No differences were found between effect estimates from conventional and registry-based randomized controlled trials.

Objectives: The study aims to assess whether the results from registry-based randomized controlled trials (RRCTs) systematically differ from the results of conventional randomized controlled trials (CRCTs).

Study Design: The study was meta-epidemiological study. We identified RRCTs (February 2016) and subsequent systematic reviews (SRs) that included one RRCT (04/2017).

Neonatally imprinted stromal cell subsets induce tolerogenic dendritic cells in mesenteric lymph nodes.

Gut-draining mesenteric lymph nodes (mLNs) are important for inducing peripheral tolerance towards food and commensal antigens by providing an optimal microenvironment for de novo generation of Foxp3 regulatory T cells (Tregs). We previously identified microbiota-imprinted mLN stromal cells as a critical component in tolerance induction. Here we show that this imprinting process already takes place in the neonatal phase, and renders the mLN stromal cell compartment resistant to inflammatory perturbations later in life.

Delftia sp. LCW, a strain isolated from a constructed wetland shows novel properties for dimethylphenol isomers degradation.

Background: Dimethylphenols (DMP) are toxic compounds with high environmental mobility in water and one of the main constituents of effluents from petro- and carbochemical industry. Over the last few decades, the use of constructed wetlands (CW) has been extended from domestic to industrial wastewater treatments, including petro-carbochemical effluents. In these systems, the main role during the transformation and mineralization of organic pollutants is played by microorganisms.

Interprofessional collaboration and patient-reported outcomes in inpatient care: protocol for a systematic review.

Background: Interprofessional collaboration (IPC) is a core demand of policymakers, funding parties, and health care professionals in practice. Although the causal mechanism from increased IPC to improved patient outcomes seems to be intuitive, there is a lack of credible causal evidence concerning the effects not only on the objective but also on the subjective patient outcomes. The aim of the planned systematic review is to focus on the effect of IPC on patient-reported outcomes and experiences in inpatient care.

Impact of dental cement on the peri-implant biofilm-microbial comparison of two different cements in an in vivo observational study.

Background: The type of cement used in cemented fixed implant-supported restorations influences formation of undetected excess cement and composition of the peri-implant biofilm. Excess cement and dysbiosis of the biofilm involve the risk of peri-implant inflammation.

Purpose: The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of two different cements on the peri-implant biofilm and inflammation.

The effect of a voucher incentive on a survey response rate in the clinical setting: a quasi-randomized controlled trial.

Background: Financial rewards have been shown to be an important motivator to include normal healthy volunteers in trials. Less emphasis has been put on non-healthy volunteers. No previous study has investigated the impact of a voucher incentive for participants in a cross-sectional study in a clinical setting.

(Update of a) systematic review on the impact of elective early term (< 39th gestational week) caesarean sections on maternal and neonatal health - a protocol.

Background: The rate of caesarean sections increased in the last decades to about 30% of births in western populations. Many caesarean sections are electively planned without an urgent medical reason for mother or child. Especially in women with a foregoing caesarean section, the procedure is planned early.

Video Versus Direct Laryngoscopy for Inpatient Emergency Intubation in Adults.

Background: Emergency intubation carries a higher risk of complications than elective airway management. Video laryngoscopy (VL) could potentially improve patient safety. The goal of this study was to determine whether VL is superior to direct laryngoscopy for the emergency intubation of adults in the inpatient setting.

Determining lineage-specific bacterial growth curves with a novel approach based on amplicon reads normalization using internal standard (ARNIS).

The growth rate is a fundamental characteristic of bacterial species, determining its contributions to the microbial community and carbon flow. High-throughput sequencing can reveal bacterial diversity, but its quantitative inaccuracy precludes estimation of abundances and growth rates from the read numbers. Here, we overcame this limitation by normalizing Illumina-derived amplicon reads using an internal standard: a constant amount of Escherichia coli cells added to samples just before biomass collection.

How is AMSTAR applied by authors - a call for better reporting.

Background: The assessment of multiple systematic reviews (AMSTAR) tool is widely used for investigating the methodological quality of systematic reviews (SR). Originally, AMSTAR was developed for SRs of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Its applicability to SRs of other study designs remains unclear.

Evaluation of the reliability, usability, and applicability of AMSTAR, AMSTAR 2, and ROBIS: protocol for a descriptive analytic study.

Background: Systematic reviews (SRs) of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) can provide the best evidence to inform decision-making, but their methodological and reporting quality varies. Tools exist to guide the critical appraisal of quality and risk of bias in SRs, but evaluations of their measurement properties are limited. We will investigate the interrater reliability (IRR), usability, and applicability of A MeaSurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews (AMSTAR), AMSTAR 2, and Risk Of Bias In Systematic reviews (ROBIS) for SRs in the fields of biomedicine and public health.

Pivotal Role of Preexisting Pathogen-Specific Antibodies in the Development of Necrotizing Soft-Tissue Infections.

Background: Necrotizing soft-tissue infections (NSTI) are the most severe form of bacterial-induced tissue pathology. Their unpredictable onset and rapid development into life-threatening conditions considerably complicate patient treatment. Understanding the risk factors for NSTI in individual patients is necessary for selecting the appropriate therapeutic option.

Health technology assessment of public health interventions: an analysis of characteristics and comparison of methods-study protocol.

Background: Conducting a health technology assessment (HTA) of public health interventions (PHIs) poses some challenges. PHIs are often complex interventions, which affect the number and degree of interactions of the aspects to be assessed. Randomized controlled trials on PHIs are rare as they are difficult to conduct because of ethical or feasibility issues.

Comparison of methodological quality rating of systematic reviews on neuropathic pain using AMSTAR and R-AMSTAR.

Background: Systematic reviews (SRs) in the field of neuropathic pain (NeuP) are increasingly important for decision-making. However, methodological flaws in SRs can reduce the validity of conclusions. Hence, it is important to assess the methodological quality of NeuP SRs critically.

Quality ratings of reviews in overviews: a comparison of reviews with and without dual (co-)authorship.

Background: Previous research shows that many authors of Cochrane overviews were also involved in some of the included systematic reviews (SRs). This type of dual (co-)authorship (DCA) may be a conflict of interest and a potential source of bias. Our objectives were to (1) additionally investigate DCA in non-Cochrane overviews; (2) investigate whether there is an association between DCA and quality assessments of SRs in Cochrane and non-Cochrane overviews.

Detection of Streptococcus pyogenes virulence genes in Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis from Vellore, India.

Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis (SDSE), belonging to the group C and G streptococci, are human pathogens reported to cause clinical manifestations similar to infections caused by Streptococcus pyogenes. To scrutinize the distribution of gene coding for S.

[First results of a German second opinion program show high patient satisfaction and large discrepancies between initial therapy recommendations and second opinion].

Background And Objectives: Although legally anchored, there are no empirical results from German second opinion programs. In this study, various aspects within a population of a second opinion program are examined.

Methods: In this study patients were analyzed who sought a second opinion in the period from August 2011 to December 2016.

Guideline-based quality indicators-a systematic comparison of German and international clinical practice guidelines: protocol for a systematic review.

Background: Quality indicators (QIs) are used in assessing the quality of healthcare. Evidence-based clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) are relevant sources for generating QIs. In this context, QIs are important tools to assess the implementation of guideline recommendations.

A systematic decision-making process on the need for updating clinical practice guidelines proved to be feasible in a pilot study.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to test and evaluate a new decision-making process on the need for updating within the update of a German clinical practice guideline (CPG).

Study Design And Setting: The pilot study comprised (1) limited searches in Pubmed to identify new potentially relevant evidence, (2) an online survey among the members of the CPG group to assess the need for update, and (3) a consensus conference for determination and prioritization of guideline sections with a high need for update. Subsequently, we conducted a second online survey to evaluate the procedure.

Systematic reviews with published protocols compared to those without: more effort, older search.

Objective: To explore trends in published protocols of systematic reviews (SRs) and to analyze how SRs with published protocols differ from those without.

Study Design And Setting: We searched PubMed up to December 31, 2016 to identify SR protocols. We also searched for the corresponding SR for each protocol published in 2012 and 2013 and matched this with an SR without published protocol by year and journal.

Colonic Butyrate-Producing Communities in Humans: an Overview Using Omics Data.

Given the key role of butyrate for host health, understanding the ecology of intestinal butyrate-producing communities is a top priority for gut microbiota research. To this end, we performed a pooled analysis on 2,387 metagenomic/transcriptomic samples from 15 publicly available data sets that originated from three continents and encompassed eight diseases as well as specific interventions. For analyses, a gene catalogue was constructed from gene-targeted assemblies of all genes from butyrate synthesis pathways of all samples and from an updated reference database derived from genome screenings.

Interventions to increase adherence in patients taking immunosuppressive drugs after kidney transplantation: a systematic review of controlled trials.

Background: Immunosuppressive drugs have to be taken through the whole duration of kidney transplant survival to avoid rejection. Low adherence can increase the risk of allograft rejection. The objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of adherence-enhancing interventions (AEI) in kidney transplantation recipients taking immunosuppressive drugs.