Femtosecond laser assisted cataract surgery in a cataract patient with low vaulted ICL following LASIK: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Apart from the conventional utilization of ICL implantation for the correction of refractive errors, its recent applications extend to correcting refractive errors post laser refractive surgery. Notably, the development of cataracts stands out as a prevalent postoperative complication, often associated with low vault. Previous cases have demonstrated successful management of cataracts with ICL through the combination of FLACS and ICL removal coupled with IOL implantation, resulting in favorable postoperative visual outcomes. Herein, we present a case of cataract with low vault ICL following LASIK and its subsequent management. CASE PRESENTATION: A 46-year-old male presented with vision loss in the right eye for 9 months, and he had undergone LASIK 22 years prior and had ICL implantation in both eyes 2 years ago to correct refractive error. One day after ICL implantation, both eyes exhibited the UDVA of 1.2 and 1.0, well-positioned ICLs, and approximate vault of 150 µm and 200 µm. Six months ago, the patient became aware of blurred vision in the right eye for a duration of 3 months. Examination revealed cloudy lens cortex in the right eye. During the current review, the UDVA of the right eye was 0.6, where nasal wedge-shaped clouding was evident and worsened, while the left eye lens remained transparent. AS-OCT demonstrated the vault of 54 µm in the right eye and 83 µm in the left eye. Considering the patient's history of LASIK and the presence of right eye cataract, a monovision approach was adopted. The patient underwent FLACS combined with ICL extraction and monofocal IOL lens implantation in the right eye. At 10 days postoperatively, the patient exhibited the UDVA of 1.0. CONCLUSIONS: Our report confirms the feasibility of FLACS in managing cataracts in patients with low vault ICL following LASIK. This procedure does not pose significantly greater challenges than in typical cataract cases, although meticulous care remains essential throughout every step of the surgery, particularly during laser scanning and positioning. With adequate preoperative preparation and precise calculation of the IOL power, surgical outcomes can meet expectations fully.

The major vault protein integrates adhesion-driven signals to regulate collagen remodeling.

DDR1 interacts with fibrillar collagen and can affect ß1 integrin-dependent signaling, but the mechanism that mediates functional interactions between these two different receptors is not defined. We searched for molecules that link DDR1 and ß1 integrin-dependent signaling in response to collagen binding. The activation of DDR1 by binding to fibrillar collagen reduced by 5-fold, ß1 integrin-dependent ERK phosphorylation that leads to MMP1 expression. In contrast, pharmacological inhibition of DDR1 or culturing cells on fibronectin restored ERK phosphorylation and MMP1 expression mediated by the ß1 integrin. A phospho-site screen indicated that collagen-induced DDR1 activation inhibited ß1 integrin-dependent ERK signaling by regulating autophosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK). Immunoprecipitation, mass spectrometry, and protein-protein interaction mapping showed that while DDR1 and FAK do not interact directly, the major vault protein (MVP) binds DDR1 and FAK depending on the substrate. MVP associated with DDR1 in cells expressing ß1 integrin that were cultured on collagen. Knockdown of MVP restored ERK activation and MMP1 expression in DDR1-expressing cells cultured on collagen. Immunostaining of invasive cancers in human colon showed colocalization of DDR1 with MVP. These data indicate that MVP interactions with DDR1 and FAK contribute to the regulation of ß1 integrin-dependent signaling pathways that drive collagen degradation.

Palatal vault configuration and its influence on intraoral scan time and accuracy in completely edentulous arches: a prospective clinical study.

PURPOSE: The aim of this prospective clinical study was to compare the influence of palatal vault forms on accuracy and speed of intraoral (IO) scans in completely edentulous cases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Based on the palatal vault form, participants were divided into three equal groups (n = 10 each); Class I: moderate; Class II: deep; Class III: flat palatal vault. A reference model was created for each patient using polyvinylsiloxane impression material. The poured models were digitized using an extraoral scanner. The resultant data were imported as a solid CAD file into 3D analysis software (GOM Inspect 2018; Gom GmbH, Braunschweig, Germany) and aligned using the software's coordinate system to determine its X, Y, and Z axes. Five digital impressions (DIs) of maxilla were captured for each patient using an intraoral scanner (TRIOS; 3Shape A/S, Copenhagen, Denmark) and the resultant Standard Tessellation Language (STL) scan files served as test models. Trueness was evaluated by calculating arithmetic mean deviation (AMD) of the vault area between reference and test files while precision was evaluated by calculating AMD between captured scans to measure repeatability of scan acquisition. The scan time taken for each participant was also recorded. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in trueness and precision among the groups (P = .806 and .950, respectively). Average scan time for Class I and III palatal vaults was 1 min 13 seconds and 1 min 37 seconds, respectively, while class II deep palatal vaults showed the highest scan time of 5 mins. CONCLUSION: Palatal vault form in edentulous cases has an influence on scan time. However, it does not have a substantial impact on the accuracy of the acquired scans.

Ultrasonographic Measurement of Anterior Fontanelle Size in Infants with Deformational Plagiocephaly.

Background/Objectives: We aimed to investigate the relationship between deformational plagiocephaly (DP) severity and anterior fontanelle size and to explore the connection between fontanelle size and developmental delay. Methods: We enrolled 189 (122 boys and 67 girls; mean corrected age, 119.79 days) of the 256 infants who visited our clinic for plagiocephaly between March 2022 and June 2023. This study analyzed the correlation between cranial vault asymmetry (CVA) and anterior fontanelle size as measured using skull anteroposterior (AP) radiography and ultrasonography. The severity of DP was graded from minimal to severe based on the Argenta classification. Infants were grouped according to CVA severity as follows: Group 1 (CVA ≤ 5 mm), Group 2 (5 mm < CVA < 10 mm), and Group 3 (CVA ≥ 10 mm). Additionally, 40 infants underwent the Denver Developmental Screening Test II (DDST-II) for neurodevelopmental delays and were divided into groups based on the presence or absence of developmental delays for fontanelle size comparison. Results: Age showed a significant negative correlation with fontanelle size (correlation coefficient -0.234, p < 0.05), indicating that fontanelle size decreases as infants age. No significant differences in fontanelle size were observed among the three CVA groups (p = 0.074) or between the developmentally delayed and non-delayed groups (p = 0.09). This study found no correlation between CVA and fontanelle size or between fontanelle size and developmental delay. Conclusions: The findings show that, while anterior fontanelle size decreased with age, there was no significant correlation between the fontanelle size and the severity of deformational plagiocephaly or developmental delays.

Effect of lighting conditions on implantable collamer lens vault: Influence of anterior chamber and lens parameters.

Purpose: To investigate the change in the vault of the implantable collamer lens (ICL) under dark-to-light conditions and its association with anterior chamber and lens parameters in patients undergoing ICL surgery. Methods: In 76 eyes from 40 patients, preoperative anterior chamber volume (ACV), pupil diameter (PD), anterior chamber angle, central corneal thickness (CCT), white-to-white (WTW), lens thickness (LT), axial length (AL), spherical equivalent (SE) and patient's age were collected. Postoperative vault, PD and LT were measured under dark and light conditions using anterior segment optical coherence tomography (CASIA2; TOMEY, Japan), and changes and lens displacement under dark-to-light conditions were calculated. Mixed-effects models were used to analyze the correlation between the vault change and the anterior chamber and lens parameters of all subjects and the high-vault subgroup. Results: The vault under light condition (648.36 ± 304.47 µm) was significantly smaller compared to the vault under dark condition (708.89 ± 316.15 µm). In all patients, vault change increased with the increase of age, lens displacement and PD change; and increased with the decrease of ACV, LT change and baseline vault (under dark condition). In the high-vault subgroup, vault change increased with the increase of CCT, lens displacement and PD change; and increased with the decrease of ACV. Conclusions: ICL vault changes significantly from dark to light, influenced by age, ACV, PD change, LT change, lens displacement, and baseline vault. A higher baseline vault is correlated with a larger LT change, affecting the levels of accommodation under dark-to-light transition.

Major Vault Protein/Lung Resistance-Related Protein: A Novel Biomarker for Inflammation and Acute Infections.

INTRODUCTION: Vault particles are large cytoplasmic ribonucleoprotein particles that participate in inflammation. The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic and prognostic value of major vault protein (MVP) in patients with inflammation, in order to determine whether MVP could be used as a biomarker for infection or inflammation. We also aimed to compare the diagnostic impact of MVP compared to other conventional measurements, such as CRP or white blood cell (WBC) counts. METHODS: CRP and MVP levels were measured in 111 sera samples from 85 patients with inflammation admitted to a tertiary-care hospital and 26 healthy individuals during an 18-month period (2019-2020), using nephelometry and a custom MVP sandwich ELISA assay, respectively. In addition, WBC counts were measured using a commercial assay. RESULTS: MVP levels were found to be elevated in patients with inflammation compared to healthy individuals (p < 0.0001). Moreover, MVP levels were higher in patients with inflammation due to an infectious etiology compared to those with non-infectious etiology (p = 0.0006). MVP levels significantly decreased during the first four days of infection in response to antibiotic treatment, while CRP levels showed a less-sensitive decline. An ROC curve analysis demonstrated that MVP and CRP have similarly high diagnostic accuracy, with AUCs of 0.955 and 0.995, respectively, followed by WBCs with an AUC of 0.805. CONCLUSIONS: The ROC curves demonstrated that MVP has the potential to serve as a diagnostic biomarker for inflammation and infection. Additionally, MVP levels may reflect the efficacy of antibiotic treatment.

Middle Vault Dorsal Augmentation in Rhinoplasty as "Push-up" Preservation Technique or as "Modified Dorsal Split Extended Push-up" Procedure.

BACKGROUND: Primary or secondary dorsal augmentation rhinoplasty addresses aesthetic and functional issues related to a deficient, under-projected, or depressed nasal dorsum, frequently in middle vault. Traditional treatments often involve costal cartilage grafts, which can result in palpable irregularities and additional morbidity. Implementing dorsal preservation techniques in selected patients may improve predictability and outcomes of dorsal augmentation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a case series involving 12 patients with saddle nose deformities and significant nasal function impairment. All patients underwent either "push-up" preservation technique or "modified dorsal split extended push-up" technique. The techniques were evaluated for feasibility, safety, and efficacy. Functional outcomes were assessed using the nasal obstruction symptom evaluation (NOSE) scale preoperatively and three months postoperatively. RESULTS: Eight patients underwent "push-up" technique, and four patients required "dorsal split extended push-up" technique due to extensive scarring and mucosal adhesions from previous surgeries. All patients demonstrated significant postoperative improvement in nasal function as indicated by a reduction in NOSE scores (p < 0.05). Aesthetic outcomes showed a naturally augmented and smooth dorsum with no palpable irregularities. Patient satisfaction was rated very high (9 or 10 out of 10) in 10 patients and high (7 or 8 out of 10) in 2 patients. Follow-up was 6 months. CONCLUSION: "Push-up" preservation technique and its extended variant provide a new surgical alternative for primary and secondary rhinoplasty with costal cartilage. These techniques offer improved and highly predictable aesthetic outcomes of the nasal dorsum with decreased morbidity, demonstrating significant potential for clinical practice and future research. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE III: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Long-Term Outcomes (10 Years) of Sacrospinous Ligament Fixation for Pelvic Organ Prolapse Repair.

Vaginal vault prolapse is one of the main reasons for reoperation in patients with pelvic organ prolapse. Effective correction of the vaginal apex is essential for lasting repair for these women. Apical suspension of the sacrospinous ligament is probably one of the main vaginal treatments still offered to patients today. We proposed an evaluation of the functional and anatomical results of long-term sacrospinous ligament fixation. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the 10-year results of sacrospinous ligament suspension as primary repair for apical prolapse and to evaluate long-term side effects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study analyzed 10-year follow-up after prolapse repair using sacrospinous ligament suspension. A subjective recurrence was identified as the postoperative occurrence of swelling symptoms based on a particular item on the Italian Prolapse Quality of Life (P-QoL) questionnaire. An objective recurrence was defined as a postoperative decline to stage II or below in any compartment based on the POP-Q system or the requirement for additional surgery. The assessment of postoperative subjective satisfaction was conducted using the Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I) score. RESULTS: In total, 40 patients underwent sacrospinous ligament fixation. Objective recurrence was remarkably high, as it was observed in 17 (56.7%) patients. Subjective recurrence was reported by ten (33.3%) women, and reintervention occurred in two (6.7%) of patients. From the point of view of quality of life, according to the PGI-I, twenty-three (76.7%) patients described some degree of improvement after surgery, four (13.3%) described their status as unmodified, and three (10%) reported some form of worsening after primary treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Transvaginal repair with sacrospinous fixation is a long-lasting option for prolapse repair, with improvement in every POP-q parameter. Some degree of anterior recurrence, recurrence of symptoms with swelling, or an overall worsening of quality of life after surgery is possible.

Long-term outcomes of nonsyndromic isolated unilateral lambdoid craniosynostosis.

This study combined qualitative and quantitative approaches to evaluate outcomes of isolated nonsyndromic unilateral lambdoid synostosis at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Volumetric, linear, and angular analyses were performed on long-term postoperative and normal control scans. Preoperative and postoperative clinical photographs were evaluated for the presence of dysmorphic frontofacial features. Among 26 included patients, median age of surgery was 10 months and mean postoperative follow-up was 5.9 ± 5.7 years. Two (7.7%) patients underwent secondary cranial vault procedures. At most recent follow-up, 2 (7.7%) subjects reported intermittent headaches. Twenty (90.9%) of 22 patients were assigned Whitaker grade I. Among 9 subjects with long-term imaging at age 11.5 ± 5.3, posterior vault asymmetry, posterior fossa deflection angle, cranial base angle, and ear position asymmetry all remained greater than in the control group. Of subjects included in the frontofacial feature analysis (n = 10), 50% had resolution of all dysmorphic frontofacial features present preoperatively. Overall, most subjects who underwent PVR did not require revisional surgery and had good outcomes both aesthetically and functionally. Despite residual abnormalities in the cranial base and posterior vault, most had resolution of parietal bossing and facial scoliosis. Ear position asymmetry was the most common dysmorphic feature at long-term follow-up.

Lens height paraments comparison according to ciliary sulcus width (CSW): a pilot study of the predictive role of CLR and STSL for vault after ICL implantation.

BACKGROUND: To assess the relationship between postoperative implantable collamer lens (ICL) vault and lens height obtained from two different measurements. METHODS: A retrospective case series study enrolled eyes with horizontally implanted ICL. Crystal lens rise (CLR) and the distance between STS plane and anterior crystalline lens surface (STSL) were measured in the horizontal and vertical directions using ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM). We compared the differences in the parameters measured in both horizontal and vertical directions. The participants were categorized into three groups according to ciliary sulcus width (CSW) which is defined as the distance between the posterior angle of the iris and the anterior angle of the ciliary process: narrow CSW group (NSG); medium CSW group (MSG); and wide CSW group (WSG). The correlations between CLR/STSL and vault were examined in each of the three groups. Biased correlation analysis was used further to contrast the correlation between CLR/STSL and vault. RESULTS: This retrospective study included 223 myopic eyes. Vertical STSL (VSTSL) and vertical CLR (VCLR) exhibited significantly greater values compared to their horizontal counterparts (both P < 0.05). None of the indicators were statistically different between the three groups. In both NSG and MSG, STSL/CLR correlated with vault, while in WSG, only STSL correlated with vault (r=-0.316, P = 0.013). In contrast to HCLR, the correlation between HSTSL and vault remained after controlling for HCLR (r=-0.162, P = 0.015). CONCLUSIONS: STSL should deserve more attention in the preoperative evaluation of ICL compared to CLR especially when CSW is large.

Epidemiology of injuries in united states high school track and field jumping events from 2008 - 2019.

OBJECTIVES: Reports of injury characteristics of high school track and field athletes participating in jumping events in the United States are limited. In this descriptive epidemiological study, we report injury rates and patterns in these athletes. METHODS: Injuries and athletic exposures (AE) from the National High School Sports Related Injury Surveillance System, and High School Reporting Information Online (RIO) from 2008-2019 were analyzed. Jumping events included high jump, long jump, triple jump, and pole vault. Injury rate ratios (IRR) and injury proportion ratios (IPR) were examined by sex. RESULTS: A total of 727 injuries related to jumping events during 5,486,279 AEs occurred with the highest frequency at the thigh (20.3%) followed by the ankle (18.2%), knee (16.1%), and lower leg (11.0%). The most common types of injuries were muscle strain (29.0%) and ligament sprain (21.2%). Most athletes returned to sport within 1 week (43.1%, n = 312) or 3 weeks (34.7%, n = 243). Few jumping-related injuries resulted in surgery (4.9%, n = 35) or medical disqualification (4.4%, n = 31). The jumping-related injury rate was 1.33 injuries/10,000 AEs from 2008 to 2019. The rate of jumping-related injuries was higher in competition than in practice (IRR = 2.63, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.25-3.06). Injury rates were significantly higher in practice for female athletes than for males (IRR = 1.51, 95% CI: 1.23-1.86). Compared to male athletes, female athletes sustained a higher proportion of ankle injuries (IPR = 1.63, 95% CI: 1.15-2.32) and ligament sprains (IPR = 1.55, 95% CI: 1.16-2.09). CONCLUSIONS: This study describes injury characteristics of high school track and field jumping athletes from 2008 to 2019. We found an overall injury rate of 1.33 injuries per 10,000 AEs. Higher overall rates of jumping-related injuries occurred during competitions than in practice, and female athletes displayed a significantly higher rate of injuries during practices compared to male athletes.

Establishment of a new vault prediction formula after implantable collamer lens implantation based on factor analysis of multi-modal ophthalmic parameters of anterior and posterior chamber.

BACKGROUND: To establish a novel vault prediction formula after implantable collamer lens (ICL) implantation that considers both anterior and posterior chamber characteristics with multi-modal parameters. METHODS: A total of 103 and 65 eyes were included in the development and validation groups, respectively. Exploratory factor analysis was performed using data from optical coherence tomography and ultrasound biomicroscopy in the development group to synthesise summative factors with different clinical significance. Dominant original metrics with heavy loadings on significant factors (absolute value of the loading coefficient >0.5) were screened for multivariate linear regression models using a stepwise method. The newly derived formula was evaluated and compared to the NK and KS formulas in the validation group. RESULTS: Six factors (anterior chamber angle, horizontal width, lens, iris, iridociliary complex and ciliary body) were generated after dimension reduction via factor analysis. Factors 2 (horizontal width), 3 (lens), and 5 (iridociliary complex) had a significant influence on the vault. When dominant metrics on these factors were screened for further model building, ICL size, anterior chamber width, crystalline lens rise, iris curvature, and iris-ciliary process distance were retained in the final formula, with an adjusted R2 of 0.698, a median absolute error of 81.97 mm, and a root-mean-square error of 103.35 mm. CONCLUSIONS: Multiple intraocular components, including the lens, iris, and ciliary body, play important roles in vault determination. The new formula exhibits good accuracy for vault predictions and ICL size recommendations.

Hinge Craniotomy for Posterior Cranial Vault Expansion: Using the Keel to the Surgeon's Advantage.

Cranial vault reconstructions are a common craniofacial procedure utilized to treat chronically elevated intracranial pressure and its sequelae for children with craniosynostosis. These surgeries often involve split-thickness autologous grafts to facilitate intracranial volume expansion. The hinge craniotomy was developed by neurosurgeons in the early 2000s as an alternative to the hemicraniectomy to allow for greater space and simplified re-securing of the bone flap. In our report, we introduce a novel application of hinge craniotomy in total cranial vault reconstruction for a pediatric patient with microcephaly secondary to congenital cytomegalovirus infection. We performed bilateral barrel stave cuts to the occipital bone as well as an undercut along the midline keel to form a hinge craniotomy. Complex reconstruction followed to augment intracranial volume and restructure the cranial vault. This technique maximized intracranial volume expansion while minimizing the need for prolonged reconstruction. It also allowed for retained vascularization of the bone flap by maintaining the connection with the intact cranial base and pericranium to further support bony healing. Our study presents a novel utilization of hinge craniotomy, using the occipital keel as a natural hinge, to create ample space during cranial vault reconstruction. This technique offers potential advantages in terms of intracranial volume expansion and bony healing.

Development and validation of a novel vault prediction formula based on structural parameters of the anterior and posterior chambers.

BACKGROUND: Accurate prediction of postoperative vault in implantable collamer lens (ICL) implantation is crucial; however, current formulas often fail to account for individual anatomical variations, leading to suboptimal visual outcomes and necessitating improved predictive models. We aimed to verify the prediction accuracy of our new predictive model for vaulting based on anterior and posterior chamber structural parameters. METHODS: This retrospective observational study included 137 patients (240 eyes) who previously underwent ICL surgery. Patients were randomly divided into the model establishment (192 eyes) or validation (48 eyes) groups. Preoperative measurements of the anterior and posterior chamber structures were obtained using Pentacam, CASIA2 anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT), ultrasound biomicroscopy, and other devices. Stepwise multiple linear regression analysis was used to evaluate the relationship between the vault and each variable (WL formula). The Friedman test was performed for the vaulting prediction results of the WL, NK (Ver. 3), and KS formulas (Ver. 4) in CASIA2 AS-OCT, as well as the Zhu formula and vault measurements. The proportions of prediction error within ± 250 µm per formula were compared. RESULTS: The predicted vault values of the WL, NK, KS, and Zhu formulas and vault measurements were 668.74 ± 162.12, 650.85 ± 248.47, 546.56 ± 128.99, 486.56 ± 210.76, and 716.06 ± 233.84 µm, respectively, with a significant difference (χ2 = 69.883, P = 0.000). Significant differences were also found between the measured vault value and Zhu formula, measured vault value and KS formula, WL formula and Zhu formula, WL formula and KS formula, NK formula and KS formula, and NK formula and Zhu formula (P < 0.001) but not between other groups. The proportions of prediction error within ± 250 µm per formula were as follows: WL formula (81.3%) > NK formula (70.8%) > KS formula (66.7%) > Zhu formula (54.2%). CONCLUSIONS: The WL formula, which considers the complexity of the anterior and posterior chamber structures, demonstrates greater calculation accuracy, compared with the KS (Ver. 4) and Zhu formulas. The proportion of absolute prediction error ≤ 250 µm is higher with the WL formula than with the NK formula (ver. 3). This enhanced predictive capability can improve ICL sizing decisions, thereby increasing the safety and efficacy of ICL implantation surgeries.

The small non-coding RNA Vaultrc5 is dispensable to mouse development.

Vault RNAs (vtRNAs) are evolutionarily conserved small non-coding RNAs transcribed by RNA polymerase lll. Vault RNAs were initially described as components of the vault particle, but have since been assigned multiple vault-independent functions including regulation of PKR activity, apoptosis, autophagy, lysosome biogenesis, and viral particle trafficking. The full-length transcript has also been described as noncanonical source of miRNAs which are processed in a DICER-dependent manner. As central molecules in vault-dependent and independent processes, vtRNAs have been attributed numerous biological roles including regulation of cell proliferation and survival, response to viral infections, drug resistance, and animal development. Yet, their impact to mammalian physiology remains largely unexplored. To study vault RNAs in vivo, we generated a mouse line with a conditional Vaultrc5 loss of function allele. Because Vaultrc5 is the sole murine vtRNA, this allele enables the characterization of the physiological requirements of this conserved class of small regulatory RNAs in mammals. Using this strain, we show that mice constitutively null for Vaultrc5 are viable and histologically normal but have a slight reduction in platelet counts pointing to a potential role for vtRNAs in hematopoiesis. This work paves the way for further in vivo characterizations of this abundant but mysterious RNA molecule. Specifically, it enables the study of the biological consequences of constitutive or lineage-specific Vaultrc5 deletion and of the physiological requirements for an intact Vaultrc5 during normal hematopoiesis or in response to cellular stresses such as oncogene expression, viral infection, or drug treatment.

Major vault protein directly enhances adaptive immunity induced by Influenza A virus or indirectly through innate immunity.

As we previously revealed, major vault protein (MVP) is a virus-induced host factor, and its expression is crucial for innate immune responses. Nevertheless, the function of MVP in adaptive immunity is poorly known. Here, we demonstrate that Mvp knockout mice had attenuated antibody responses and reduced survival after rechallenge with homologous influenza A virus (IAV) relative to wild-type mice. Analysis of B cell populations showed that MVP promoted germinal center (GC) responses to develop optimal antiviral humoral immunity. Although MVP-deficient T cells and dendritic cells (DCs) were not intrinsically damaged, MVP promoted activating effector T cells and T follicular helper responses and regulated specific DC subsets. These findings suggest that MVP directs an effective adaptive immune response against IAV by directly engaging in GC reactions or indirectly augmenting cellular immunity via innate immune pathways.

Structure, Dynamics and Functional Implications of the Eukaryotic Vault Complex.

Vault ribonucleoprotein particles are naturally designed nanocages, widely found in the eukaryotic kingdom. Vaults consist of 78 copies of the major vault protein (MVP) that are organized in 2 symmetrical cup-shaped halves, of an approximate size of 70x40x40 nm, leaving a huge internal cavity which accommodates the vault poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (vPARP), the telomerase-associated protein-1 (TEP1) and some small untranslated RNAs. Diverse hypotheses have been developed on possible functions of vaults, based on their unique capsular structure, their rapid movements and the distinct subcellular localization of the particles, implicating transport of cargo, but they are all pending confirmation. Vault particles also possess many attributes that can be exploited in nanobiotechnology, particularly in the creation of vehicles for the delivery of multiple molecular cargoes. Here we review what is known about the structure and dynamics of the vault complex and discuss a possible mechanism for the vault opening process. The recent findings in the characterization of the vaults in cells and in its natural microenvironment will be also discussed.

Franklin's "Cemented Tomb": The Jamme Report of 1928 Revisited.

Few details are known about the fate of the Franklin Expedition after it departed England in 1845. What we do know is derived from the archaeological record, Inuit testimony and brief communications written in 1847 and 1848 from the Expedition. During the 1860s, Charles Francis Hall went to the Arctic in search of survivors, papers, and relics. During Hall's second expedition, two Inuit testimonies emerged which reported unusual site(s) on the Westcoast of King William Island which were reputedly build by the Expedition. Hall believed these sites were either a burial site or a cemented document vault(s). The first testimony, recorded by Hall himself, was obtained from a Pelly Bay Inuk, Su-pung-er, in 1866. The second, was collected from Pelly Bay Inuit by members of Hall's support team, including Peter Bayne, in Hall's absence in 1868. Eventually, the second testimony was sold to the Canadian Government in the form of a report written by George Jamme after Bayne's death in 1928. Until now, only extracts of the Jamme Report have been available. This paper describes the background to the Jamme report and presents it in its entirety along with critiques so that scholars in the future may have this tool.

Major vault protein is part of an extracellular cement material in the Atlantic salmon louse (Lepeophtheirus salmonis).

Major vault protein (MVP) is the main component of the vault complex, which is a highly conserved ribonucleoprotein complex found in most eukaryotic organisms. MVP or vaults have previously been found to be overexpressed in multidrug-resistant cancer cells and implicated in various cellular processes such as cell signaling and innate immunity. The precise function of MVP is, however, poorly understood and its expression and probable function in lower eukaryotes are not well characterized. In this study, we report that the Atlantic salmon louse expresses three full-length MVP paralogues (LsMVP1-3). Furthermore, we extended our search and identified MVP orthologues in several other ecdysozoan species. LsMVPs were shown to be expressed in various tissues at both transcript and protein levels. In addition, evidence for LsMVP to assemble into vaults was demonstrated by performing differential centrifugation. LsMVP was found to be highly expressed in cement, an extracellular material produced by a pair of cement glands in the adult female salmon louse. Cement is important for the formation of egg strings that serve as protective coats for developing embryos. Our results imply a possible novel function of LsMVP as a secretory cement protein. LsMVP may play a role in structural or reproductive functions, although this has to be further investigated.

Clinical prediction of insufficient vaults after implantable collamer lens implantation.

AIM: To determine the factors related to preoperative ocular characters that are predictive of insufficient vault (<250 µm) after implantable collamer lens (ICL V4c; STAAR Surgical) implantation. METHODS: The participants underwent ICL surgery and were divided into the low (<250 µm) and normal (250-1000 µm) vault groups based on the postoperative vault at 3mo. The preoperative biometric parameters and clinical outcomes were compared between the two groups. The relationship between the 3-month vault values and preoperative ocular parameters were evaluated by Generalized estimating equations. RESULTS: Sixteen (23 eyes) and 36 patients (63 eyes) were in the low and normal vault groups, respectively. All implantation procedures were uneventful with no cataract formation in the early postoperative period. The sulcus-to-sulcus lens rise (STSL) and iris ciliary angle (ICA) were correlated with vault at 3mo after surgery. Every 0.1 mm increase in STSL was associated with 38.9 µm decrease in the postoperative 3-month vault. A rise of 1 degree in ICA is associated with a reduction of 4 µm in vault. CONCLUSION: Eyes with a narrow ciliary sulcus are associated with a higher rate of low vault after ICL implantation, suggesting a need for adjustments to the ICL size in these patients. Evaluating the characteristics of the ciliary sulcus contributes valuable information to predict low vault after surgery.