It is still unclear whether i.v. immunoglobulins (Ig) can facilitate the reproductive prognosis of women who have suffered recurrent pregnancy loss. We report the results of a multicentre placebo-controlled study on the effect of Ig administration on pregnancy outcome in 46 women who had suffered at least three recurrent miscarriages. All were screened to exclude chromosomal or Müllerian abnormalities, the presence of antinuclear antibodies, lupus anticoagulant (LA) or elevated titres of anticardiolipin antibodies which may have revealed an underlying autoimmune problem. To avoid a selection bias towards ongoing pregnancies, i.v. Ig or placebo were administered between weeks 5 and 7 of gestation for 2 consecutive days as soon as each woman knew she was pregnant and before embryonic heart activity could be detected. A further infusion was administered at week 8 when ultrasonography confirmed an ongoing embryonic development. In all, 68% of the women who received Ig went to term versus 79% of those who received a placebo (not significant), with no significant differences in the pregnancy course or the perinatal outcome. These results suggest either that women with recurrent miscarriages who have no recognized cause of pregnancy loss have a good reproductive prognosis without any treatment or that the emotional care associated with the administration of a placebo can indirectly facilitate the progression of pregnancy.

Exercise induces alterations of the extracellular matrix (ECM), e.g. by an increased release of endostatin or by regulation of matrix metalloproteases (MMP)-2/-9, and cathepsin L. To investigate the influence of training status on exercise-induced ECM-processing of angiogenic molecules, alterations of endostatin-, MMP-2, and MMP-9 plasma concentrations during incremental running step tests in male elite short-track (n=6) and male elite long-track runners (n=7) were studied. Three blood samples (pre-exercise, 0, and 1 h post-exercise) were taken from each subject at each running test. In both groups, the basal endostatin plasma concentration was significantly decreased at the second running test, i.e. after the training season. Exercise-related acute alterations of the parameters were also observed only during the second test. In the long-track group, there was a significant increase in endostatin at 0 h and of MMP-2 at 1 h post-exercise. In the short-track group, only MMP-9 was significantly increased at 0 h post-exercise. Cathepsin L was increased at 0 h post-exercise. In conclusion, regular exercise performance decreases the basal endostatin plasma concentration, facilitates ECM-processing of angiogenic molecules by regular performance, and seems to be dependent on the kind of training.

While bivalent and quadrivalent HPV vaccines have been used for about 10 years, a nonavalent vaccine against HPV types 6/11/16/18/31/33/45/52 and 58 has been recently approved by FDA and EMA and is now commercially available. The objective of our study was to evaluate the potential impact of the nonavalent vaccine on HPV infection and related low- and high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL, HSIL), compared to the impact of the quadrivalent vaccine, in a female population living in Sicily (Italy).Low estimates of HPV vaccine impact were calculated as prevalence of HPV 6/11/16/18/31/33/45/52 and 58 genotypes, alone or in association, but excluding presence of other HPV types; high estimates were calculated as prevalence of HPV 6/11/16/18/31/33/45/52 and 58 genotypes alone or in association, in the presence of other HPV types.The nonavalent HPV vaccine showed increased impact, compared to the quadrivalent vaccine. Estimates of potential impact varied from 30.9% (low estimate) to 53.3% (high estimate) for LSIL, and from 56.9% to 81,0% for HSIL. The proportion of additional cases potentially prevented by the nonavalent vaccine was 14.4%–23.8% for LSIL, and 19.0%–32.8% for HSIL.The benefit of the nonavalent vaccine compared to the quadrivalent vaccine was more than 80% for both low and high impact estimates for LSIL and more than 50% for both low and high impact estimates for HSIL.The present study confirms that the switch from a first generation HPV vaccines to a nonavalent vaccine would increase the prevention of cervical HSIL in up to 90% of cases.

Treatment of wool in a number of organic solvents reduces both its cystine content and its solubility in urea-bisulfite. Some reagents attack the disulfide bond in such a way that hydrogen sulfide is evolved. As, however, no lanthionine has been found, and the effect due to lysinoalanine is not yet known, it could be claimed that no correlation exists between cystine breakdown and reduction in solubility. The latter is probably due to physical changes of the keratin molecule, and it is affected by the temperature of the treatment and the size of the molecule. Purification of wool by extraction in a Soxhlet apparatus with diethylether and ethanol reduces the solubility and must be avoided. Petroleum ether of either low or high boiling range or extraction in the cold with diethylether and ethanol has no effect on the solubility.