ctice with comparable utility to the current standard DS, whereby providing a shorter and more comfortable perimetry experience. The purpose of this study was to compare conventional diagnostic culture (CDC) to 16S ribosomal RNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis for diagnosing bacterial keratitis. Samples collected from 100 consecutive patients presenting to the Royal Liverpool University Hospital with bacterial keratitis were processed using CDC and 16S PCR analysis. The overall detection rate using both methods was 36%. Of these, 72.2% (26/36) were detected by PCR and 63.9% (23/36) isolated by CDC ( = 0.62). Using a combination of both PCR and CDC increased the detection rate for pathogenic bacteria by 13% compared to using CDC alone ( = 0.04). In CDC negative samples, 16S PCR identified more pathogens than CDC in 16S PCR negative samples. Neither order of sample collection nor prior antimicrobial use affected the detection rate. 16S rRNA gene PCR performed in addition to CDC on corneal samples from patients with clinically suspected bacterial keratitis led to additional pathogen detection. 16S rRNA gene PCR should be developed to become an additional part of clinical service for patients with bacterial keratitis rather than used in isolation.16S rRNA gene PCR should be developed to become an additional part of clinical service for patients with bacterial keratitis rather than used in isolation. Analysis of ferning formation after tear drop desiccation on a glass slide has been applied as a simple method to examine tear normality and is referred to as the tear ferning (TF) test. Despite use of the TF test in clinical settings and in some animals, thus far no TF test protocol has been developed for the mouse model. This study aimed to establish a mouse TF test protocol that can be used for dry eye research using the mouse as the study model. Tear samples were collected from 24 healthy mice after repeated flushes with 2, 5, 10, or 20 µL wash solutions, either 0.9% NaCl saline or sterile water, on the ocular surface. After sample collection, TF tests were performed at variable drop volumes (2-20 µL), at a relative humidity of either 46% ± 2% or 53% ± 2%, and with temperature fixed at 24°C ± 2°C for comparison. Moreover, the influence of osmolarity (between 280 and 360 mOsm/L) and pH values (6.5-8.0) and the effect of centrifugation (4000 rpm, 10 minutes) on ferning formation were examined. Reproducibility and ferning storage stability were also determined. An optimized protocol was established with relative humidity at 46% ± 2% and drop aliquot at 2 µL, using 0.9% NaCl saline as the wash solution. Using sterilized water as the wash solution did not result in any crystalloid formation. Raleukin supplier Centrifugation did not aid ferning formation in any of the samples. Higher osmolarity increased ferning formation from grades between 0 to 1 to grades between 2 to 3, but pH values that varied between 6.5 and 8.0 did not affect ferning formation. The established mouse TF test protocol also displayed reproducibility and storage stability. A TF test protocol for the mouse model was established that could be used for comparative analyses under various ocular surface disease conditions. This mouse TF test protocol will facilitate the application of basic research into the mouse model to clinical care.This mouse TF test protocol will facilitate the application of basic research into the mouse model to clinical care.Formyl peptide receptor 1 (FPR1) is a pattern-recognition receptor that detects bacterial as well as endogenous danger-associated molecular patterns to trigger innate immune responses by myeloid cells. A single nucleotide polymorphism, rs867228 (allelic frequency 19-20%), in the gene coding for FPR1 accelerates the manifestation of multiple carcinomas, likely due to reduced anticancer immunosurveillance secondary to a defect in antigen presentation by dendritic cells. Another polymorphism in FPR1, rs5030880 (allelic frequency 12-13%), has been involved in the resistance to plague, correlating with the fact that FPR1 is the receptor for Yersinia pestis. Driven by the reported preclinical effects of FPR1 on lung inflammation and fibrosis, we investigated whether rs867228 or rs5030880 would affect the severity of coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19). Data obtained on patients from two different hospitals in Paris refute the hypothesis that rs867228 or rs5030880 would affect the severity of COVID-19.Uveal melanoma is a malignant tumor of the eye that often metastasizes to the liver conferring poor prognosis. When comparing immune profiles in peripheral blood of untreated patients with uveal melanoma liver metastasis and healthy blood donors, it was observed that immune cells of uveal melanoma patients carried immunosuppressive features. Patient blood contained an increased content of CD14+HLA-DR-/low M-MDSCs and inflammatory CD16+ monocytes, while their dendritic cells expressed lower levels of activation markers. Melanoma patients also harbored an enhanced fraction of CD4+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells, while their effector T cells expressed lower levels of the activation marker HLA-DR. Biopsies from liver metastases were obtained from patients with uveal melanoma that subsequently underwent hyperthermic isolated hepatic perfusion (IHP) with melphalan. There were trends indicating a positive correlation between a high infiltration of CD8+ T cells in metastases and an activated immune cell profile in blood. High metastatic infiltration of CD8+ T cells and CD68+ macrophages, but not of immunosuppressive CD163+ macrophages, correlated to a longer overall survival in patients treated with IHP. Hence, while the immune system of patients with uveal melanoma shows signs of immunosuppression, the presence of activated immune cells may correlate to a longer survival, at least following IHP treatment.Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has demonstrated an impressive outcome in patients with metastatic melanoma, yet, durable complete response; even with Ipilimumab/Nivolumab combo are under 30%. Primary and acquired resistance in response to ICB is commonly due to a tumor immune escape mechanism dictated by the tumor microenvironment (TME). Macrophage Migratory Inhibition Factor (MIF) has emerged as an immunosuppressive factor secreted in the TME. We have previously demonstrated that blockade of the MIF-CD74 signaling on macrophages and dendritic cells restored the anti-tumor immune response against melanoma. Here, we report that inhibition of the MIF-CD74 axis combined with ipilimumab could render resistant melanoma to better respond to anti-CTLA-4 treatment. We provide evidence that blocking the MIF-CD74 signaling potentiates CD8+ T-cells infiltration and drives pro-inflammatory M1 conversion of macrophages in the TME. Furthermore, MIF inhibition resulted in reprogramming the metabolic pathway by reducing lactate production, HIF-1α and PD-L1 expression in the resistant melanoma cells.