Sirolimus and mycophenolate as combination prophylaxis in corneal transplant recipients at high rejection risk.

Purpose: To examine efficacy and safety of dual sirolimus and mycophenolate mofetil systemic immunosuppression as allograft rejection prophylaxis after penetrating keratoplasty in patients at high rejection risk.

Design: Prospective, interventional case series.

Methods: settings: Single-center subspecialty clinic.

Outbreak of contact lens-related Fusarium keratitis in France.

Background/aims: In the context of a recent series of Fusarium keratitis cases in Singapore and the United States, we describe an outbreak of fungal keratitis attributable to Fusarium species among contact lens wearers in France.

Methods: Hospital-based case series. All cases of Fusarium keratitis diagnosed in Department of Ophthalmology of the Centre Hospitalier National d'Ophtalmologie des Quinze-Vingts in Paris were reviewed from January 2004 through November 2006.

Structural localization and expression of CXCL12 and CXCR4 in rat heart and isolated cardiac myocytes.

CXCL12 (SDF-1), which binds CXCR4, is involved in several physiological and pathophysiological processes. In heart, this axis seems to play a key role in cardiogenesis and is involved in the neovascularization of ischemic tissues. Rats have three known CXCL12 mRNA isoforms, of which only alpha and gamma are present in the normal heart.