BACKGROUND The WHO 2006 Child Growth Standard is based on data from international optimally nourished breastfed infants from birth to age 5 years. OBJECTIVE To assess the potential effect of its use on weight and growth monitoring of UK children. PARTICIPANTS Full-term members of two population-based UK birth cohorts: the Children in Focus sub-cohort of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parent...

Human nephrotic syndrome has been related to mutations in glomerular proteins. Mutations in the NPHS2 gene that encodes podocin have been described as responsible for steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome. It has been advised to test for NPHS2 mutations in parallel or before giving steroid treatment in nephrotic syndrome patients in order to avoid unnecessary therapy. We identified NPHS2 mutatio...

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of diagnostic tests based on recombinant yellow jacket venom allergens. Nevertheless, rVes v 5 and rVes v 1 had missed 8% of subjects with established allergy. Testing for rVes v 2b added only a minor contribution to diagnostic sensitivity. Primarily, 3 allergens were recognized as responsible for Vespula venom allergy, beyond Ves v 5 and Ves v 1, also Ves v 2, which occurs in isoforms. Recentl...

The World Health Organization (WHO) international standard (IS) for hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA for use in nucleic acid amplification assays was characterized by determining the complete genome sequence, which was assigned genotype A. This information will aid the design, development, and evaluation of HBV DNA amplification assays.

OBJECTIVE To ascertain measures of health status among 6- to 24-month-old children classified as below normal weight-for-age (underweight) by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 2000 growth reference but as normal weight-for-age by the World Health Organization (WHO) 2006 standard. METHODS Data were gathered from children and primary caregivers at emergency departments and pr...

The first WHO international standard for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) (WHO EBV standard) for nucleic acid amplification technology (NAT)-based assays was commercialized in January 2012 by the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control. In the study reported here, we compared whole-blood EBV DNA load (EDL) results from 12 French laboratories for seven samples (Quality Controls for Molec...

The study compared the safety and efficacy of an oral rehydration salts (ORS) solution, containing 75 mmol/L of sodium and glucose each, with the standard World Health Organization (WHO)-ORS solution in the management of ongoing fluid losses, after initial intravenous rehydration to correct dehydration. The study was conducted among patients aged 12-60 years hospitalized with diarrhoea due to c...

When children and incapacitated adults are enrolled in research that cannot directly benefit them, they can be exposed to no more than "minimal" risks, according to guidelines accepted around the world. We need a new standard for what "minimal" risks are, however--one that recognizes that participating in non-beneficial research is like participating in a charitable activity. Such a standard ap...