Risk and response adapted therapy following autologous stem cell transplant in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (RADAR (UK-MRA Myeloma XV Trial): study protocol for a phase II/III randomised controlled trial.

Introduction: Multiple myeloma is a plasma cell malignancy that accounts for 1%-2% of newly diagnosed cancers.At diagnosis, approximately 20% of patients can be identified, using cytogenetics, to have inferior survival (high-risk). Additionally, standard-risk patients, with detectable disease (minimal residual disease (MRD)-positive) postautologus stem cell transplant (ASCT), fare worse compared with those who do not (MRD-negative).

Gait after Birmingham Hip Resurfacing: an age-matched controlled prospective study.

Aims: The aim of this study was to assess the functional gain achieved following hip resurfacing arthroplasty (HRA).

Patients And Methods: A total of 28 patients (23 male, five female; mean age, 56 years (25 to 73)) awaiting Birmingham HRA volunteered for this prospective gait study, with an age-matched control group of 26 healthy adults (16 male, ten female; mean age, 56 years (33 to 84)). The Oxford Hip Score (OHS) and gait analysis using an instrumented treadmill were used preoperatively and more than two years postoperatively to measure the functional change attributable to the intervention.

Lack of evidence for complete resistance of peripheral blood mononuclear cells to HIV-1 and HIV-2 infection.

There are reports that not all individuals exposed to HIV-1 become infected and the possibility exists that some individuals may be completely resistant to infection with this virus. This study aims to investigate, in vitro, whether certain peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) are completely resistant to HIV-1 and HIV-2 infection. PBMCs obtained from 130 unrelated healthy HIV-1- and HIV-2-seronegative volunteers were infected with four different isolates of HIV-1 (H995 and MN) and HIV-2 (CBL-20 and ROD) using several multiplicities of infection.

A plant-produced influenza subunit vaccine protects ferrets against virus challenge.

Background: Influenza A viruses are of major concern for public health, causing worldwide epidemics associated with high morbidity and mortality. Vaccines are critical for protection against influenza, but given the recent emergence of new strains with pandemic potential, and some limitations of the current production systems, there is a need for new approaches for vaccine development.

Objective: To demonstrate the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of plant-produced influenza antigens.

In vivo prophylactic activity of QR-435 against H3N2 influenza virus infection.

Background: Prophylaxis against influenza infection can take several forms, none of which is totally effective at preventing the spread of the disease. QR-435, an all-natural compound of green-tea extract and other agents, has been developed to protect against a range of viral infections, including the influenza subtype H3N2.

Methods: Several different QR-435 formulations were tested against the two influenza A H3N2 viruses (A/Sydney/5/97 and A/Panama/2007/99) in the ferret model.