Ganglioside-embedding small bicelles for probing membrane-landing processes of intrinsically disordered proteins.

We successfully displayed a series of gangliosides on small bicelles with a uniform confined size, offering nanoscale standardized membrane mimics for spectroscopic characterization of weak encounter complexes formed between ganglioside clusters and amyloidogenic proteins. This enabled probing of initial membrane-landing processes of α-synuclein as a therapeutic target by NMR spectroscopy.

Transpupillary thermotherapy for atypical central serous chorioretinopathy.

Background: Central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) has been traditionally treated with laser photocoagulation. We thought that transpupillary thermotherapy (TTT) utilizing a lower temperature than that of conventional laser photocoagulation might minimize permanent retinal and choroidal damage. Studies suggest that undesirable effects on vision due to TTT are minimal even if it is applied to foveal and/or parafoveal lesions when TTT requires a larger irradiation spot.

Improved secretion of molecular chaperone-assisted human IgG in silkworm, and no alterations in their N-linked glycan structures.

Human 29IJ6 IgG was expressed in silkworm using a Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) bacmid system. The mean amounts of 296IJ6 IgG produced in larval hemolymph and whole pupae were 30.1 microg/larva and 78.

Comparison of the N-linked glycosylation of human beta1,3-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase 2 expressed in insect cells and silkworm larvae.

N-Glycosylation of human beta1,3N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase 2 (beta3GnT2) is essential for its biological function. beta3GnT2 fused to GFP(uv) (GFP(uv)-beta3GnT2) was produced by non-virus expression systems in stably transformed insect cells and silkworm larvae using a recombinant BmNPV bacmid, and purified for analysis of N-glycosylation. The N-glycan structure of beta3GnT2 was identified by glycoamidase A digestion, labeling with 2-aminopyridine (PA), and HPLC mapping.

Accommodative loss after retinal cryotherapy.

Purpose: To investigate the effects of peripheral retinal cryotherapy on accommodative amplitude in patients with retinal lattice degeneration.

Design: Prospective, observational case series.

Methods: We studied 92 eyes in 69 patients (age range, 13 to 79 years) treated with cryotherapy for lattice degeneration between December 2001 and September 2004.