MRI correlates of Parkinson's disease progression: A voxel based morphometry study

We investigated structural brain differences between a group of early-mild PD patients at different phases of the disease and healthy subjects using voxel-based morphometry (VBM). 20 mild PD patients compared to 15 healthy at baseline and after 2 years of follow-up. VBM is a fully automated technique, which allows the identification of regional differences in the gray matter enabling an objective analysis of the whole brain between groups of subjects. With respect to controls, PD patients exhibited decreased GM volumes in right putamen and right parietal cortex. After 2 years of disease, the same patients confirmed GM loss in the putamen and parietal cortex; a significant difference was also observed in the area of pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN) and in the mesencephalic locomotor region (MLR). PD is associated with brain morphological changes in cortical and subcortical structures. The first regions to be affected in PD seem to be the parietal cortex and the putamen. A third structure that undergoes atrophy is the part of the inferior-posterior midbrain, attributable to the PPN and MLR. Our findings provide new insight into the brain involvement in PD and could contribute to a better understanding of the sequence of events occurring in these patients

Glycine Receptor Antibody-Associated Progressive Encephalomyelitis with Rigidity and Myoclonus (PERM) During SARS-CoV-2 Infection: a Video-Case Report

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CTLA4 is expressed on mature dendritic cells derived from human monocytes and influences their maturation and antigen presentation

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Dendritic cells (DCs) initiate immune responses through their direct interaction with effector cells. However, the mechanism by which DC activity is regulated is not well defined. Previous studies have shown that CTLA4 on T cells regulates DCs function by "cross-talk". We investigated whether there is an intrinsic regulatory mechanism in DCs, with CTLA4 as a candidate regulator.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We confirmed via RT-PCR and flow cytometry the natural expression of CTLA4 on mature DCs derived from human monocytes. Approximately 8% CD1a-positive cells express CTLA4 both on surface and intracellular, whereas 10% CD1a-negative cells express CTLA4 intracellularly, but little expression was observed on the cell surface. The cross-linking of CTLA4 inhibits DCs maturation and antigen presentation in vitro, but does not inhibit endocytosis.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>CTLA4 is expressed by DCs and plays an inhibitory role. CTLA4-expressing DCs may represent a group of regulatory DCs. Because of its wide distribution on different cell types, CTLA4 may play a general role in regulating immune responses.</p

NK cells and cancer: you can teach innate cells new tricks

Natural killer (NK) cells are the prototype innate lymphoid cells endowed with potent cytolytic function that provide host defence against microbial infection and tumours. Here, we review evidence for the role of NK cells in immune surveillance against cancer and highlight new therapeutic approaches for targeting NK cells in the treatment of cancer

The damaging of Pietra di Finale consequent to the action of polluted rains: preliminary investigations

Studio archeometrico di diversi tipi di Pietra di Finale