Loss of Neogenin alters branchial arch development and leads to craniofacial skeletal defects.

The formation of complex structures, such as the craniofacial skeleton, requires precise and intricate two-way signalling between populations of cells of different embryonic origins. For example, the lower jaw, or mandible, arises from cranial neural crest cells (CNCCs) in the mandibular portion of the first branchial arch (mdBA1) of the embryo, and its development is regulated by signals from the ectoderm and cranial mesoderm (CM) within this structure. The molecular mechanisms underlying CM cell influence on CNCC development in the mdBA1 remain poorly defined.

Distribution of molecular strains of in an intermediate burden Asia Pacific city.

Hong Kong is an intermediate tuberculosis (TB) burden city in Asia Pacific with slow decline of case notification in the last decade. By 24-loci mycobacterial interspersed repetitive units - variable number of tandem repeats genotyping, we examined 534 Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates collected from culture-positive hospitalised TB patients in a 1.7 million population geographic region in the city.

Cost-effectiveness analysis : fibrin glue versus sutures for conjonctival fixation during pterygion surgery.

Objective: Pterygium surgery requires the removal of pterygium tissue and repair of the conjunctiva with either sutures or fibrin glue. The literature suggests that the cost of fibrin glue could be compensated by reducing procedure time and be more cost-effective. However, to our knowledge, no formal studies have examined this hypothesis.

Refractive, visual, and subjective quality of vision outcomes for very high myopia LASIK from - 10.00 to - 13.50 diopters.

Background: To evaluate laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) outcomes, subjective quality of vision (QoV) and patient satisfaction in eyes with very high myopia (VHM) above - 10.00 diopters (D).

Methods: Consecutive myopic and myopic-astigmatism eyes with spherical equivalent (SEQ) ranging between - 10.

Student nurses' ethical views on responses to the severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreak.

Background: Fifteen years have passed since the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome in Hong Kong. At that time, there were reports of heroic acts among professionals who cared for these patients, whose bravery and professionalism were highly praised. However, there are concerns about changes in new generation of nursing professionals.

Incidence of nonarteritic ischemic optic neuropathy following topical clear corneal cataract surgery: survey and meta-analysis.

Objective: We estimate the incidence and characteristics of post-cataract-surgery nonarteritic ischemic optic neuropathy (PCNAION) after topical clear corneal cataract extraction (CCCE) in Canada.

Design: Canada-wide internet survey and meta-analysis PARTICIPANTS: All certified Canadian ophthalmologists in the Canadian Ophthalmological Society directory, or belonging to a provincial ophthalmology internet group.

Methods: Identical surveys were distributed to 5 regions in Canada.

Giardiasis: An Overview.

Background: Giardiasis is an important cause of waterborne and foodborne diarrhea, daycare center outbreaks, and traveler's diarrhea.

Objective: The study aimed to provide an update on the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of giardiasis.

Methods: A PubMed search was completed in Clinical Queries using the key terms "giardiasis", "Giardia lamblia", "Giardia duodenalis" and "Giardia intestinalis".

Creation of Sexually Transmitted Diseases Education Program for Young Adults in Rural Cambodia.

Globally, adolescents and young adults aged from 15 to 24 years accounted for 25% of the sexually active population. They also took up almost 50% of all newly acquired sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) worldwide. In developing countries/ regions, there have been more unreported cases due to the limited resources and availability of data.

Cellular and molecular mechanisms regulating embryonic neurogenesis in the rodent olfactory epithelium.

Mechanisms that regulate cellular differentiation in developing embryos are maintained across multiple physiological systems, including the nervous system where neurons and glia are generated. The olfactory epithelium, which arises from the olfactory pit, is a stratified tissue in which the stepwise generation of neurons and support cells can easily be assessed and followed during embryogenesis and throughout adulthood. During olfactory epithelium morphogenesis, progenitor cells respond to factors that control their proliferation, survival, and differentiation in order to generate olfactory receptor neurons that detect odorants in the environment and glia-like sustentacular cells.

High mortality in adults hospitalized for active tuberculosis in a low HIV prevalence setting.

Background: This study aims to evaluate the outcomes of adults hospitalized for tuberculosis in a higher-income region with low HIV prevalence.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on all adults hospitalized for pulmonary and/or extrapulmonary tuberculosis in an acute-care hospital in Hong Kong during a two-year period. Microscopy and solid-medium culture were routinely performed.

Slits and Robo-2 regulate the coalescence of subsets of olfactory sensory neuron axons within the ventral region of the olfactory bulb.

Olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) project their axons to second-order neurons in the olfactory bulb (OB) to form a precise glomerular map and these stereotypic connections are crucial for accurate odorant information processing by animals. To form these connections, olfactory sensory neuron (OSN) axons respond to axon guidance molecules that direct their growth and coalescence. We have previously implicated the axon guidance receptor Robo-2 in the accurate coalescence of OSN axons within the dorsal region of the OB (Cho et al.

Neogenin may functionally substitute for Dcc in chicken.

Dcc is the key receptor that mediates attractive responses of axonal growth cones to netrins, a family of axon guidance cues used throughout evolution. However, a Dcc homolog has not yet been identified in the chicken genome, raising the possibility that Dcc is not present in avians. Here we show that the closely related family member neogenin may functionally substitute for Dcc in the developing chicken spinal cord.