Willingness to pay for a hypothetical malaria vaccine in Brazil: a cross-sectional study and the implications

Aim: Malaria is an infection caused by protozoa of genus Plasmodium, considered the one associated with increasingly large outbreaks. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with residents in the northern region of Brazil on the willingness to pay (WTP) for a hypothetical vaccine against malaria (effective protection of 80%). Results: Of 616 people interviewed, most interviewees were female (61%) and were employed (97%). The median individual maximum WTP for a hypothetical malaria vaccine was US$11.90 (BRL 50). Conclusion: The northern region of Brazil is one of the largest markets for a malaria vaccine due to its epidemiological relevance. Consequently, economic studies will be important to assist in the assessment of the potential price and value of new vaccines.

The Patent Eligibility of 3D Bioprinting: Towards a New Version of Living Inventions’ Patentability

A combination of 3D printing techniques and synthetic biology, 3D bioprinting is a promising field. It is expected that 3D bioprinting technologies will have applications across an array of fields, spanning biotechnology, medical surgery and the pharmaceutical industry. Nonetheless, the progress of these technologies could be hindered, unless there is adequate and effective protection for related applications. In this article, the authors examine the patent eligibility of 3D bioprinting technologies. This issue raises concern given that existing patent systems are generally averse to nature-derived inventions and many of them exclude products of nature or discoveries from patentability. This qualitative study analyses the current patent systems in key jurisdictions, particularly, the U.S. and the EU, and their applicability, as well as effectiveness, in the context of 3D bioprinting. The study argues that the main reason for the apathy of existing patent systems towards bio-inventions is that they were designed to deal with mechanical inventions. It suggests an innovation framework that encompasses both mechanical and biological inventions to cater adequately to emerging technologies.

Manufacturing of Bellows Compensator by Pulsed-Magnetic Field Pressure

Bellows are a cylindrical shell with a corrugated part, widely used in aviation engineering as a movable sealing element to balance pressure and temperature differences, which ensure continuous and accurate system operation. The use of bellows expansion joints provides reliable and effective protection of pipelines from static and dynamic loads arising from deformations and vibration. Welded-edge bellows are a popular choice for regulating and controlling fuel supply in aircraft devices. The ability of the compensator to perceive deformations is determined by its assigned operating time, which describes how many cycles, and with what amplitude, the bellows compensator perceives without damage. A method for stamping bellows from tubular billets by using magnetic-pulse field in rigid dies, including sequential shaping of corrugations by distributing the internal magnetic pressure with axial movement of the free end of a tubular billet, characterized in that the material of the tubular billet for shaping corrugations is selected in accordance with its relative elongation.

Aspects of Expanding the Interaction between the State and Civil Society

The aim of this study was a holistic analysis of aspects of expanding the interaction between the state and civil society on the example of the experience of foreign countries, namely Austria, Belgium, France, Italy, and Poland. The research involves such methods as sociological analysis, systemic and case study methods, structural and comparative methods, as well as the dialectical method. The factors of expanding the interaction of the judiciary as a representative of the state, which protects the rights and interests of civil society, were identified in accordance with the results of the study. As a result, conclusions were drawn on the need for the judiciary, as a representative of the state, to use methods to expand the interaction between the state and society, in the person of every citizen. The use of those factors in relation to such interaction will further help increase public confidence in the state, which will ensure effective protection of the rights and interests of society.

Legal Mechanisms for Protection of the Rights of Participants in Contractual and Non-Contractual Legal Relations

The aim of this study is a comprehensive analysis of legal mechanisms to protect the rights of participants in contractual and non-contractual relations based on the experience of foreign countries, namely: Australia, Brazil, Spain, Mexico, Germany, Portugal, Turkey, France, and Switzerland. This research involved the following methods: sociological analysis, system-structural and comparative methods, logical-semantic and formal-logical methods, as well as the dialectical method. Our study resulted in identification of the main characteristics and features of legal mechanisms to protect the rights of participants in contractual and non-contractual relations of each of the studied countries. As a result, we drew conclusions about the need to update the regulatory framework of most of the said countries. The further use of mechanisms for legal protection of the rights of participants in contractual and non-contractual relations will help ensure their real and effective protection.

Population immunity to SARS-CoV-2 in US states and counties due to infection and vaccination, January 2020-November 2021

Importance: Prior infection and vaccination both contribute to population-level SARS-CoV-2 immunity. Population-level immunity will influence future transmission and disease burden. Objective: For each US county and state, we estimated the fraction of the population with prior immunological exposure to SARS-CoV-2 (ever infected with SARS-CoV-2 and/or received one or more doses of a COVID-19 vaccine) as well as the fraction with effective protection against infection and severe disease from prevalent SARS-CoV-2 variants, from January 1st, 2020, to October 31st, 2021. Design, settings, participants: We used daily SARS-CoV-2 infection estimates for each US state and county, derived based on reported data on COVID-19 cases and deaths. We collated county-level vaccination coverage data and estimated the fraction of individuals both vaccinated and previously infected using the Census Bureau Household Pulse Survey. We used published evidence on natural and vaccine-induced immunity, and how protection wanes over time. We used a Bayesian model to synthesize evidence and estimate population immunity outcomes. Main Outcomes and Measures: Primary outcomes were the fraction of the population with (i) a history of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 infection or COVID-19 vaccination or both, (ii) effective protection against infection, and (iii) effective protection against severe disease. We estimated outcomes for each US state and county from January 1st, 2020, to October 31st, 2021. Results: The estimated percentage of the US population with a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection or vaccination, as of October 31, 2021, was 86.2% (95%CrI: 82.2%-93.0%), compared to 24.9% (95%CrI: 18.5%-34.1%) on January 1, 2021. State-level estimates for October 31, 2021, ranged between 72.2% (95%CrI: 62.5%-83.3%, West Virginia) and 92.3% (95%CrI: 88.6%-96.1%, Florida). Accounting for waning, the effective protection against infection with prevalent strains as of October 31 was 49.9% (95%CrI: 45.4%-56.6%) nationally and ranged between 37.2% (95%CrI: 33.4%-44.7%, Vermont) and 59.5% (95%CrI: 56.4%-66.0%, Florida). Effective protection against severe disease was 77.4% (95%CrI: 73.7%-83.4%) nationally and ranged between 62.9% (95%CrI: 55.2%-73.3%, West Virginia) and 83.8% (95%CrI: 80.7%-88.0%, Florida). Conclusions and Relevance: The fraction of the population with effective protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe COVID-19 varies across the United States, but a substantial proportion of the population remains susceptible.

Response and Duration of Serum Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies After Inactivated Vaccination Within 160 Days

BackgroundA vaccine against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) with highly effective protection is urgently needed. The anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibody response and duration after vaccination are crucial predictive indicators.ObjectivesTo evaluate the response and duration for 5 subsets of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies after vaccination and their predictive value for protection.MethodsWe determined the response and duration for 5 subsets of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies (neutralizing antibody, anti-RBD total antibody, anti-Spike IgG, anti-Spike IgM, and anti-Spike IgA) in 61 volunteers within 160 days after the CoronaVac vaccine. A logistic regression model was used to determine the predictors of the persistence of neutralizing antibody persistence.ResultsThe seropositivity rates of neutralizing antibody, anti-RBD total antibody, anti-Spike IgG, anti-Spike IgM, and anti-Spike IgA were only 4.92%, 27.87%, 21.31%, 3.28% and 0.00%, respectively, at the end of the first dose (28 days). After the second dose, the seropositivity rates reached peaks of 95.08%, 100.00%, 100.00%, 59.02% and 31.15% in two weeks (42 days). Their decay was obvious and the seropositivity rate remained at 19.67%, 54.10%, 50.82%, 3.28% and 0.00% on day 160, respectively. The level of neutralizing antibody reached a peak of 149.40 (101.00–244.60) IU/mL two weeks after the second dose (42 days) and dropped to 14.23 (7.62–30.73) IU/mL at 160 days, with a half-life of 35.61(95% CI, 32.68 to 39.12) days. Younger participants (≤31 years) had 6.179 times more persistent neutralizing antibodies than older participants (>31 years) (P<0.05). Participants with anti-Spike IgA seropositivity had 4.314 times greater persistence of neutralizing antibodies than participants without anti-Spike IgA seroconversion (P<0.05).ConclusionsAntibody response for the CoronaVac vaccine was intense and comprehensive with 95.08% neutralizing seropositivity rate, while decay was also obvious after 160 days. Therefore, booster doses should be considered in the vaccine strategies.