| 1. |
- Seiffert, P, et al.
(författare)
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Immunogenicity of the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine in older residents of a long-term care facility: relation with age, frailty and prior infection status
- 2022
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Ingår i: Biogerontology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1573-6768 .- 1389-5729. ; 23:1, s. 53-64
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Clinical and biological assessment of the COVID-19 vaccine efficacy in the frail population is of crucial importance. The study focuses on measuring the levels of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies before and after BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccination among long-term care facility (LTCF) elderly residents. We conducted a prospective, single-center, observational study among LTCF residents. The study protocol was based on three blood sample acquisitions: first taken at baseline—5 days before the first dose of the vaccine, second—20 days after the first dose, and third—12 days after the second shot of the vaccine. The comparison was made for two cohorts: patients with and without prior COVID-19 infection. The data was collected from January to March 2021. A total number of 78 LTCF residents (55 women and 23 men) aged 62–104, 85.72 ± 7.59 years (mean ± SD), were enrolled in the study. All study participants were investigated for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 anti-spike (S) protein IgG, using a chemiluminescent immunoassay. Frailty was assessed with the Clinical Frailty Scale. Among elderly COVID-19 survivors in LTCF, a single dose of vaccine significantly increased anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody levels. IgG concentration after a single and double dose was comparable, which may suggest that elderly COVID-19 survivors do not require a second dose of vaccine. For residents without a previous history of COVID-19, two doses are needed to achieve an effective serological response. The level of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies after vaccination with BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 did not correlate with the frailty and age of the studied individuals.
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| 2. |
- Golda-Cepa, M., et al.
(författare)
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Multifunctional PLGA/Parylene C Coating for Implant Materials : An Integral Approach for Biointerface Optimization
- 2016
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Ingår i: ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1944-8244 .- 1944-8252. ; 8:34, s. 22093-22105
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Functionalizing implant surfaces is critical for improving their performance. An integrated approach was employed to develop a multifunctional implant:coating based on oxygen plasma-modified parylene C and drug-loaded, biodegradable poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA). The key functional attributes of the coating (i.e., anti-corrosion, biocompatible, anti-infection, and therapeutic) were thoroughly characterized at each fabrication step by spectroscopic, microscopic, and biologic methods and at different scales, ranging from molecular, through the nano- and microscales to the macroscopic scale. The chemistry of each layer was demonstrated separately, and their mutual affinity was shown to be indispensable for the development of versatile coatings, for implant applications.
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| 3. |
- Kruse, S.A., et al.
(författare)
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Socioeconomic indicators as a complement to life cycle assessment : An application to salmon production systems
- 2009
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Ingår i: The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0948-3349 .- 1614-7502. ; 14:1, s. 42234-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background, aim, and scope: There is a growing recognition on the part of industry, policymakers, and consumers that sustainable industry practices are needed to maintain environmental and social well being. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is an internationally standardized analytical framework that has traditionally focused on evaluation of the environmental impacts of processes or products using a cradle-to-grave approach. Yet, sustainability, defined generally, requires that assessments consider not only environmental but also social and economic impacts-the other two pillars of sustainability. Even though the LCA methodology has the potential to include both social and economic indicators, and SETAC guidelines recommend the inclusion of such impact categories in all detailed LCAs, no established set of metrics exists to describe the relationship between socioeconomic indicators (SEIs) and a specific product or process; nor is there a common understanding on how such metrics might be developed. This article presents the methods for and development of a suite of socioeconomic indicators that complement the LCA methodology and provides a comprehensive approach for assessing the cradle-to-grave sustainability of a product or process. Methods: A combined top-down and bottom-up approach serves as the basis for development of the set of socioeconomic indicators presented here. Generally recognized societal values, industry specific issues, and financial constraints associated with collection of data necessary for measurement of the indicators are all factors considered in this approach. In our categorization, socioeconomic indicators fall into two types: additive indicators and descriptive indicators. Results: Indicators are categorized based on fundamental methodological differences and then used to describe the socioeconomic impacts associated with salmon production. Additive indicators (e.g., production costs and value added) and descriptive indicators (e.g., fair wage and contribution to personal income) are both discussed. Discussion: There is a need to further develop and refine methods to assess the results of socioeconomic indicators using a life cycle perspective. It would be most interesting to conduct additional case studies that focus on such methodological development, particularly trade-offs between stakeholder groups and pillars of sustainability. Additional areas of discussion are (1) the need for data to populate socioeconomic indicators and (2) defining system boundaries for socioeconomic indicators. Conclusions: This article presents a set of socioeconomic indicators designed to serve as a complement for the LCA framework, thus, increasing the framework's effectiveness as a measure of the overall sustainability of a product or process. Development of socioeconomic indicators as a complement to LCA is still in its early stages, however, and further research is required. Recommendations and perspectives: The SEIs presented here are discussed theoretically within the context of salmon food production systems, but a test of the practicability and validity of the indicators (i.e., a practical application) is also necessary. The practical application of the topic will be presented in a forthcoming paper. © 2008 Springer-Verlag.
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