Dual-Mechanism mRNA Delivery via Fluorinated-Sorbitol Polyplexes: Enhancing Cellular Uptake and Endosomal Escape for COVID-19 Vaccination.

Advancements in mRNA delivery nanoparticles have significantly improved the potential for treating challenging diseases. Due to the inherent immunogenicity and rapid degradation of mRNA, specialized nanoparticles are required for efficient intracellular uptake, endosomal escape, and protection from lysosomal degradation. Although current methods enable transgene expression but achieving a balance between efficiency and toxicity remains challenging.

analysis for the development of multi-epitope vaccines against .

As Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine's effectiveness is limited to only children, the development of new tuberculosis (TB) vaccines is being studied using several platforms, and a novel TB vaccine that overcomes this limitation is required. In this study, we designed an effective multi-epitope vaccine against using immunoinformatic analysis. First, we selected 11 highly antigenic proteins based on previous research: Ag85A, Ag85B, Ag85C, ESAT-6, MPT64, Rv2660c, TB10.

Poly(β-amino ester) polymer library with monomer variation for mRNA delivery.

Non-viral vectors for mRNA delivery primarily include lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) and polymers. While LNPs are known for their high mRNA delivery efficiency, they can induce excessive immune responses and cause off-target effects, potentially leading to side effects. In this study, we aimed to explore polymer-based mRNA delivery systems as a viable alternative to LNPs, focusing on their mRNA delivery efficiency and potential application in mRNA vaccines.

B Cell-Based Vaccine Transduced With ESAT6-Expressing Vaccinia Virus and Presenting α-Galactosylceramide Is a Novel Vaccine Candidate Against ESAT6-Expressing Mycobacterial Diseases.

Early secretory antigenic target-6 (ESAT6) is a potent immunogenic antigen expressed in as well as in some non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), such as . is one of the most clinically relevant species of NTM that causes mycobacterial lung disease, which is clinically indistinguishable from tuberculosis. In the current study, we designed a novel cell-based vaccine using B cells that were transduced with vaccinia virus expressing ESAT6 (vacESAT6), and presenting α-galactosylceramide (αGC), a ligand of invariant NKT cells.

Rotavirus diarrhea in hospitalized children under 5 years of age in Vientiane, Lao PDR, 2009-2015.

Background: Diarrhea is a leading cause of death in children <5 years worldwide, causing an estimated 215,000 deaths in 2013. This evaluation tracks the epidemiologic patterns and most common rotavirus genotypes among hospitalized children in this age group with acute gastroenteritis in Lao PDR.

Methods: Children <5 years in a central tertiary hospital in the capital city were prospectively enrolled into the surveillance platform during January 2009-December 2015.

High incidence of group A rotaviruses G4P[6] strains among children in Gyeonggi province of South Korea, from 2009 to 2012.

The genotype distribution of group A rotaviruses (RVAs) circulating in Gyeonggi province, South Korea between 2009 and 2012 was investigated. A total of 2619 stool specimens from sporadic acute gastroenteritis cases and 117 acute gastroenteritis outbreaks were analyzed. Among them, RVAs were detected from 263 (10.

Epidemics of Norovirus GII.4 Variant in Outbreak Cases in Korea, 2004-2012.

Norovirus GII.4 is recognized as a worldwide cause of nonbacterial outbreaks. In particular, the GII.

Detection of Rotavirus Genotypes in Korea 5 Years after the Introduction of Rotavirus Vaccines.

Rotavirus (RV) is one of the most important viral etiologic agents of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) in children. Although effective RV vaccines (RVVs) are now used worldwide, novel genotypes and outbreaks resulting from rare genotype combinations have emerged. This study documented RV genotypes in a Korean population of children with AGE 5 yr after the introduction of RVV and assessed potential genotype differences based on vaccination status or vaccine type.

A survey on the status of hepatitis e virus infection among slaughterhouse workers in South Korea.

Objectives: The seroprevalence of hepatitis E virus (HEV) among high-risk groups overseas is high, but studies in these groups are rare in South Korea. We conducted the present study from April to November 2012 to obtain data on the seroprevalence and associated risk factors for HEV among slaughterhouse workers in South Korea.

Methods: Slaughterhouse workers from 80 workplaces nationwide were surveyed in South Korea in 2012.

Updates on the genetic variations of norovirus in sporadic gastroenteritis in Chungnam Korea, 2009-2010.

Previously, we explored the epidemic pattern and molecular characterization of noroviruses (NoVs) isolated in Chungnam, Korea in 2008, and the present study extended these observations to 2009 and 2010. In Korea, NoVs showed the seasonal prevalence from late fall to spring, and widely detected in preschool children and peoples over 60 years of age. Epidemiological pattern of NoV was similar in 2008 and in 2010, but pattern in 2009 was affected by pandemic influenza A/H1N1 2009 virus.

Genetic analysis of hepatitis A virus strains that induced epidemics in Korea during 2007-2009.

Hepatitis A virus is one of the most prominent causes of fecally transmitted acute hepatitis worldwide. In order to characterize the viral agents causing an outbreak in Korea (comprising North and South Korea) from June 2007 to May 2009, we collected specimens and performed genotyping of the VP1/P2A and VP3/VP1 regions of hepatitis A virus. We then used a multiple-alignment algorithm to compare the nucleotide sequences of the 2 regions with those of reference strains.

Infection status of hospitalized diarrheal patients with gastrointestinal protozoa, bacteria, and viruses in the Republic of Korea.

To understand protozoan, viral, and bacterial infections in diarrheal patients, we analyzed positivity and mixed-infection status with 3 protozoans, 4 viruses, and 10 bacteria in hospitalized diarrheal patients during 2004-2006 in the Republic of Korea. A total of 76,652 stool samples were collected from 96 hospitals across the nation. The positivity for protozoa, viruses, and bacteria was 129, 1,759, and 1,797 per 10,000 persons, respectively.

Murine norovirus-1 3Dpol exhibits RNA-dependent RNA polymerase activity and nucleotidylylates on Tyr of the VPg.

We investigated the roles and biochemical properties of recombinant murine norovirus-1 (MNV-1) 3D(pol) in RNA synthesis and virus genome-linked protein (VPg) nucleotidylylation. We therefore expressed VPg and 3D(pol) of MNV-1 in Escherichia coli. MNV-1 3D(pol) exhibited RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) activity in vitro with poly(A) RNA as a template and MnCl(2) as a cofactor.