Preliminary study of the safety and efficacy of medium-chain triglycerides for use as an intraocular tamponading agent in minipigs.

Purpose: To date, only silicone oils and gases have the appropriate characteristics for use in vitreo-retinal surgery as vitreous substitutes with intraocular tamponading properties. This preliminary study evaluated the safety and efficacy of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) for use as a tamponading agent in minipigs.

Methods: In 15 minipigs, 15 right eyes underwent vitrectomies followed by injection of MCT tamponade (day 1).

Peptides derived from the dependence receptor ALK are proapoptotic for ALK-positive tumors.

ALK is a receptor tyrosine kinase with an oncogenic role in various types of human malignancies. Despite constitutive activation of the kinase through gene alterations, such as chromosomal translocation, gene amplification or mutation, treatments with kinase inhibitors invariably lead to the development of resistance. Aiming to develop new tools for ALK targeting, we took advantage of our previous demonstration identifying ALK as a dependence receptor, implying that in the absence of ligand the kinase-inactive ALK triggers or enhances apoptosis.

Upregulation of bone morphogenetic protein-1/mammalian tolloid and procollagen C-proteinase enhancer-1 in corneal scarring.

Purpose: To characterize the expression of the bone morphogenetic protein-1 (BMP-1)/tolloid-like proteinases (collectively called BTPs), which include BMP-1, mammalian tolloid (mTLD), and mammalian tolloid-like 1 (mTLL-1) and 2 (mTLL-2), as well as the associated proteins procollagen C-proteinase enhancers (PCPE-1 and -2), in corneal scarring.

Methods: Using a mouse full-thickness corneal excision model, wound healing was followed for up to 28 days by transmission electron microscopy, immunohistology (BMP-1/mTLD and PCPE-1), and quantitative PCR (Q-PCR: collagen III, BMP-1/mTLD, mTLL-1, mTLL-2, PCPE-1, PCPE-2). Bone morphogenetic protein-1/mTLD and PCPE-1 were also immunolocalized in cases of human corneal scarring following injuries.

Seasonal dynamics of active SAR11 ecotypes in the oligotrophic Northwest Mediterranean Sea.

A seven-year oceanographic time series in NW Mediterranean surface waters was combined with pyrosequencing of ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) and ribosomal RNA gene copies (16S rDNA) to examine the environmental controls on SAR11 ecotype dynamics and potential activity. SAR11 diversity exhibited pronounced seasonal cycles remarkably similar to total bacterial diversity. The timing of diversity maxima was similar across narrow and broad phylogenetic clades and strongly associated with deep winter mixing.