Publications by authors named "F Middleton"
Article Synopsis
- Dengue virus (DENV) is a significant global health issue, with severe cases potentially worsened by antibodies that can enhance infection rather than neutralize it.
- Researchers are exploring the possibility of targeting DENV-infected cells for immune clearance to avoid antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE).
- This study found that DENV structural proteins are present on infected cell surfaces and can be recognized by immune antibodies, which may facilitate the clearance of infected cells without enriching viral material in certain immune cells.
This review summarises advances in research from Aotearoa, New Zealand (NZ) that have potential to reduce the inequitable distribution of acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD). ARF incidence and RHD prevalence are unacceptably inequitable for Māori and Pacifica. Recent qualitative research has demonstrated mismatches between the lived experience of those with ARF/RHD and health service experience they encounter.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground And Hypothesis: Angiogenesis triggered by inflammation increases BBB permeability and facilitates macrophage transmigration. In the midbrain, we have discovered molecular alterations related to the blood-brain barrier (BBB), including endothelial cell changes associated with macrophage diapedesis, in neuroinflammatory schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, but changes in angiogenesis are yet to be reported. Hypothesis: We expected to discover molecular evidence of altered angiogenesis in the midbrain in individuals with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder compared to controls, with these changes more evident in "high" inflammation schizophrenia as compared to "low" inflammation.
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- Understanding the immune response in acute rheumatic fever (ARF) linked to group A strep (GAS) helps improve disease management and treatment.
- A notable increase in total IgG3 levels was found in ARF patients, significantly exceeding normal ranges, along with a strong inflammatory response indicated by interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein.
- The study highlights consistent antibody responses across the disease spectrum, with ARF showing greater intensity and suggests that testing for IgG3 could enhance clinical diagnosis of ARF.
Increased activation of inflammatory macrophages and altered expression of dopamine markers are found in the midbrains of people with schizophrenia (SZ). The relationship of midbrain macrophages to dopamine neurons has not been explored, nor is it known if changes in midbrain macrophages are also present in bipolar disorder (BD) or major depressive disorder (MDD). Herein, we determined whether there were differences in CD163+ cell density in the Substantia Nigra (SN), and cerebral peduncles (CP) of SZ, BD, and MDD compared to controls (CTRL).
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