 through 2018

Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.1093/jas/skaa054.016 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 98 (Supplement_3) ◽

pp. 9-10

Author(s):

Maggie J Smith ◽

Mike E King ◽

Karol E Fike ◽

Esther D McCabe ◽

Glenn M Rogers ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Trend Test ◽

Fort Worth ◽

Single Gender ◽

Beef Calves ◽

Vaccine Type ◽

Viral Vaccine ◽

Viral Vaccines ◽

Dramatic Shift ◽

Armitage Trend Test

Abstract The objective of this study was to identify trends in the percentage of type of respiratory viral vaccines administered to lots of beef calves offered for sale in summer video auctions from 2000 through 2018. There were 59,762 lots of single-gender beef calves (7,167,352 total calves) offered for sale in 145 summer video auctions during these years. Information describing calf lots was obtained from the auction service (Superior Livestock Auction, Fort Worth, TX) which included named vaccines administered to the lot. Named 4- or 5-way respiratory viral vaccines were classified into three groups based on the type of antigens they contained: all modified live antigens (MLV), all killed antigens (KILLED), and a combination of modified live and killed antigens (COMBO). The Cochran-Armitage Trend Test was used to quantify the significance of a trend in the usage of each respiratory viral vaccine type. There was an increase (P < 0.0001) in the percentage of MLV vaccines given to beef calf lots from 2000 (39.7%) through 2018 (88.9%). At the same time, the percentages of both KILLED and COMBO vaccines administered to lots of beef calves declined (P < 0.0001 and P < 0.0001, respectively). In 2000, 31.2% and 29.1% of the total respiratory viral vaccines given to beef calf lots were KILLED or COMBO vaccines, respectively. By 2018, only 4.7% of respiratory viral vaccines were KILLED, and only 6.4% were COMBO vaccines. This dramatic shift indicates an industry trend towards increasing MLV vaccine utilization compared with declining usage of KILLED and COMBO vaccines. This trend may be a result of MLV vaccine approval for use in calves nursing pregnant cows.

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Verification of a resetting protocol for an uncontrolled superconducting qubit

npj Quantum Information ◽

10.1038/s41534-020-00329-3 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Ming Gong ◽

Feihu Xu ◽

Zheng-Da Li ◽

Zizhu Wang ◽

Yu-Zhe Zhang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Success Probability ◽

Quantum Systems ◽

Trivial Case ◽

Superconducting Qubit ◽

The Past ◽

Probability Of Success ◽

Different Types ◽

Target Probe ◽

Nonzero Probability ◽

Reset State

AbstractQuantum resetting protocols allow a quantum system to be sent to a state in the past by making it interact with quantum probes when neither the free evolution of the system nor the interaction is controlled. We experimentally verify the simplest non-trivial case of a quantum resetting protocol, known as the $${{\mathcal{W}}}_{4}$$ W 4 protocol, with five superconducting qubits, testing it with different types of free evolutions and target–probe interactions. After projection, we obtained a reset state fidelity as high as 0.951, and the process fidelity was found to be 0.792. We also implemented 100 randomly chosen interactions and demonstrated an average success probability of 0.323 for $$\left|1\right\rangle$$ 1 and 0.292 for $$\left|-\right\rangle$$ − , and experimentally confirmed the nonzero probability of success for unknown interactions; the numerical simulated values are about 0.3. Our experiment shows that the simplest quantum resetting protocol can be implemented with current technologies, making such protocols a valuable tool in the eternal fight against unwanted evolution in quantum systems.

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Identification of Infectious Disease Agents: Unusual and usual Pathogens and the Diagnostic Difficulties they Present

Microscopy and Microanalysis ◽

10.1017/s1431927600035704 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 6 (S2) ◽

pp. 642-643

Author(s):

CD Humphrey

Keyword(s):

Infectious Disease ◽

Influenza Viruses ◽

Infectious Agents ◽

Identification Methods ◽

Species Migration ◽

The Past ◽

Ecological Changes ◽

Diagnostic Difficulties ◽

Genetic Profiles

“Emergence” of infectious disease agents in humans, domestic animals and wildlife during the past 20 years has been widely described. Perception of emergence derives largely from the application of improved identification methods, including refinements in molecular, serologic, and microscopy technologies that enable researchers to monitor species migration with greater sensitivity. The reality of emergence comes from shifts in genetic profiles and from influences of ecological changes often brought about by human interventions designed for economic or quality-of-life gains, and ecologic management. CDC has frequent involvement with many outbreaks caused by various infectious disease agents, some of which may be considered emerging. Notable unusual agents include filoviruses (Fig. 1) and hantaviruses (Fig. 2). More typically encountered agents include caliciviruses (Fig. 3) and influenza viruses (Fig. 4). Recently, threats of national and international bioterrorism have added to CDC's responsibilities for prompt identification of infectious agents.

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Generation of Live Attenuated Influenza Virus by Using Codon Usage Bias

Journal of Virology ◽

10.1128/jvi.01443-15 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 89 (21) ◽

pp. 10762-10773 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Rebecca L. Y. Fan ◽

Sophie A. Valkenburg ◽

Chloe K. S. Wong ◽

Olive T. W. Li ◽

John M. Nicholls ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Influenza Virus ◽

Avian Influenza ◽

Codon Usage ◽

Codon Bias ◽

Seasonal Influenza ◽

Viral Proteins ◽

Influenza Viruses ◽

Donor Strain ◽

Avian Influenza Viruses ◽

Attenuated Viruses

ABSTRACTSeasonal influenza epidemics and occasional pandemics threaten public health worldwide. New alternative strategies for generating recombinant viruses with vaccine potential are needed. Interestingly, influenza viruses circulating in different hosts have been found to have distinct codon usage patterns, which may reflect host adaptation. We therefore hypothesized that it is possible to make a human seasonal influenza virus that is specifically attenuated in human cells but not in eggs by converting its codon usage so that it is similar to that observed from avian influenza viruses. This approach might help to generate human live attenuated viruses without affecting their yield in eggs. To test this hypothesis, over 300 silent mutations were introduced into the genome of a seasonal H1N1 influenza virus. The resultant mutant was significantly attenuated in mammalian cells and mice, yet it grew well in embryonated eggs. A single dose of intranasal vaccination induced potent innate, humoral, and cellular immune responses, and the mutant could protect mice against homologous and heterologous viral challenges. The attenuated mutant could also be used as a vaccine master donor strain by introducing hemagglutinin and neuraminidase genes derived from other strains. Thus, our approach is a successful strategy to generate attenuated viruses for future application as vaccines.IMPORTANCEVaccination has been one of the best protective measures in combating influenza virus infection. Current licensed influenza vaccines and their production have various limitations. Our virus attenuation strategy makes use of the codon usage biases of human and avian influenza viruses to generate a human-derived influenza virus that is attenuated in mammalian hosts. This method, however, does not affect virus replication in eggs. This makes the resultant mutants highly compatible with existing egg-based vaccine production pipelines. The viral proteins generated from the codon bias mutants are identical to the wild-type viral proteins. In addition, our massive genome-wide mutational approach further minimizes the concern over reverse mutations. The potential use of this kind of codon bias mutant as a master donor strain to generate other live attenuated viruses is also demonstrated. These findings put forward a promising live attenuated influenza vaccine generation strategy to control influenza.

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Comparison of A(H3N2) Neutralizing Antibody Responses Elicited by 2018–2019 Season Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccines Derived from Eggs, Cells, and Recombinant Hemagglutinin

Clinical Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1093/cid/ciaa1352 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Wei Wang ◽

Esmeralda Alvarado-Facundo ◽

Russell Vassell ◽

Limone Collins ◽

Rhonda E Colombo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Neutralizing Antibodies ◽

Neutralizing Antibody ◽

Vaccine Virus ◽

Influenza Viruses ◽

Antigenic Drift ◽

Influenza Vaccines ◽

Open Label ◽

Virus Propagation ◽

Vaccine Antigens ◽

H3n2 Influenza

Abstract Background Low vaccine effectiveness against A(H3N2) influenza in seasons with little antigenic drift has been attributed to substitutions in hemagglutinin (HA) acquired during vaccine virus propagation in eggs. Clinical trials comparing recombinant HA vaccine (rHA) and cell-derived inactivated influenza vaccine (IIV) to egg-derived IIVs provide opportunities to assess how egg-adaptive substitutions influence HA immunogenicity. Methods Neutralization titers in pre- and postimmunization sera from 133 adults immunized with 1 of 3 types of influenza vaccines in a randomized, open-label trial during the 2018–2019 influenza season were measured against egg- and cell-derived A/Singapore/INFIMH-16-0019/2016-like and circulating A(H3N2) influenza viruses using HA pseudoviruses. Results All vaccines elicited neutralizing antibodies to all H3 vaccine antigens, but the rHA vaccine elicited the highest titers and seroconversion rates against all strains tested. Egg- and cell-derived IIVs elicited responses similar to each other. Preimmunization titers against H3 HA pseudoviruses containing egg-adaptive substitutions T160K and L194P were high, but lower against H3 HA pseudoviruses without those substitutions. All vaccines boosted neutralization titers against HA pseudoviruses with egg-adaptive substitutions, but poorly neutralized wild-type 2019–2020 A/Kansas/14/2017 (H3N2) HA pseudoviruses. Conclusion Egg- and cell-derived 2018–2019 season influenza vaccines elicited similar neutralization titers and response rates, indicating that the cell-derived vaccine did not improve immunogenicity against the A(H3N2) viruses. The higher responses after rHA vaccination may be due to its higher HA content. All vaccines boosted titers to HA with egg-adaptive substitutions, suggesting boosting from past antigens or better exposure of HA epitopes. Studies comparing immunogenicity and effectiveness of different influenza vaccines across many seasons are needed.

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Screening the church: A study of clergy representation in contemporary Afrikaans cinema

HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies ◽

10.4102/hts.v74i2.4891 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 74 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Shaun Joynt ◽

Chris Broodryk

Keyword(s):

Practical Theology ◽

Urban Society ◽

Dutch Reformed ◽

The Past ◽

Reformed Church ◽

Religious Conservatism ◽

Political Conservatism ◽

Primary Focus ◽

The Church

The church-funded CARFO or KARFO (Afrikaans Christian Filmmaking Organisation) was established in 1947, and aimed to ‘[socialise] the newly urbanized Afrikaner into a Christian urban society’ (Tomaselli 1985:25; Paleker 2009:45). This initiative was supported and sustained by the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC), which had itself been part of the sociopolitical and ideological fabric of Afrikaans religious life for a while and would guide Afrikaners through tensions between religious conservatism and liberalism and into apartheid. Given Afrikaans cinema’s ties with Christian religious and political conservatism, we explore the role – even the centrality – of the Afrikaans church in cultural activity before 1994, and then after 1994. Here, Afrikaans church is an inclusive term that brings together various denominations of Afrikaans-speaking churches, but which mainly suggests the domination of the DRC. After establishing the role of the Afrikaans church in the way described above, we move towards the primary focus of our study: exploring the representation of clergy in the contemporary Afrikaans film Faan se Trein in order to describe certain theological implications of this representation. With reference to Faan se Trein, our article notes and comments on the shifts that have occurred in clergy representation in Afrikaans cinema over the past decades. Osmer’s four tasks of practical theology, namely, descriptive, interpretive, normative and strategic are used for theological reflection. With due contextual reference to Afrikaans film dramas such as Broer Matie [Brother Matie], Saak van Geloof [A Matter of Faith], Roepman [Stargazer], Stilte [Silence], Suiderkruis [Southern Cross] and Faan se Trein, we arrive at some preliminary conclusions about the representation of clergy in mainly contemporary Afrikaans cinema.

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