A phylogenetically conserved APETALA2/ETHYLENE RESPONSE FACTOR, ERF12, regulates Arabidopsis floral development.

KEY MESSAGE: Arabidopsis ETHYLENE RESPONSE FACTOR12 (ERF12), the rice MULTIFLORET SPIKELET1 orthologue pleiotropically affects meristem identity, floral phyllotaxy and organ initiation and is conserved among angiosperms. Reproductive development necessitates the coordinated regulation of meristem identity and maturation and lateral organ initiation via positive and negative regulators and network integrators. We have identified ETHYLENE RESPONSE FACTOR12 (ERF12) as the Arabidopsis orthologue of MULTIFLORET SPIKELET1 (MFS1) in rice. Loss of ERF12 function pleiotropically affects reproductive development, including defective floral phyllotaxy and increased floral organ merosity, especially supernumerary sepals, at incomplete penetrance in the first-formed flowers. Wildtype floral organ number in early formed flowers is labile, demonstrating that floral meristem maturation involves the stabilisation of positional information for organogenesis, as well as appropriate identity. A subset of erf12 phenotypes partly defines a narrow developmental time window, suggesting that ERF12 functions heterochronically to fine-tune stochastic variation in wild type floral number and similar to MFS1, promotes meristem identity. ERF12 expression encircles incipient floral primordia in the inflorescence meristem periphery and is strong throughout the floral meristem and intersepal regions. ERF12 is a putative transcriptional repressor and genetically opposes the function of its relatives DORNRÖSCHEN, DORNRÖSCHEN-LIKE and PUCHI and converges with the APETALA2 pathway. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that ERF12 is conserved among all eudicots and appeared in angiosperm evolution concomitant with the generation of floral diversity.

Structure and function of the vp1 gene homologue from the resurrection plant Craterostigma plantagineum Hochst.

A gene that is homologous to the vp1 genes from maize and rice, the Arabidopsis abi3 gene and PvAlf from Phaseolus vulgaris was isolated from the resurrection plant, Craterostigma plantagineum Hochst, The C. plantagineum gene (epvp1) encodes a protein of 688 amino acids and contains five introns at positions identical to those in the Arabidopsis, maize and rice homologues. The cpvp1 transcript is present in mature seeds and in young seedlings up to 8 days following germination. The ability of the cpvp1 gene product to activate target genes was demonstrated by transient expression experiments in tobacco protoplasts using reporter gene constructs containing the beta-glucuronidase (GUS) gene fused to the promoter of two late embryogenesis abundant (LEA)-like genes, CDeT27-45 and CDeT6-19 from C. plantagineum, or the promoter of a maize gene encoding a 22-kDa zein seed storage protein.

Ketorolac, prednisolone, and dexamethasone for postoperative inflammation.

This 6-week, partially masked, three-arm, multicenter study was conducted to evaluate the postoperative anti-inflammatory efficacy of ketorolac, a cyclooxygenase inhibitor. The study setting was the clinical practice of six ophthalmic surgeons. The study enrolled 157 candidates for routine extracapsular cataract extraction or phaco-emulsification and posterior-chamber intraocular lens implantation. Patients who received any glucocorticoid or cyclooxygenase inhibitor within 1 week of surgery were excluded. All patients were treated with solutions of 0.5% ketorolac, 1% prednisolone acetate, or 0.1% dexamethasone instilled into the operative eye three times daily from 1 day before surgery to 4 weeks after surgery. Efficacy variables included the signs of anterior-segment inflammation, primarily cells and flare in the anterior chamber, as observed by slit-lamp biomicroscopy; fluorescein leakage across the blood-aqueous barrier as measured by fluorophotometry; and the rating of efficacy by the investigator. No significant differences were seen between ketorolac and either glucocorticoid in cells and flare. No significant differences were found in other signs of inflammation, except conjunctival hyperemia and Descemet's folds at week 2. Ketorolac showed significantly greater efficacy than the glucocorticoids against blood-aqueous barrier breakdown at day 5 and week 2, as demonstrated by the difference in fluorescein concentration between the operated and nonoperated eyes. Investigators did not detect any significant difference in rating for overall effectiveness and acceptability. These findings support the use of ketorolac as an alternative to glucocorticoids for the treatment of postoperative inflammation.

Dynamic shifts in corneal topography after radial and transverse keratotomy.

PURPOSE: The authors aimed to quantitate the dynamic patterns of change in corneal topography after multistaged radial and transverse keratotomy using digitized video-keratography. METHODS: Single and paired radial and transverse keratotomies, with videokeratoscopy between each stage and at the end of the procedure, were performed on fresh animal cadaver eyes using an artificial orbit system. RESULTS: All incisions led to central flattening. A single radial keratotomy caused flattening adjacent to the incision, and steepening 180 degrees away. A paired radial keratotomy caused increased flattening in the meridian of the incisions, and less flattening 90 degrees away. A single transverse incision caused steepening adjacent to the incision and diffuse flattening elsewhere. A paired transverse incision caused flattening near the optical center along the meridian bisecting the incisions and steepening 90 degrees away. CONCLUSION: The authors have demonstrated that computerized videokeratography can be used successfully to systematically quantitate dioptric shifts in multiple hemimeridians and measurement zone diameters after refractive surgery.

Indications for penetrating keratoplasty: 1980-1988.

A retrospective analysis was undertaken of the clinical diagnoses of 1594 eyes that underwent penetrating keratoplasty performed in a private-referral corneal practice over a 9-year period, 1980-1988. The seven most common indications for surgery were keratoconus (24.0%), pseudophakic or aphakic bullous keratopathy (21.2%), corneal scarring (13.9%), Fuchs' endothelial dystrophy (12.5%), regraft (8.1%), and herpetic keratitis (5.3%). Keratoconus was the leading indication from 1980 to 1985. From 1985 to 1988, pseudophakic bullous keratopathy became the leading indication and correlates well with known complications associated with closed-loop anterior chamber lenses, which were widely used during the early 1980s. Less frequent indications for penetrating keratoplasty included the following: infectious (nonviral) keratitis (3.5%); acute or chronic ulcerative keratitis (2.7%); interstitial keratitis (1.8%); mechanical trauma (1.5%); other (non-Fuchs') corneal dystrophies (1.4%); congenital opacities (0.8%); and chemical burns (0.5%).

Lack of T6 induction on human corneal Langerhans cells in vitro.

Previous studies have shown that Langerhans cells (LC) in normal human corneas differ from their counterparts in other epithelia (eg, skin, gingival, cervical) by their lack of the thymocyte antigen T6 on their membranes. In those studies only three out of four very young infant corneas (newborn, 3-day-, 8-day-old) have displayed positive T6 staining to date. Corneas from older infants and adults have demonstrated no such staining. This study tested the capacity of corneal LC to express T6 by in vitro induction with several immunomodulating agents. Human gamma interferon (IFN gamma was tested at 1000 U/ml, 500 U/ml and 100 U/ml. Interleukin-1 (IL-1) was tested at 100 U/ml, 50 U/ml and 20 U/ml. Thymopoietin pentapeptide (TP-5) was tested at 10 micrograms/ml, 1 micrograms/ml and 0.1 microgram/ml. Combinations of these agents were also tested in a similar fashion. None of these immunomodulating agents or combinations of them were able to induce T6 expression on normal corneal LC. This may reflect an innate incapacity of these cells to express this antigen or dosage requirements in excess of those tested.

Severe aortic regurgitation complicating percutaneous aortic valve valvuloplasty.

An 88-year-old patient undergoing percutaneous aortic balloon valvuloplasty of a tricuspid aortic valve is described. The patient had mild aortic regurgitation prior to the procedure but developed severe aortic regurgitation after balloon dilatation of the valve. At the time of surgery there was no anatomic disruption of the valve or supporting structures. Development of severe aortic incompetence following balloon valvuloplasty has not been previously reported.

Reduction in the incidence of rejection of heterotopic murine corneal transplants by pretreatment with ultraviolet radiation.

A reduction in the incidence of rejection of mouse heterotopic corneal allografts was achieved by in vitro pretreatment of the graft with ultraviolet light. By day 21, 68% of untreated BALB/c corneas transplanted into s.c. abdominal pouches of C57BL/6 recipients demonstrated rejection. In contrast, corneas pretreated with UV-A, -B, or -C at 150 mJ/cm2 showed an incidence of rejection at day 21 of 30%, 33%, and 18%, respectively. Experiments indicate a significant reduction in rejection with doses of UV-B radiation above 75 mJ/cm2. The mechanism of this reduction is unknown, but may be due to a depletion or alteration of ocular surface Langerhans cells residing in the corneal epithelium.

Diagnosis of anterior chamber metastasis by serologic marker found during anterior chamber paracentesis.

A 29-year-old man developed anterior uveitis unresponsive to intensive topical and systemic therapy. He had recently completed a course of chemotherapy with apparent response and resolution of metastasis from a mixed germ cell tumor (embryonal carcinoma and seminoma). Anterior chamber paracentesis was nondiagnostic on two occasions for metastatic cells. At the time of his second paracentesis a tumor marker, human chorionic gonadotropin-beta subunit, was used to confirm the diagnosis of anterior chamber metastasis to the eye.

Immunologic mechanisms involved in viral ocular diseases.

Immunologic responses of the host play a key role in the intensity, duration, and subsequent damage associated with viral ocular diseases. Broadly speaking, the host responds to a particular viral infection by producing antibodies (humoral immunity) and specifically committed lymphocytes (cell-mediated immunity). These specific responders then interact with viral antigens and attract other cells (eg, polymorphonuclear leukocytes) to produce inflammation. These mechanisms act to eliminate free virus, destroy infected cells, and possibly, eliminate cell-to-cell spread of virus. The immune mechanisms operative in the ocular structures are identical to those elsewhere in the body.

Conjunctivitis due to adenovirus type 19.

An outbreak of unusual conjunctivitis occurred in Seattle in the summer of 1974. We found evidence of adenovirus type 19 (Ad19) infection in 28 of 42 (67%) referred cases from whom specimens for virus isolation and/or serology were obtained. Virus was isolated from conjunctiva, throats, and/or stools, often in week 2 of illness. Ad19-related cases more frequently had severe ocular pathology, transient visual impairment, and active disease for longer than a week. Secondary illnesses were more frequent in relation to Ad19 infection (26%) than to conjunctivitis of other etiology (5%, P less than 0.05). Persons with Ad19 infection commonly experienced sore throats without coughs or fevers. No common source of infection was identified in the outbreak, and illness was unrelated to occupation, residence, or family characteristics. A 3- to 8-day incubation period was suggested by two related cases.

A new variety of spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia characterized by punctate corneal dystrophy and abnormal dermal collagen fibrils.

Several individuals from one family are described with a unique form of spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia. Characteristic features include short-trunked short stature, punctate corneal dystrophy and marked disorganization of dermal collagen fibrils when examined by transmission electron microscopy. Inheritance is compatible with either dominance and a variable expression or X-linkage. Although the basic defect has not been determined, the tissue distribution is consistent with a defect in a non-collagenous component that affects collagen fibril formation or stability.