Abstract: A sight glass apparatus for viewing the interior of a pressurised vessel, chamber or a pipe conveying fluid under pressure is described. The sight glass apparatus comprises a sight glass assembly mounted over an opening into the vessel, chamber or pipe, the sight glass assembly comprising a sight glass adjacent the opening which provides a window to the inside of the vessel, chamber or pipe, and a containment vessel mounted behind and/or around the sight glass assembly for containing fluid exiting the opening in the pipe in the event that the sight glass assembly fails. In this way, even if the sight glass assembly fails, the pressurised fluid within the pressurised vessel, chamber or pipe is safely contained.

Abstract: The present invention provides a recombinant nucleic acid comprising: a first nucleic acid sequence encoding a 5? alphavirus replication recognition sequence; at least one second nucleic acid sequence encoding an alphavirus nonstructural protein; at least one alphavirus subgenomic promoter; at least one IRES element; at least one heterologous nucleic acid; and a third nucleic acid encoding a 3? alphavirus replication recognition sequence. Further provided are methods of making alphavirus particles comprising a recombinant nucleic acid of this invention and methods of using the compositions of this invention. Also provided is a recombinant helper nucleic acid comprising: a first nucleic acid sequence encoding a 5? alphavirus replication recognition sequence; an alphavirus subgenomic promoter; an IRES element; a second nucleic acid encoding an alphavirus structural protein; and a third nucleic acid encoding a 3? alphavirus replication recognition sequence.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods for producing alphavirus replicon particles in high yield; replicon RNAs are electroporated into permissive cells, where the cells are at a relatively high density, together with at least one helper nucleic acid providing the necessary functions for packaging. After a growth period in appropriate medium, alphavirus replicon particles are harvested from the surfaces of the cells in which they were produced using a salt wash in which the salt concentration is from about 0.2 to about 5 M sodium chloride, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, potassium chloride, ammonium acetate, ammonium bicarbonate, among others. After dilution, if necessary, the particles can be purified by a suitable chromatographic technique.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides TC-83 VEE-derived replicons, alphaviral replicon particles and immunogenic compositions containing TC-83 alphaviral replicon particles which direct the expression of at least one antigen when introduced into a suitable host cell. The TC-83 VEE-derived ARPs described herein are improved in that they are subject to a lower vector-specific immune response than prior art ARPs.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods for producing alphavirus replicon particles in high yield; replicon RNAs are electroporated into permissive cells, where the cells are at a relatively high density, together with at least one helper nucleic acid providing the necessary functions for packaging. After a growth period in appropriate medium, alphavirus replicon particles are harvested from the surfaces of the cells in which they were produced using a salt wash in which the salt concentration is from about 0.2 to about 5 M sodium chloride, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, potassium chloride, ammonium acetate, ammonium bicarbonate, among others. After dilution, if necessary, the particles can be purified by a suitable chromatographic technique.