197-0.243). Two country-specific factors were significantly correlated with performance: political stability (0.197-0.234) and disease burden (-0.211).

DISCUSSION: Successful evaluation that leads to continued funding predicts higher performance of TB grants, even in challenging settings such

as weak health services. However, THZ1 concentration other contextual factors affect grant performance and should be considered when assessing grants to ensure that countries that have a high disease burden and are politically unstable are not penalised.”
“Objective: We undertook this study to determine whether thrombin-cleaved osteopontin (OPN) in synovial fluid (SF) represents a useful marker of

osteoarthritis (OA) progression in the posterior cruciate ligament transection (PCLT) OA rabbit model.

Method: PCLT was performed on the right knee joints of 48 rabbits. The rabbits were then sacrificed separately at 4, 8, 16, and 24 weeks post-surgery, when the joint was harvested and macroscopic and histological assessments of articular cartilage were performed. Thrombin-cleaved OPN product in SF was determined using Western blotting and the levels were measured using an enzyme-linked immunoassay.

Results: The macroscopic Fosbretabulin mw and histological scores for PCLT knees were already elevated 4 weeks after surgery and increased with time. Western blotting showed selleck the presence of thrombin-cleaved OPN in SF from PCLT knees. Thrombin-cleaved OPN levels in SF were elevated at 4 weeks (P < 0.001) and were elevated peaking at 24 weeks (P < 0.00001) after PCLT compared to baseline. A positive significant correlation was found between thrombin-cleaved OPN levels and the macroscopic scores (8 weeks: rho = 0.695, P = 0.012; 16 weeks: rho = 0.751, P = 0.005; 24 weeks: rho = 0.660, P = 0.020). Furthermore, the same correlation was noted between thrombin-cleaved OPN levels and the histological

scores (4 weeks: rho = 0.609, P = 0.036; 8 weeks: rho = 0.662, P = 0.019; 16 weeks: rho = 0.827, P = 0.001; 24 weeks: rho = 0.813, P = 0.001).

Conclusion: In this rabbit model of PCLT, thrombin-cleaved OPN levels in SF appear to provide a useful marker of OA disease severity and progression. Crown Copyright (C) 2012 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of Osteoarthritis Research Society International. All rights reserved.”
“BACKGROUND: Few studies have examined predictors of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) treatment completion in inner city populations in the United States.

OBJECTIVE: To assess LTBI treatment completion rates and predictors in an inner city cohort.

METHODS: Data from control groups of two sequentially conducted randomized controlled trials of LTBI treatment were analyzed for treatment completion rates.