Eye Tracking-An Innovative Tool in Medical Parasitology.

The innovative Eye Movement Modelling Examples (EMMEs) method can be used in medicine as an educational training tool for the assessment and verification of students and professionals. Our work was intended to analyse the possibility of using eye tracking tools to verify the skills and training of people engaged in laboratory medicine on the example of parasitological diagnostics. Professionally active laboratory diagnosticians working in a multi-profile laboratory (non-parasitological) (n = 16), laboratory diagnosticians no longer working in this profession (n = 10), and medical analyst students (n = 56), participated in the study. The studied group analysed microscopic images of parasitological preparations made with the cellSens Dimension Software (Olympus) system. Eye activity parameters were obtained using a stationary, video-based eye tracker Tobii TX300 which has a 3-ms temporal resolution. Eye movement activity parameters were analysed along with time parameters. The results of our studies have shown that the eye tracking method is a valuable tool for the analysis of parasitological preparations. Detailed quantitative and qualitative analysis confirmed that the EMMEs method may facilitate learning of the correct microscopic image scanning path. The analysis of the results of our studies allows us to conclude that the EMMEs method may be a valuable tool in the preparation of teaching materials in virtual microscopy. These teaching materials generated with the use of eye tracking, prepared by experienced professionals in the field of laboratory medicine, can be used during various training, simulations and courses in medical parasitology and contribute to the verification of education results, professional skills, and elimination of errors in parasitological diagnostics.

Different regulation of PARP1, PARP2, PARP3 and TRPM2 genes expression in acute myeloid leukemia cells.

BACKGROUND: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogenic lethal disorder characterized by the accumulation of abnormal myeloid progenitor cells in the bone marrow which results in hematopoietic failure. Despite various efforts in detection and treatment, many patients with AML die of this cancer. That is why it is important to develop novel therapeutic options, employing strategic target genes involved in apoptosis and tumor progression. METHODS: The aim of the study was to evaluate PARP1, PARP2, PARP3, and TRPM2 gene expression at mRNA level using qPCR method in the cells of hematopoietic system of the bone marrow in patients with acute myeloid leukemia, bone marrow collected from healthy patients, peripheral blood of healthy individuals, and hematopoietic stem cells from the peripheral blood after mobilization. RESULTS: The results found that the bone marrow cells of the patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) show overexpression of PARP1 and PARP2 genes and decreased TRPM2 gene expression. In the hematopoietic stem cells derived from the normal marrow and peripheral blood after mobilization, the opposite situation was observed, i.e. TRPM2 gene showed increased expression while PARP1 and PARP2 gene expression was reduced. We observed positive correlations between PARP1, PARP2, PARP3, and TRPM2 genes expression in the group of mature mononuclear cells derived from the peripheral blood and in the group of bone marrow-derived cells. In AML cells significant correlations were not observed between the expression of the examined genes. In addition, we observed that the reduced expression of TRPM2 and overexpression of PARP1 are associated with a shorter overall survival of patients, indicating the prognostic significance of these genes expression in AML. CONCLUSIONS: Our research suggests that in physiological conditions in the cells of the hematopoietic system there is mutual positive regulation of PARP1, PARP2, PARP3, and TRPM2 genes expression. PARP1, PARP2, and TRPM2 genes at mRNA level deregulate in acute myeloid leukemia cells.

The effects of interior design on wellness - Eye tracking analysis in determining emotional experience of architectural space. A survey on a group of volunteers from the Lublin Region, Eastern Poland.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Using the concepts of Ulrich's theory of supportive design and Malkin's healing environment, an eye tracking experiment was designed in order to measure respondents' reactions while looking at visualisations of various interiors, with the aim of verifying whether certain parameters of an interior are related to emotional reactions in terms of positive stimulation, and the sense of security and comfort. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 12 boards were designed, incorporating standard features of an interior, i.e. (1) proportions, (2) lighting, (3) colour scheme of a room, as well as (4) the colours and spatial arrangement of furnishings. Respondents' reactions were recorded with an eye tracker Tobii TX300 and supplemented by self-descriptions of emotional reactions. RESULTS: The results showed that the varying spatial and colour arrangements presented in the interior visualisations provoked different emotional responses, confirmed by pupil reaction parameters, as measured by the eye tracking device. CONCLUSIONS: Architectural space can have a diverse emotional significance and impact on an individual's emotional state. This is an important conclusion from the point of view of optimising and creating the so-called supportive and healing environment. The results have implications for the interpretation of the pupil diameter as an index of emotional reactions to different architectural space visualisations. Testing the eye tracker as a method helpful in diagnosing the emotional reactions to features of the interior is justified, and can provide an effective tool for early diagnosis of the impact of architectural space on the well-being of individuals. It can also be a good form of testing the emotional significance of architectural designs before they are implemented.