Blood-Based Biomarkers for Identifying Disease Activity in AQP4-IgG-Positive Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder.

Importance: The temporal dynamics of serum glial fibrillary acidic protein (sGFAP) and serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL) as biomarkers of disease activity for neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) remain underexplored.

Objective: To determine optimal timing for assessing sGFAP and sNfL, establish cutoff values differentiating between attacks and remissions in NMOSD, and evaluate these findings across independent cohorts.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This retrospective, longitudinal, multicenter cohort study was conducted among patients with aquaporin-4 antibody (AQP4-IgG)-positive NMOSD.

Inflammation in the Peri-ACS Period: Ready for Prime Time?

Inflammation has been demonstrated to negatively impact patients in the peri-ACS period. This narrative review outlines the inflammatory response in ACS, highlighting the role of the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway following acute plaque rupture and coronary intervention and its potential as a pharmacologic target. RECENT: nvestigators have leveraged medications targeting the NLRP3 inflammasome currently used for other inflammatory pathologies, including colchicine, tocilizumab and anakinra.

Neurofilament Light Chain as a Discriminator of Disease Activity Status in MOG Antibody-Associated Disease.

Background And Objectives: In patients with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) antibody-associated disease (MOGAD), acute disease activity is generally identified through medical history, neurologic examination, and imaging. However, these may be insufficient for detecting disease activity in specific conditions. This study aimed to investigate the dynamics of serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL) and serum glial fibrillary acidic protein (sGFAP) after clinical attacks and to assess their utility in discriminating attacks from remission in patients with MOGAD.

Allometric mixed-effects models for Dicksonia sellowiana Hook. and its contribution to biomass stocks of Araucaria forests in southern Brazil.

Predicting biomass of arborescent individuals on sample plots using allometric models is an essential step in the computation of design-based forest biomass estimates. Nonetheless, there are few models for species with different growth forms, such as tree ferns. This study, therefore, sought to construct models to predict {aboveground.

Cross-sectional personal network analysis of adult smoking in rural areas.

Research on smoking behaviour has primarily focused on adolescents, with less attention given to middle-aged and older adults in rural settings. This study examines the influence of personal networks and sociodemographic factors on smoking behaviour in a rural Romanian community. We analysed data from 76 participants, collected through face-to-face interviews, including smoking status (non-smokers, current and former smokers), social ties and demographic details.