Despite the use of 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV23) in adults there is substantial morbidity and mortality in the elderly due to pneumococcal infections. Since 2010, the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) is in use for infant immunization programs to reduce rates of pneumococcal disease, but is not routinely used in adults. Recent literature suggests PCV13 may be used in adult vaccination programs as well.
To determine the immunogenicity and safety of PCV13 compared with the PPV23 in adults.
Systematic review and meta-analysis.
Randomized controlled trials evaluating immunogenicity of a single dose of PCV13 and PPV23 in adults by the opsonophagocytic assay (OPA) geometric mean titer (GMT) response at 1-month post-vaccination were considered for inclusion.
Five randomized trials were included with 4561 subjects ranging 50-95.5 years, consisting of 51% females. The pooled OPA GMT ratio (GMTR) in the PCV13 arm was significantly higher for 10 of 13 serotypes (1, 4, 5, 6A, 6B, 9V, 18C, 19A, 19F and 23F) compared with the PPV23 arm. Overall, pooled risk ratios (RR) for local and systemic reactions did not differ between PCV13 and PPV23. Pneumococcal naïve subjects experienced significantly higher local reactions in the PCV13 arm compared with the PPV23 arm (RR: 1.15, 95%CI: 1.05-1.26, p = 0.0025).
A single dose of PCV13 elicits a better immune response among adults compared with PPV23, while having a similar safety profile to PPV23.

Macronutrient elements (C, N and P) and micronutrient elements (Fe, Co, Cu, Zn and Mn) are widely measured in their various physico-chemical forms in open ocean, shelf sea, coastal and estuarine waters. These measurements help to elucidate the biogeochemical cycling of these elements in marine waters and highlight the ecological and socio-economic importance of the oceans. Due to the dynamic nature of marine waters in terms of chemical, biological and physical processes, it is advantageous to make these measurements in situ and in this regard flow injection analysis (FIA) provides a suitable shipboard platform. This review, therefore, discusses the role of FIA in the determination of macro- and micro-nutrient elements, with an emphasis on manifold design and detection strategies for the reliable shipboard determination of specific nutrient species. The application of various FIA manifolds to oceanographic nutrient determinations is discussed, with an emphasis on sensitivity, selectivity, high throughput analysis and suitability for underway analysis and depth profiles. Strategies for enhancing sensitivity and minimizing matrix effects, e.g. refractive index (schlieren) effects and the important role of uncertainty budgets in underpinning method validation and data quality are discussed in some detail.

Analytical derivatization either in pre or post column modes is one of the most widely used sample pretreatment techniques coupled to liquid chromatography. In the present review article we selected to discuss the post column derivatization mode for the analysis of organic compounds. The first part of the review focuses to the instrumentation of post-column setups including not only fundamental components such as pumps and reactors but also less common parts such as static mixers and back-pressure regulators; the second part of the article discusses the most popular \"chemistries\" that are involved in post column applications, including reagent-less approaches and new sensing platforms such as the popular gold nanoparticles. Some representative recent applications are also presented as tables.