Lockdown measures to curtail the COVID-19 pandemic in China halted most non-essential activities on January 23, 2020. Despite significant reductions in anthropogenic emissions, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region still experienced high air pollution concentrations. Employing two emissions reduction scenarios, the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model was used to investigate the PM2.5 concentrations change in this region. The model using the scenario (C3) with greater traffic reductions performed better compared to the observed PM2.5. Compared with the no reductions base-case (scenario C1), PM2.5 reductions with scenario C3 were 2.70, 2.53, 2.90, 2.98, 3.30, 2.81, 2.82, 2.98, 2.68, and 2.83 μg/m3 in Beijing, Tianjin, Shijiazhuang, Baoding, Cangzhou, Chengde, Handan, Hengshui, Tangshan, and Xingtai, respectively. learn more During high-pollution days in scenario C3, the percentage reductions in PM2.5 concentrations in Beijing, Tianjin, Shijiazhuang, Baoding, Cangzhou, Chengde, Handan, Hengshui, Tangshan, and Xingtai were 3.76, 3.54, 3.28, 3.22, 3.57, 3.56, 3.47, 6.10, 3.61, and 3.67%, respectively. However, significant increases caused by unfavorable meteorological conditions counteracted the emissions reduction effects resulting in high air pollution in BTH region during the lockdown period. This study shows that effective air pollution control strategies incorporating these results are urgently required in BTH to avoid severe pollution.A healthy and functional proteome is essential to cell physiology. However, this is constantly being challenged as most steps of protein metabolism are error-prone and changes in the physico-chemical environment can affect protein structure and function, thereby disrupting proteome homeostasis. Among a variety of potential mistakes, proteins can be targeted to incorrect compartments or subunits of protein complexes may fail to assemble properly with their partners, resulting in the formation of mislocalized and orphan proteins, respectively. Quality control systems are in place to handle these aberrant proteins, and to minimize their detrimental impact on cellular functions. Here, we discuss recent findings on quality control mechanisms handling mislocalized and orphan proteins. We highlight common principles involved in their recognition and summarize how accumulation of these aberrant molecules is associated with aging and disease.The purpose of this study was to develop a standardized, accurate and efficient method for estimating conjunctival goblet cell density (GCD) via optimizing sample storage conditions and quantification methods. Conjunctival impression cytology (CIC) membranes were collected from both eyes of 32 participants and were randomized to two storage durations (2-3 weeks, 6-7 weeks) and two storage container types (microcentrifuge tube, flat histology cassette). The CIC membranes were stained and subdivided into 25 areas (5 mm × 5 mm) for imaging and the GCs were counted under 200X magnification using three different methods (1) full CIC membrane GC count of the 25 images with cell-counting software ("full"; reference method), (2) partial membrane GC count of 9 images with cell-counting software ("partial"), and (3) manual counting of the 25 images ("manual"). In all cases, GCD was determined by dividing the GC count by the counting area. The average time required for quantification was recorded to gauge efficiency. Results showed no significant difference in GC count between the two storage durations (p = 0.745) or storage container types (p = 0.552). The median (interquartile range (IQR)) time required to quantify a CIC membrane for the full, partial, and manual methods of GC counting, was 14.8(17.6), 4.6(5.2) and 5.0 (5.0) minutes, respectively. The agreement of GCD values between the full and manual methods (bias 0.4, 95% LOA [-4.6, 5.5]) was stronger than that comparing the full and partial methods (bias 0.5, 95% LOA [-18, 17]). All together, through systematic examination of key procedural variables, an optimized method for GCD quantification within 7 weeks of sample collection was outlined. Adaption of procedures described in this paper to facilitate accurate and efficient GCD quantification may serve as a valuable step in clinical trials investigating DED pathophysiology and/or novel DED treatment strategies.The progressive and sight-threatening disease, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), is a growing public health concern due to ageing demographics, with the highest unmet medical need for the advanced stage of dry AMD, geographic atrophy. The pathogenesis underlying AMD is driven by a complex interplay of genetic and environmental factors. There is ample evidence that inflammation is strongly involved in AMD development. Interleukin-33 (IL-33) has been proposed to be critically involved in retinal degeneration, but a protective role in eye pathophysiology was also demonstrated. The current study investigated the therapeutic potential of IL-33trap, a novel IL-33-neutralizing biologic, in dry AMD/geographic atrophy and, based on controversial data regarding the protective versus detrimental functions of IL-33 in neovascularization, evaluated the risk of progression to wet AMD by IL-33 neutralization. Repeated intravitreal (IVT) injections of IL-33trap in the mouse laser-induced choroidal neovascularization model did not exacerbate neovascularization or leakage, while it significantly inhibited inflammatory cell infiltration in the retinal pigment epithelium and choroid. On the contrary, IVT treatment with IL-33trap significantly induced retinal inflammation and could not prevent retinopathy induction in the mouse sodium iodate (NaIO3) model. Overall, these data suggest a complex and dichotomous role of IL-33 in eye pathology and indicate that IL-33 neutralization is not able to prevent onset and progression of dry AMD pathogenesis.Many eyes with macular pucker are characterized by a centripetal displacement of the inner foveal layers which may result in a disappearance of the foveal pit. In this retrospective case series of 90 eyes with macular pucker of 90 patients, we describe using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography different foveal configurations with ectopic inner foveal layers, document the relationship between posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) and idiopathic epiretinal membrane (ERM) formation and spontaneous and postoperative morphological alterations of the fovea, and propose an active role of Müller cells in the development of foveal herniation. We found that ERM were formed during or after partial perifoveal PVD, or after foveal deformations caused by tissue edema. The ERM-mediated centripetal displacement of the inner foveal layers and in various eyes anterior hyaloidal traction caused a disappearance of the foveal pit and an anterior stretching of the foveola with a thickening of the central outer nuclear layer (ONL).