A Simple Score (MOG-AR) to Identify Individuals at High Risk of Relapse After MOGAD Attack.

Background And Objectives: To identify predictors for relapse in patients with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD) and to develop and validate a simple risk score for predicting relapse.

Methods: In China National Registry of Neuro-Inflammatory Diseases (CNRID), we identified patients with MOGAD from March 2023 and followed up prospectively to September 2023. The primary endpoint was MOGAD relapse, confirmed by an independent panel.

4-Octyl itaconate inhibits inflammation via the NLRP3 pathway in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders.

Objective: Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) are rare inflammatory astrocytic diseases of the central nervous system (CNS). The roles of immune response gene-1 (IRG1) and the IRG1-itaconic acid-NLRP3 inflammatory pathway in the pathogenesis of NMOSD and the effects of 4-octyl itaconate (4-OI) on the NLRP3 inflammatory pathway in NMOSD are unclear. This study aimed to determine the role of IRG1 and the activation status of the NLRP3 inflammatory pathway in acute-onset NMOSD and to investigate the inhibitory effects of 4-OI on NLRP3 inflammasome activation via the IRG1-itaconic acid-NLRP3 pathway in monocytes and macrophages by using in vitro models.

Multi-Level Analyses of Genome-Wide Association Study to Reveal Significant Risk Genes and Pathways in Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder.

Background: Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is an inflammatory disease of the central nervous system and it is understandable that environmental and genetic factors underlie the etiology of NMOSD. However, the susceptibility genes and associated pathways of NMOSD patients who are AQP4-Ab positive and negative have not been elucidated.

Methods: Secondary analysis from a NMOSD Genome-wide association study (GWAS) dataset originally published in 2018 (215 NMOSD cases and 1244 controls) was conducted to identify potential susceptibility genes and associated pathways in AQP4-positive and negative NMOSD patients, respectively (132 AQP4-positive and 83 AQP4-negative).

Elevated cerebrospinal fluid β2-microglobulin levels in patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders.

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) β2-microglobulin (β2-MG) levels elevated in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). We examined the levels of β2-MG in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 46 patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD), in serum from 21 healthy controls (HC), in CSF from 25 disease controls with non-inflammatory neurological diseases (NIND) with normal CSF results. CSF β2-MG levels were significantly higher in patients with NMOSD than controls and with weak association with the number of white blood cells, protein and lactate levels in CSF.

Efficacy and safety of different dosages of rituximab for refractory generalized AChR myasthenia gravis: A meta-analysis.

Background: Rituximab (RTX) is a mouse-human chimeric anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody and has been increasingly used for preventing relapses in myasthenia gravis (MG). However, the appropriate dose for maximizing the beneficial effects in refractory MG with acetylcholine receptor (AChR) autoantibody is a long-standing and critical debating question.

Methods: We performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the different doses of RTX in 260 refractory AChR-MG patients.

Positive association of herpes simplex virus-IgG with multiple sclerosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common chronic inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS), and whether herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection is associated with the development of MS remains controversial. We aimed to investigate potential associations between MS or clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) and the prevalence of IgG and DNA for HSV in the clinical samples.

Methods: A systematic search of English databases (PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library) was performed.

Cerebrospinal fluid lactate level in aquaporin-4 antibody positive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders: a hint on differential diagnosis and possible immunopathogenesis.

Background: Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) and multiple sclerosis (MS) may be similar to each other in clinical features. The differential diagnosis between them remains challenging in clinical practice. This retrospective study is aimed to describe the difference of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) lactate level between aquaporin-4 antibody (AQP4-Ab) positive NMOSD and MS, to discuss the possible explanation upon immunopathogenesis and the significance in differential diagnosis.

Behavioural thermoregulation by the endangered crocodile lizard (Shinisaurus crocodilurus) in captivity.

Understanding the factors that may affect behavioural thermoregulation of endangered reptiles is important for their conservation because thermoregulation determines body temperatures and in turn physiological functions of these ectotherms. Here we measured seasonal variation in operative environmental temperature (T), body temperature (T), and microhabitat use of endangered crocodile lizards (Shinisaurus crocodilurus) from a captive population, within open and shaded enclosures, to understand how they respond to thermally challenging environments. T was higher in open enclosures than in shaded enclosures.

Increased serum IL-36γ levels are associated with disease severity in myasthenia gravis patients.

Background: Interleukin 36 (IL-36), as a gradually recognized cytokine, is involved in the occurrence and evolution of autoimmune diseases. Nevertheless, the relationship between myasthenia gravis (MG) and IL-36 is rarely reported.

Methods: We evaluated the serum levels of IL-36 (IL-36α, IL-36β and IL-36γ) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Risk of COVID-19 infection in MS and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders.

Objective: Disease-modifying drugs (DMDs) may alter the immune status and thus increase the susceptibility to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in patients with MS or neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD). However, evidence supporting this notion is currently lacking. In this study, we conducted a survey on the risk of COVID-19 in patients with MS and NMOSD.

Safety and efficacy of tocilizumab versus azathioprine in highly relapsing neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (TANGO): an open-label, multicentre, randomised, phase 2 trial.

Background: Azathioprine is used as a first-line treatment to prevent relapses of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD). Tocilizumab has been reported to reduce NMOSD disease activity in retrospective case reports. We aimed to compare the safety and efficacy of tocilizumab and azathioprine in patients with highly relapsing NMOSD.

Dl-3-n-butylphthalide Reduces Neurovascular Inflammation and Ischemic Brain Injury in Mice.

Dl-3-n-butylphthalide (NBP) is a synthetic compound that has been approved for the treatment of ischemic stroke in China. The mechanisms underlying the treatment efficacy of NBP have been reported in multiple studies and remain controversial. Here, we show that NBP treatment attenuated ischemic brain injury in mice subjected to transient middle cerebral artery occlusion or photothrombosis-induced permanent cerebral ischemia.

Increased serum IL-36β and IL-36γ levels in patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders: association with disease activity.

Background: Interleukin 36 (IL-36) cytokines belong to the IL-1 family and play an important role in some autoimmune diseases. However, the relationship between IL-36 and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) remains unclear.

Methods: We determined serum IL-36α, IL-36β and IL-36γ levels and assessed correlations with clinical characteristics in 50 NMOSD patients and 30 healthy controls (HC).

Meta-analysis of the effects of anti-epidermal growth factor receptor on recurrent/metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: We performed a meta-analysis to compare the efficacy and safety of anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) therapy and non-anti-EGFR therapy in recurrent/metastatic (RM) head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

Methods: The Cochrane library, WanFang Data, PubMed, Medline, VIP, CBM, and EBSCO databases were searched for relevant studies. The objective response rate (ORR, defined as complete response or partial response according to RECTST version 1.

Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders with and without connective tissue disorders.

Background: Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) often coexist with connective tissue disorders (CTD). The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the features of NMOSD with and without CTD.

Methods: NMOSD patients with (n = 18) and without CTD (n = 39) were enrolled, and the clinical, laboratory, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of the two groups were assessed.

Inhibition of prostate cancer DU145 cell growth with small interfering RNA targeting the SATB1 gene.

Prostate cancer is a common visceral cancer of men worldwide. It is important to develop a more effective treatment for prostate cancer to overcome the treatment resistance that occurs with recurrence. RNA interference has been demonstrated to be a powerful tool for gene knockdown and has potential as a cancer treatment.

Acute prevertebral abscess secondary to intradiscal oxygen-ozone chemonucleolysis for treatment of a cervical disc herniation.

Objective We herein present a case involving a prevertebral abscess complicated by a spinal epidural abscess (SEA) secondary to intradiscal oxygen-ozone chemonucleolysis for treatment of a cervical disc herniation. Methods A 67-year-old woman with a history of intradiscal oxygen-ozone chemonucleolysis developed numbness and weakness in her right upper and bilateral lower extremities followed by urinary retention. Her symptoms did not respond to intravenous antibiotics alone.

Meta-analysis of whole-brain radiotherapy plus temozolomide compared with whole-brain radiotherapy for the treatment of brain metastases from non-small-cell lung cancer.

The aim of this meta-analysis was to compare the efficiency of whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) plus temozolomide (TMZ) with WBRT for the treatment of brain metastases from non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). For dichotomous variables, outcomes were reported as relative risk ratio (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to investigate the following outcome measures: overall response rate, headache, gastrointestinal adverse reactions, and hematological adverse reactions. Twelve randomized controlled trials involving 925 participants (480 received WBRT plus TMZ; 445 received WBRT) were included in the meta-analysis.

Anti-Rituximab antibody in patients with NMOSDs treated with low dose Rituximab.

Background: Rituximab is a mouse-human chimeric anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody and has been increasingly used for preventing relapses in NMOSDs. The clinical relevance of Anti-Rituximab antibodies (ARA) against Rituximab in NMOSDs is unknown.

Methods: Nineteen NMOSDs patients receiving repeated 100mg Rituximab treatment were recruited.

Inhibition of prostate cancer cell growth with short hairpin RNA targeting SATB1.

Despite previous advances, the treatment options for prostate cancer remain limited. For the purposes of gene knockdown, the utility of RNA interference has been demonstrated and is considered to have therapeutic potential. In the present study, a short hairpin RNA (shRNA) was used to assess the effect of special AT-rich sequence binding protein (SATB1) downregulation on the growth and metastatic potential of prostate cancer in xenograft nude mice.