Significant cross reactive antibodies to influenza virus in adults and children during a period of marked antigenic drift.

Background: Little is known about the development of cross-reactive antibodies following natural exposure to pathogens. Such knowledge is critical in the development of new universal influenza vaccines.

Methods: To study the possibility of the presence of cross-reactive antibodies to influenza viruses which underwent a major antigenic drift between the years 1999 and 2007 sera from samples of 80 children and 400 adults were selected at random from the Israeli national serum bank.

Optical proximity communication using reflective mirrors.

Optical proximity communication (OPxC) with reflecting mirrors is presented. Direct optical links are demonstrated for silicon chips with better than -2.5dB coupling loss, excluding surface losses.