Development of suspension adapted Vero cell culture process technology for production of viral vaccines

Vero cells are considered as the most widely accepted continuous cell line by the regulatory authorities (such as WHO) for the manufacture of viral vaccines for human use. The growth of Vero cells is anchorage-dependent. Scale-up and manufacturing in adherent cultures are labor intensive and complicated. Adaptation of Vero cells to grow in suspension will simplify subcultivation and process scale-up significantly, and therefore reduce the production cost.Here we report on a successful adaptation of adherent Vero cells to grow in suspension in a serum-free and animal component-free medium (IHM03) developed in-house. The suspension adapted Vero cell cultures in IHM03 grew to similar or better maximum cell density as what was observed for the adherent Vero cells grown in commercial serum-free media and with a cell doubling time of 40–44 h. Much higher cell density (8 × 10⁶ cells/mL) was achieved in a batch culture when three volume of the culture medium was replaced during the batch culture process.Both adherent and suspension Vero cells from various stages were tested for their authenticity using short tandem repeat analysis. Testing result indicates that all Vero cell samples had 100% concordance with the Vero DNA control sample, indicating the suspension cells maintained their genetic stability. Furthermore, suspension Vero cells at a passage number of 163 were assayed for tumorigenicity, and were not found to be tumorigenic.The viral productivity of suspension Vero cells was evaluated by using vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) as a model. The suspension cell culture showed a better productivity of VSV than the adherent Vero cell culture. In addition, the suspension culture could be infected at higher cell densities, thus improving the volumetric virus productivity. More than one log of increase in the VSV productivity was achieved in a 3L bioreactor perfusion culture infected at a cell density of 6.8 × 10⁶ cells/mL.     

Horloge interne,sommeil et médias électroniques : le comportement à risque des adolescents

The internal clock located in the suprachiasmatic nuclei of the hypothalamus is controlled by genetic factors (clock genes) and environmental factors (light-dark and sleep-wake alternations). Light is the major component of the clock control. Clock desynchronization occurs when the internal clock is no longer in phase with the environment resulting in a phase shift (phase advance or phase delay depending of the time of exposure to light). An increasing number of children and adolescents are experiencing chronic exposure to light at night due to misuse, including late at night, of electronic media. This results in a clock desynchronization, i.e. a shift of the clock circadian phase (which is delayed with exposure to light at night) with concomitant health issues: disturbances of sleep which is both shortened and delayed, mood alterations, fatigue etc. This risky behavior of children and adolescents is becoming a public health issue.     

Examining the relationship between social media engagement and hospital revenue

Abstract

Effective use of social media by hospitals has the potential to improve hospitals’ financial performance by facilitating customer service and providing hospitals with a low-cost marketing platform. This cross-sectional study explored the relationship between hospital Facebook engagement and patient revenue in a simple random sample of United States short-term acute care hospitals. There was a positive relationship between Facebook engagement and hospital patient revenue for rural hospitals, but not for urban hospitals. Additional research is needed to identify the mechanisms through which hospitals’ social media presence influences consumer health purchasing behavior and profitability.     

慢性化脓性中耳炎患者综合护理的干预效果分析

目的 探讨对慢性化脓性中耳炎患者采用综合护理干预方式完成围术期护理后的临床效果.方法 选择医院2014年6月—2019年2月收治的80例慢性化脓性中耳炎患者作为实验对象;随机数表法分组后探究每组围术期选择的护理干预措施;对照组(40例):选择围术期基础护理措施;试验组(40例):选择围术期基础护理措施+综合护理干预措;比较两组中耳炎患者术后听力障碍恢复情况以及护理后并发症情况.结果 护理前,试验组慢性化脓性中耳炎患者听力障碍评分同对照组比较差异不明显(P>0.05);护理后,试验组听力障碍评分低于对照组明显(P<0.05);试验组慢性化脓性中耳炎患者并发症总发生率(2.50%)低于对照组(32.50%),差异明显(P<0.05).结论 慢性化脓性中耳炎患者于围术期接受综合护理干预后,对于听力障碍缓解、护理后安全指数提升,均获得显著作用效果,为慢性化脓性中耳炎患者康复状态的提升奠定基础.     

“I’ll use it differently now”: using dual-systems theory to explore youth engagement with networked technologies

ObjectivesMany young Canadians experience high levels of networked connectivity, which some suggest may negatively impact their health. Adult monitoring has not been shown to be an effective long-term strategy for supporting young people in healthy engagement with tech. In this study, we explore the benefits of empowering young people to set healthy goals and monitor themselves. We engage with Shapka’s (2019) critique of dual-systems theory, and consider the relationship between the neurological and behavioural systems in relation to adolescent internet use.MethodsUsing a youth participatory action research approach, we co-designed a project with six adolescents to explore the ways that their use of networked technologies was affecting their lives by disconnecting and observing how the lack of networked connectivity changed their experiences. The youth used a media diary to track their use of devices both before and after disconnecting.ResultsThe main benefit of disconnecting appeared to be having the opportunity to reflect on one’s own use of networked devices. This enabled the participants to reconnect in a more intentional way. Findings support Shapka’s speculation that dual-systems theory, with a focus on regulation, may not be the most useful way of supporting adolescents in developing healthy habits around their wired tech.ConclusionAdolescent experiences of networked technologies are complex, yet they are able to navigate this landscape with intelligent strategies. Their self-directed exploration of disconnection helped them to become reflexive practitioners who were able to revisit their use of networked technologies with new insights and self-control.     

Reflections of a lifetime in dermatopathology

During my lifetime, pathology has changed beyond recognition. From the early days of H/E-based diagnoses when the discipline really was an art form, there has been a step wise transformation through electron microscopy, immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry and molecular studies to a much more scientifically based approach. Having said that, the need for clinicopathological correlation still remains the bedrock of our speciality. Training the next generation of dermatopathologists has been the greatest reward throughout my career.     

Beyond the hashtag – An exploration of tweeting and replies at the European Society of Surgical Oncology 39th clinical conference (ESSO39)

IntroductionPrevious studies of conference tweeting have focused on tweets that used the conference hashtag. The aim of this study was to document responses beyond a specific conference hashtag.MethodsObservational study exploring replies to tweets for the 39th meeting of ESSO (ESSO39), Rotterdam, 9–11 October 2019. An extract of #ESSO39 tweets was obtained using NodeXL. Replies to these tweets were identified by viewing the tweets via Twitter.com.ResultsThere were 210 tweets posted using the #ESSO39 hashtag by 64 tweeters. However, extending the analysis to include responses that did not use the hashtag, tweets using the hashtag only represent 54% of all tweets posted or quoted at the conference, and only 49% of the tweeters posting content or quoted in tweets. Based on this study of ESSO39 therefore roughly half of tweets and contributors to conference tweeting were not captured by focusing simply on the conference hashtag (#ESSO39). Mentioning another tweeter(s) in a tweet or response was associated with more retweets, as was including the hashtag in replies.ConclusionsTwitter activity at medical conferences extends beyond the conference hashtag. Almost half of the tweeting was beyond the hashtag. To increase visibility of tweets, conference delegates should include the conference hashtag and mention other tweeters in their tweets and responses. Searching for tweets is an active process requiring users to click into replies. Twitter and third-party social media tools should improve identification and display of responses, showing the branching structure of replies and quoting tweets in real time.