Immunogenicity and safety of a quadrivalent meningococcal tetanus toxoid-conjugate vaccine (MenACYW-TT) vs. a licensed quadrivalent meningococcal tetanus toxoid-conjugate vaccine in meningococcal vaccine-naïve and meningococcal C conjugate vaccine-primed toddlers: a phase III randomised study.

Vaccination remains the best strategy to reduce invasive meningococcal disease. This study evaluated an investigational tetanus toxoid-conjugate quadrivalent meningococcal vaccine (MenACYW-TT) vs. a licensed tetanus toxoid-conjugate quadrivalent meningococcal vaccine (MCV4-TT) (NCT02955797). Healthy toddlers aged 12-23 months were included if they were either meningococcal vaccine-naïve or MenC conjugate (MCC) vaccine-primed (≥1 dose of MCC prior to 12 months of age). Vaccine-naïve participants were randomised 1:1 to either MenACYW-TT (n = 306) or MCV4-TT (n = 306). MCC-primed participants were randomised 2:1 to MenACYW-TT (n = 203) or MCV4-TT (n = 103). Antibody titres against each of the four meningococcal serogroups were measured by serum bactericidal antibody assay using the human complement. The co-primary objectives of this study were to demonstrate the non-inferiority of MenACYW-TT to MCV4-TT in terms of seroprotection (titres ≥1:8) at Day 30 in both vaccine-naïve and all participants (vaccine-naïve and MCC-primed groups pooled). The immune response for all four serogroups to MenACYW-TT was non-inferior to MCV4-TT in vaccine-naïve participants (seroprotection: range 83.6-99.3% and 81.4-91.6%, respectively) and all participants (seroprotection: range 83.6-99.3% and 81.4-98.0%, respectively). The safety profiles of both vaccines were comparable. MenACYW-TT was well-tolerated and demonstrated non-inferior immunogenicity when administered to MCC vaccine-primed and vaccine-naïve toddlers.

Brain/blood ratios of methadone and ABCB1 polymorphisms in methadone-related deaths.

Methadone is an opioid that often leads to fatalities. Interpretation of toxicological findings can be challenging if no further information about the case history is available. The aims of this study were (1) to determine whether brain/blood ratios can assist in the interpretation of methadone findings in fatalities; (2) to examine whether polymorphisms in the gene encoding the P-glycoprotein (also known as multidrug resistance protein 1 (MDR1) or ATP-binding cassette sub-family B member 1 (ABCB1)), which functions as a multispecific efflux pump in the blood-brain barrier, affect brain/blood ratios of methadone. Femoral venous blood and brain tissue (medulla oblongata and cerebellum) from 107 methadone-related deaths were analysed for methadone by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. In addition, all the samples were genotyped for three common ABCB1 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs rs1045642, rs1128503, and rs2032582) using ion-pair reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ICEMS). In nearly all cases, methadone concentrations were higher in the brain than in the blood. Inter-individual brain/blood ratios varied (0.6-11.6); the mean ratio was 2.85 (standard deviation 1.83, median 2.35). Moreover, significant differences in mean brain/blood ratios were detected among the synonymous genotypes of rs1045642 in ABCB1 (p = 0.001). Cases with the T/T genotype had significantly higher brain/blood ratios than cases with the other genotypes (T/T vs. T/C difference (d) = 1.54, 95% CI [1.14, 2.05], p = 0.002; T/T vs. C/C d = 1.60, 95% CI [1.13, 2.29], p = 0.004). Our results suggest that the rs1045642 polymorphisms in ABCB1 may affect methadone concentrations in the brain and its site of action and may be an additional factor influencing methadone toxicity.

A copeptin-based classification of the osmoregulatory defects in the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuresis.

The syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH), also referred to as syndrome of inappropriate antidiuresis (SIAD), is the most common cause of hyponatremia characterized by extracellular hypotonicity and impaired urine dilution in the absence of any recognizable nonosmotic stimuli for the antidiuretic hormone arginine vasopressin (AVP). Hyponatremia in SIADH is primarily the result of excessive water retention caused by a combination of inappropriate antidiuresis and persistent fluid intake in the presence of impaired osmoregulated inhibition of thirst. It is sometimes aggravated by a sodium deficiency caused by a decreased intake or a secondary natriuresis in response to elevated extracellular volume. Inappropriate antidiuresis usually results from endogenous production of AVP that can be either ectopic (from a malignancy) or eutopic (from the hypothalamus/neurohypophysis). Regardless of its origin, different types of osmotic dysregulation of AVP have been reported with possibly fundamental deviations in treatment need and efficacy. A recent quantitative analysis of 50 patients with SIADH, which underwent serial measurements of copeptin during hypertonic saline infusion, revealed five distinct types of osmoregulatory defect ("type A to E") without affiliation to specific underlying diseases. In addition to apparently impaired osmoregulated inhibition of AVP release in the majority of patients, 12% of patients showed an AVP-independent mechanism of inappropriate antidiuresis, whilst 20% of them presented a reverse relation between hormone release and serum osmolality, presumably related to interrupted nonosmotic inhibitory pathways. The interference of these different types of SIAD with clinical presentation and therapy response will be a relevant subject for future research.

Infant formula containing galacto-and fructo-oligosaccharides and Bifidobacterium breve M-16V supports adequate growth and tolerance in healthy infants in a randomised, controlled, double-blind, prospective, multicentre study.

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the growth and tolerance in healthy, term infants consuming a synbiotic formula with daily weight gain as the primary outcome. In a randomised, controlled, double-blind, multicentre, intervention study infants were assigned to an extensively hydrolysed formula containing a specific combination of Bifidobacterium breve M-16V and a prebiotic mixture (short-chain galacto-oligosaccharides and long-chain fructo-oligosaccharides in a 9:1 ratio; scGOS/lcFOS; synbiotic group), or the same formula without this synbiotic concept for 13 weeks (control group). Anthropometry, formula intake, tolerance, stool characteristics, blood parameters, faecal microbiota and metabolic faecal profile were assessed. Medically confirmed adverse events were recorded throughout the study. Equivalence in daily weight gain was demonstrated for the intention-to-treat (ITT) population (n 211). In the per-protocol (PP) population (n 102), the 90 % CI of the difference in daily weight gain slightly crossed the lower equivalence margin. During the intervention period, the mean weight-for-age and length-for-age values were close to the median of the WHO growth standards in both groups, indicating adequate growth. The number of adverse events was not different between both groups. No relevant differences were observed in blood parameters indicative for liver and renal function. At 13 weeks, an increased percentage of faecal bifidobacteria (60 v. 48 %) and a reduced percentage of Clostridium lituseburense/C. histolyticum (0·2 v. 2·6 %) were observed in the synbiotic group (n 19) compared with the control group (n 27). In conclusion, this study demonstrates that an extensively hydrolysed formula with B. breve M-16V and the prebiotic mixture scGOS/lcFOS (9:1) supports an adequate infant growth.

Ring-opening polymerization of lactones in the presence of hydroxyapatite.

The ring-opening polymerization of epsilon-caprolactone, delta-valerolactone (VL) and D,L-lactide, respectively, in the presence of different proportions of hydroxyapatite (HA) was catalyzed by stannous (II)octoate (SnOct2) at 130 degrees C and resulted in composites. The lactones were almost completely converted to the polymers within a reaction time of 70 up to 240 min. The number-average molecular weights Mn as determined by size exclusion chromatography decreased with increasing content of HA. The initiating efficiency of HA as calculated from the difference of the polymerization degrees P. obtained with and without HA turned out to be relatively low with ca. 11 to 0.5% for 1 to 80 wt% HA, respectively. For the polymerization of VL, the initiating efficiency of HA was on the average threefold higher. The quantitative proof of non-extractable polymer on HA by means of thermogravimetric analysis, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy with photoacoustic detection and differential scanning calorimetry confirmed the initiating efficiency of HA as mentioned above. This poly(lactone) can be debound from HA by treatment with aqueous HCl. Hence it is assumed to be ionically bound.

Synthesis of BISGMA derivatives, properties of their polymers and composites.

2,2-Bis[4-(2 hydroxy-3-methacryloyloxy propoxy) phenyl] propane (BisGMA) is commonly the main component of the organic matrix of dental filling materials. Derivatives of BisGMA were synthesized from the diglycidyl ether of Bisphenol A (DGEBA) by the parallel reaction with methacrylic acid (MAA) and isophthalic acid as well as mixtures of methacrylic anhydride with palmitic acid and acetic anhydride, respectively, whereby MAA was partially substituted by the latter components. By this technique the structure of BisGMA monomer could be varied with regard to weight content of C=C double bonds, the hydrophilicity of the molecule as well as its flexibility or stiffness. Free-radical initiated homopolymerization of the monomers was carried out at 80 degrees C. Composites, prepared from mixtures of monomers with triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA) filled with 76% silica were room temperature polymerized using both redox and photoinitiated techniques. The polymerization shrinkage, diffusion coefficients of water in the crosslinked polymer, and some thermal properties of the homopolymers were determined. Mechanical properties of the resulting polymers and composites are compared to those of BisGMA itself.

[The polymerization shrinkage of composites]. / Zur Polymerisationsschrumpfung von Kompositen.

The absolute values of polymerization shrinkage and its time-dependent course were measured for commercially available composite resins and for composite still under development using a new method measuring the linear shrinkage. The influences of the amounts and of the recipes of the reactive monomer were determined. From the curves the working times of the investigated composite resins were evaluated.