The Perceptions of Students and Lecturers on the Use of Animals in Biomedical Science Undergraduate Education in Brazil

The use of animals in research and education is a controversial topic that has raised extensive debates. Undergraduate students ( n = 404) and lecturers ( n = 62) from biomedical science schools at the Federal University of Goiás (UFG) in the municipality of Goiânia, Jataí and Catalão, Goiás, Brazil, were asked about their knowledge and opinions on bioethics, the use and importance of animals in education, the replacement of animal use with non-animal alternatives, and the current legislation of the National Council for the Control of Animal Experimentation (CONCEA) that bans animal use in some practical classes within technical and higher education (i.e. Resolution No. 53/2021). Most students and lecturers agreed not only that animal use can contribute to education, but also that it is important to replace this animal use with innovative non-animal alternatives where appropriate. The lecturers emphasised that the replacement of animal models will be possible only with the provision of appropriate training to improve the skills of educators in their use, as well as ensuring reliable access to suitable facilities and materials.

Chromatin changes in papillary thyroid carcinomas may predict patient outcome

PURPOSE

New insights in prognostic predictions are urgently needed for papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). The present study aimed to investigate whether computerized analysis of chromatin texture allows the identification of PTC patients with a poor prognosis.

METHODS

We randomnly selected paraffin-embedded blocks from surgical specimens of 103 classic cases of PTC. During follow-up, 68 of the patients were classified as free of disease, whereas 35 presented with recurrences. Characteristics of chromatin were obtained from digitized images of at least 100 randomly selected tumor nuclei per patient. An independent series of 30 goiters was used to validate our observations.

RESULTS

Stage, age and distant metastases were found to serve as independent prognostic factors for survival. In addition, multivariate Cox regression confirmed variable cluster prominence as an independent prognostic factor. By comparing malignant and benign nodules, we found that the PTC lesions presented with higher nuclear perimeters, nuclear areas, Minkowski fractal dimensions, optical densities and nuclear longest chords.

CONCLUSION

From our results we conclude that, in conjunction with clinical and histopathological data, morphometric data may provide relevant prognostic information in PTC patients.

Cystic struma ovarii: a rare presentation of an infrequent tumor

CONTEXT

Struma ovarii, a rare neoplasm, is a monophyletic teratoma composed of thyroid tissue. It is generally considered to account for less than 5% of mature teratomas.

CASE REPORT

A diagnosis of struma ovarii may be the source of many diagnostic problems. It may be cystic and microscopic examination may only reveal a few typical thyroid follicles, resulting in confusion with other cystic ovarian tumors. Extensive sampling should be undertaken and immunohistochemistry may be decisive in establishing the thyroid nature of the epithelial lining. The authors report two cases of cystic struma ovarii, and discuss diagnostic criteria and the limitations of frozen biopsies in these tumors.

Papillary carcinoma in a thyroglossal duct: case report

CONTEXT

Thyroglossal duct cysts are the most common congenital cervical abnormality in childhood. Malignant lesions are rare in thyroglossal duct cysts (about 1%).

OBJECTIVE

To report a case of papillary carcinoma in thyroglossal duct cysts.

DESIGN

Case report.

CASE REPORT

The patient was a 21-year-old female with a four-month history of an anterior midline neck mass but without other symptoms. The physical examination revealed a 4.0 cm diameter, smooth, painless, cystic nodule at the level of the hyoid bone. The thyroid gland was normal by palpation and no neck lymph nodes were found. Indirect laryngoscopy, fine-needle biopsy aspiration and cervical ultrasound were normal and compatible with the physical findings of a thyroglossal duct cyst. The patient underwent surgery with this diagnosis, under general anesthesia, and the mass was resected by the usual Sistrunk procedure. There were no local signs of invasion of the tissue surrounding the cyst or duct at surgery. The patient was discharged within 24 hours. Histopathological examination of the specimen showed a 3.5 x 3.0 x 3.0 cm thyroglossal cyst, partially filled by a solid 1.0 x 0.5 cm brownish tissue. Histological sections showed a papillary carcinoma in the thyroid tissue of a thyroglossal cyst, with normal thyroid tissue at the boundary of the carcinoma. There was no capsule invasion and the margins were negative. The follow-up of the patient consisted of head and neck examinations, ultrasonography of the surgical region and thyroid, and total body scintigraphy. The patient has been followed up for two years with no further evidence of disease.