51 research outputs found
Immunogenicity and safety of concomitant administration of a measles, mumps and rubella vaccine (M-M-RvaxPro®) and a varicella vaccine (VARIVAX®) by intramuscular or subcutaneous routes at separate injection sites: a randomised clinical trial
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>When this trial was initiated, the combined measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine was licensed for subcutaneous administration in all European countries and for intramuscular administration in some countries, whereas varicella vaccine was licensed only for subcutaneous administration. This study evaluated the intramuscular administration of an MMR vaccine (M-M-RvaxPro<sup>®</sup>) and a varicella vaccine (VARIVAX<sup>®</sup>) compared with the subcutaneous route.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>An open-label randomised trial was performed in France and Germany. Healthy children, aged 12 to18 months, received single injections of M-M-RvaxPro and VARIVAX concomitantly at separate injection sites. Both vaccines were administered either intramuscularly (IM group, <it>n </it>= 374) or subcutaneously (SC group, <it>n </it>= 378). Immunogenicity was assessed before vaccination and 42 days after vaccination. Injection-site erythema, swelling and pain were recorded from days 0 to 4 after vaccination. Body temperature was monitored daily between 0 and 42 days after vaccination. Other adverse events were recorded up to 42 days after vaccination and serious adverse events until the second study visit.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Antibody response rates at day 42 in the per-protocol set of children initially seronegative to measles, mumps, rubella or varicella were similar between the IM and SC groups for all four antigens. Response rates were 94 to 96% for measles, 98% for both mumps and rubella and 86 to 88% for varicella. For children initially seronegative to varicella, 99% achieved the seroconversion threshold (antibody concentrations of ≥ 1.25 gpELISA units/ml). Erythema and swelling were the most frequently reported injection-site reactions for both vaccines. Most injection-site reactions were of mild intensity or small size (≤ 2.5 cm). There was a trend for lower rates of injection-site erythema and swelling in the IM group. The incidence and nature of systemic adverse events were comparable for the two routes of administration, except varicella-like rashes, which were less frequent in the IM group.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The immunogenicities of M-M-RvaxPro and VARIVAX administered by the intramuscular route were comparable with those following subcutaneous administration, and the tolerability of the two vaccines was comparable regardless of administration route. Integration of both administration routes in the current European indications for the two vaccines will now allow physicians in Europe to choose their preferred administration route in routine clinical practice.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00432523</p
A novel mutant of the Sup35 protein of Saccharomyces cerevisiae defective in translation termination and in GTPase activity still supports cell viability
Safety and immunogenicity of neoadjuvant treatment using WT1-immunotherapeutic in combination with standard therapy in patients with WT1-positive Stage II/III breast cancer: a randomized Phase I study
Using the canary genome to decipher the evolution of hormone-sensitive gene regulation in seasonal singing birds
Nematicidal Bacteria Associated to Pinewood Nematode Produce Extracellular Proteases
Bacteria associated with the nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, a pathogen of trees and the causal agent of
pine wilt disease (PWD) may play a role in the disease. In order to evaluate their role (positive or negative to the
tree), strains isolated from the track of nematodes from infected Pinus pinaster trees were screened, in vitro, for their
nematicidal potential. The bacterial products, from strains more active in killing nematodes, were screened in order to
identify and characterize the nematicidal agent. Forty-seven strains were tested and, of these, 21 strains showed
capacity to produce extracellular products with nematicidal activity. All Burkholderia strains were non-toxic. In
contrast, all Serratia strains except one exhibited high toxicity. Nematodes incubated with Serratia strains showed, by
SEM observation, deposits of bacteria on the nematode cuticle. The most nematicidal strain, Serratia sp. A88copa13,
produced proteases in the supernatant. The use of selective inhibitors revealed that a serine protease with 70 kDa
was majorly responsible for the toxicity of the supernatant. This extracellular serine protease is different
phylogenetically, in size and biochemically from previously described proteases. Nematicidal assays revealed
differences in nematicidal activity of the proteases to different species of Bursaphelenchus, suggesting its usefulness
in a primary screen of the nematodes. This study offers the basis for further investigation of PWD and brings new
insights on the role bacteria play in the defense of pine trees against B. xylophilus. Understanding all the factors
involved is important in order to develop strategies to control B. xylophilus dispersion.This research was partially supported by Direcção Regional de Florestas, Fundo Florestal Permanente and Autoridade Florestal Nacional,
through a national project ‘O nemátode-da-madeira-do-pinheiro (NMP), Bursaphelenchus xylophilus’ and by FEDER funds through the Programa
Operacional Factores de Competitividade – COMPETE and by national funds through the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT), Portugal, under
the project PTDC/AGR-CFL/115373/2009. D.N.P. was supported by FCT, Portugal, graduate fellowship SFRH/BD/61311/2009. G.P. was supported by
FCT, Portugal, fellowship PTDC/AGR-CFL/115373/2009
Resilience Factors Among Police Investigators: Hardiness-commitment a Unique Contributor
Gene flow and mating system in a seedling seed orchard and a natural stand of Pinus merkusii Jungh. et de Vriese in Indonesia
Inherent and Acquired Resistance to Paclitaxel in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Molecular Events Involved
Optimization, Yield Studies and Morphology of WO<sub>3</sub>Nano-Wires Synthesized by Laser Pyrolysis in C<sub>2</sub>H<sub>2</sub>and O<sub>2</sub>Ambients—Validation of a New Growth Mechanism
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Laser pyrolysis has been used to synthesize WO<sub>3</sub>nanostructures. Spherical nano-particles were obtained when acetylene was used to carry the precursor droplet, whereas thin films were obtained at high flow-rates of oxygen carrier gas. In both environments WO<sub>3</sub>nano-wires appear only after thermal annealing of the as-deposited powders and films. Samples produced under oxygen carrier gas in the laser pyrolysis system gave a higher yield of WO<sub>3</sub>nano-wires after annealing than the samples which were run under acetylene carrier gas. Alongside the targeted nano-wires, the acetylene-ran samples showed trace amounts of multi-walled carbon nano-tubes; such carbon nano-tubes are not seen in the oxygen-processed WO<sub>3</sub>nano-wires. The solid–vapour–solid (SVS) mechanism [B. Mwakikunga et al., J. Nanosci. Nanotechnol., 2008] was found to be the possible mechanism that explains the manner of growth of the nano-wires. This model, based on the theory from basic statistical mechanics has herein been validated by length-diameter data for the produced WO<sub>3</sub>nano-wires.</p
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