Synergistic restriction of polysulfides enabled by cobalt@carbon spheres embedded CNTs: A facile approach for constructing sulfur cathodes with high sulfur content.

Despite the bright fortune of lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries as one of the next-generation energy storage systems owing to the ultrahigh theoretical energy density and earth-abundance of sulfur, crucial challenges including polysulfide shuttling and low sulfur content of sulfur cathodes need to be overcome before the commercial survival of sulfur cathodes. Herein, cobalt/carbon spheres embedded CNTs (Co-C-CNTs) are rationally designed as multifunctional hosts to synergistically address the drawbacks of sulfur cathodes. The host is synthesized by a facile pyrolysis using Co(OH)2 template and followed with the controllable etching process. The hierarchical porous structure owning high pore volume and surface area can buffer the volume change, physically confine polysulfides, and provide conductive networks. Besides, partially remained metallic cobalt nanoparticles are favorable for chemical adsorption and conversion of polysulfides, as validated by density functional theory simulations. With the combination of above merits, the S@Co-C-CNTs cathodes with a high sulfur content of 80 wt% present a superior initial capacity (1568 mAh g-1 at 0.1C) with ultrahigh 93.6% active material utilization, and excellent rate performance (649 mAh g-1 at 2C), providing feasible strategies for the optimization of cathodes in metal-sulfur batteries.

Repeat corneal transplantation in Southern China: Indications, surgical technique, outcomes, and risk factors for repeat keratoplasty failure.

PURPOSE: To report the indications, surgical techniques, and outcomes of repeat keratoplasty and evaluate the risk factors for graft failure in the Chinese population. METHODS: The medical records of 216 patients (243 cases) who underwent at least two keratoplasties at a leading eye hospital in southern China between 2011 and 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. Indications and surgical procedures for repeat corneal transplantation were analyzed. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to determine the graft survival rate after repeat keratoplasty. A multivariable survival model was used to assess the risk factors. RESULTS: Repeated keratoplasties increased continuously from 2011 to 2020 (P = 0.002). The most common primary indication was infectious keratitis (38.7%), and the most common reason for repeat keratoplasty was graft rejection (30.04%). Regraft techniques included penetrating keratoplasty (PK) in 165 cases (67.9%), deep lamellar keratoplasty (DALK) in 52 cases (21.40%), and endothelial keratoplasty (EK) in 26 cases (10.7%). Median survival was 5.3, 6.8, and 6.4 years for PK, DALK, and EK, respectively. The 5-year survival rate was 53.5%, 66.6%, and 69.8% for PK, DALK, and EK, respectively. The median LogMAR visual acuity was 1.4 for PK, 0.75 for DALK, and 1.2 for EK at the end of the follow-up. Multivariate analysis revealed that graft rejection is a risk factor for repeat keratoplasty failure (P = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: DALK and EK may provide better outcomes than PK in treating graft failure. Preventing and treating postoperative graft rejection may be key to improving regraft survival. These findings will aid in the management of failed corneal grafts.

Novel symmetry-preserving neural network model for phylogenetic inference.

Motivation: Scientists world-wide are putting together massive efforts to understand how the biodiversity that we see on Earth evolved from single-cell organisms at the origin of life and this diversification process is represented through the Tree of Life. Low sampling rates and high heterogeneity in the rate of evolution across sites and lineages produce a phenomenon denoted "long branch attraction" (LBA) in which long nonsister lineages are estimated to be sisters regardless of their true evolutionary relationship. LBA has been a pervasive problem in phylogenetic inference affecting different types of methodologies from distance-based to likelihood-based. Results: Here, we present a novel neural network model that outperforms standard phylogenetic methods and other neural network implementations under LBA settings. Furthermore, unlike existing neural network models in phylogenetics, our model naturally accounts for the tree isomorphisms via permutation invariant functions which ultimately result in lower memory and allows the seamless extension to larger trees. Availability and implementation: We implement our novel theory on an open-source publicly available GitHub repository: https://github.com/crsl4/nn-phylogenetics.

Polyolefin-Based Separator with Interfacial Chemistry Regulation for Robust Potassium Metal Batteries.

Potassium metal batteries (KMBs) are ideal choices for high energy density storage system owing to the low electrochemical potential and low cost of K. However, the practical KMB applications suffer from intrinsically active K anode, which would bring serious safety concerns due to easier generation of dendrites. Herein, to explore a facile approach to tackle this issue, we propose to regulate K plating/stripping via interfacial chemistry engineering of commercial polyolefin-based separator using multiple functional units integrated in tailored metal organic framework. As a case study, the functional units of MIL-101(Cr) offer high elastic modulus, facilitate the dissociation of potassium salt, improve the K+ transfer number and homogenize the K+ flux at the electrode/electrolyte interface. Benefiting from these favorable features, uniform and stable K plating/stripping is realized with the regulated separator. Full battery assembled with the regulated separator showed ∼19.9 % higher discharge capacity than that with glass fiber separator at 20 mA g-1 and much better cycling stability at high rates. The generality of our approach is validated with KMBs using different cathodes and electrolytes. We envision that the strategy to suppress dendrite formation by commercial separator surface engineering using tailor-designed functional units can be extended to other metal/metal ion batteries.

OmpR (TCS response regulator) of Aeromonas veronii plays a major role in drug resistance, stress resistance and virulence by regulating biofilm formation.

Aeromonas veronii (A. veronii), a highly pathogenic bacteria with a wide range of hosts, widely exists in the environment of humans, animals and aquatic animals, and can cause a variety of diseases. In this study, the receptor regulator ompR in the envZ/ompR of two-component system was selected to construct a mutant strain (Δ ompR) and a complement strain (C-ompR) to explore the regulatory effect of ompR on the biological characteristics and virulence of TH0426. The results showed that the ability of biofilm formation and osmotic stress of TH0426 were significantly reduced (P < 0.001), the resistance to ceftriaxone and neomycin were slightly down-regulate when the ompR gene was deleted. At the same time, animal pathogenicity experiments showed that the virulence of TH0426 was significantly down-regulated (P < 0.001). These results indicated that ompR gene regulates the biofilm formation of TH0426, and regulates some biological characteristics of TH0426, including drug sensitivity, resistance to osmotic stress, and also affects its virulence.

Elliptical deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty in severe Acanthamoeba keratitis.

Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) is an intractable infection of the cornea. Penetrating keratoplasty is widely used for the management of severe AK but suffers from complications like graft rejection, endophthalmitis, and glaucoma. Herein, we aimed to describe the surgical technique and the results of elliptical deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (eDALK) for the management of severe AK. In this retrospective case series, records of consecutive patients with AK poorly responsive to medical treatment who underwent eDALK from January 2012 to May 2020 were reviewed. The largest diameter of infiltration was ≥8 mm and did not involve the endothelium. The recipient bed was made by an elliptical trephine, and big bubble or wet-peeling technique was performed. Postoperative best spectacle-corrected visual acuity, endothelial cell density, corneal topographic data, and complications were evaluated. Thirteen eyes of thirteen patients (eight men and five women, 45.54 ± 11.78 years old) were included in this study. The mean follow-up interval was 21.31 ± 19.59 months (range, 12-82 months). At the last follow-up, the mean best spectacle-corrected visual acuity was 0.35 ± 0.27 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution. The mean refractive and topographic astigmatism were - 3.21 ± 1.77 and 3.08 ± 1.14 D, respectively. Intraoperative perforation was encountered in one case and double anterior chambers occurred in two cases. One graft developed stromal rejection and one eye developed amoebic recurrence. eDALK can serve as the first-line surgical management of severe AK poorly responsive to medical treatment.

Clinical Outcomes of the Intraocular Lens Injector and Busin Glide for Descemet Stripping Automated Endothelial Keratoplasty in Patients with Iridocorneal Endothelial Syndrome.

Purpose: To report the outcomes of Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) performed in iridocorneal endothelial (ICE) syndrome patients using the intraocular lens injector (injector), in comparison with those using the Busin glide. Methods: In this retrospective, interventional comparative study, we evaluated the outcomes of DSAEK performed using the injector (n = 12) or the Busin glide (n = 12) for patients with ICE syndrome. Their graft position and postoperative complications were recorded. Their best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and endothelial cell loss (ECL) were monitored over a 12-month follow-up period. Results: DSAEK was conducted successfully in the 24 cases. The BCVA improved from the preoperative 0.99 ± 0.61 to 0.36 ± 0.35 at 12 months after operation (p < 0.001), with no significant difference between the two groups (the injector group and the Busin group) (p = 0.933). ECL at 1 month after DSAEK was 21.80 ± 15.01% in the injector group, which was significantly lower than 33.69 ± 9.75% of the Busin group (p = 0.031). No surgery-related complications were observed in the 24 cases intraoperatively or postoperatively except that one case suffered from postoperative graft dislocation, without statistical difference between the two groups. Conclusions: At 1 month after surgery, the use of graft injector for delivering DSAEK-based endothelial graft may cause significantly less endothelial cell damage than the pull-through technique used in the application of Busin glide. The injector allows safe endothelial graft delivery without the need of anterior chamber irrigation, which increases the ratio of successful graft attachment.

Interlayer Chemical Modulation of Phase Transitions in Two-Dimensional Metal Chalcogenides.

Two-dimensional metal chalcogenides (2D-MCs) with complex interactions are usually rich in phase transition behavior, such as superconductivity, charge density wave (CDW), and magnetic transitions, which hold great promise for the exploration of exciting physical properties and functional applications. Interlayer chemical modulation, as a renewed surface modification method, presents congenital advantages to regulate the phase transitions of 2D-MCs due to its confined space, strong guest-host interactions, and local and reversible modulation without destructing the host lattice, whereby new phenomena and functionalities can be produced. Herein, recent achievements in the interlayer chemical modulation of 2D-MCs are reviewed from the aspects of superconducting transition, CDW transition, semiconductor-to-metal transition, magnetic phase transition, and lattice transition. We systematically discuss the roles of charge transfer, spin coupling, and lattice strain on the modulation of phase transitions in the guest-host architectures of 2D-MCs established by electrochemical intercalation, solution-processed intercalation, and solid-state intercalation. New physical phenomena, new insight into the mechanism of phase transitions, and derived functional applications are presented. Finally, a prospectus of the challenges and opportunities of interlayer chemical modulation for future research is pointed out.

Functional analysis of ascP in Aeromonas veronii TH0426 reveals a key role in the regulation of virulence.

Aeromonas veronii is a pathogen which can induce diseases in humans, animals and aquatic organisms, but its pathogenic mechanism and virulence factors are still elusive. In this study, we successfully constructed a mutant strain (ΔascP) by homologous recombination. The results showed that the deletion of the ascP gene significantly down-regulated the expression of associated effector proteins in A. veronii compared to its wild type. The adhesive and invasive abilities of ΔascP to EPC cells were 0.82-fold lower in contrast to the wild strain. The toxicity of ΔascP to cells was decreased by about 2.91-fold (1 h) and 1.74-fold (2 h). Furthermore, the LD50 of the mutant strain of crucian carp was reduced by 19.94-fold, and the virulence was considerably attenuated. In contrast to the wild strain, the ΔascP content in the liver and spleen was considerably lower. The titers of serum cytokines (IL-8, TNF-α, and IL-1ß) in crucian carp after the infection of the ΔascP strain were considerably lower in contrast to the wild strain. Hence, the ascP gene is essential for the etiopathogenesis of A. veronii TH0426.

The effects of dietary supplementation of ginseng stem and leaf saponins on the antioxidant capacity, immune response, and disease resistance of crucian carp, Carassius auratus.

This is the first study to explore the positive effects of ginseng stem and leaf saponins (GSLS) on antioxidant capability, immunity, and disease resistance of crucian carp. Seven hundred fifty crucian carps (initial body weight: 25 ± 0.15 g (mean ± SE)) were randomly allocated into five groups with three replicates each; five diets supplemented with the final concentration of 0, 1, 2, 4, and 8 g/kg GSLS were fed to crucian carp for 5 weeks. The results demonstrated that, at a concentration of 8 g/kg, the contents of IgM, C4, SOD, GSH-Px, and the activity of AKP in serum of crucian carp gradually increased at 7, 14, 21, 28, and 35 days, and the expression of immune-relative cytokine genes (TNF-α, IL-10, IFN-γ) in the liver, spleen, and the intestinal tract also had a significant up-regulation (P < 0.05), and which were significant difference compared with control (P < 0.05). The above results demonstrated that dietary GSLS showed enhancement effects on the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capability, and innate immune response of crucian carp. The feed of 8 g/kg GSLS for 1 week could improve the survival rate 44% more than the control group when crucian carp infected Aeromonas hydrophila (A. hydrophila). In conclusion, the addition of GSLS at a concentration of 8 g/kg in the diet improve immune-related enzyme activity better, immune-relative cytokine expression, and disease resistance.

Oral vaccination with recombinant Lactobacillus casei expressing Aha1 fused with CTB as an adjuvant against Aeromonas veronii in common carp (Cyprinus carpio).

Aeromonas veronii (A. veronii) is a pathogenic that can infect human, animal and aquatic organisms, in which poses a huge threat to the health of many aquatic organisms such as Cyprinus carpio. In this study, Lactobacillus casei (L. casei) strain CC16 was used as antigen deliver carrier and fused with cholera toxin B subunit (CTB) as an adjuvant to construct the recombinant L. casei pPG-Aha1/Lc CC16(surface-displayed) and pPG-Aha1-CTB/Lc CC16(surface-displayed) expressing Aha1 protein of A. veronii, respectively. And the immune responses in Cyprinus carpio by oral route was explored. Our results demonstrated that the recombinant strains could stimulate high serum specific antibody immunoglobulin M (IgM) and induce a stronger acid phosphatase (ACP), alkaline phosphatase (AKP), C3, C4, lysozyme (LZM), Lectin and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in Cyprinus carpio compared with control groups. Meanwhile, the expression of Interleukin-10 (IL-10), Interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), Tumor Necrosis Factor-α (TNF-α), immunoglobulin Z1 (IgZ1) and immunoglobulin Z2 (IgZ2) in the tissues were significantly upregulated compared with Lc-pPG or PBS groups, indicating that humoral and cell immune response were triggered. Additionally, recombinant L. casei could survive and colonize in fish intestine. Significantly, recombinant L. casei provides immune protection against A. veronii infection, which Cyprinus carpio received pPG-Aha1-CTB/Lc CC16 (64.29%) and pPG-Aha1/Lc CC16 (53.57%) had higher survival rates compared with the controls. Thus, we demonstrated that recombinant pPG-Aha1/Lc CC16 and pPG-Aha1-CTB/Lc CC16 may be the promising strategy for the development of an oral vaccine against A. veronii.

Oral vaccination with recombinant Lactobacillus casei expressing Aeromonas hydrophila Aha1 against A. hydrophila infections in common carps.

The immunogenicity of Aha1, an OMP of Aeromonas hydrophila mediating the adhesion of bacteria onto the mucosal surface of hosts has been established. In this study, recombinant vectors, pPG1 and pPG2, carrying a 1366 bp DNA fragment that was responsible for encoding the 49 kDa Aha1 from A. hydrophila were constructed, respectively, then electroporated into a probiotic strain Lactobacillus casei CC16 separately to generate two types of recombinants, L. casei-pPG1-Aha1 (Lc-pPG1-Aha1) and L. casei-pPG2-Aha1 (Lc-pPG2-Aha1). Subsequently, these were orally administered into common carps to examine their immunogenicity. The expression and localization of the expressed Aha1 protein relative to the carrier L. casei was validated via Western blotting, flow cytometry, and immune fluorescence separately. The recombinant vaccines produced were shown high efficacies, stimulated higher level of antibodies and AKP, ACP, SOD, LZM, C3, C4 in serum in hosts. Immune-related gene expressions of cytokines including IL-10, IL-1ß, TNF-α, IFN-γ in the livers, spleens, HK, and intestines were up-regulated significantly. Besides, a more potent phagocytosis response was observed in immunized fish, and higher survival rates were presented in common carps immunized with Lc-pPG1-Aha1 (60%) and Lc-pPG2-Aha1 (50%) after re-infection with virulent strain A. hydrophila. Moreover, the recombinant L. casei were shown a stronger propensity for survivability in the intestine in immunized fish. Taken together, the recombinant L. casei strains might be promising candidates for oral vaccination against A. hydrophila infections in common carps.

Motion Similarity Evaluation between Human and a Tri-Co Robot during Real-Time Imitation with a Trajectory Dynamic Time Warping Model.

Precisely imitating human motions in real-time poses a challenge for the robots due to difference in their physical structures. This paper proposes a human-computer interaction method for remotely manipulating life-size humanoid robots with a new metrics for evaluating motion similarity. First, we establish a motion capture system to acquire the operator's motion data and retarget it to the standard bone model. Secondly, we develop a fast mapping algorithm, by mapping the BVH (BioVision Hierarchy) data collected by the motion capture system to each joint motion angle of the robot to realize the imitated motion control of the humanoid robot. Thirdly, a DTW (Dynamic Time Warping)-based trajectory evaluation method is proposed to quantitatively evaluate the difference between robot trajectory and human motion, and meanwhile, visualization terminals render it more convenient to make comparisons between two different but simultaneous motion systems. We design a complex gesture simulation experiment to verify the feasibility and real-time performance of the control method. The proposed human-in-the-loop imitation control method addresses a prominent non-isostructural retargeting problem between human and robot, enhances robot interaction capability in a more natural way, and improves robot adaptability to uncertain and dynamic environments.

Mechanisms of Dendrobium officinale polysaccharides in repairing gastric mucosal injuries based on mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) signaling pathway.

The present study aimed to investigate the protective effects and molecular mechanisms of Dendrobium officinale polysaccharides on gastric mucosal injuries. Following one week of continuous intragastric administration, a gastric mucosal injury model was established using intragastric administration of anhydrous ethanol. The area of gastric ulcer was measured, the contents of interleukin- 6 (IL-6), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and thyroid transcription factor 1 (TFF-1) in serum were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the expressions of EGFR, TFF-1, IL-6, Raf-2, MAP kinase kinase 1 (MEK1), MEK2, and ERK1 in the gastric tissue were determined utilizing qPCR, Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Simultaneously, Dendrobium officinale polysaccharides and anhydrous ethanol were added to the gastric mucosal cells (GES1) cultured in vitro, and the protective effects of Dendrobium officinale polysaccharides on cell viability was detected using Cell Counting Kit (CCK)-8. The addition of Dendrobium officinale polysaccharides markedly improved the gastric epithelial defect, inflammatory cell infiltration, and redness and swelling stemmed from gastric mucosal injuries and greatly reduced the area of gastric ulcer. The inhibition rates of gastric ulcer were 48.12 ± 2.98, 42.95 ± 1.52, and 27.96 ± 2.05% in the high, medium, and low concentration Dendrobium officinale polysaccharide groups, respectively. Dendrobium officinale polysaccharides could increase the expressions of EGFR and TFF-1 and decrease the expressions of IL-6, Raf-2, MEK1, MEK2, and ERK1. Dendrobium officinale polysaccharides could reduce the level of inflammatory factors and protect gastric mucosa by inhibiting the expression of MAPK pathway genes and proteins.

Tuning the Intrinsic Activity and Electrochemical Surface Area of MoS2 via Tiny Zn Doping: Toward an Efficient Hydrogen Evolution Reaction (HER) Catalyst.

Molybdenum sulfide (MoS2 ) is considered as an alternative material for commercial platinum catalysts for electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Improving the apparent HER activity of MoS2 to a level comparable to that of Pt is an essential premise for the commercial use of MoS2 . In this work, a Zn-doping strategy is proposed to enhance the HER performance of MoS2 . It is shown that tiny Zn doping into MoS2 leads to the enhancement of the electrochemical surface area, increases in proportion of HER active 1T phase in the material and formation of catalytic sites of higher intrinsic activity. These benefits result in a high-performance HER electrocatalyst with a low overpotential of 190 mV(@10 mA cm-2 ) and a low Tafel slope of 58 mV dec-1 . The origin for the excellent electrochemical performance of the doped MoS2 is rationalized with both experimental and theoretical investigations.

Compression sutures combined with intracameral air injection versus thermokeratoplasty for acute corneal hydrops: a prospective-randomised trial.

AIMS: To compare the efficacy of compression sutures combined with intracameral air injection (CSAI) and thermokeratoplasty (TKP) for the management of acute corneal hydrops in keratoconus. METHODS: In this multi-centre randomised clinical trial, 20 patients with keratoconus (20 eyes) with acute corneal hydrops were enrolled and randomised to receive either CSAI or TKP and followed-up for a period of 6 months. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in patient demographics, severity of corneal hydrops and preoperative duration of symptoms between the two groups. In both groups, corneal oedema resolved within 2 weeks. The maximum thickness of the corneal scars following CSAI and TKP was not significantly different. Best spectacle-corrected visual acuity was superior in the CSAI group at 6-month follow-up (CSAI vs TKP, 0.52 (0.37, 0.85) vs 0.96 (0.70, 1.34) LogMAR, p=0.042). CSAI resulted in greater corneal endothelial cell density (CSAI vs TKP, 2677.8±326.7 vs 1955.3±298.1 cells/mm2, p<0.001) and flatter corneal curvature (CSAI vs TKP: mean keratometry value, 52.13±4.92 vs 63.51±5.83D, p<0.001; maximum keratometry value, 65.21±7.42 vs 77.13±12.01D, p=0.016) at the 6-month follow-up. CONCLUSION: Although both CSAI and TKP resulted in resolution of acute corneal hydrops in keratoconus, CSAI was associated with superior clinical outcomes in this study. CHINESE CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ChiCTR-IOR-17013764.

Deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty with cross-linked acellular porcine corneal stroma to manage fungal keratitis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effects of deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK) with cross-linked acellular porcine corneal stroma (APCS) and post-operative topical tacrolimus treatment in patients with fungal keratitis. METHODS: This multicenter prospective study involved 25 cases of fungal keratitis that were treated by DALK with cross-linked APCSs and post-operative topical tacrolimus from December 2013 to November 2014 at the Wenzhou Eye Hospital and the Henan provincial Eye Hospital. Signs of post-operative inflammation, corneal reepithelialization, corneal neovascularization, and graft rejection were assessed, and best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), intraocular pressure (IOP), and APCS graft transparency were monitored for the 12-month follow-up period. RESULTS: All 25 patients underwent DALK without Descemet's membrane perforation. Corneal epithelium recovered completely in 17 patients in the first week, and APCS grafts maintained transparency in 18 patients at 1-year follow-up. The mean BCVA significantly improved from 2.16 ± 0.32 (LogMAR) at baseline to 1.56 ± 0.70 at 1-week (P < .001), 0.95 ± 0.57 at 1-month (P < .001), and 0.70 ± 0.51 at 3-month follow-ups (P < .001). The BCVA kept stable at 6-month and 12-month follow-ups. Post-operative topical tacrolimus alleviated the ciliary injection, except in one case which acute stromal rejection occurred. One patient developed fungal reinfection and underwent penetrating keratoplasty. Graft rejection occurred in three patients. No case was noted with graft splitting, elevated IOP or tacrolimus intolerance. CONCLUSIONS: DALK using cross-linked APCS combining topical tacrolimus treatment is safe and effective in managing fungal keratitis. It may ameliorate the shortage of corneal donation globally.

Alterations in the Ocular Surface Microbiome in Traumatic Corneal Ulcer Patients.

Purpose: Corneal ulcers are a common eye inflammatory disease that can cause visual impairment or even blindness if not treated promptly. Ocular trauma is a major risk factor for corneal ulcers, and corneal trauma in agricultural work can rapidly progress to corneal ulcers. This study aims to evaluate the changes in the ocular surface (OS) microbiome of patients with traumatic corneal ulcer (TCU). Methods: Among 20 healthy control (HC) subjects and 22 patients with TCU, 42 eyes were examined to investigate the OS microbial flora using metagenomic shotgun sequencing. Results: At the taxonomic composition level, our findings showed that dysbiosis (alterations in richness and community structure) occurs in the OS microbiome of patients with TCU. Notably, Pseudomonas was present at a greater than 30% relative abundance in all individuals in the TCU group. At the species level, the abundance of Pseudomonas fluorescens and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was significantly elevated in the TCU group compared to the HC group. At the functional level, we identified significant differences in the HC and TCU groups. We observed that inflammation-related pathways involved in bacterial chemotaxis, flagellar assembly, and biofilm formation were significantly more abundant in the TCU group. Besides, the pathways related to biosynthesis, degradation, and metabolism were also increased significantly in the TCU group. Conclusions: These findings indicate an altered OS microbiome in the affected eyes of patients with TCU. Further research is needed to determine whether these alterations contribute to the pathogenesis of TCU or impact disease progression.

Effect of Bacillus velezensis on Aeromonas veronii-Induced Intestinal Mucosal Barrier Function Damage and Inflammation in Crucian Carp (Carassius auratus).

Aeromonas veronii is an emerging aquatic pathogen causing hemorrhagic septicemia in humans and animals. Probiotic is an effective strategy for controlling enteric infections through reducing intestinal colonization by pathogens. Here we report that the consumption of Bacillus velezensis regulated the intestinal innate immune response and decreased the degree of intestinal inflammation damage caused by the A. veronii in Crucian carp. In this study, we isolated four strains of B. velezensis, named C-11, S-22, L-17 and S-14 from apparently healthy Crucian carp, which exerted a broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity inhibiting both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria especially the fish pathogens. B. velezensis isolates showed typical Bacillus characteristics by endospore staining, physiological and biochemical test, enzyme activity analysis (amylase, protease, and lipase), and molecular identification. Here, Bacillus-containing dietary was orally administrated to Crucian carp for 8 weeks before A. veronii challenge. Immunological parameters and the expression of immune-related genes were measured at 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 weeks post-administration. The results showed that B. velezensis was found to promote the increase in the phagocytic activities of peripheral blood leukocytes (PBLs) and head kidney leukocytes (HKLs), as well as the increase in interleukin 1ß (IL-1ß), IL-10 and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) concentration of serum. Lysozyme levels (113.76 U/mL), ACP activity (25.32 U/mL), AKP activity (130.08 U/mL), and SOD activity (240.63 U/mL) were maximum (P < 0.05) in the B. velezensis C-11 treated group at 8 week. Our results showed that Crucian carp fed with the diet containing B. velezensis C-11 and S-22 developed a strong immune response with significantly higher (P < 0.05) levels of IgM in samples of serum, mucus of skin and intestine compared to B. velezensis L-17 and S-14 groups. Moreover, B. velezensis spores appeared to show no toxicity and damage in fish, which could inhabit the gut of Crucian carp. B. velezensis restrained up-regulation of pro-inflammation cytokines (IL-1ß, IFN-γ, and TNF-α) mRNA levels in the intestine and head kidney at final stage of administration, and the expression of IL-10 was increased throughout the 10-week trial. A. veronii infection increased the population of inflammatory cells in the intestinal villi in the controls. In contrast, numerous goblet cells and few inflammatory cells infiltrated the mucosa in the B. velezensis groups after challenge with A. veronii. Compared with A. veronii group, B. velezensis could safeguard the integrity of intestinal villi. The highest post-challenge survival rate (75.0%) was recorded in B. velezensis C-11 group. The present data suggest that probiotic B. velezensis act as a potential gut-targeted therapy regimens to protecting fish from pathogenic bacteria infection. IMPORTANCE: In this work, four Bacillus velezensis strains isolated from apparently healthy Crucian carp, which exhibited a broad-spectrum antibacterial activity especially the fish pathogens. Administration of B. velezensis induced the enhancement of the intestinal innate immune response through reducing intestinal colonization by pathogens. The isolation and characterization would help better understand probiotic can be recognized as an alternative of antimicrobial drugs protecting human and animal health.

Factors Affecting Formation of Type-1 and Type-2 Big Bubble during Deep Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty.

Purpose: To determine the factors associated with the formation of different types of big bubble (BB) during DALK. Methods: In this retrospective study, 322 consecutive eyes of 307 patients with corneal stromal disorders who underwent DALK between January 2014 and June 2017 were included. Age, sex, corneal pathology, visual acuity, corneal curvature, corneal thickness, and adverse events were recorded. The main outcome measure was the success of BB formation with respect to the corneal pathology. Results: Type-1 BB was achieved in 147 eyes (45.7%), whereas type-2 BB was formed in 109 eyes (33.9%). The overall success rate of BB formation was 82.9%. Type-1 BB formation in keratoconus patients was significantly higher than type-2 BB (83.8% vs 2.6%, p < 0.001). In contrast, type-2 BB formation was significantly higher than type-1 BB (61.0% vs 15.6%, p < 0.001) in patients with corneal scars. Type-1 BB was more likely to be seen in patients with superficial corneal scarring, granular, and lattice dystrophies, while corneas with deep scarring and macular dystrophy had more type-2 BB. The type of bubble was not associated with age and gender of the patients. Conclusions: The overall success of big-bubble (BB) deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK) depends on the preoperative corneal pathology. Type -1 BB was more commonly seen in keratoconus patients whereas type-2 BB was observed in patients with deep corneal scars and other corneal pathologies affecting deeper layers of corneal stroma.