ncRNA BC1 influences translation in the oocyte

Regulation of translation is essential for the diverse biological processes involved in development. Particularly, mammalian oocyte development requires the precisely controlled translation of maternal transcripts to coordinate meiotic and early embryo progression while transcription is silent. It has been recently reported that key components of mRNA translation control are short and long noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs). We found that the ncRNABrain cytoplasmic 1 (BC1) has a role in the fully grown germinal vesicle (GV) mouse oocyte, where is highly expressed in the cytoplasm associated with polysomes. Overexpression of BC1 in GV oocyte leads to a minute decrease in global translation with a significant reduction of specific mRNA translation via interaction with the Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein (FMRP). BC1 performs a repressive role in translation only in the GV stage oocyte without forming FMRP or Poly(A) granules. In conclusion, BC1 acts as the translational repressor of specific mRNAs in the GV stage via its binding to a subset of mRNAs and physical interaction with FMRP. The results reported herein contribute to the understanding of the molecular mechanisms of developmental events connected with maternal mRNA translation

Megawatt solitons generated above 2000 nm in Bragg fibers

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Has global fund support for civil society advocacy in the former Soviet Union established meaningful engagement or 'a lot of jabber about nothing'?

Although civil society advocacy for health issues such as HIV transmission through injecting drug use is higher on the global health agenda than previously, its impact on national policy reform has been limited. In this paper we seek to understand why this is the case through an examination of civil society advocacy efforts to reform HIV/AIDS and drugs-related policies and their implementation in three former Soviet Union countries. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted in Georgia, Kyrgyzstan and Ukraine by national researchers with representatives from a sample of 49 civil society organizations (CSOs) and 22 national key informants. We found that Global Fund support resulted in the professionalization of CSOs, which increased confidence from government and increased CSO influence on policies relating to HIV/AIDS and illicit drugs. Interviewees also reported that the amount of funding for advocacy from the Global Fund was insufficient, indirect and often interrupted. CSOs were often in competition for Global Fund support, which caused resentment and limited collective action, further weakening capacity for effective advocacy

Generation of megawatt soliton at 1680 nm in very large mode area antiresonant fiber and application to three-photon microscopy

International audienceAbstract The spectral window around 1700 nm is interesting for in-depth multiphoton microscopy of intact tissues due to reduced scattering and absorption in this wavelength range. However, wide adoption of this excitation range will rely on the availability of robust and cost-effective high peak power pulsed lasers operating at these wavelengths. Here, we report on a fiber-based femtosecond laser providing up to 95 nJ, 85 fs pulses at 1800 nm. The laser system makes use of a fiber-based chirped pulse amplifier emitting at 1560 nm followed by an in-house fabricated very large mode area antiresonant fiber for soliton self-frequency shift. Megawatt-peak power pulses at the repetition rate of 1 MHz are available directly at the output of the flexible fiber. We illustrate the potential of the source for biological microscopy by recording three-photon-excited fluorescence images of mouse nervous tissue. The flexible fiber tailored to propagate megawatt solitons in the biologically relevant window around 1700 nm opens the way to deep brain imaging of freely moving animals via miniaturized endomicroscopes

Observations of Comets

International audienc

Observations of Comets

International audienc