Question 6 asks about the pain course pattern, scored from −1 to

Question 6 asks about the pain course pattern, scored from −1 to 2, depending on which pain course pattern diagram is selected. Selleckchem PLX4032 Question 7 asks about radiating pain, answered as yes or no, and scored as 2 or 0 respectively. The final score between −1 and 38, indicates the likelihood of a neuropathic pain component. A score of ≤ 12 indicates that pain is unlikely to have a neuropathic component (< 15%), while a score of ≥ 19 suggests that pain is likely to have a neuropathic component (> 90%). A score between these values indicates that the result is uncertain and a more detailed examination is required to ensure a proper diagnosis ( Freynhagen et al 2006). Since

its development, four additional questions have been added to the painDETECT but do not contribute to the scoring. They ask the patient to rate their pain now and over the last four weeks, and to mark on a body chart if there is pain radiating into other parts of the body. Reliability, validity INCB018424 and sensitivity to change: There are only a few studies investigating the clinimetric properties of the painDETECT questionnaire and they show it is a good screening tool to detect a neuropathic pain component in patients with low back pain. It has excellent test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.93) and good internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha > 0.83) ( Freynhagen et al 2006, De Andres et al 2012). The

electronic and paper version of the questionnaire demonstrated high criterion validity, compared to the reference standard of an expert pain physician, indicated by high sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value (all > 80%) ( Freynhagen et al 2006). However, when the questionnaire was used in patients with fibromyalgia, criterion validity was not as good (sensitivity 79%, specificity 53% and positive predictive

value 46%, Gauffin et al 2013). This indicates that the questionnaire may not be suited for use in other musculoskeletal conditions. It has been used as an outcome measure but the responsiveness or sensitivity to change has not been assessed. Neuropathic pain is a common clinical presentation that is often under-diagnosed and under-treated. Neuropathic pain is produced by injuries or diseases affecting the somatosensory next system and can manifest in disease states affecting the central and peripheral nervous system (Haanpaa and Treede 2010). Patients with neuropathic pain usually have severe, chronic symptoms that affect their quality of life and are often difficult to manage. This may be due to poor diagnosis or the presence of mixed pain states, ie, neuropathic pain plus nociceptive pain (De Andres et al 2012). Correct identification of neuropathic pain enables a more direct and specialised management strategy for these patients, and screening tools aid in the diagnosis.

Risk factors for disease progression can differ from those of dis

Risk factors for disease progression can differ from those of disease onset. A 2009 systematic review summarising the results of 18 prospective cohort studies found strong evidence that age, baseline hip pain, and several radiographic features were predictive of the progression of hip osteoarthritis, while there was weak evidence of no association with body mass index (Wright

et al 2009). The role of modifiable biomechanical and neuromuscular factors such as muscle Selleckchem GSK126 weakness in predisposing to development of hip osteoarthritis has not been investigated. A limited number of studies have evaluated the course of functional status over time in people with hip osteoarthritis. For studies with follow-up durations of three years or less, pain and functional status appear to be relatively stable on a population level although considerable individual variation occurs. With follow-up of longer than three years, deterioration has been noted (van Dijk et al 2006, van Dijk et al 2010). There is little research

on predictors of functional decline. A longitudinal cohort study of 123 people with hip osteoarthritis found that several factors predicted 3-year worsening of function including range of motion, pain severity, cognitive impairment and co-morbidities (van Dijk et al 2010). Therefore, while progression of hip osteoarthritis can occur, it is not necessarily inevitable and for many people osteoarthritis INCB018424 cell line may remain stable or even improve. Hip osteoarthritis can generally

be diagnosed by a combination of history and physical examination findings without the need for an X-ray and exposing the patient to unnecessary radiation. The most commonly used clinical criteria for diagnosing hip osteoarthritis are those from the American College of Rheumatology (Altman et al 1991), which include either of two sets of clinical features (Box 1). Clinical Set A Clinical Set B • Age > 50 years Rolziracetam • Age > 50 years • Hip pain • Hip pain • Hip internal rotation ≥ 15 deg • Hip internal rotation • Pain with hip internal rotation < 15 deg • Morning stiffness of the hip ≤ 60 min • Hip flexion ≤ 115 deg Full-size table Table options View in workspace Download as CSV Moderate-to-severe hip osteoarthritis can be confirmed on radiographs with findings including joint space narrowing, marginal osteophytes, subchondral sclerosis, and bone cysts. Magnetic resonance imaging is more useful than radiographs in detecting early structural changes such as focal cartilage defects and bone marrow lesions in the subchondral bone. Hip osteoarthritis has different radiological presentations based on the pattern of migration of the femoral head within the acetabulum. Superolateral femoral migration is more common in men while women have more superomedial migration (Ledingham et al 1992).

As Gallus gallus (chicken species) is used as the model organism

As Gallus gallus (chicken species) is used as the model organism in some experiments, the three-dimensional structure of iNOS of G. gallus was generated. Further, the generated model was assess for structure assessment and geometrical errors and perform a molecular docking analysis against

a class of flavonoid (quercetin and its analogues) find more which is found in fruits, vegetables, leaves and grains and is reported to have effective anti-cancer property. 6 Additionally, there are reports of quercetin inhibiting against iNOS as anti-cancer agents. 7 But quercetin is limited by its low oral bioavailability for clinical use and therefore requires its molecular modification to enhance its pharmacological properties. 8 Here in the present work, the molecular docking analysis was studied for quercetin and its analogues against G. gallus iNOS enzyme. This was followed by ADME–Toxicity prediction (absorption, distribution, metabolism, and toxicity) of the docked compounds at the active site of the enzyme to evaluate its properties to be an orally active compound. The amino acid sequence of G. gallus nitric oxide synthase inducible RG7204 mw (Accession No: Q90703) was retrieved from the UniProtKB database (http://www.uniprot.org/). A BLAST 9 search was performed

and resulted with the best match Crystal Structure of inducible nitric oxide synthase (PDB ID: 4NOS (Chain A)) 10 with 81% similarity having a resolution of 2.25 Å making it an excellent template. The 3D structure was generated using Modeller 9v8 11 and the loop regions were refine using loop refinement script. The final model was validated using Swiss Model Assessment Server for PROCHECK (http://swissmodel.expasy.org/), Ramachandran plot, 12 ANOLEA 13 and Prosa (https://www.prosa.services.came.sbg.ac.at/prosa.php).

The root mean square deviation (RMSD) between the main chain atom (i.e. the backbone atoms of alpha carbon) of the template protein and the generated model was calculated by superimposing (4NOS) over the generated model to access the accuracy and reliability of the generated model using ICM Molsoft Browser (http://www.molsoft.com/). The generated 3D structure was deposited Calpain at the Protein Model Database (PMDB)14 and assigned the PMDB ID: PM0078016. The 2D structure of quercetin (CID5280343) was retrieved from the NCBI PubChem database and performed a chemical structure search at the NCBI PubChem database to retrieve the related compound and analogues. The search parameters were set at 95% similarity subjected to Lipinski rule of five filters15 resulting with 85 compounds. These compounds were then converted to their corresponding SYBYL mol2 (3D format) which and optimized using MM2 force field using ChemOffice 2010 (CambridgeSoft Corporation, MA 02139, USA). The generated 3D protein model was then imported in the Molegro Virtual Docker (Molegro Virtual Docker, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark).

5–4 5 h) It also eliminated rapidly through urine (∼90%) and faec

5–4.5 h) It also eliminated rapidly through urine (∼90%) and faeces (∼20%) within 8–12 h.4 and 5 Therefore repeated administration of high doses are required to maintain effective plasma concentration and thus reducing patient compliance with side effects like Talazoparib datasheet abdominal discomfort, anorexia, nausea and diarrhea. Metformin HCl is highly water soluble drug therefore here the role of polymer is so

important to control it for maximum time in gastric environment. In present study we developed the metformin HCl loaded nanoparticles by non-aqueous solvent emulsion evaporation technique and characterized it. The challenge in our study was to enhance the encapsulation percentage of metformin in polymeric nanoparticles core and decrease initial burst release. This was achieved by total hydrophobic environment and examines the effect of different viscosity grade ethylcellulose

on drug loading and release profile. All nanoparticle formulations evaluated by particle size, zeta potential, drug content, product recovery, surface morphology, drug-polymer interaction, X-ray diffraction and in vitro dissolution study, etc. Metformin HCl was kindly gifted by Aarti Drugs Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai. ETHOCEL Standard 45 Premium Ethylcellulose (45 cP) (EC45) and ETHOCEL Standard 100 Premium Ethylcellulose (100 cP) (EC100) were gift sample by Colorcorn Asia Pvt. Ltd., Goa. Ethylcellulose (300 cP) Selleck SAR405838 (EC300) procured from Sigma–Aldrich, USA. In all polymers ethoxyl content was 48–49.5%. Methanol and SPAN 80 were purchased from Merck, Mumbai and Ozone International, Mumbai respectively.

Liquid Paraffin Light procured from Himedia Lab Pvt. Ltd. Mumbai. Dissolution medium was prepared by using triple distilled water filtered with 0.22 μ membrane filter. Nanoparticles were prepared by oil in oil (O/O) solvent evaporation technique.6 Metformin HCl and ethylcellulose polymers (EC45/EC100/EC300) were dissolved in methanol at 1:3, 1:6 and 1:9 ratios by magnetic lab stirrer (Remi, India). After complete soluble in methanol, organic phase was added drop by drop in Liquid Paraffin Light containing 0.4% v/v Span 80. During this addition first emulsion was stirred by high speed homogenizer (Omni GLH homogenizer) at 25,000 rpm. The temperature of external phase was maintained. Then solution was stirred for 2 h to allow complete evaporation of solvent. After removal of solvent nanoparticles were separated from oil by centrifugation (R243A, Remi) at 18,000 rpm for 30 min. The separated nanoparticles were repeatedly washed with n-hexane until free from oil. The collected nanoparticles were dried at room temperature and subsequently stored in desiccator for 24 h. Viscosities of internal phases at different ratios of all polymers were measured by Brookfield rotational digital viscometer DVLV II at 25 °C. The obtained nanoparticles were suspended in distilled water and sonicate before analysis for 10 s. Particle size determined at 25 °C by using Nano series Malvern Instruments, UK.

, 2009) For instance, pre-administration of an organotellurane a

, 2009). For instance, pre-administration of an organotellurane avoided the establishment of the statusepilepticus in rats ( Persike et al., 2008). Besides, tellurides are promising antitumoral drugs and their chemoprotective effects can be related to their cytotoxic properties and to their ability

PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor 2 to inhibit important enzymes necessary for the tumor growth ( Engman et al., 2000 and Cunha et al., 2005). Additionally, Ávila et al. (2010) demonstrated the neuroprotective activity of a vinylic telluride compound against Mn-induced neurotoxicity. Organotellurium compounds have been also reported as antioxidants in several models of oxidative stress (Briviba et al., 1998 and Jacob et al., 2000), Navitoclax nmr especially in brain (Ávila et al., 2008). Recently, our research group showed the antioxidant effect of telluroacetylenes on rat brain homogenate in vitro ( Souza et al., 2009). Moreover, 2-phenyletinil-butyltellurium (PEBT) ( Fig. 1), a telluroacetylene compound, protected against oxidative damage caused by sodium nitroprusside in mouse brain, suggesting an antioxidant effect in vivo of this compound ( Souza et al., 2009). Glutamate has a pivotal role in neuroplasticity, learning and memory processes (Flood et al., 1990, Izquierdo and Medina, 1997, Castellano et al., 2001 and Whitlock et al., 2006). The central nervous system strictly regulates the fine balance between glutamate

release and uptake. When glutamate is released in the synaptic cleft, it is uptaked by specific high affinity Na+-dependent amino acid transporters, which are mainly present in glial cells, and metabolized by the glutamine pathway, transported as glutamine to the neurons and Rutecarpine stored as glutamate now in the vesicles of pre-synaptic neuron to be released again (Fykse and Fonnum, 1996, Danbolt, 2001 and Sheldon and Robinson, 2007). In that way, facilitated glutamate transmission leads to consequent increase in learning

(Lhullier et al., 2004 and Mameli et al., 2005). In view of the pharmacological properties of organotellurium compounds, the present study evaluated the effect of PEBT on the three stages of memory, acquisition, consolidation and retrieval, employing the step-down inhibitory avoidance task in mice. Moreover, the involvement of glutamate uptake and release in the improvement of memory caused by PEBT were investigated. PEBT was prepared according to the literature method (Comasseto et al., 1996). Analysis of the 1HNMR and 13CNMR spectra showed that PEBT synthesized exhibited analytical and spectroscopic data in full agreement with its assigned structure. PEBT was diluted in canola oil. l-[3H]glutamate (specific activity 30 Ci/mmol) was purchased from Amersham International, UK. All other chemicals were obtained of the analytical grade and from standard commercial suppliers. The experiments were conducted using male adult Swiss mice (25–35 g) from our own breeding colony.

17 PRF also demonstrates to stimulate osteogenic differentiation

17 PRF also demonstrates to stimulate osteogenic differentiation of human dental pulp cells by upregulating osteoprotegerin and alkaline phosphatase expression.18 Furthermore, many growth factors are released from PRF as PDGF,TGF and has slower and sustained release up to 7 days19 and up to 28 days,20 which means PRF stimulates its environment for a significant time during remodeling. Moreover, PRF increase cell attachment, proliferation and collagen related protein expression of human osteoblasts.21 PRF also enhances p-ERK, OPG and ALP expression which benefits periodontal regeneration by influencing Selleckchem MEK inhibitor human periodontal ligament fibroblasts.22 According to the results

obtained in this case report, it could be concluded that the positive clinical impact of additional application of PRF with alloplastic graft material in treatment of periodontal

intrabony defect is based on: • Reduction in probing pocket depth However, long term, multicenter Tariquidar clinical trial randomized, controlled clinical trial will be required to know its clinical and radiographic effect over bone regeneration. All authors have none to declare. “
“Molecular diversity and diverse biological activity are the two factors which distinguish natural sources from synthetic chemicals. Among the natural sources, plants have been used predominantly in the traditional medicinal preparations in various forms. Increased incidence of lifestyle related chronic and degenerative diseases such as cancer, stroke, myocardial infarctions, diabetes, sepsis, hemorrhagic shock and neurodegenerative diseases have necessitated the search for novel antioxidants.1 Emergence of novel pathogens and multidrug

resistant strains has made it essential Edoxaban to search for novel antimicrobial agents. The emerging information about the possible toxicity and carcinogenic activity of synthetic antioxidants has increased the consumer preferences for antioxidant and antimicrobial supplements from natural sources, which believed to be having antitumor, anti-mutagenic and anti-carcinogenic activities.2 Hypericum japonicum Thunb. (Family: Hypericaceae) is an annual herb, called “Tianjihuang” in China and widely used for the treatment of bacterial diseases, infectious hepatitis, acute and chronic hepatitis, gastrointestinal disorder, internal hemorrhage and tumor. 3 Different classes of chemicals such as flavonoids, phloroglucinol derivatives, lactones, xanthonoids, chromone glycosides and peptides had been reported in H. japonicum. Some bioactive chemicals like salothranols, saropyrone, salothralens, sarolactones, taxifolin-7-O-rhamnoside, isoquercitrin, quercitrin, chromone glycosides, quercetin and kaempferol have been characterized in H. japonicum.

Both of these hormones are thus vulnerable if normal ER function

Both of these hormones are thus vulnerable if normal ER function is perturbed, and so feto-maternal signalling and the capacity of the placenta to influence maternal metabolism may be impaired. This may restrict the supply of glucose and free fatty acids to the placenta. The syncytiotrophoblast also expresses a wide array of receptors that are involved in signalling and the transport of nutrients. As these are membrane proteins they will be processed by the ER, and so their conformation Selleckchem Alectinib and activity are potentially compromised during ER stress. The release of apoptotic debris from the surface

of the syncytiotrophoblast is one of the many factors that has been implicated in the second stage of the two-stage model of pre-eclampsia [3]. Onalespib mouse Microvillous particles and placental debris are highly irritant to endothelial cells in vitro, leading to activation and an inflammatory response [48]. Apoptosis is increased in the trophoblast in early-onset pre-eclampsia [49], and ER stress provides at least two potential pathways to mediate this effect, activation of CHOP and of caspase 4. We have observed evidence of both pathways in placentas from early-onset pre-eclampsia, and localised them immunohistochemically to the syncytiotrophoblast and the fetal endothelial

cells ( Fig. 2). The former may be responsible for increased shedding of placental debris from the syncytiotrophoblast layer, whereas the latter may adversely impact on the development and maintenance of the placental capillary network. A major advance in our understanding of the pathophysiology of pre-eclampsia came with the recognition that the syndrome is associated with a heightened maternal inflammatory response [1] and [50]. Maternal circulating levels of TNF-α and interleukin 6 are increased in pre-eclampsia [51], and both these cytokines will cause endothelial cell activation. Evidence of such activation is provided by the finding of Chlormezanone elevated levels of long pentraxin 3, a marker for inflammation involving a vascular bed,

in women with pre-eclampsia [52]. There are close links between ER stress and activation of pro-inflammatory responses that may be mediated by various pathways [53]. Firstly, the kinase domain of Ire1 can activate the p38 MAPK, JNK and NFκB pathways as previously described [54]. Secondly, protein synthesis inhibition independently leads to activation of the NFκB pathway since the half-life of the inhibitory sub-unit, IκB, is much shorter than that of NFκB [55]. Thirdly, the ER produces ROS as a by-product of protein folding, and this may be accentuated during repeated attempts to refold misfolded proteins. ROS can activate the NFκB pathway by stimulating phosphorylation of the IκB sub-unit, targeting it for degradation.

A variety of questionnaires assess mood disturbance but many cont

A variety of questionnaires assess mood disturbance but many contain somatic items (eg sleep problems, loss of appetite), which are likely to reflect the patient’s presenting condition rather than any mood disturbance. The DASS was developed with somatic items excluded to address this problem specifically. It is therefore likely to provide clinicians with an accurate assessment of their patient’s symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress. The DASS has excellent clinimetric properties and few limitations, however clinicians should be aware that certain patient groups (eg children, the developmentally BIBW2992 nmr delayed,

or those who are taking certain medications) may have difficulty understanding the questionnaire items or responding to them in an unbiased manner. For non-English speaking patients over 25 translations of the DASS are available. Finally, we caution against using the DASS scores to independently diagnose

discrete mood disorders such as depression. The DASS is not intended to replace a complete psychological assessment. It is important to remember that DASS severity ratings are based on mean population scores obtained from large, relatively heterogenous samples. On this basis, an individual severity rating reflects how far scores Selleck INK1197 are positioned from these population means; the further away the score is from the population mean, the more severe the symptoms. If DASS scores suggest that a patient has significant symptoms of depression, anxiety, or stress, then referral to a qualified colleague with experience in managing mood disturbance

is required. For more information Linifanib (ABT-869) on the DASS the developers have provided a comprehensive FAQ section on their web page, along with an overview and link to download the questionnaire. “
“Latest update: August 2009. Date of next update: 2014. Patient group: Patients aged under 16 years presenting with arthritic symptoms and those diagnosed with Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Intended audience: Health professionals (general practitioners and allied health including physiotherapy) in the primary health care setting. Additional versions: Nil. Expert working group: Two working groups were involved: the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Working Group consisted of 8 health care professionals (representing medicine, nursing, public health, and physiotherapy) and a consumer representative. The Australian Paediatric Rheumatology Working Group consisted of 7 medical fellows. Funded by: RACGP and the Australian Department of Health and Ageing. Consultation with: Draft versions of the guidelines were available on the RACGP website for public consultation, and over 200 stakeholder groups were targeted specifically. Approved by: National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia, RACGP. Location: http://www.racgp.org.au/guidelines/juvenileidiopathicarthritis.

Further examination

Further examination Cytoskeletal Signaling inhibitor showed

that the rise in LF PCV7-STs was associated with PCV7-ST serotypes while the rise in the NonPCV7-STs is more associated with PCV7-ST serotypes than NonPCV7-ST serotypes. Amongst non-PCV7 serotypes and STs not primarily associated with these serotypes, there was some evidence of a change in the distribution. IPD from NVT serotypes 19A and 22F increased, whilst serotype 20 showed a decrease. Serotypes 19A and 22F were linked to LF PCV7-STs, the group of serotypes which showed an increase. Serotype 20 was not linked to PCV7-STs and, on the whole, this group of serotypes was relatively static compared to PCV7-ST serotypes. Prior to routine PCV7 use, the distribution of serotypes and STs in Scottish IPD appeared static, only serotype 1 IPD was found to increase, alongside an increase in ST306 IPD. Routine PCV7 vaccination drastically reduced the burden of VT IPD in Scotland, not only among children targeted for vaccination but also the rest of the population. Little evidence of serotype replacement was found except for the elderly where increases in NVT IPD outbalanced decreases in VT IPD. The major replacement serotypes

were 19A and 22F alongside GS-7340 cost STs 199 and 433. Routine collection of information on both the genetic background and capsular serotype allowed an analysis of relationships in response to vaccine implementation. Interestingly, the proportional increase of serotypes after vaccination was greatly attributable to serotypes which were associated with PCV7 STs. This implies that ST perhaps plays a role in determining the fitness of a pneumococcus and that it may be possible to predict serotypes

likely to increase most following the use of increased valency vaccines by examining STs associated with VT serotypes and identifying the NVT serotypes also found to be associated with these STs. It is important to note, however, that STs linked to disease causing serotypes in the developing world may not correspond with those in the developed world (e.g., outbreaks attributable to serotype 1 in sub-Saharan Africa were associated with ST 618 and 217, not 306 and Resminostat 227 as in the developed world) [28]. Therefore, results presented here may not be applicable worldwide. Our findings on pre and post-vaccination trends correspond to existing literature. Serotype 1 bacteraemia was found to increase over time in the UK and Ireland [29], as well as serotype 1 IPD in England and Wales [25]. Furthermore, the increase observed in serotype 19A IPD has been widely observed [13], [14], [15], [16], [30], [31] and [32]. Following PCV7 use, VT serotypes were almost eliminated from IPD in those aged <5 years, providing clear evidence of a strong vaccine effect in this group, as has been documented in other countries [33], [34] and [35].

Besides seroprotection against the vaccine strains, the vast majo

Besides seroprotection against the vaccine strains, the vast majority of volunteers also showed neutralizing antibodies against the five heterologous test strains of GI–GIV. The seroprotection rates after the heterologous JE-VC booster were comparable with those recorded after a booster vaccine homologous to the click here primary series. It is noteworthy that, in contrast to the varying seroconversion rates observed after the JE-VC primary series, the cross-protection rates for JE-MB-primed subjects were around 90% both after a homologous and a heterologous booster.

Taken together, these results further support the use of a single dose of JE-VC for boosting JE-MB immunity, suggesting that the interval to a second booster dose may be extended to two years or even longer. No data, however, exist as yet on the longevity of cross-protection beyond two years. Among travelers primed with JE-VC, seroprotection against the vaccine strain lasted for at least two years, and most vaccinees also proved to be protected against the non-vaccine JEV genotypes at follow-up. Yet the seroprotection rates against the emerging genotype, GI, were no higher than 73%, suggesting that the booster vaccination should not be delayed beyond two years. As for travelers with a history of JE-MB primary series, a single dose of

JE-VC provided cross-reactive learn more seroprotection against strains of all major genotypes, including GI, for at least two years after the booster. This further encourages the use of a single heterologous JE-VC dose for boosting JE-MB immunity. While our results suggest that the next booster dose can be administered even after the prescribed 24-month interval, new studies are needed to establish the optimal timing. This work was financially supported by the Finnish Cultural these Foundation, Finska Läkaresällskapet, the Maud Kuistila Memorial Foundation and the Finnish Foundation for Research on Viral Diseases. A.K. and L.R. have participated as members in an advisory board for and received honoraria from Novartis and L.L. and L.R. from Baxter. A.K. has acted as a consultant on vaccination immunology and received research funds

from Crucell. A.K., L.L., J.R. and L.R. have received honoraria for lectures from Crucell, GlaxoSmithKline, Baxter and Pfizer. All other authors report no potential conflicts of interest. The authors thank the personnel of the Aava Travel Clinic, Aava Medical Centre, Finland and Cityakuten/Wasavaccination, Sweden for help in collecting blood samples and recruiting patients. “
“Serogroup B meningococci (MenB) account for 50–80% of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) in Canada, with the highest incidence seen in children <5 years of age [1] and [2]. Despite the need for prevention, efforts to develop a vaccine against MenB disease have been hampered by the similarity of the polysaccharide capsule of the bacterium to human fetal neural tissue [3] and [4] and the inability to identify common protective surface antigens among MenB strains.