\n\nMethods. PPD skin test was performed in H 5 children with JIA who were

vaccinated with bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG), and then they were compared to the PPD response of 45 healthy children of the same age who were vaccinated with BCG. Children with a PPD induration >= 5 mm were accepted as PPD-positive. PPD induration >= 10 mm was accepted as a limit for suspecting tuberculosis.\n\nResults. PPD induration size and PPD positivity selleck products rates (PPD >= 5 mm) of children with JIA were significantly lower than those of healthy children. The mean of PPD induration size was significantly lower (p < 0.0001) in patients with either I BCG vaccine (3.7 +/- 3.6) or more than I BCG vaccine than controls see more with either

1 BCG vaccine (7.10 +/- 3.2) or more than I BCG vaccine (10.05 +/- 4.1). PPD was positive in 35.9% of patients with JIA vaccinated once (n = 32), in 50% of patients with JIA vaccinated more than once (n = 13), in 82.1% of controls vaccinated once (n = 23), and in 88.2% of controls vaccinated more than once. This result was statistically significant (patients, p = 0.03; controls, p = 0.039). It was determined that neither the activity of the disease nor the use of corticosteroid and methotrexate affected the PPD response.\n\nConclusion. The response to PPD, which is one of the Th1 cell-type responses, was significantly lower in BCG-vaccinated children with JIA compared

to healthy children. (First Release Aug 1 2009; J Rheumatol 2009;36:2029-32; doi:10.3899/jrheum.090173)”
“H5N1 avian influenza continues to be a potential pandemic threat. Several vaccine candidates based on potentially pandemic influenza strains and antiviral drugs have been tested in preclinical and clinical studies. The data obtained so far have shown some promise, but have also revealed some shortcomings with both of these approaches. We have identified and characterized an H5N1 neuraminidase-specific monoclonal antibody which specifically inhibits N1 neuraminidase SYN-117 activity of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) strains from clades 1 and 2. We have also shown the protective efficacy of this antibody in animal challenge models using homologous virus. Specific and effective inhibition of N1 NA could make this mAb a useful therapeutic tool in the treatment of human infection, in particular with oseltamivir- and zanamivir-resistant strains of HPAI.”
“Environmental, genotypic and agronomic factors have an effect on the yield value of an onion crop, which is determined primarily by number, weight and size of bulbs. Spatial variability of soil properties affects crop yield. Remote sensed hyperspectral vegetation indices (VIs), calculated using crop reflectance at field scale can be used either as an index of the plant biophysical status, or as a tool to estimate crop variability.