Background: The contamination of ambulances with pathogenic agents represents a potential threat for the public health, not only for common pathogens but also for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The aim of this project was to exploits the germicidal effect of the UVC radiation at 254 nm to sanitize the patient’s compartment of ambulances with an advanced UltraViolet SANitizing System (UV-SAN) and assess its relevance for avoiding the spread of COVID-19 and other drug resistant pathogens. Methods: The system is equipped with UVC lamps that are activated when the ambulance compartment is empty and sanitize the environment in less than 15 min. An Ozone sensor continuously monitors the gas concentration, ensuring it does not exceed threshold value harmful for patients and operators’ health. The system is relying on GNSS data and a satellite communication link, which allow to monitor and record traceability (when, where and what) of all the sanitation operations performed. This information is real-time monitored from a dedicated web-application. Results: UVC irradiation efficiently reduced SARS-CoV-2 virus titer (>99.99%), on inanimate surfaces such as plastic, stainless steel or rubber, with doses ranging from 5.5 to 24.8 mJ/cm2 and the UV-SAN system is effective against multi drug resistant (MDR) bacteria up to >99.99%, after 10 to 30 min of irradiation. Conclusions: UV-SAN can provide rapid, efficient and sustainable sanitization procedures of ambulances.
Integrase-defective lentiviral vectors (IDLVs) represent an attractive platform for vaccine development as a result of the ability to induce persistent humoral- and cellular-mediated immune responses against the encoded transgene. Compared with the parental integrating vector, the main advantages for using IDLV are the reduced hazard of insertional mutagenesis and the decreased risk for vector mobilization by wild-type viruses. Here we report on the development and use in the mouse immunogenicity model of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)-based IDLV containing a long deletion in the U3 region and with the 3′ polypurine tract (PPT) removed from the transfer vector for improving safety and/or efficacy. Results show that a safer extended deletion of U3 sequences did not modify integrase-mediated or -independent integration efficiency. Interestingly, 3′ PPT deletion impaired integrase-mediated integration but did not reduce illegitimate, integrase-independent integration efficiency, contrary to what was previously reported in the HIV system. Importantly, although the extended deletion in the U3 did not affect expression or immunogenicity from IDLV, deletion of 3′ PPT considerably reduced both expression and immunogenicity of IDLV.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.