The effect of long-term release of Shh from implanted biodegradable microspheres on recovery from spinal cord injury in mice.

After spinal cord injury (SCI), loss of cells and damage to ascending and descending tracts can result in paralysis. Current treatments for SCI are based on patient stabilization, and much-needed regenerative therapies are still under development. To activate and instruct stem and progenitor cells or injured tissue to aid SCI repair, it is important to modify the injury environment for a protracted period, to allow time for cell activation, proliferation and appropriate fate differentiation.

Influenza vaccine given to pregnant women reduces hospitalization due to influenza in their infants.

Background: Infants aged <12 months are at high risk of hospitalization for influenza. Influenza vaccine is recommended for pregnant women and for most children; however, no vaccine is approved for infants aged <6 months. Effective approaches are needed to protect this vulnerable population.