Purpose To compare epithelium-removal and epithelium-disruption corneal crosslinking (CXL) methods in Fourier analysis of keratometric data and clinical outcomes. Methods In this double masked randomized clinical trial, each eye of 34 patients with bilateral keratoconus was randomly allocated to either the epithelium-removal or epithelium-disruption CXL treatment groups. Ocular examination, refraction, uncorrected and best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (UCVA and BSCVA, respectively) measurements, and Pentacam imaging (keratometry, pachymetry, and Fourier analysis) were performed at baseline and at six-month follow-up period. Results Patients' mean age was 23.3 ± 3.6 years. The preoperative thickness of the thinnest point was 459.20 ± 37.40 µm and 455.80 ± 32.70 µm in the epithelium-removal and epithelial-disruption CXL groups, respectively (P > 0.05). The corresponding figures were 433.50 ± 33.50 µm and 451.90 ± 39.70 µm, respectively, six months after the treatment (P = 0.0001). Irregularity component of the fourier analysis was 0.030 ± 0.016 µm in the epithelium-removal group and 0.028 ± 0.011 µm in the epithelium-disruption group preoperatively (P > 0.05). This measurement was 0.031 ± 0.016 µm and 0.024 ± 0.009 µm, respectively at month 6 (P = 0.04). The epithelium-disruption CXL group had better results in terms of the thickness of the thinnest point and the irregularity component as compared to the epithelium-removal group. The two study groups were comparable in spherical equivalent, mean keratometry, UCVA, BSCVA, or other Fourier analysis components (spherical R min, spherical eccentricity, central, peripheral regular astigmatism, and maximum decentration) (P > 0.05). Conclusion This study shows that epithelium-disruption CXL is superior to epithelium-removal CXL regarding the short-term changes in pachymetry and corneal irregularity. Other evaluated parameters were comparable between the two techniques. Copyright © 2020 Zaheryani et al.Purpose To investigate the efficacy of topical Aloe Vera (AV) gel-derived eye drops on the healing of alkali-burned corneas in rabbits. Methods Thirty alkali-burned corneas of 30 New Zealand albino rabbits were categorized into three groups AV treatment group that received AV gel-derived eye drops four times a day; medical therapy (MT) group that received conventional treatment; and the control group. Clinical examinations together with digital imaging of the corneas were performed on days 0, 1, 2, 4, and 7. The area of the corneal epithelial defect (CED) was measured using ImageJ software. After euthanizing the rabbits, the affected corneas were evaluated by histopathological examination. Finally, the clinical and histopathological results were compared among the groups. Results The CED area on days 2 and 7 was significantly less in the AV group than that in the MT group (P = 0.007 and P = 0.024, respectively) and the control group (P = 0.003 and P = 0.037, respectively). None of the cases developed hypersensitivity reactions, limbal ischemia, descemetocele, or corneal perforation during the study period. Based on histopathology, the AV group had notably less keratocyte loss than the MT group (P = 0.001) and the control group (P = 0.022). The inflammatory response after the alkali burn was higher in the AV group than that in the controls (P = 0.028). Conclusion Short-term topical AV treatment was effective in healing alkali-burned corneas and hastened corneal re-epithelialization as compared to MT; however, AV gel-derived eye drops did not reduce the inflammatory response. Copyright © 2020 Rezaei Moghadam et al.The cytoskeletal mechanics and cell mechanical properties play an important role in cellular behaviors. In this study, in order to provide comprehensive insights into the relationship between different cytoskeletal components and cellular elastic moduli, we built a phase-modulated surface acoustic wave microfluidic device to measure cellular compressibility and a microfluidic micropipette-aspiration device to measure cellular Young's modulus. The microfluidic devices were validated based on experimental data and computational simulations. The contributions of structural cytoskeletal actin filament and microtubule to cellular compressibility and Young's modulus were examined in MCF-7 cells.  https://www.selleckchem.com/products/nt157.html  The compressibility of MCF-7 cells was increased after microtubule disruption, whereas actin disruption had no effect. In contrast, Young's modulus of MCF-7 cells was reduced after actin disruption but unaffected by microtubule disruption. The actin filaments and microtubules were stained to confirm the structural alteration in cytoskeleton. Our findings suggest the dissimilarity in the structural roles of actin filaments and microtubules in terms of cellular compressibility and Young's modulus. Based on the differences in location and structure, actin filaments mainly contribute to tensile Young's modulus and microtubules mainly contribute to compressibility. In addition, different responses to cytoskeletal alterations between acoustophoresis and micropipette aspiration demonstrated that micropipette aspiration was better at detecting the change from actin cortex, while the response to acoustophoresis was governed by microtubule networks. Copyright © 2020 Author(s).Sample filling and discretization within thermoplastic 2D microwell arrays is investigated toward the development of low cost disposable microfluidics for passive sample discretization. By using a high level of contact angle asymmetry between the filling channel and microwell surfaces, a significant increase in the range of well geometries that can be successfully filled is revealed. The performance of various array designs is characterized numerically and experimentally to assess the impact of contact angle asymmetry and device geometry on sample filling and discretization, resulting in guidelines to ensure robust microwell filling and sample isolation over a wide range of well dimensions. Using the developed design rules, reliable and bubble-free sample filling and discretization is achieved in designs with critical dimensions ranging from 20 μm to 800 μm. The resulting devices are demonstrated for discretized nucleic acid amplification by performing loop-mediated isothermal amplification for the detection of the mecA gene associated with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.