Natural Bizbenzoquinoline Derivatives Protect Zebrafish Lateral Line Sensory Hair Cells from Aminoglycoside Toxicity.

Moderate to severe hearing loss affects 360 million people worldwide and most often results from damage to sensory hair cells. Hair cell damage can result from aging, genetic mutations, excess noise exposure, and certain medications including aminoglycoside antibiotics. Aminoglycosides are effective at treating infections associated with cystic fibrosis and other life-threatening conditions such as sepsis, but cause hearing loss in 20-30% of patients.

The effect of the aquatic contaminants bisphenol-A and PCB-95 on the zebrafish lateral line.

Environmental toxicants such as bisphenol-A (BPA) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are prevalent in our water supply, soil, and many food products and can profoundly affect the central nervous system. Both BPA and PCBs can disrupt endocrine signaling, which is important for auditory development and function, but the effect of these toxicants on the auditory periphery is not understood. In this study we investigated the effect of PCB-95 and BPA on lateral line development, function, and regeneration in larval zebrafish.

Blunt scissors stromal dissection technique for deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty.

Objective: We describe a modified technique for performing lamellar dissection in deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty after failure to achieve a "big bubble" detachment of Descemet's membrane (DM) with deep intrastromal pneumatic injection.

Methods: The technique utilizes blunt lamellar dissection with blunt-tipped corneal mini scissors as an alternative to a crescent blade, which can be difficult for surgeons to master and is associated with a high risk of perforation.

Results: Other techniques of blunt dissection, such as the Melles technique, cannot be utilized after failure to achieve a big bubble, as emphysema in the stroma prevents visualization of the spatula.

First report of traumatic globe rupture after femtosecond laser-assisted penetrating keratoplasty.

Purpose: To describe the first reported case of traumatic globe rupture after femtosecond laser-assisted penetrating keratoplasty.

Methods: A 21-year-old Hispanic man suffered a corneal laceration after blunt trauma leading to a visually significant corneal scar and aphakia.

Results: The patient underwent femtosecond laser-assisted penetrating keratoplasty using a zigzag-shaped wound with secondary intraocular lens placement.

Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) regulates human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) expression in human cancer and primary cells.

Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is a transcription factor that plays a critical role in cytokine and growth factor signaling and is frequently activated in human tumors. Human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) is also often overexpressed in tumor cells and mediates cellular immortalization. Here we report that STAT3 directly regulates the expression of hTERT in a variety of human cancer cells.