ABSTRACT
The introduction of femtosecond laser assisted cataract surgery (FLACS) is a paradigm changing approach in cataract surgery, the most commonly performed surgical procedure. FLACS has the potential to optimize the creation of an anterior lens capsulotomy, a critical step in accessing the cataractous lens. The merits of using a laser instead of a manual approach include a potentially more circular, consistent, and stronger aperture. In this study we demonstrated for the first time in both a porcine and human experimental setting that with a low energy, high repetition FLACS system, that a circular, smooth and strong capsulotomy was achievable. While there was no demonstrable difference in the resistance to rupture before or after the removal of the nucleus, larger capsulotomies had an increase in tensile strength. The LDV Z8 system appeared to create circular, rupture-resistant and smooth capsulotomies in both porcine and more importantly human globes.
Subject(s)
Cataract/therapy , Laser Therapy , Lens, Crystalline/surgery , Posterior Capsulotomy , Animals , Cataract/pathology , Cataract Extraction/methods , Eye/pathology , Eye/radiation effects , Humans , Lens, Crystalline/radiation effects , Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures/methods , SwineABSTRACT
AIMS: To isolate and characterize a mutant of Streptococcus uberis strain 0140J which fails to utilize a plasmin derived beta-casein peptide for the acquisition of methionine. METHODS AND RESULTS: Random insertional mutagenesis was used to isolate a mutant strain of Strep. uberis 0140J which was unable to utilize methionine from within a casein-derived peptide. The altered gene in the mutant strain showed homology to an oligopeptide permease gene of Streptococcus pyogenes (oppF). The mutant was unable to obtain specific amino acids from defined peptides of various lengths and its growth yield in skimmed milk was between 1 and 10% that of the wild-type strain, but was restored following the inclusion of these amino acids. CONCLUSIONS: The oligopeptide permease homologue of Strep. uberis 0140J is necessary for the utilization of amino acids from within specific peptides. Efficient acquisition of essential amino acids by Strep. uberis 0140J is required for the bacterium to achieve an optimum yield in milk. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Streptococcus uberis is a major agent of bovine mastitis with a corresponding high economic loss. By targeting metabolic pathways essential to the growth of Strep. uberis it may be possible to prevent the establishment of growth of the bacterium in milk. This study has identified the acquisition of essential amino acids as playing a role in the growth of Strep. uberis in milk.
Subject(s)
Caseins/metabolism , Fibrinolysin/chemistry , Methionine/metabolism , Mutation , Peptides/metabolism , Streptococcus/isolation & purification , Animals , Bacterial Proteins/genetics , Bacterial Proteins/metabolism , Caseins/chemistry , Cattle , Female , Mastitis, Bovine/microbiology , Membrane Transport Proteins/genetics , Membrane Transport Proteins/metabolism , Milk/microbiology , Molecular Sequence Data , Mutagenesis, Insertional/methods , Peptides/chemistry , Streptococcal Infections/microbiology , Streptococcal Infections/veterinary , Streptococcus/classification , Streptococcus/geneticsABSTRACT
Both PAF (10 microM) and bradykinin (0.1-10 microM) increased lysozyme (from submucosal gland serous cells (+138 and +45% for PAF, 10 microM, and bradykinin, 1 microM, respectively) and albumin (mainly active epithelial transport; +387 and +108%) outputs into the ferret tracheal lumen in vitro and reduced the negativity of the potential difference (PD: -33 and -17%) across the trachea. Since PAF can cause bronchial smooth muscle hyperresponsiveness, we tested whether these effects were interactive, and if PAF would increase the actions of bradykinin. The bradykinin-induced lysozyme and albumin outputs were more than trebled and the PD change was enhanced by PAF, after the immediate secretory effects of the latter had returned to baseline. The secretory and PD responses to PAF were all prevented by the PAF-antagonist WEB 2086 and by a combination of the free-radical scavengers catalase and SOD, indicating that PAF may act on specific receptors to release free-radicals. Nedocromil sodium inhibited the increase in lysozyme and albumin outputs produced by PAF, but had no effect on the PD response. None of the tracheal responses to bradykinin was modified by WEB 2086, catalase and SOD, or nedocromil sodium. The secretory and PD hyperresponsiveness to bradykinin caused by PAF was prevented by WEB 2086 and by catalase and SOD. Nedocromil sodium greatly inhibited the lysozyme and albumin hyperresponsiveness but had no effect on the PD response. Thus PAF may release more than one type of radical which have differential effects on serous cells and albumin transport compared with PD; nedocromil sodium may act only against the radical causing the secretory effects.
