The effects of reactional episodes on the cutaneous nerve fibers of leprosy patients was assessed in six patients (three with reversal reactions and three with erythema nodosum leprosum). Cryosections of cutaneous biopsy of reactional lesions taken during the episode and of another sample during the remission period were immunostained with anti-NGFr and anti-PGP 9.5 (indirect immunofluorescence...

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease among the elderly. While sporadic PD constitutes 99% of the cases, the remaining 1% is of genetic origin. The neuropathological hallmarks of PD are progressive degeneration of dopaminergic (DA) neurons and presence of Lewy neurites and Lewy bodies (LBs) intracytoplasmic proteinaceous inclusions that contain -synuclein...

BACKGROUND Stem cell-based therapy has recently been explored for the treatment of disorders of the enteric nervous system (ENS). Pluripotent embryonic stem (ES) cells represent an attractive cell source; however, little or no information is currently available on how ES cells will respond to the gut environment. In this study, we investigated the ability of ES cells to respond to environmental...

BACKGROUND Pelvic girdle pain (PGP) in pregnancy is distinct from pregnancy-related low back pain (PLBP). However, women with combined PLBP and PGP report more serious consequences in terms of health and function. PGP has been estimated to affect about half of pregnant women, where 25% experience serious pain and 8% experience severe disability. To date there are relatively few studies regardin...