Suppressive effects of the obese tumor microenvironment on CD8 T cell infiltration and effector function.

Obesity is one of the leading preventable causes of cancer; however, little is known about the effects of obesity on anti-tumor immunity. Here, we investigated the effects of obesity on CD8 T cells in mouse models and patients with endometrial cancer. Our findings revealed that CD8 T cell infiltration is suppressed in obesity, which was associated with a decrease in chemokine production.

Assessment of the reliability (repeatability) of corneal thickness measurements in soft contact lens wearers using a non-contact specular microscope.

Purpose: To assess variability across 3 measures of central corneal thickness (CCT) obtained with a non-contact specular microscope and taken over a few minutes from habitual soft contact lens wearers.

Methods: One eye from 200 healthy adults (with an average age of 21 y, half of whom had a 3.5 ± 2.

Spontaneous eye blink activity during slitlamp-based assessments.

Clinical Relevance: Slitlamp-type assessments of eye blink activity with head and chin support need to consider time-related differences that can occur.

Background: Previous studies have not assessed the predictability of changes in spontaneous eye blink rate occurring during slitlamp observations.

Methods: Video recordings were made of eye blink activity of 85 young adults who were either emmetropic or spectacle wearers for refractive errors between -8.

Importance of standardizing the number of cells measured for coefficient of variation (COV) estimates of corneal endothelial cell area values as relevant to contact lens wear.

Purpose: To assess the impact of using different numbers of cells in calculations of the coefficient of variation (COV) value for normal and polymegethous endothelia METHODS: Four sets of 20 non-contact specular microscope images obtained from Caucasian individuals were assessed, and categorized according to the extent of polymegethism, i.e. grade 0 (none), grade 1 (mild), grade 2 (moderate) and grade 3 (substantial).

Assessment of goblet cell size and density in relation to epithelial cell (multi)layering on conjunctival impression cytology samples.

Purpose: To assess goblet cell size and numbers in relation to the extent of multilayering of conjunctival impression cytology (CIC) samples as a basis for reducing variability in image selection for goblet cell density (GCD) estimates.

Methods: CIC was undertaken immediately postmortem off the superior bulbar conjunctiva of healthy young adult rabbits onto Millicell-CM Biopore filter units. After fixation with buffered glutaraldehyde and Giemsa staining, two × 200 images were selected from each sample representative of either slight multilayering or substantial multilayering, projected at × 1000, an overlay of the outlines of the goblet cells was made, and their dimensions and areas were measured.

Short term effects of continuous lighting on the cornea of cage-reared laboratory rabbits.

This study was to assess the impact on the cornea and eye blink activity of adapting rabbits to continuous lighting (CL) compared to a 14:10 light:dark cycle. Female New Zealand White rabbits (2 to 2.5 kg) were maintained under a light: dark (L:D) cycle or switched to continuous fluorescent lighting (CL) for an average of 17 +/- 2 days.

On the in vivo assessment of goblet cells of the human bulbar conjunctiva by confocal microscopy - A review.

Background: In vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM) has been used for over 10 years to assess the goblet cell density (GCD) within the human conjunctiva, but the reported values have been variable with no obvious indications as to why.

Methods: From publications between 2008 and 2019, representative GCD values were extracted, as well as on the image sampling strategy used.

Results: Average GCD values for any particular group of individuals ranged from 7 to 979 goblet cells / sq.

Multiple count sampling of goblet cells in microscope high-power fields using conjunctival impression cytology.

Background: Published studies indicate that assessments of goblet cell density using conjunctival impression cytology has provided very variable results, but the reasons for this are unclear. Systematic analyses of the sources of variability are required.

Methods: From 20 healthy young adults, conjunctival impression cytology specimens were obtained using a supported filter unit applied to the superior bulbar conjunctiva.

Corneal structure, transparency, thickness and optical density (densitometry), especially as relevant to contact lens wear-a review.

Clinical instruments using Scheimpflug image-based methods to obtain optical sectional images of the cornea have been introduced in recent years along with proposals that it should be possible to routinely and reliably measure the optical density (referred to as the densitometry) of the human cornea in situ. Such a concept is reviewed from the perspective of what might be considered as the basic principles underlying the understanding of corneal transparency (from the 1950's) and the progressive changes in these ideas from subjective slitlamp-based clinical observations from the late 1960's, especially in contact lens wearers. Much more has been learned about the overall macrostructure (including corneal thickness) and the ultrastructure of the cornea from contemporary studies in the 1990's, and these aspects of the cornea will be reviewed alongside consideration of the methods of assessing the optical characteristics of the cornea in the living eye.

On the reliability (repeatability) of single pachymetry measures taken with specular microscope-based assessments of the human corneal endothelium.

Purpose: To assess agreement between 3 measures of central corneal thickness (CCT) taken over a few minutes from nominally normal eyes with a non-contact specular microscope.

Methods: 100 eyes from 100 healthy adults (with an average age of 22 y) were assessed using the Topcon 3000 P instrument to obtain a high quality image of the endothelium and pachymetry.

Results: The group mean CCT values from the 1st, 2nd and 3rd measures were 0.

Methods of Assessment of the Corneas of the Eyes Laboratory Rabbits Exposed to Solar Ultraviolet-B Radiation.

The goal of this review was to identify and discuss the specialized methods that have been used to assess the corneas of the eyes of living rabbits exposed to the damaging effects of ultraviolet-B (UV-B). From publications reviewed between 1916 and 2018, both albino and pigmented rabbits were used, usually being young adults weighing between 2 and 2.5 kg, and with many recent studies carried out under sedation.

Tear Film Stability and Tear Break Up Time (TBUT) in Laboratory Rabbits-A Systematic Review.

Several older studies on rabbits indicated that the pre-corneal tear film was unusually stable and this perspective was revisited recently. However, the methods used for these studies were very different from those generally used in human studies. A literature search was undertaken for the time period of 1965 through 2017, mainly using PubMed, to identify studies where values for the tear break up time (TBUT) were reported for the eyes of nominally normal (healthy) laboratory rabbits regardless of breed or age and where the methods were more similar to those routinely used in human clinical studies.

Effect of distance vision and refractive error on the spontaneous eye blink activity in human subjects in primary eye gaze.

Purpose: To evaluate whether visual target character and visibility affects spontaneous eye blink rate (SEBR) in primary eye gaze and silence.

Methods: Video recordings were made of young healthy adults who were either emmetropic (n=32) or who wore spectacles for refractive error (range -4.75D and +4.

Narrow Spectrum Kinase Inhibitors Demonstrate Promise for the Treatment of Dry Eye Disease and Other Ocular Inflammatory Disorders.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine the potential of narrow spectrum kinase inhibitors (NSKIs) to treat inflammatory eye disorders.

Methods: Human conjunctival epithelial (HCE) cells were retrieved from subjects via impression cytology. Real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) was performed on HCE cells to determine gene expression of NSKI kinase targets and proinflammatory cytokines in dry eye disease (DED) patients versus healthy controls.

Influence of mouth and jaw movements on dynamics of spontaneous eye blink activity assessed during slitlamp biomicroscopy.

Background: To evaluate oculo-mandibular interactions during evaluation of spontaneous eye blink rate (SEBR) of normal young adult human subjects while seated at a slitlamp.

Methods: Repeat video recordings of five minutes duration were made on 76 young adult emmetropic subjects aged 18-25 years. The subjects were instructed to direct their gaze horizontally toward a distant target with the entire cornea of the left eye illuminated with a broad beam cobalt blue light.

Goblet cell density estimate differences in impression cytology samples varies with different magnification of images.

Purpose: To assess the impact of using different microscope magnifications for the goblet cell density (GCD) estimates from conjunctival impression cytology (CIC) samples from healthy individuals METHODS: In a prospective study, CIC specimens were collected from the superior bulbar conjunctiva (12 o'clock, 5mm from limbus) of 20 adult subjects (average age 22 years) onto Millicell-CM membranes and Giemsa stained. A region from each CIC filter containing reasonably high numbers of goblet cells was imaged by light microscopy at a final magnification of 400X and then the same region assessed at 200X and then 100X. The images were enlarged, the goblet cells marked and counted and GCD values/sq mm calculated.

Further Analysis of the Predictability of Corneal Endothelial Cell Density Estimates When Polymegethism Is Present.

Purpose: To assess variability in endothelial cell density (ECD) estimates when polymegethism (variance in cell areas) is present.

Methods: Using noncontact specular microscope images of the corneal endothelium, 4 sets of 20 cases were selected, which included 200 cells and had coefficient of variation values of less than 30% (group 1), 31%-40% (group 2), 41%-50% (group 3), and over 50% (group 4). A stepwise analysis was undertaken, 20 cells at a time, of the ECD estimates when using different numbers of cells for the calculations.

A Grid-Based Nucleus Counting Method for Estimates of the Density of Superficial Conjunctival Cells from Impression Cytology Samples Taken from Normal Healthy Human Eyes.

Purpose: To develop and validate an easily procured objective estimate of the cell density of the superficial epithelial cells of the normal bulbar conjunctiva using conjunctival impression cytology (CIC).

Methods: From 20 healthy non-contact lens-wearing young adults, CIC was undertaken off the nasal aspect of the exposed bulbar conjunctiva, the filters stained with Giemsa, and images taken at 200× that only included an all-but-contiguous monolayer of epithelial cells. These images were projected at 1000× magnification and an overlay drawn of the location of the stained nuclei, from which two types of analysis were undertaken using either 100 micron circular or square regions of interest (ROI).

An observational cross-sectional study on the corneal endothelium of medium-term rigid gas permeable contact lens wearers.

Purpose: To assess if polymegethism and pleomorphism were evident in corneal endothelium after medium-term rigid gas permeable (RGP) contact lens wear.

Methods: In a cross-sectional observational study over 12 years, single images of the central region of the corneal endothelium of one eye of 46 subjects were taken with a non-contact specular microscope, along with a measure of central corneal thickness (CCT). The images were printed onto A3-sized paper and 100 cells/image measured by planimetry.

Relationship between Corneal Thickness and Radius to Body Height.

Purpose: To investigate the possible association between body stature (height) and corneal thickness and radius in younger-adult Caucasians, especially within the context of previously published literature.

Methods: Body height and weight were measured in 109 healthy subjects, with an average age of 24 ± 6 years (mean ± SD). Subjects underwent an ophthalmic assessment including anterior segment imaging by Scheimpflug topography and specular microscopy.

Consideration of growth (age)-related effects on globe size and corneal thickness in ovine eyes for use in laboratory studies.

Purpose: The aim was to assess differences in eyeball mass, corneal diameter and central corneal thickness in slaughterhouse-procured ovine eyes.

Methods: Over a 12-year period, measurements of eye globe mass, horizontal corneal diameter and central corneal thickness were routinely undertaken within two hours post-mortem. Only eyes free of obvious mechanical damage or disease were used.

On the relationship between visual acuity and central retinal (macular) thickness after interventions for macular oedema in diabetics: a review.

Purpose: The aim was to compare efficacy of treatments for diabetic macular oedema (DMO) from changes in visual acuity (VA) and central macular thickness (CMT).

Methods: Peer-reviewed articles from 2004 to 2014 reporting intravitreal injections of bevacizumab (IVB), ranibizumab (IVR) or triamcinolone acetonide (IVTA) or laser photocoagulation therapy (LPT) provided data on pre-treatment (baseline) and final outcome measures. Net changes and relative changes (percentage) were assessed by linear regression analyses.

Cell size and nucleo-cytoplasmic ratios of meibocytes in the anterior acini of the upper eyelid Meibomian glands in rabbits.

Objective: To assess the morphological details of the acini of the normal meibomian gland.

Animals Studied: Six young adult pigmented rabbits.

Methods: The upper eyelid was prepared in extended configuration by glutaraldehyde fixation.

On the Variability in Goblet Cell Density in Human Bulbar Conjunctival Samples Collected by Impression Cytology with Millicell-CM Biopore Membrane Units.

Purpose: To assess whether or not the numbers of goblet cells were different across regions of a conjunctival impression cytology (CIC) specimen.

Methods: CIC specimens were obtained from the exposed nasal bulbar conjunctiva from 22 healthy young Caucasian adults, stained with Giemsa and evaluated at a final magnification of 200× (medium power fields). Up to 14 different non-overlapping microscope fields, depending on whether or not a field was without goblet cells, were randomly selected.