Compared with normal adult corneas, marked abnormalities were detected in the organization of the anterior corneal collagen lamellae of keratoconus corneas by second harmonic imaging. These structural abnormalities are consistent with the known changes in collagen organization and biomechanical strength of keratoconus.

The authors report the expansion of the temperature range of cholesteric blue phases by doping nanoparticles. When spherical gold nanoparticles with a mean diameter of 3.7 nm were doped in a blue phase-exhibiting multi-component liquid crystal mixture, the temperature range of the cholesteric blue phase increased from 0.5 to 5 C, while the clearing temperature decreased by approximately 13 C. We believe that the mechanism stabilizing the cholesteric blue phase is similar to that of polymer-stabilized cholesteric blue phases: the nanoparticles accumulate in the lattice disclinations, stabilizing the overall cholesteric blue structure.

A simple and robust method to prepare nanoparticle‐dispersed liquid crystals is demonstrated. Highly dispersed gold nanoparticle–liquid crystal suspensions are fabricated by simply sputter doping the gold target on the host liquid crystal (see figure). The existence of the nanoparticles is supported by optical extinction measurements, polarization optical microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. An improvement in the electro‐optic response, namely, a decrease in the threshold voltage, is also demonstrated in twist nematic devices fabricated using the nanoparticle‐dispersed liquid crystal.

TNF-alpha disrupted the barrier function of HCE cells, apparently by affecting the localization of ZO-1 at TJs in a manner dependent on NF-kappaB at late phase. This action of TNF-alpha may contribute to the loss of corneal epithelial barrier function associated with ocular inflammation.

No abstract