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© 2022 World Federation of Neurology on behalf of the Research Group on Motor Neuron Diseases, Purpose: This study aimed to estimate the impact of risk factors for peri-implant pathology, to identify potentially modifiable factors, and to evaluate the accuracy of the risk algorithm, risk scores and risk stratification. Methods: This retrospective case-control study with 1275 patients (255 cases; 1020 controls) retrieved a model according to the predictors: history of Periodontitis, bacterial plaque, bleeding, bone level, lack of passive fit or non-optimal screw joint, metal-ceramic restoration, proximity to other implants/teeth, and smoking habits. Outcome measures were the attributable fraction; the positive and negative likelihood ratios at different disease cut-off points illustrated by the area under the curve statistic. Results: Six predictors may be modified or controlled directly by either the patient or the clinician, accounting for a reduction in up to 95% of the peri-implant pathology cases. The positive and negative likelihood ratios were 9.69 and 0.13, respectively; the area under the curve was 0.96; a risk score was developed, making the complex statistical model useful to clinicians. Conclusions: Based on the results, six predictors for the incidence of peri-implant pathology can be modified to significantly improve the outcome. It was possible to stratify patients per risk category according to the risk score, providing a tool for clinicians to support their decision-making process., This work was supported by the Brainteaser Project—Bringing Artificial Intelligence home for a better care of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and multiple sclerosis funded by the European Union’ Horizon 2020 research and innovation program, under Grant Agreement No. GA101017598.

© Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2019. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted., Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder with short survival, mainly due to respiratory failure. A pathological repeat expansion in the C9orf72 gene is observed in about 10% of the European ALS population and is associated with a worse prognosis. Still, the exact function of this gene is unknown. To understand the role of the C9orf72 expansion in disease prognosis, we tested the impact of this mutation on the respiratory function in ALS., This study is included in the ONWebDUALS project (JPND- PS/0001/2013), an EU Joint Programme—Neurodegenerative Disease Research (JPND)—Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia initiative. VAC was independently funded by a PhD fellowship (PD/BD/105852/2014) from Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, Portugal.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal devastating neurodegenerative disorder, involving progressive degeneration of motor neurons in spinal cord, brainstem, and motor cortex. Riluzole is the only drug approved in ALS but it only confers a modest improvement in survival. In spite of a high number of clinical trials no other drug has proved effectiveness. Recent studies support that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), originally described as a key angiogenic factor, also plays a key role in the nervous system, including neurogenesis, neuronal survival, neuronal migration, and axon guidance. VEGF has been used in exploratory clinical studies with promising results in ALS and other neurological disorders. Although VEGF is a very promising compound, translating the basic science breakthroughs into clinical practice is the major challenge ahead. VEGF-B, presenting a single safety profile, protects motor neurons from degeneration in ALS animal models and, therefore, it will be particularly interesting to test its effects in ALS patients. In the present paper the authors make a brief description of the molecular properties of VEGF and its receptors and review its different features and therapeutic potential in the nervous system/neurodegenerative disease, particularly in ALS.