Repair of lateral temporo-sphenoidal encephalocoele via an endoscopic transorbital approach: 3D printed simulation followed by deployment.

Background: A temporo-sphenoidal encephalocoele occurs when temporal lobe herniates through a defect in the greater wing of the sphenoid bone into the sphenoid air sinus. The natural history is not well-understood, though presentation in adulthood with CSF rhinorrhoea and/or meningitis is typical. Lateral pneumatisation of the sphenoid sinus and elevated BMI may be contributory.

Spatial organization of the tenascin-C microenvironment in experimental and human cancer.

The extracellular matrix (ECM) molecule tenascin-C (TNC) promotes tumor progression. This has recently been demonstrated in the stochastic murine RIP1-Tag2 insulinoma model, engineered to either express TNC abundantly or to be devoid of TNC. However, our knowledge about organization of the TNC microenvironment is scant.

Tenascin-C downregulates wnt inhibitor dickkopf-1, promoting tumorigenesis in a neuroendocrine tumor model.

The extracellular matrix molecule tenascin-C (TNC) is a major component of the cancer-specific matrix, and high TNC expression is linked to poor prognosis in several cancers. To provide a comprehensive understanding of TNC's functions in cancer, we established an immune-competent transgenic mouse model of pancreatic β-cell carcinogenesis with varying levels of TNC expression and compared stochastic neuroendocrine tumor formation in abundance or absence of TNC. We show that TNC promotes tumor cell survival, the angiogenic switch, more and leaky vessels, carcinoma progression, and lung micrometastasis.

Fibronectin and tenascin-C: accomplices in vascular morphogenesis during development and tumor growth.

In addition to soluble factors, the extracellular matrix (ECM) also plays a vital role in normal vasculogenesis and in the pathological angiogenesis of many disease states. Here we will review what is known about the role of the ECM molecules fibronectin and tenascin-C in the vasculature and highlight a potential collaborative interplay between these molecules in developmental and tumorigenic angiogenesis. We will address the evolution of these modular proteins, their cellular interactions and how they become assembled into an insoluble matrix that impacts the assembly of other ECM proteins and the bioavailability of pro-angiogenic factors.

"OpenLAB": A 2-hour PCR-based practical for high school students.

The Strasbourg University PhD school in Life and Health Sciences launched an initiative called "OpenLAB." This project was developed in an effort to help high school teenagers understand theoretical and abstract concepts in genetics. A second objective of this program is to help students in defining their future orientation and to attract them to biology.