Evaluation of an RBD-nucleocapsid fusion protein as a booster candidate for COVID-19 vaccine.

Despite successful vaccines and updates, constant mutations of SARS-CoV-2 makes necessary the search for new vaccines. We generated a chimeric protein that comprises the receptor-binding domain from spike and the nucleocapsid antigens (SpiN) from SARS-CoV-2. Once SpiN elicits a protective immune response in rodents, here we show that convalescent and previously vaccinated individuals respond to SpiN.

ASP-2/Trans-sialidase chimeric protein induces robust protective immunity in experimental models of Chagas' disease.

Immunization with the Amastigote Surface Protein-2 (ASP-2) and Trans-sialidase (TS) antigens either in the form of recombinant protein, encoded in plasmids or human adenovirus 5 (hAd5) confers robust protection against various lineages of Trypanosoma cruzi. Herein we generated a chimeric protein containing the most immunogenic regions for T and B cells from TS and ASP-2 (TRASP) and evaluated its immunogenicity in comparison with our standard protocol of heterologous prime-boost using plasmids and hAd5. Mice immunized with TRASP protein associated to Poly-ICLC (Hiltonol) were highly resistant to challenge with T.

DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF AN ENZYME-LINKED IMMUNOASSAY KIT FOR DIAGNOSIS AND SURVEILLANCE OF COVID-19.

There is a massive demand to identify alternative methods to detect new cases of COVID-19 as well as to investigate the epidemiology of the disease. In many countries, importation of commercial kits poses a significant impact on their testing capacity and increases the costs for the public health system. We have developed an ELISA to detect IgG antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 using a recombinant viral nucleocapsid (rN) protein expressed in .

Promotion of neutralizing antibody-independent immunity to wild-type and SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern using an RBD-Nucleocapsid fusion protein.

Both T cells and B cells have been shown to be generated after infection with SARS-CoV-2 yet protocols or experimental models to study one or the other are less common. Here, we generate a chimeric protein (SpiN) that comprises the receptor binding domain (RBD) from Spike (S) and the nucleocapsid (N) antigens from SARS-CoV-2. Memory CD4 and CD8 T cells specific for SpiN could be detected in the blood of both individuals vaccinated with Coronavac SARS-CoV-2 vaccine and COVID-19 convalescent donors.

Development and validation of an enzyme-linked immunoassay kit for diagnosis and surveillance of COVID-19.

There is a massive demand to identify alternative methods to detect new cases of COVID-19 as well as to investigate the epidemiology of the disease. In many countries, importation of commercial kits poses a significant impact on their testing capacity and increases the costs for the public health system. We have developed an ELISA to detect IgG antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 using a recombinant viral nucleocapsid (rN) protein expressed in .

The C-Terminal Domain of Zinc Transport Protein AdcA Binds Plasminogen and Factor H In Vitro.

Bacterial acquisition of metals from a host is an essential attribute to facilitate survival and colonization within an infected organism. , a bacterial pathogen of medical importance, has evolved its strategies to acquire multiple metals, including iron, manganese, and zinc. Other important strategies for the colonization and infection of the host have been reported for staphylococci and include the expression of adhesins on the bacterial surface, as well as the acquisition of host plasminogen and complement regulatory proteins.

A Previously Healthy 18-Year-Old Male With Fever, Arrhythmia, and Shock.

A male individual aged 18 years with no significant past medical history presented with fever, headache, dry cough, and chest pain. On clinical examination, he had tachycardia and hypotension needing intravenous fluid resuscitation and inotropic support. A chest radiograph revealed streaky lung opacities, and he was treated with antibiotics for suspected community-acquired pneumonia complicated by septic shock.

Chikungunya E2 Protein Produced in and HEK293-T Cells-Comparison of Their Performances in ELISA.

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a mosquito-borne pathogen that causes a disease characterized by the acute onset of fever accompanied by arthralgia and intense joint pain. Clinical similarities and cocirculation of this and other arboviruses in many tropical countries highlight the necessity for efficient and accessible diagnostic tools. CHIKV envelope proteins are highly conserved among alphaviruses and, particularly, the envelope 2 glycoprotein (CHIKV-E2) appears to be immunodominant and has a considerable serodiagnosis potential.

Evaluation of Some Ingredients and Energy Content on Front-of-Pack Cereal Bar Labeling as Drivers of Choice and Perception of Healthiness: A Case Study with Exercisers.

The objective of this study was to explore the drivers of choice and perceptions of healthiness that specific ingredient or energy content information displayed on the front-of-pack label of cereal bars triggers among different groups of consumers. The participants (18 to 50 years old), classified as exercisers (n = 103, 52 women) or nonexercisers (n = 101, 51 women), completed a questionnaire and then rated their interest using images of cereal bars that varied in four characteristics ("With fruit," "With chocolate," "High protein," and calorie content). Conjoint analysis showed that the most important motives were associated with the convenience, pleasure/indulgence and liking dimensions, which did not differ between groups.

Development of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using recombinant protein antigen for the diagnosis of Chikungunya virus.

We describe here the development of an in-house enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the diagnostic of (CHIKV) infections using a recombinant protein from CHIKV. The recombinant protein gene was designed based on 154 sequences and we used computational methods to predict its structure and antigenic potential. To confirm predictions, the gene coding for the recombinant CHIKV protein (rCHIKVp) was synthetized and expressed in prokaryotic system.

The multifaceted roles of Leptospira enolase.

A previous study had demonstrated that Leptospira enolase is secreted extracellularly by a yet unknown mechanism and reassociates with the bacterial membrane. Surface-anchored leptospiral enolase displays plasminogen binding activity. In this work, we explored the consequences of this interaction and also assessed whether Leptospira enolase might display additional moonlighting functions by interacting with other host effector proteins.

Vioserpin, a serine protease inhibitor from Gloeobacter violaceus possibly regulated by heparin.

Serine peptidase inhibitor (serpin) is the name given to the superfamily of proteins with wide range of biological functions, and that the main feature is the inhibition of serine proteases. Here we describe the inhibitory characterization of a serpin from Gloeobacter violaceus that we named vioserpin. The serpin presented a high specificity to inhibit trypsin-like enzymes with a rapid inhibition rate constant (2.

Asbestos exposure among transmission mechanics in automotive repair shops.

Objectives: Asbestos has been used in a broad variety of industrial products, including clutch discs of the transmission system of vehicles. Studies conducted in high-income countries that have analyzed personal asbestos exposures of transmission mechanics have concluded that these workers are exposed to asbestos concentrations in compliance with the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (US OSHA) occupational standards. Clutch facings are the friction component of clutch discs.