ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: This study aimed to compare the expression of vitamin D receptor (VDR) on the ocular surface of patients with dry eye disease (DED) and controls without ophthalmological pathologies. METHODS: Patients with DED without previous treatment were studied and compared with healthy subjects. Ocular Surface Disease Index assessement and ocular surface cytology were performed in all patients. The immunohistochemical expression of VDR was evaluated using fully automated immunohistochemistry. The evaluation involved multiplying the percentage of nuclear-labeled cells (0-100) by their intensity (0-3), resulting in a score ranging from 0 to 300 (VDR H-score). Squamous metaplasia was morphologically evaluated using liquid-phase cytology with Papanicolaou/periodic acid-Schiff staining using Nelson's grade (scale 0-3, higher grade to higher metaplastic change). RESULTS: Eighteen patients with DED without previous treatment and 10 healthy subjects were studied. Squamous metaplasia was observed in 74% of patients with DED, in contrast to 0% in the control group. In patients with DED, there was a lower expression of VDR than in the control group (VDR H-score: 11.2 ± 13.9 vs. 80.9 ± 56; P = 0.0001). Furthermore, an inverse correlation was observed between Nelson grade and VDR H-score ( P = 0.0001, rs = -0.71). No correlation was observed between Ocular Surface Disease Index and VDR H-score. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to evaluate the VDR in patients with DED. These patients presented with a lower expression of VDR than healthy subjects. No correlation was found with more severe symptoms. Patients with DED also had a higher frequency of squamous metaplasia.
ABSTRACT
Emergency remote teaching is a temporary change in the way education occurs, whereby an educational system unexpectedly becomes entirely remote. This article analyzes the motivation of students undertaking a university course over one semester of emergency remote teaching in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. University students undertaking a programming course were surveyed three times during one semester, about motivation and COVID concern. This work explores which student motivation profiles existed, how motivation evolved, and whether concern about the pandemic was a factor affecting motivation throughout the course. The most adaptive profile was highly motivated, more prepared and less frustrated by the conditions of the course. However, this cluster experienced the highest levels of COVID-19 concern. The least adaptive cluster behaved as a mirror image of the most adaptive cluster. Clear differences were found between the clusters that showed the most and least concern about COVID-19.
ABSTRACT
Introducción: la citología permite examinar células de un tejido de manera mínimamente invasiva, sin embargo, la capacidad de realizar técnicas complementarias como la inmunocitoquímica (ICQ) no está exenta de dificultades. Es el objetivo de nuestro trabajo presentar una metodología que permita la utilización de ICQ automatizada asociada a un análisis automatizado mediante técnica de patología digital. Métodos: se incluyeron 5 sujetos sanos y se obtuvieron muestras de superficie ocular utilizando un citocepillo. La muestra fue procesada de manera automatizada mediante citología en fase líquida. Posteriormente se realizó ICQ automatizada para detectar la positividad nuclear del receptor de vitamina D. Para la evaluación, se utilizaron dos métodos: cuantificación directa bajo microscopio de luz y análisis automatizado usando analizador de imágenes en las diapositivas digitales obtenidas con un Scanner. El porcentaje de positividad encontrado con ambos métodos fueron comparados utilizando la prueba de Kappa. Resultados: todas las muestras presentaron una celularidad adecuada. En todos los casos fue posible realizar ICQ automatizada, más aún, todas las muestras presentaron una calidad óptima. Al comparar ambos métodos (manual versus automatizado) se observó un nivel de acuerdo sustancial (Kappa=0,69). Conclusiones: la metodología presentada en este manuscrito permite la evaluación automatizada de marcadores inmunohistoquímicos de la superficie ocular de manera mínimamente invasiva, siendo similar al conteo manual, pero más objetivo y reproducible. Esta técnica podría ser útil para el estudio proteómico en patologías como la enfermedad por ojo seco.
Introduction: Cytology tests use small amounts of tissue samples for diagnosis as a minimally invasive technique; however, the ability to perform complementary methods such as immunocytochemistry (ICC) is not without difficulties. The aim of our work is to present a method that allows the use of automated ICC associated with an automated image analysis using digital pathology. Methods: Five healthy subjects were included, and ocular surface samples were obtained using a cytobrush. The sample was processed as liquid-based cytology. Automated ICC was subsequently performed to detect vitamin D receptor nuclear positivity. Two methods were used for evaluation: manual counting under a light microscope and automated analysis using an image analyzer on digitized slides. The percentage of positivity found in both methods was compared using the Kappa test. Results: All samples presented adequate cellularity. In all cases, it was possible to perform automated ICC; moreover, all samples presented optimal quality. When comparing both methods (manual versus automated), a substantial level of agreement was seen (Kappa=0.69). Conclusions. The method presented in this manuscript allows the minimally invasive automated evaluation of ocular surface ICC markers, being like manual counting but more objective and reproducible. This technique could be useful for proteomic study in pathologies such as dry eye disease.
ABSTRACT
El hemangioma microvenular corresponde a una neoplasia infrecuente de origen vascular y estirpe benigno. Su etiología es desconocida; sin embargo, se han reportado casos asociados a la inmunosupresión y factores hormonales. Suele aparecer en adultos jóvenes con ligera predominancia en mujeres y en la mayoría de los casos se presenta como un nódulo asintomático en extremidades. Clínicamente, puede imitar lesiones vasculares benignas y malignas. Dentro de su diagnóstico diferencial debe considerarse el Sarcoma de Kaposi y otros tipos de hemangiomas. Debido a su inespecificidad clínica, el diagnóstico debe ser realizado histológicamente. Se han descrito múltiples alternativas terapéuticas además del seguimiento periódico. Algunos casos han sido tratados con una escisión completa sin recurrencias a 5 años de seguimiento y otros tratados con láser pulsado con excelente respuesta. Se presenta el caso de una mujer de 44 años con una placa eritematoviolácea asintomática de aproximadamente 8 centímetros en su antebrazo derecho de 1 mes de evolución, con biopsia compatible y control clínico a 10 meses sin cambios significativos.
Microvenular hemangioma is a rare neoplasm of vascular origin and benign lineage. Its etiology is unknown; however, there are some cases associated with immunosuppression and hormonal factors. It usually appears in young adults with a slight predominance in women and in most cases, it presents as an asymptomatic nodule on the extremities. Clinically, it can mimic benign and malignant vascular lesions. Its differential diagnosis includes Kaposi's sarcoma and other types of hemangiomas. The diagnosis must be made histologically. Multiple therapeutic alternatives have been described. Some cases have been treated with complete excision without recurrence at 5 years, and others with pulsed laser with excellent response. We present the case of a 44 year old woman with a 1 month history of an asymptomatic erythematous plaque of approximately 8 centimeters in her right forearm with compatible biopsy. The lesion had no significant changes at 10 months followup.
