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Component II How Our System Works The Athena Project security system utilizes several components to detect the presence of pathological agents. Each site hosting an Athena system would be equipped with monitoring devices, which detect pathogens by means of nucleic acid analysis. Data obtained by the detecting devices would be reported to a centralized location, where it would be assessed compared to previously acquired "control" readings. From this location, assistance could be sent and the authorities could be notified. Detection systems use a variety of methods to identify the presence of pathogens in a matter of minutes. Many detection devices are still works in progress. The overall detection system must involve the integration of several key parts. For one, a device that offers real-time detection of pathogens is needed. We believe that the Advanced Nucleic Acid Analyzer would be one of the best devices because it can analyze samples on the scene within 15 minutes. The HANAA, (a hand held ANAA) is the first man-portable, handheld, real-time PCR biodetection instrument ever made. It can simultaneously test four different samples for two different DNA sequences and report the results in real time. Unfortunately, this product is not yet commercially available as it is constantly being tested and improved. Nine prototype units are currently undergoing testing by evaluators, including the CDC. We believed this was the best device to use until we discovered some of its drawbacks. Samples that are used to analyze must be liquefied and free of PCR inhibitors. This device cannot work alone because an additional device is needed to obtain air samples and to convert the particles into liquid form.
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Example Application of the Athena Project: Malls
New malls built with the Athena project in mind should be partitioned into several compartments with the ability to section off different parts of the mall. Also, the ventilation system of the mall should be designed so that it can partition off contaminated areas to prevent the further spreading of pathogens. In malls currently standing, where air is recycled and special partitions are not currently in place, a series of detectors can still be used at the present air intake locations. Folding partitions can be installed in case of an emergency. The APDS should be placed throughout the mall complex's air circulation system, one each at the ends of the vents it is connected to. Before completely installing our system of APDS, a measurement of the air quality must be taken and used as a comparison for future samples. If more than one of our APDS detect the presence of a lethal pathogen, an alarm will go off. A measurement can be taken which will be used to determine the extent of the contamination. This alarm will include an electrical signal that will be relayed from the devices to the headquarters of the mall security, as well as the closest emergency response center. The events that take place after the alarm goes off are specific to the situation and location. We have identified possibilities for what could happen after the detection, but they are not absolute, fixed plans. The exact emergency procedure is obviously dependent on the circumstances. An example of this system in action is shown below. A potential pathogen is released from a location within the mall and spreads out in the mall through the duration of sixty minutes. As detectors detect a pathogen, their color turns blue to show that the pathogen has been detected.
Pathogen detectors would be attached to the central units where potentially contaminated air enters the mall though ducts and also through each mini unit in case contaminants are placed in the vicinity of these. Since air circulates more rapidly near these blowers, the hazard would spread more quickly -- another potential site for effective terrorist offensives. Placing detectors near the mini units averts this possibility. Once a pathogen has been detected, the contaminated portion of the mall could be shut down so that no persons contaminated can be led to a decontamination area, while the rest of the mall should be evacuated. A mall security team might be the first to arrive to the contaminated region. They should help calm the shoppers, and take any precautions needed to help those in the contaminated area. For example, gas masks could be handed out if the situation demanded so. The closest paramedics and emergency response center should be notified of the detection of a pathogen and will send an emergency response team. The people in the contaminated sector could then be asked to move towards a sort of "decontamination" exit of the mall. If they are infected or have inhaled the pathogen, they should be examined by the paramedics. If infected they could take drugs such as Cipro, a drug which treats many bacterial pathogens, including anthrax. As the people are evacuated and treated, the CDC and/or FBI could arrive in order to investigate the site and clean up the area. The mall should be closed until the area is completely safe. We expect the sales of our system increase dramatically within a short period of time. The government is currently doing anything it can to increase the security in public places, and products such as our detection system will be in heavy demand. The growth of malls throughout the United States has been dramatic, with Simon Properties being the largest mall chain in the country with 252 properties. We feel that with the growing number of malls across the United States, and restoration of consumer confidence in goods, more and more people will be shopping in malls in the next few years. Shopping malls are dependent on high-level security to keep people shopping at malls. Their owners realize that people now have online alternatives to shopping, so they will be more prone to obtaining a high-level defense system. Though the monetary cost may be high, malls will gladly shoulder them as the benefits of such a system outweigh the costs. Using existing technology, the price of installing an Athena Project system in a single mall is rather high. Though the Autonomous Pathogen Detection System is not yet commercially available, we estimate its price to be around $15,000 a unit based on the costs of existing technologies. With an estimated need of 80 units per mall, the costs of APDS alone is $1.2 million. The cost of the monitoring software system is estimated at $85,000. Additional training costs for mall personnel are negligible as the skills needed to operate the ANAA can be taught fairly quickly. Gas masks are priced at $299 a unit, and Cipro costs $5 a dose. Related Products A program such as nVIZn, developed by Illumitek Inc. could handle data monitoring and analysis. The system they have developed allows for real-time display and analysis of data received from the sensors in a variety of graphical arrays. Further, information received can be archived and analyze to determine patterns and statistics, so as to better monitor and assess the protected sites. Information may be delegated to client systems, so that the monitored sites can access their own information. The detection and display/analysis components would ideally be
linked by wireless communications, which would allow for data to
be sent out over a wide range of frequencies and over a long distance.
Precautions such as signal encryption make wireless communications
quite secure. Even if the signal were to be compromised, an "eavesdropper"
would not be able to decode the message. RSA
Security Inc. supplies a variety of wireless security systems,
featuring cryptography to protect the code and client "certificate"
authorization. Certification would prevent unauthorized data transfer
and interference. American
Gas Masks is a large producer of gas masks for civilians. Many
different companies widely produce gas masks, and this company is
just one possibility for our supplier of gas masks. The gas masks
they produce have an 18-hour filter in order to filter out the harmful
microbes that could be in the air. The sales
of gas masks to civilians have soared due to the concern of
a potential attack with biological weapons. We believe that gas
masks are an essential part of our system after a pathogen is detected.
People need to quickly have access to air they can breathe. Trade Organizations and Societies
The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America represents the United States leading research-based pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, dedicated to discovering new medicines that will improve the lives of their patients. PhRMA invested more than $26 billion in 2000 in order to develop new medicines. There are approximately 34 companies currently in membership at PhRMA, but several have companies have subsidiary companies, making the total around 65. Some of the major companies include: 3M Pharmaceuticals, Amgen Inc., Bristol-Meyers Squibb Company, Eli Lilly and Company, Johnson & Johnson, Merck & Co., Inc., and Pfizer Inc. The PhRMA Foundation awards research fellowships and grants to young scientists in order to encourage young scientists to pursue careers in research. By providing an economic incentive, the PhRMA encourages more students to go into research, which will eventually improve the quality and enhance the quantity of drugs sold in the United States.
The American Society for Microbiology is a professional society for microbiologists. The mission of the American Society for Microbiology is to advance the microbiological sciences and their applications for the common good. It tries to accomplish this goal by publishing journals and books, convening meetings, and conducting and supporting education, training and public information programs to facilitate the application of new microbiological knowledge that address scientific matters which affect the public interest. The ASM also promotes the microbiological sciences with actions that both preserve the heritage, tradition and credibility of the microbiology profession, and recognizes promise, achievement, and distinction among its practitioners. This society aims to set an example of ethical and professional behavior for all students and practitioners of microbiology. The ASM strives to ensure that all of our programs, products and services are of the highest possible quality provided at the lowest possible cost, and serve our members and other constituencies well. This society does not have any companies involved, but rather scientists who seek to further scientific knowledge and applications. The ASM has great economic importance because it promotes the education of new scientists, providing an economic incentive for new students in the area to study microbiology and its applications to environmental safety. Company Evaluation In the new and secretive environment of the anti-bioterrorism marketplace, it has been hard to contact a company willing to spend the time evaluating our project. Our team has contacted Cepheid, Matech, C*CHEM, International Safety Instruments, and Micronel Safety without a response from any of them. However, we were lucky enough to have Dr. Guy Patra, a research scientist in the Institute of Molecular Biology and Medicine at the University of Scranton, evaluate our project for us from a research perspective. We thank him for the time and effort he spent on this valuable evaluation; his evaluation follows below. We have attempted to follow up on as much of the advice Dr. Patra has given us as possible. Note that because we have changed some of our content since Dr. Patra's evaluation, much of it as per his advice, some of the quoted text may not be available in the final versions of the project's components. Dr. Guy Patra's Evaluation The contaminated letters with spores of Anthrax after the September 11, 2001 tragic events bring to us the reality of bioterrorism. Because of the nature of the anthrax disease, a rapid and accurate diagnosis is a key factor to prevent the death of exposed persons. The "Athena Project" described in details with figures "A system involving devices to detect and protect the public from anthrax in contained facilities." Component 1: Rather than the term "biochemical", I will suggest the utilization of the terms "Chemical and/or Biological" weapon. Both the anthrax and the botulism bacteria produce a toxin, which when the spores of these bacteria are spread by aerosol...no ambiguity now. See the article of Rocco Casagrande "Detecting Anthrax", in Scientific American, March 2002, page 55. Component 2: "Each site hosting an Athena system would be equipped with monitoring devices, which detect pathogens by means of nucleic acid or immunofluorescence analysis;… " At this point my feeling is the first alert needs to be a "cytometry" alert rather than a "nucleic acid " analysis alert. According to the text the Athena system is planning to do a reaction every thirty seconds, this means 2880 PCR reactions per day. The cost will be very high. I will suggest as a first alert, a "Particle recognition" system based on Cytometry measures. See Davey H. M. et al. 2000. A portable flow cytometer for the detection and identification of microorganisms in "Rapid methods for analysis of biological materials in the environment" NATO ASI Series. Vol. 30. p. 159-167 Ed. P. J. Stopa and M. A. Bartoszcze. And Winson M. K. and Davey H. M. 2000, Flow cytometric analysis of microorganisms. Methods 21(3): 231-241. Regarding the Advanced Nucleic Acid Analyzer (ANAA): in fact the DNA is not directly accessible from the anthrax spore. The spore coat protects the inside spore environment very well from the outside. Also, for example a PCR is not possible directly from spores because the DNA is not accessible. However it is possible from vegetative cells. Also if the spore preparation contains some vegetative cells, it is OK to do PCR or other nucleic acid tests. In fact there are methods to extract DNA from spores, which can be automated in the future. For the antibiotic treatment, I will recommend Ciprofloxacine plus another antibiotic to prevent any resistance cell selection, because the actual treatment recommended is 60 days. Penicillin and Doxycycline are good candidates. Anthrax from the environment is very sensitive to broad range of antibiotics. Some Penicillin resistant strains are described in the literature. In any case, it is important to keep a sample of the anthrax spores during an attack for further epidemiological study (fingerprinting investigation). This is the way to trace the origin of the contamination and find the people responsible for the attack. Component 3: This part emphasizes the fact that the Athena system is fully automated (computer-operated). Also points to the fact that America is facing Bioterrorism and that the society has to adapt rapidly to the new kind of attacks. This can take place with the Biological Terrorism Prevention (BTP) action. General remarks: The project is well written, clear and with selected figures to support the text. The name of Athena for the project is very a good choice from the Greek mythology. The bibliography is well documented. The actual project is under development and evaluation, and all components are in place to build a prototype in the near future. Works Cited 1. How Our System Works 2. Example Application of the Athena Project: Malls 3. Related Products 4. Trade Organizations and Societies 5. Third-Party Evaluation |
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As
an example application of the Athena Project, we will demonstrate
our security system in a mall complex. Our system should be adapted
to airports and other public places where bioterrorism is a threat.
We believe these places could consist of places of mass gathering
including train stations, schools, conventions, stadiums, and office
complexes.
