Lack of seasonal variations in urinary calcium/creatinine ratio in school-age children.

Seasonal variations in urinary calcium excretion have been observed in adults and are thought to be due to seasonal changes in sunlight exposure, which results in fluctuation of blood levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D. The goal of the present study was to explore the possible effect of season on urinary calcium/creatinine ratio (UCa/Cr) in healthy school children. We studied 65 healthy Caucasian children aged 5.

The utility of two rodent species in carcinogenic risk assessment of pharmaceuticals in Europe.

For the past 20-30 years, lifespan carcinogenicity studies for pharmaceuticals have been required to be carried out in two rodent species. Due to scientific progress, the necessity/justification of lifespan studies in two species for the assessment of carcinogenic risk of pharmaceuticals is currently under discussion. A study in one species (either rat or mouse) might suffice.

Production of monoclonal antibodies to rotavirus suitable for detection of rotavirus in stool samples by one-step EIA.

Two stable hybridoma cell clones producing high amounts of monoclonal antibodies (MAb) to rotavirus have been selected. The MAbs were shown to recognize different epitopes of the major inner capsid rotavirus protein VP 6. The two types of MAb in question cross-reacted with human and animal group A rotaviruses.

The intestine of ferret--a possible site of influenza virus replication.

Anal virus shedding and stimulation of the immune response were observed in ferrets after oral and rectal administration of influenza A/Hongkong/1/68 (H3N2) virus. Despite of the low pH in the stomach, the virus had reached the intestines after oral administration and was found in high concentration in faeces and in mucosal cells lining the colon. Using immunofluorescent staining, the virus antigen was detected in cytoplasm of columnar epithelial cells.