Aluminium adjuvants versus placebo or no intervention in vaccine randomised clinical trials: a systematic review with meta-analysis and Trial Sequential Analysis.

Objectives: To assess the benefits and harms of aluminium adjuvants versus placebo or no intervention in randomised clinical trials in relation to human vaccine development.

Design: Systematic review with meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis assessing the certainty of evidence with Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE).

Data Sources: We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, LILACS, BIOSIS, Science Citation Index Expanded and Conference Proceedings Citation Index-Science until 29 June 2021, and Chinese databases until September 2021.

Extended HLA-G haplotypes in patients with age-related macular degeneration.

The study aims to determine if genetic polymorphisms in the human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-G gene are associated with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). HLA-G is important for immunological tolerance, and it is also known to have angiogenic effects. Polymorphisms in the 5'-upstream regulatory region (URR) and 3'-untranslated region (UTR) of HLA-G have been associated with a number of diseases, especially with respect to a 14 bp insertion/deletion (ins/del) polymorphism in the 3'UTR.

A systematic literature review of evidence-based clinical practice for rare diseases: what are the perceived and real barriers for improving the evidence and how can they be overcome?

Background: Evidence-based clinical practice is challenging in all fields, but poses special barriers in the field of rare diseases. The present paper summarises the main barriers faced by clinical research in rare diseases, and highlights opportunities for improvement.

Methods: Systematic literature searches without meta-analyses and internal European Clinical Research Infrastructure Network (ECRIN) communications during face-to-face meetings and telephone conferences from 2013 to 2017 within the context of the ECRIN Integrating Activity (ECRIN-IA) project.

Direct-acting antivirals for chronic hepatitis C.

Background: Millions of people worldwide suffer from hepatitis C, which can lead to severe liver disease, liver cancer, and death. Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), e.g.

Specific barriers to the conduct of randomised clinical trials on medical devices.

Background: Medical devices play an important role in the diagnosis, prevention, treatment and care of diseases. However, compared to pharmaceuticals, there is no rigorous formal regulation for demonstration of benefits and exclusion of harms to patients. The medical device industry argues that the classical evidence hierarchy cannot be applied for medical devices, as randomised clinical trials are impossible to perform.

Evidence-based practice within nutrition: what are the barriers for improving the evidence and how can they be dealt with?

Background: Evidence-based clinical research poses special barriers in the field of nutrition. The present review summarises the main barriers to research in the field of nutrition that are not common to all randomised clinical trials or trials on rare diseases and highlights opportunities for improvements.

Methods: Systematic academic literature searches and internal European Clinical Research Infrastructure Network (ECRIN) communications during face-to-face meetings and telephone conferences from 2013 to 2017 within the context of the ECRIN Integrating Activity (ECRIN-IA) project.

Barriers to the conduct of randomised clinical trials within all disease areas.

Background: Randomised clinical trials are key to advancing medical knowledge and to enhancing patient care, but major barriers to their conduct exist. The present paper presents some of these barriers.

Methods: We performed systematic literature searches and internal European Clinical Research Infrastructure Network (ECRIN) communications during face-to-face meetings and telephone conferences from 2013 to 2017 within the context of the ECRIN Integrating Activity (ECRIN-IA) project.

Direct-acting antivirals for chronic hepatitis C.

Background: Millions of people worldwide suffer from hepatitis C, which can lead to severe liver disease, liver cancer, and death. Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) are relatively new and expensive interventions for chronic hepatitis C, and preliminary results suggest that DAAs may eradicate hepatitis C virus (HCV) from the blood (sustained virological response). However, it is still questionable if eradication of hepatitis C virus in the blood eliminates hepatitis C in the body, and improves survival and leads to fewer complications.

The effect of recasting on biological properties of Ni-Cr dental alloy.

Introduction: Increases in market prices of gold over the last 20 years have led to expansion of basic dental alloys, which, primarily due to their good mechanical properties and acceptable prices, have found their place in everyday dental practice. However, within the procedure of making dental prosthetic restorations, the alloys are melted and cast, which leads to changes in their physical, mechanical and biological properties.

Objective: The objective of the study was to test biocompatibility of a Ni-Cr dental alloy (WIRON 99) depending on the number of melting and casting processes.

Distribution of HLA-G extended haplotypes and one HLA-E polymorphism in a large-scale study of mother-child dyads with and without severe preeclampsia and eclampsia.

The etiological pathways and pathogenesis of preeclampsia have rendered difficult to disentangle. Accumulating evidence points toward a maladapted maternal immune system, which may involve aberrant placental expression of immunomodulatory human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class Ib molecules during pregnancy. Several studies have shown aberrant or reduced expression of HLA-G in the placenta and in maternal blood in cases of preeclampsia compared with controls.

Prosthetic treatment after teeth extractions in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Introduction: Good and well balanced diet provided by adequate mastication is part of therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). The critical period presents the time immediately after teeth extractions; hence, immediate denture is a rational therapeutical choice for diabetic patients. The presence of immediate denture and its compression might compromise wound healing process, affect chewing ability, food intake and consequently blood glucose level in type 2 DM patients.

A Phenotypic Analysis of Regulatory T Cells and Uterine NK Cells from First Trimester Pregnancies and Associations with HLA-G.

Problem: The prevalence of regulatory T cells and NK cells expressing activation and HLA-G receptors, and the influence of in vivo sHLA-G and mHLAG on HLA-G receptors expressed by NK cells in the uterine compartment is unclear.

Method Of Study: KIR2DL4 and/or ILT2 expression on regulatory T cells and NK cells from the placental bed and peripheral blood in first trimester was assessed using flow cytometry. Expression of mHLA-G on trophoblast cells and sHLA-G in 'uterine' and peripheral blood was determined with ELISA and flow cytometry, and specific associations with expression levels of cognate receptors or activation markers on immune cells were determined.

Human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-G during pregnancy part II: associations between maternal and fetal HLA-G genotypes and soluble HLA-G.

Human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-G is a class Ib molecule with restricted tissue distribution expressed on the extra-villous trophoblast and seems to have immunomodulatory functions during pregnancy. Studies have linked HLA-G polymorphisms to pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia and recurrent miscarriage. Levels of soluble HLA-G (sHLA-G) in blood plasma from non-pregnant donors seem to be associated with these polymorphisms.

Human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-G during pregnancy part I: correlations between maternal soluble HLA-G at midterm, at term, and umbilical cord blood soluble HLA-G at term.

Human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-G is a class Ib molecule with restricted tissue distribution expressed on trophoblast cells and has been proposed to have immunomodulatory functions during pregnancy. Soluble HLA-G1 (sHLA-G1) can be generated by the shedding of membrane-bound HLA-G molecules; however, three soluble isoforms also exist (HLA-G5 to -G6). During pregnancy, it is unknown whether there is a correlation between sHLA-G levels in maternal and fetal blood.

HLA Class Ib Molecules and Immune Cells in Pregnancy and Preeclampsia.

Despite decades of research, the highly prevalent pregnancy complication preeclampsia, "the disease of theories," has remained an enigma. Indeed, the etiology of preeclampsia is largely unknown. A compiling amount of studies indicates that the pathological basis involves a complex array of genetic predisposition and immunological maladaptation, and that a contribution from the mother, the father, and the fetus is likely to be important.

Allelic imbalance modulates surface expression of the tolerance-inducing HLA-G molecule on primary trophoblast cells.

The HLA-G molecule is expressed on trophoblast cells at the feto-maternal interface, where it interacts with local immune cells, and upholds tolerance against the semi-allogeneic fetus. Aberrant HLA-G expression in the placenta and reduced soluble HLA-G levels are observed in pregnancy complications, partly explained by HLA-G polymorphisms which are associated with differences in the alternative splicing pattern and of the stability of HLA-G mRNA. Of special importance is a 14 bp insertion/deletion polymorphism located in the 3'-untranslated region of the HLA-G gene.

Controlling the Immunological Crosstalk during Conception and Pregnancy: HLA-G in Reproduction.

In several years after its discovery in the placenta, the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class Ib protein, HLA-G, was not given much attention, nor was it assigned great importance. As time has unraveled, HLA-G has proven to have distinctive functions and an unforeseen and possibly important role in reproduction. HLA-G is characterized mainly by its low polymorphism and restricted tissue distribution in non-pathological conditions.

Evaluation of a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for measurements of soluble HLA-G protein.

The human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class Ib molecule, HLA-G, has gained increased attention because of its assumed important role in immune regulation. The HLA-G protein exists in several soluble isoforms. Most important are the actively secreted HLA-G5 full-length isoform generated by alternative splicing retaining intron 4 with a premature stop codon, and the cleavage of full-length membrane-bound HLA-G1 from the cell surface, so-called soluble HLA-G1 (sHLA-G1).

The many faces of human leukocyte antigen-G: relevance to the fate of pregnancy.

Pregnancy is an immunological paradox, where fetal antigens encoded by polymorphic genes inherited from the father do not provoke a maternal immune response. The fetus is not rejected as it would be theorized according to principles of tissue transplantation. A major contribution to fetal tolerance is the human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-G, a nonclassical HLA protein displaying limited polymorphism, restricted tissue distribution, and a unique alternative splice pattern.

Soluble human leukocyte antigen-G in seminal plasma is associated with HLA-G genotype: possible implications for fertility success.

Problem: We have previously shown that human seminal plasma contains immunomodulatory soluble HLA-G (sHLA-G). We investigated whether sHLA-G levels in seminal plasma are associated with a specific 14 base pair (bp) insertion/deletion (ins/del) polymorphism in the 3'-untranslated region of the HLA-G gene and/or with the outcome of assisted reproduction treatments (ART) in couples attending a fertility clinic.

Method Of Study: In a total of 54 unselected couples, sHLA-G levels were measured in seminal plasma samples and blood samples, HLA-G genotyping was performed, and clinical data were collected.

Reliability of conventional shade guides in teeth color determination.

Background/aim: Color matching in prosthodontic therapy is a very important task because it influences the esthetic value of dental restorations. Visual shade matching represents the most frequently applied method in clinical practice. Instrumental measurements provide objective and quantified data in color assessment of natural teeth and restorations.

Evaluation of OneTouch Verio(®), a new blood glucose self-monitoring system for patients with diabetes.

Introduction: Self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) is important in diabetes management. Reliable and user-friendly instruments are essential. OneTouch Verio(®) is a new blood glucose concentration-measuring system designed to be used by patients with diabetes and healthcare professionals.

A fast and easy real-time PCR genotyping method for the HLA-G 14-bp insertion/deletion polymorphism in the 3' untranslated region.

Human leukocyte antigen-G (HLA-G) is a non-classical HLA class Ib molecule shown to exhibit immunomodulatory function in a wide range of immune-based disorders. A number of functional HLA-G gene polymorphisms have been identified, including a 14-bp insertion/deletion polymorphism in exon 8 of the 3' untranslated region of the HLA-G gene, which has been associated with HLA-G mRNA stability. Moreover, studies show that homozygosity for the 14-bp insertion/deletion polymorphism is associated with lower HLA-G mRNA and protein levels and unique alternative splicing patterns.

[The characteristics of mediastinal neuroblastoma and perspectives on surgical excision].

Thoracic (mediastinal) neuroblastomas (NB) have been reported to differ from abdominal (suprarenal and retroperitoneal) NB and to be associated with better prognosis. The comparison between them is rarely published. In this retrospective study, the characteristics of thoracic NB (17 cases) are investigated and compared with abdominal NB (51 cases).