bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Essential Anatomy for Emergency Medicine in the Undergraduate Medical Curriculum
Authors: Harmon Derek , Martindale Jim , Marzban Hassan , Farias Anna , McNary Thomas , Harrell Kelley , Keim Sarah , Kirera Francis , Cotter Meghan , Hankin Mark 
Published: April 2020

IntroductionTo prepare medical students for clinical training and practice, it is critical to understand the anatomical knowledge considered most important for different clinical specialties.AimTo address this issue, a consortium of anatomists in the US and Canada is collecting data from clinical educators in Emergency Medicine clerkships and electives to identify the anatomy they consider essential.MethodsAn IRB‐approved, online survey (Qualtrics, Seattle, WA) was used to assess the importance of 98 anatomical topics in seven body regions. The study first examined the percentage of Emergency Medicine clinical educators (clerkship/elective directors and attending physicians) that considered each anatomical region important to their specialty. Second, the study examined the rank assigned to each anatomical topic using an ordinal scale from 1 (not important) to 4 (essential).ResultsAt the time of abstract submission, data had been collected from 33 Emergency Medicine clinical educators at 9 medical schools. All (100%) Emergency Medicine clinical educators considered each anatomical region important to their specialty. Further data analysis has identified the highest ranked anatomical topics in each body region for the Emergency Medicine clerkship/elective.Discussion and ConclusionThis database provides detailed information regarding the most clinically relevant anatomical topics as identified by Emergency Medicine clinical educators. This information can aid in focusing preclinical learning to best prepare medical students for success in their undergraduate and graduate clinical experiences.
Essential Anatomy for Family Medicine in the Undergraduate Medical Curriculum
Authors: Keim Sarah , Royer Danielle , Farias Anna , Harrell Kelley , Carpenetti Tiffany , Downs Mary Beth , Lewis Steven , McNary Thomas , Topping Daniel , Kirera Francis , Mork Amy , Wineski Lawrence , Granite Guinevere , Lopez Lisa , Zumwalt Ann , Sanky Charles , Laitman Jeffrey , Reidenberg Joy S. , Davies David , Marzban Hassan , Cotter Meghan , Hisley Kenneth , Martindale Jim , Harmon Derek , Hankin Mark 
Published: April 2020

IntroductionTo prepare medical students for clinical training and practice, it is critical to understand the anatomical knowledge considered most important for different clinical specialties.AimTo address this issue, a consortium of anatomists in the US and Canada is collecting data from clinical educators in Family Medicine clerkships and electives to identify the anatomy they consider essential.MethodsAn IRB‐approved, online survey (Qualtrics, Seattle, WA) was used to assess the importance of 98 anatomical topics in seven body regions. The study first examined the percentage of Family Medicine clinical educators (clerkship/elective directors and attending physicians) that considered each anatomical region important to their specialty. Second, the study examined the rank assigned to each anatomical topic using an ordinal scale from 1 (not important) to 4 (essential).ResultsAt the time of abstract submission, data had been collected from 93 Family Medicine clinical educators at 19 medical schools. The percentage of Family Medicine clinical educators that considered each anatomical region important to their specialty were (highest‐to‐lowest): Back (99%), Upper Limb (99%), Lower Limb (99%), Head & Neck (98%), Thorax (96%), Abdomen (96%), and Pelvis & Perineum (95%). Further data analysis has identified the highest ranked anatomical topics in each body region for the Family Medicine clerkship/elective.Discussion and ConclusionThis database provides detailed information regarding the most clinically relevant anatomical topics as identified by Family Medicine clinical educators. This information can aid in focusing preclinical learning to best prepare medical students for success in their undergraduate and graduate clinical experiences.
Pentalinonsterol exhibits the immunomodulatory action in macrophages through activation of Phospholipase A2
Authors: Varikuti Sanjay , Shelton Blake , Kotha Sainath R. , Gurney Travis , Gupta Guarav , Fuchs James R. , Kinghorn Dougles , Srivastava Nidhi , Satoskar Abhay R. , Parinandi Narasimham L. 
Published: April 2020

Leishmaniasis, a protozoan parasitic disease, is caused by the infection with the parasite, Leishmania spp. Pentalinonsterol (cholest‐4,20,24‐trien‐3‐one) (PEN) is a natural product recently isolated from the roots of Pentalinon andrieuxii. Previous in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated that P. andrieuxii root extracts possess potent immunomodulatory properties, which markedly increase the activity of macrophages and dendritic cells. Given the beneficial characteristics of this root extract, the objective of this study was to elucidate the mechanism of action of the immunomodulatory action(s) of PEN in macrophages on membrane phospholipid metabolism towards the anti‐leishmanial action of PEN. Phospholipase A2 (PLA2), plays an important role in membrane phospholipid homeostasis, cell signaling and generation of the eicosanoid inflammatory bioactive lipids. Therefore, in this study, we investigated PEN‐mediated modulation of PLA2 activity in RAW 264.7 macrophages and the bone marrow‐derived primary macrophages (BMDMs) from mice in vitro and how the upstream PLA2 activation would modulate the downstream cytokine release in the macrophages. Our results demonstrated that, (1) PEN induced PLA2 activation (arachidonic acid release), in a dose‐ and time‐dependent manner that was regulated upstream by mitogen‐activated protein kinases (MAPKs): (2) the PEN induced activation of PLA2 was attenuated by the cPLA2‐specific pharmacological inhibitors; and (3) cPLA2‐specific pharmacological inhibitors attenuated the release of the inflammatory cytokines from macrophages. We also observed that PEN enhances the Leishmania‐induced cPLA2 activation in the RAW macrophages. Our study demonstrated that PEN exerted immunomodulatory actions through cPLA2 activation in macrophages, which is advantageous for vaccine development against Leishmaniasis.Support or Funding InformationSupported by the U.S. Army/Department of Defense and Center for Clinical and Translational Science, Ohio State University.
Reshaping commensal gut microbiota in early life lowers blood pressure potentially via a succinate mediated mechanism
Authors: Chakraborty Saroj , Galla Sarah , Cheng Xi , Yeo Ji-Youn , Mell Blair , Chiu Nathaline , Wenceslau Camilla F. , Kumar Matam Vijay , Joe Bina 
Published: April 2020

Pediatric hypertension is recognized as an emerging global health concern. While new guidelines are developed for facilitating clinical management, the reasons for the prevalence of hypertension in children remain unknown. Genetics and environmental factors do not fully account for the growing incidence of pediatric hypertension. Because stable bacterial flora in early life are linked with health outcomes later in life, we hypothesized that reshaping of gut microbiota in early developmental stages of life affects blood pressure (BP) of pediatric subjects. To test this hypothesis, we administered amoxicillin (50mg/day/kg body weight with drinking water), the most commonly prescribed pediatric antibiotic, to alter gut microbiota of young, genetically hypertensive Dahl S rats (study 1) and dams during gestation and lactation to reshape microbiota of offspring (study 2). Reshaping of microbiota (determined by 16s sequencing), with reductions in Firmicutes/Bacteriodetes ratio observed in amoxicillin treated young rats and in dams. Amoxicillin treated rats (8 weeks old) also had lower blood pressure (radiotelemetry: 24‐hour average Systolic Blood Pressure in mmHg (SBP): 155±2*) compared to the untreated rats (SBP: 166±3) (n=10–12/group). In the young rats treated with amoxicillin, the BP lowering effect persisted even after the antibiotics were discontinued (10 weeks old‐last 2 weeks without Amoxicillin) (amoxicillin SBP: 196±4 vs Control SBP: 231±10*). Similarly, offspring from the dams treated with amoxicillin also showed lower systolic blood pressure (SBP: 201±4*) compared to the control rats (SBP: 222±6) (9 weeks old and n=6–8/group). Remarkably, in all cases, a decrease in BP was associated with lowering of Veillonellaceae, which are succinate‐producing bacteria. Elevated plasma succinate is reported in hypertension. Accordingly, serum succinate was measured via choloremtric assay and found lower in animals treated with amoxicillin (410±33 mg/L*) compared with control (508±30 mg/L). Our results demonstrate a direct correlation between succinate‐producing gut microbiota and early development of hypertension, and indicate that reshaping gut microbiota, especially by depleting succinate‐producing microbiota early in life may have long‐term benefits for hypertension‐prone individuals. Data presented as Mean±SEM. Non‐parametric Mann‐Whitney test*p<0.05.Support or Funding InformationNational Institutes of Health (R01HL143082)
Effect of Aging on Vascular Smooth Muscle Myogenic Contractility in Soleus Muscle Feed Arteries
Authors: Shin Song Yi , Seawright John , Trache Andreea , Woodman Christopher 
Published: April 2020

ObjectiveWe tested the hypothesis that vascular smooth muscle (VSM) myogenic constrictor responses decline with age in soleus muscle feed arteries (SFA). In addition, we asked whether pre‐treatment of SFA with a short duration (1 h) increase in intraluminal pressure, to mimic pressure associated with a bout of exercise, would have beneficial effects on myogenic responses in SFA.MethodsSFA from young (4 mo) and old (24 mo) Fischer 344 rats were cannulated with glass micropipettes and endothelial cells were removed (denuded) by passing 5 ml of air through the lumen of the vessel. SFA were then pressurized to 90 cmH2O (p90) or 130 cmH2O (p130) for 1 h. At the end of the 1 h treatment, intraluminal pressure in all arteries was set to 90 cmH2O for examination of VSM myogenic constrictor function. After stable tone was achieved, myogenic contractile responses were assessed using step‐increases in intraluminal pressure from 90 cmH2O to 135 cmH2O in 15 cmH2O increments followed by step‐decreases down to 45 cmH2O.ResultsMyogenic responses of denuded old SFA (p90) was not different from denuded young SFA (p90). Pre‐treatment of SFA with increased pressure for 1 h improved myogenic constriction in young SFA (p130) but not in old (p130).ConclusionVSM myogenic responses were not altered with age in denuded SFA. Pressure treatment contributed to enhanced myogenic constrictor responses in young SFA.Support or Funding InformationNIH grant R03AG064551, Sydney and J.L. Huffines Institute of Sports Medicine and Human Performance, and CEHD Research Fellowship, Texas A&M University
Reprogramming Cardiac Cells Into Cardiac Purkinje‐like Cells For The Treatment Of Heart Failure
Authors: Prodan Nicole , Raghunathan Suchi , Iyer Dinakar , Schwartz Robert J. , McConnell Bradley K. 
Published: April 2020

Heart failure (HF) is a chronic condition where the heart loses its ability to efficiently pump blood to other organs in the body. Currently, there is no cure for HF, other than a heart transplant, which may not be available for most patients. Other treatments available for HF focus on reducing the symptoms, but do not properly address the loss of cardiac tissue and scar tissue formation commonly observed in this condition. We believe that a novel therapeutic approach for HF can be achieved through direct administration of cardiac electrical conducting cells to failing hearts. This is because cardiac conducting cells, such as Purkinje cells, can intrinsically propagate electrical signals in synchronicity with other cardiac cells, allowing the heart to contract and pump blood. Thus, direct injection of cardiac Purkinje cells into failing hearts may overcome mechanical issues from scar tissue, as well as restore some of the cardiac tissue that has been lost in HF. To create Purkinje‐like cells, a reporter gene containing a Connexin 30.2 promoter and mCherry fluorescent tag was first introduced into the cardiac cells. This was followed by 5 days treatment with specific small molecules. The reprogrammed cardiac Purkinje‐like cells are then being characterized by transcriptome, epigenetic state, and functional analyses through FACS sorting, immunostaining, qPCR analysis, RNA sequencing, ChIP‐seq and Patch clamp. Successfully reprogrammed cardiac cells are expected to exhibit Purkinje‐like properties such as genetic make‐up and functionality. Upon creating Purkinje‐like cells, the next step will be to test the effectiveness of the Purkinje‐like cells in restoring the electrical conduction, as well as improving cardiac function, in small animal models of HF.Support or Funding InformationRobert J. Kleberg, Jr. and Helen C. Kleberg FoundationNational Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the NIH (R15HL141963)
A Team‐Based Ultrasound Examination: Assessing Ultrasound Knowledge and Non‐Traditional Discipline‐Independent Skills During Practical Examination in the First‐Year Medical Anatomy Course
Authors: Andersen Kylie Jean , Rockey Nathan Giffen , Thomas Alexa Leigh , Linder Katharine Elizabeth , Oyemade Kafayat Adeola Enitan , St. Jeor Jeffery Dale , Bhagra Anjali , Lachman Nirusha , Pawlina Wojciech 
Published: April 2020

In recent years, the use of point of care ultrasound (POCUS) in clinical practice has increased substantially
(1). Many medical schools have introduced ultrasound skills training into their curriculum which starts early in anatomy courses
(2). Few, if any, of these programs assess students’ ultrasound knowledge and skills in a simulated clinical team environment. Anatomy Ultrasound Objective Structural Practical Examination (OSPE) implemented as a part of practical examination provides such an opportunity to asses both traditional and non‐traditional discipline‐independent skills, competencies and attributes. As part of the seven‐week anatomy course at Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, first‐year medical students attended four ultrasound sessions. Each session included a short didactic module followed by hands‐on practice guided by near‐peer teachers. For the final examination, four‐member student teams were required to work collaboratively to perform four different scans during which students interacted with multiple standardized patients and rotated responsibility for obtaining an image, orienting the image, and identifying assigned structures. Students were graded using a rubric and received a team‐score based on tasks associated with individual roles of team members. In addition to ultrasound skills, the nature of their professional interactions with patient, communication skills, and situational awareness were assessed. The average team score was 96%. The students completed a survey at the conclusion of the anatomy course in which they rated the OSPE experience very positively. Team‐based OSPE examination was a clinically relevant and effective mechanism to simultaneously evaluate anatomic knowledge, clinical skills, and non‐traditional discipline‐independent skills that were emphasized during the anatomy course.Support or Funding Information
Agonist‐Dependent Modulation by the Long‐Acting Mu Opioid Receptor Antagonist, Methocinnamox (MCAM)
Authors: Smith Hudson R. , Zamora Joshua C. , Chavera Teresa S. , Jennings Elaine M. , Winger Gail D. , Woods James H. , Clarke William P. , Berg Kelly A. 
Published: April 2020

Opioid overdose is a leading cause of death in the US. Naloxone (NLX), a mu opioid receptor (MOR) competitive antagonist, is the only treatment currently available for reversing opioid overdose. Unfortunately, NLX’s effects are limited by a short duration of action and ease of surmountability by opioid agonists. Methocinnamox (MCAM) is a novel MOR antagonist that has a long duration of action in vivo and holds promise as a better treatment for overdose and perhaps opioid use disorder. In this study, we compared the antagonist properties of MCAM to that of NLX and beta‐funaltrexamine (β‐FNA; an irreversible MOR antagonist). In HEK cells that express human MOR, DAMGO inhibited forskolin‐stimulated cAMP levels in a concentration dependent manner with an EC50 of 10 nM and a maximal inhibition of 40%. Pretreatment (15 min or 2 hrs) with NLX (100 nM, 10 x Ki) shifted the DAMGO concentration response curve (CRC) to the right, 100‐fold, in a fully surmountable manner that was independent of pretreatment time and fully reversed following NLX washout. Pretreatment with β‐FNA (10 nM) reduced the DAMGO maximal response in a time‐dependent, non‐surmountable and irreversible manner with no effect on the potency of DAMGO. By contrast to both β‐FNA and NLX, pretreatment with MCAM (10 nM) reduced the maximal response in a time‐dependent, non‐surmountable, non‐washable, and irreversible manner
and shifted the DAMGO CRC to the right 1000‐fold. We hypothesized that this rightward shift in the DAMGO CRC may be due to allosteric properties of MCAM at MOR. A hallmark of allosterism is ligand dependence, so we next tested effects of MCAM, β‐FNA and NLX on a different mu opioid agonist, fentanyl. As expected, pretreatment with β‐FNA reduced the maximal response to fentanyl in a non‐surmountable manner without affecting potency, whereas NLX pretreatment shifted the CRC of fentanyl to the right (decreased the potency) in a manner that was fully surmountable and independent of pretreatment time. By contrast, pretreatment with MCAM reduced the maximal response to fentanyl in a non‐surmountable manner
and shifted the CRC to the
left (increased potency). Altogether, these data suggest that MCAM may be an irreversible orthosteric antagonist and an allosteric modulator at MOR.Support or Funding InformationSupported by NIH/NIDA RO1 grant DA048214
Prenatal Exposure of Mice to Beta‐methyl‐amino‐L‐alanine (BMAA) as a Model for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis‐Parkinson’s Dementia Complex (ALS‐PDC).
Authors: Muthian Gladson , Charlton Clivel 
Published: April 2020

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis‐Parkinson’s Dementia Complex (ALS‐PDC) is a severe neurological disorder, caused by degeneration of upper motor
glutamine (UMG), nigrostriatal
dopamine (NSDA) and basal forebrain
acetylcholine (BFbA) neurons, and locally called Lytico‐bodig in Guam. The incidence of ALS‐PDC has decline, but the cause is still unknown. Several studies indicate that beta‐methylamino‐L‐alanine (BMAA), a non‐protein amino acid, consumed in food prepared from the cycad plant, is the cause of ALS‐PDC. The consumption of BMAA has been reduced, as well as the incidence of ALS‐PDC, and these implicate BMAA as a likely cause for ALS‐PDC, Studies, however, had produced no good model of ALS‐PDC. Since UMG, NSDA and MFbA neurons are impaired in ALS‐PDC, we targeted these neuronal groups in the fetus, by exposing C57BL/6J pregnant mice to BMAA during gestation day 8–18, the birth or neurogenesis of these neurons in the fetus. The goal was to produce impaired neurons that will succumb/die early during aging. The outcomes showed post‐natal changes in weight, behaviors, muscle functions as well as specific neurotransmitters and other neurochemicals. BMAA administered at 10, 50 and 100 mg/kg to the pregnant dams caused dose‐dependent reduction in the weight of two weeks pups by 12.5, 20.0 and 27.5% of the control. Body weight, however, recovered at 4–5 weeks post‐weaning. Prenatal BMAA also reduced open field motor activity: e.g. the total distance travelled was reduced by 8.8, 11.6 and 19% by the respective doses of BMAA. On the Rota‐Rod, the latency to fall was dramatically reduced to 71.4, 17.4 and 8.7% by the 10, 50 and 100 mg/kg of prenatal BMAA, as compared to control. Likewise, the no of revolution per min that the mice endured were reduced from the control value of 100%, to 67.8%, 25.4% and 16.9% for the 10, 50 and 100 mg/kg of BMAA. The data show that BMAA has effects on motor performance of offspring exposed prenatally. The continuation of the study will reveal underlying neurochemical changes that may be related to ALS‐PDC. The indication is that ALSPDC may have a fetal basis in which early subtle neuronal impairments occurred and symptoms precipitated later in life when UMN, NSDA and MFbA are impaired during aging.Support or Funding InformationNIH
Gnotobiotic rats reveal an obligatory role of microbiota in blood pressure
Authors: Chakraborty Saroj , Cheng Xi , McCarthy Cameron G. , Mell Blair , Yeo Ji-Youn , Golonka Rachel , Yeoh Beng San , Mandal Juthika , Yang Tao , Saha Piu , Wenceslau Camilla F. , Kumar Matam Vijay , Joe Bina 
Published: April 2020

Blood pressure is a cardinal vital sign that informs clinicians for both acute and long‐term clinical care. Elevated blood pressure or hypertension is the single largest risk factor for cardiovascular diseases which are the leading cause of human deaths. Current clinical management of blood pressure is focused on restoring homeostasis of the host alone, which targets an incomplete holobiont i.e., without accounting for commensal gut microbiota. Recent evidence from the CARDIA study in humans and multiple studies using animal models suggest that development of hypertension in the host is associated with alterations in microbiotal communities. Whether microbiota is a required component of the holobiont to maintain cardiovascular health is unknown. Here we examined whether microbiota is necessary for blood pressure and vascular homeostasis by functional evaluation of the gut homeostasis, hemodynamic, and vascular function of gnotobiotic rats reconstituted with microbiota to represent the complete holobiont. Gnotobiotic rats were used to represent incomplete holobionts. To reconstitute complete holobionts, gnotobiotic rats were co‐housed with conventionally‐raised rats. Acquisition of microbiota was evaluated through monitoring of gross ceca and fecal samples by metagenomic 16S sequencing. BP was recorded and vascular, renal, hepatic, cardiac and gut features were assessed using histology and ex vivo myography. Markers of innate immune effectors (Immune cell population, level of Lcn2, Gut permeability) were used to examine the nature and extent of host immune cell processes concomitantly occurring along with observations of host hemodynamics. Compared to the reconstituted holobiont represented by the animals exposed to microbiota, the incomplete‐holobiont represented by gnotobiotic rats, had significantly lower BP (SBP of germ free:109±8 mmHg, SBP of conventionalized:138±10mmHg*) and vascular contractility responses to phenylephrine (Emax (mN): germ‐free: 6.9±1.3, GFC: 11.7±0.7*). Acute exposure of the host to microbiota reconstituted gut microbiotal communities, significantly boosted their gut epithelial cell proliferation, innate immune function and restored vascular contractility. These data indicate that in addition to the dependency of the host on microbiota for essential bodily functions such as digestion of plant‐derived complex carbohydrates, the host is also dependent on microbiota for maintaining blood pressure and vascular functionSupport or Funding InformationNational Institutes of Health (R01HL143082)