COVID-19 through Adverse Outcome Pathways: Building networks to better understand the disease - 3rd CIAO AOP Design Workshop.

On April 28-29, 2021, 50 scientists from different fields of expertise met for the 3rd online CIAO workshop. The CIAO project “Modelling the Pathogenesis of COVID-19 using the Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) framework” aims at building a holistic assembly of the available scientific knowledge on COVID-19 using the AOP framework. An individual AOP depicts the disease progression from the initial contact with the SARS-CoV-2 virus through biological key events (KE) toward an adverse outcome such as respiratory distress, anosmia or multiorgan failure.

Practical Aspects of Designing and Conducting Validation Studies Involving Multi-study Trials.

This chapter focuses on practical aspects of conducting prospective in vitro validation studies, and in particular, by laboratories that are members of the European Union Network of Laboratories for the Validation of Alternative Methods (EU-NETVAL) that is coordinated by the EU Reference Laboratory for Alternatives to Animal Testing (EURL ECVAM). Prospective validation studies involving EU-NETVAL, comprising a multi-study trial involving several laboratories or "test facilities", typically consist of two main steps: (1) the design of the validation study by EURL ECVAM and (2) the execution of the multi-study trial by a number of qualified laboratories within EU-NETVAL, coordinated and supported by EURL ECVAM. The approach adopted in the conduct of these validation studies adheres to the principles described in the OECD Guidance Document on the Validation and International Acceptance of new or updated test methods for Hazard Assessment No.

Genome-wide association study of sporadic brain arteriovenous malformations.

Background: The pathogenesis of sporadic brain arteriovenous malformations (BAVMs) remains unknown, but studies suggest a genetic component. We estimated the heritability of sporadic BAVM and performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) to investigate association of common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with risk of sporadic BAVM in the international, multicentre Genetics of Arteriovenous Malformation (GEN-AVM) consortium.

Methods: The Caucasian discovery cohort included 515 BAVM cases and 1191 controls genotyped using Affymetrix genome-wide SNP arrays.

Noninvasive evaluation of cerebral arteriovenous malformations by 4D-MRA for preoperative planning and postoperative follow-up in 56 patients: comparison with DSA and intraoperative findings.

Background And Purpose: 4D-MRA is a promising technique in the diagnosis and follow-up of cAVMs. The purpose of this study was to compare 4D-MRA in the pre- and postoperative evaluation of cAVMs with DSA or intraoperative findings as the standards of reference regarding qualitative and quantitative parameters.

Materials And Methods: Fifty-six consecutive patients with cAVMs (30 women) underwent both 4D-MRA and DSA.

Surgical management of intracranial subependymomas.

Background: Intracranial subependymomas are rare, slow-growing and usually non-invasive tumors. The aim of this study was to analyze our experience with the surgical treatment of intracranial subependymomas.

Methods: Between 1991 and 2007, 11 patients with intracranial subependymomas had surgery in our institution.

Number of metastases, serum lactate dehydrogenase level, and type of treatment are prognostic factors in patients with brain metastases of malignant melanoma.

Background: This multicenter study aimed to identify prognostic factors in patients with brain metastases from malignant melanoma (BM-MM).

Methods: In a retrospective survey in 9 cancer centers of the German Cancer Society, 692 patients were identified with BM-MM during the period 1986 through 2007. Overall survival was analyzed using a Kaplan-Meier estimator and compared with log-rank analysis.

Spinal vascular malformations--typical and atypical findings.

Vascular malformations of the spinal cord and its meninges are rare diseases which comprise true inborn cavernomas and arteriovenous malformations (AVM), including perimedullary fistulae, glomerular and juvenile AVMs, and presumably acquired dural arteriovenous fistulae. This article gives an overview of the imaging features on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and digital subtraction angiography of both typical and atypical findings to describe the wide variety of possible pathological entities encountered. Clinical differential diagnoses, the neurological symptomatology and potential therapeutic approaches of these diseases, which may vary depending on the underlying pathology, are given.

Spinal epidural arteriovenous fistula with perimedullary drainage. Case report and pathomechanical considerations.

The classic angiographically demonstrated features of spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas are shunts of radiculomeningeal branches with radicular veins draining exclusively in the direction of perimedullary veins and thereby causing venous congestion. These shunts are located at the point where the radicular vein passes the dura mater. Spinal epidural arteriovenous shunts, however, normally do not drain into the perimedullary veins and are, therefore, asymptomatic, presumably because of a postulated reflux-impeding mechanism between the dural sleeves.