bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Direct Aortic Origin of the Left Vertebral Artery in Two Adult Female Cadavers
Authors: Donohue James , Memar Shayan , Tan Yun , Daly Daniel , Martin John 
Published: June 2021

BackgroundThe vertebral artery (VA) is a branch of the aortic arch which usually arises from the posterosuperior aspect of the first part of the subclavian artery and ascends medially to the transverse process of the seventh cervical vertebra and continues ascending through the transverse foramina of the upper six cervical vertebrae to enter the skull via the foramen magnum. It is an important blood supply of the spinal cord, vertebral muscles, hindbrain and contribution to the circle of Willis.ResultsDuring routine dissection of the superior mediastinum and neck of two adult female cadavers the left VA was observed originating directly from the aortic arch rather than the left subclavian artery. In one cadaver the left VA entered the transverse foramen of the fifth cervical vertebra (CV5), while in the other cadaver it entered the typical the sixth cervical vertebra (CV6) transverse foramen. The diameter and length of the vessel that entered CV5 maintained the same diameter of 5mm from its origin to its position on the posterior arch of the atlas and measured 95mm in length from its origin to its entrance at CV5. In the other cadaver, the diameter decreased from 4mm, at its origin, to 3mm as it entered CV6. As it ascended from its origin it took a highly coiled approach and measured 60mm in length from its origin to it entrance in CV6. Direct aortic origin of the left vertebral artery is the most frequent anatomic variant of the vertebral artery with an incidence ranging from 2.4–5.8%.ConclusionKnowledge of this variation is important to reduce the risk of vertebral artery injury in angiography and surgical approaches.Support or Funding InformationCenter for Anatomical Science and Education, Department of Surgery, Saint Louis University School of MedicineThis abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.
Digital tools and software in a blend with plastinated specimens in the 21st‐century Anatomy classroom
Authors: Stashenko Vetaley 
Published: June 2021

During the last decade, anatomical education has undergone dramatic changes related to the form and especially, a pedagogical approach to the curricular content of the classroom presentations. Active learning is one of the valuable tools for didactic instruction and start actively utilize 3D software and plastinated specimens for the expansion of the classroom beyond college campus boundaries. 3D software and plastinated specimens have numerous advantages in comparison to the traditional classroom learning style. Data from the assessment of n=86 student volunteers are included. A cross‐over study was designed to compare the traditional classroom style and utilization of 3D software and plastinated models. Collected data shows that the new approach leads to more than double (218 % p< 0.001) of the students study time (volunteer homework), improvement of quiz scores (24.5% p< 0.009), assessment of self‐confidence before the class quiz (46.8% p<0.005), self‐assessment of improvement of terminology spelling and pronunciation (78% p<0.004) and occurrence of peer teaching was doubled (100% involvement p<0.007).The study presents convincing evidence in favor of using 3D software and plastinated specimens for the delivery of anatomical curriculum materials in a more organized and effective way in situations of class time restrictions. Specifically, this methodology can be very effective with the increment of restrictions on dissection space regulations, shortage of dissection specimens and much stricter regulations on the disposal of biological waste materialsSupport or Funding InformationPalm Beach State College, FL.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.
Animate! Breathing new life into an old pedagogy: Human embryology teaching reenvisioned
Authors: Oyedele Olusegun , Calibaba Brittany 
Published: June 2021

The teaching of human embryology is as ancient as that of human anatomy itself. Over the centuries up to the present time, embryology pedagogy has evolved from enlisting the dissection of fetal cadavers and use of two‐dimensional (2D) sketches and diagrams, to the modern technologies of 2D and 3D animations, CT scans of embryos and fetuses with 3D rendering of the images, and the use of ultrasound imaging. These techniques seek to balance accurate portrayal of embryonic structures with the cognitive load associated with learning the concepts presented using these images, and their value as learning adjuncts for students. This paper discusses the rationale, pedagogical basis and implementation of narrated 2D animations of embryonic development, which present the early stages of human life in accessible cartoon‐like sequences. In response to the demand from curriculum leaders at the University of British Columbia (UBC) medical school for high‐quality, simplified yet accurate rendition of early embryonic development, we have developed the first of a series of 2D animations, which presents key embryonic processes during the first 12 weeks of life contemporaneously. First and second year MD students at UBC will have access to these animations as adjuncts to the embryology components of the MD Undergraduate pre‐clerkship program. The animation was developed using Adobe Animate® software during approximately 300 hours of programming. Audio design, recording and editing were completed with Adobe Audition®, After Effects® and Adobe Premiere Pro®. In evaluating the animation, students rated it highly for visual appeal and helpfulness to learn basic embryology, while providing useful comments on how it may be improved.Support or Funding InformationSouthern Medical Program, UBC Faculty of MedicineThis abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.
Exercise Reduces Proportions of Tumor Resident Myeloid‐Derived Suppressor Cells
Authors: Garritson Jacob , Haughian James , Pullen Nicholas , Hayward Reid 
Published: June 2021

Myeloid‐derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are a population of immature myeloid immune cells that promote tumor progression and metastasis by suppressing both innate and adaptive immune responses. Exercise modulates immune function and is generally thought to protect against tumor growth and metastasis, yet the mechanisms behind this protection are largely unknown.PURPOSETo examine how exercise impacts circulating and tissue resident lymphocyte and MDSC populations.METHODSFemale mice were randomly assigned to treatment groups: exercise tumor (EX+TUM), sedentary tumor (SED+TUM), exercise (EX) or sedentary control (SED). EX groups underwent wheel running preconditioning for 6 weeks before tumor challenge. Following the 6‐week training period, animals in TUM groups were inoculated in the mammary fat pad with 1×104 4T1 mammary carcinoma cells and ran an additional 4‐weeks. Proportions of CD4+, CD8+, and CD335+ lymphocytes, as well as total MDSCs (CD11b+Ly6C+ Monocytic MDSCs (M‐MDSC) plus CD11b+Ly6G+ polymorphonuclear MDSCs (PMN‐MDSC)) were analyzed by flow cytometry in spleen, blood, and tumor.RESULTSNo effect of exercise was observed in CD4+ or CD8+ lymphocyte populations. The 4T1 mammary tumors significantly expanded MDSC populations in both spleen and blood regardless of exercise treatment. This tumor‐induced MDSC expansion was associated with enlarged spleens in sedentary animals (SED+TUM: 0.62g ± 0.11g) whereas the spleens in exercised animals with tumors were smaller (EX+TUM: 0.44g ± 0.11g) and did not differ from controls (EX: 0.08g ± 0.01g and SED: 0.11g ± 0.01g). Although there was no change in tumor volumes or tumor weights, exercise significantly reduced proportions of tumor‐infiltrating MDSCs (EX+TUM: 4.1% ± 1.6% vs. SED+TUM: 15.9% ± 2.3%). Further, tumor‐bearing exercised animals maintained a higher proportion of CD335+ natural killer cells in their spleens (EX+TUM: 0.6% ± 0.3%) relative to sedentary animals (SED+TUM: 0.4% ± 0.1%), which showed significant splenic CD335+ depletion relative to EX (1.3% ± 0.6%) controls.CONCLUSIONSThe observed reduction in tumor‐resident MDSCs suggests that exercise may improve antitumor immunity by decreasing MDSC‐related immune suppression in the tumor microenvironment and by preserving CD335+ lymphocyte populations. Exercise may reduce the severity of the aberrant myelopoiesis in tumor bearing animals as is evident by reduced splenomegaly in exercised animals.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.
Vaping Condensate Exposure to in vitro Mouse Embryos
Authors: Carter Joseph William , Smith Kane William , Christine Catherine , Okimoto Richard , Swanson Jim 
Published: June 2021

ObjectiveTo clarify effects of electronic cigarette carrier fluid and high nicotine concentrations on embryonic development to reduce misconceptions about vaping during pregnancy.MethodsWith a vacuum, vapor condensate was collected from a glass‐bead‐filled, copper coil submerged in ice. Recovered condensate was injected into the intraperitoneal cavity of female mice prior to hormonally induced superovulation/mating. Daily injections of condensate allowed male and female gametes as well as embryos to be exposed to the condensate. With 3 injections per day, mice were divided into control (no injections) and 3 experimental groups. Experimental groups received: 1) vaped saline; 2) vaped carrier fluid (CF); 3) or vaped 1.2% nicotine/CF. Injected volume was 0.1 mL of fluid/dose. The basis for this injection volume was based on recent literature demonstrating how vaping for 5 minutes produces up to 7.9 ng of nicotine/mL +/− 0.9 ng of blood in humans [Farsalinos et al., 2015]. Mathematically, the predetermined volume of 0.1 mL/injection of our 1.2% nicotine/CF was diluted to 1% and resulted in a blood nicotine concentration of 8.2 ng/mL based on an average mouse weight of 25 g with a blood volume of approximately 1.7 mL.ResultsThe results of our data were based on normal survival rate on a day‐6 embryo defined as embryo growth progressing to hatching or hatched blastocyst stage of development. Differences in embryo survival due to treatment were determined using ANOVA with a Least Significant Difference post hoc analysis using SPSS. Our results showed significant difference between the control group and 1.2 % nicotine group (P<0.007) as well as difference between the control group and carrier fluid group (P<0.049). The saline group was not significantly different from the control group.ConclusionsThese results indicate that vaping both CF and 1.2% nicotine/CF prove to be detrimental to normal embryo development, demonstrating the need for additional research into the potentially harmful effects of vaping CF, with or without nicotine.Support or Funding InformationLUCOM Center for ResearchThis abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.
Study of the Articular Disk of the Temporomandibular Joint in Human Ageing: Preliminary Macroscopic Analysis
Authors: Jacomo Alfredo Luiz , de Souza Cerioni Tales Gabriel , Frascino Alexandre Viana , Akamatsu Flavia Emi , Hojaij Flavio Carneiro 
Published: June 2021

The processes of human ageing involve morphological alterations of the articular structures with consequent functional impairment. There are few reports on temporomandibular joint (TMJ) changes inherent in human ageing processes. The present study aims to morphologically study the anatomical alterations of articular discs of TMJs of 4 human cadavers, males older than 50 years, previously frozen. The specimens were obtained by exposing the joint capsule followed by an incision in the joint eminence of the temporal bone and dissection of the articular ligaments, thus exposing the articular disc. The disk was delicately manipulated by means of Dietrich tweezers for the separations of the structures inserted therein. The discs presented a mean of 24.63 mm and an average spine thickness of 4.59 mm. Perforations were observed in 3 articular discs (37.5%) compatible with the reports in the literature, and 5‐part tapering (62.5%). Further investigations are needed to assess TMJ morphological alterations associated to human ageing.Support or Funding InformationFaculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo ‐ FMUSPThis abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.
Osteocyte morphology in the human craniofacial skeleton
Authors: Guerrero Kristi , Dechow Paul C , McGee‐Lawrence Meghan , Yu Kanglun , McIntosh Leslie Pryor 
Published: June 2021

Osteocyte size and shape has been shown to vary by anatomical region, variation which reflects differences in osteocyte sensitivity to strain. Variation in osteocyte morphology should therefore be considered when interpreting primate craniofacial adaptations. Very little is known about how osteocyte shape and size vary in the human craniofacial skeleton. For this study, osteocyte size and shape in the human mandibular condyle was analyzed and compared to osteocyte size and shape in the human supraorbital and zygomatic regions from 2 individuals. A multiphoton confocal microscope was used to collect 3‐dimensional images from FITC stained human mandibular condyles and compared to existing data for the supraorbital and zygomatic regions from 2 individuals. Imaris analysis of osteocyte cell bodies show that osteocytes in the supraorbital region are significantly larger than in the zygoma and condyle (p≤0.001). Shape of osteocytes was measured and analyzed by creating a bounding box around 15–20 osteonal osteocytes per individual and comparing ellipsoid axis lengths a, b, and c. ANOVA testing found that osteocyte shape variation was non‐significant between the three locations. Osteocytes in all three cranial locations are mostly oblate in shape (disc‐like; where c>a). These preliminary results suggest that osteocyte morphology may be similar across the craniofacial skeleton; differences in osteocyte size may indicate metabolic differences across craniofacial regions.Support or Funding InformationNSF BCS 0725126

NSF CMMI 1727949
Gail Dillard Faculty Enrichment Fund, ABAC Foundation
This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.
The Role of ZBP1 in the Neuroinflammatory Response in Glia Cell Models of Parkinson's Disease
Authors: Nease Alyssa , Malovic Emir , Kondru Naveen , Jin Huajun , Anantharam Vellareddy , Kanthasamy Arthi , Kanthasamy Anumantha 
Published: June 2021

The deposition of α‐synuclein inclusions known as Lewy bodies and the loss of dopaminergic neurons are hallmark pathological changes contributing to the motor and nonmotor symptoms of Parkinson's disease. The concomitant neuroinflammation, characterized by activated microglia and astroglia and the secretion of pro‐inflammatory cytokines, is known to trigger neurodegenerative processes in PD. Necroptosis is a mechanism of cell death that can be less inflammatory than pyroptosis by initiating cell death before the release of pro‐inflammatory cytokines. The innate immune sensor, Z‐DNA binding protein 1 (ZBP1), plays a role in necroptosis by activating downstream kinases leading to the formation of a cationic pore in the membrane. Recently, we have shown that α‐synuclein can act as the primer and trigger for pyroptosis. In the present study, we characterized ZBP1's role in the aggregated α‐synuclein‐induced neuroinflammatory response using the mouse microglial cell line (MMC), primary mouse microglia (PMG), and the human astrocytoma, U373 cells. After treating MMCs, PMGs, and U373s with aggregated α‐synuclein, we observed a decease in ZBP1 using Western blot analysis and this decrease was observed at 24 hours but not at earlier time points. We then used small interfering RNA (siRNA) to knock down ZBP1 in MMCs and used Luminex multiplex cytokine assay to measure the levels of secreted pro‐inflammatory cytokines in the media. This analysis revealed an increase in interleukin (IL)‐1β, IL‐6, IL‐17A, tumor necrosis factor α (TNF‐α), and interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ) in the media. Our data suggest that loss of ZBP1 in glial cells skews them towards more potent pro‐inflammatory signaling pathways known to be activated by aggregated alpha‐synuclein. Studies are underway to characterize the regulatory role of ZBP1 in α‐synuclein‐induced necroptosis and pyroptosis in glia cells during α‐synuclein neurotoxicity.Support or Funding Information(NIH grants NS100090, NS088206, ES026892)This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.
Manipulating Cellular Trafficking Positively Affects Syn‐TEF Function in Human Tissue
Authors: Rider Sam , Brandon Christopher J , Ali Asfa , Ansari Aseem Z 
Published: June 2021

Synthetic transcription elongation factors (Syn‐TEFs) bind to the minor groove of DNA and recruit transcription machinery. Syn‐TEFs can provide therapeutic relief for transcriptionally defective disorders such as Friedreich's ataxia, a neurodegenerative disease resulting from a 90% loss in Frataxin (FXN) expression. Syn‐TEF1 restores FXN expression in Friedreich's ataxia patient cells. However, the mechanism of cellular entry has yet to be characterized. From our observations, only a fraction of the compound is available to act in the nucleus. Fluorescently tagged Syn‐TEF analogues aggregate into bright puncta in the cytoplasm of imaged cells. Using confocal microscopy and reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‐qPCR), we assessed conditions of puncta formation and tested means of resolving or preventing the aggregation of Syn‐TEFs into puncta in human cells. We have found that manipulating cellular uptake and trafficking can improve nuclear localization of fluorescent Syn‐TEF analogues and change Syn‐TEF1 effective concentrations. Understanding the mechanisms of uptake for Syn‐TEFs and their fluorescent analogues will provide insight into how Syn‐TEFs affect gene expression in Friedreich's ataxia and related disorders.Support or Funding InformationThis project was supported by NIH NINDS grant R01NS108376 and the Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) program through the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), grant UL1TR002373. S.R. was also supported by the Trewartha Senior Thesis Research Grant.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.
Gut Microbiota‐Mediated Colonic Metabolism of Triclosan Contributes to its Proinflammatory Effects
Authors: Sanidad Katherine Zabala , Yang Jun , Zhao Ermin , Zhang Jianan , Yang Haixia , Xiao Hang , Zhang Guodong 
Published: June 2021

Triclosan (TCS) is an antimicrobial ingredient used in thousands of consumer products. Because of its widespread use, TCS causes ubiquitous contamination in the environment and is one of the top‐ten pollutants found in rivers in the United States. We have recently shown that exposure to TCS, at doses relevant to human exposure, can enhance colonic inflammation and colitis‐associated colon tumorigenesis in mice, suggesting that TCS could be a risk factor for these diseases. We also showed that the promoting effect of TCS on colonic inflammation requires gut microbiota since TCS failed to promote colonic inflammation in germ‐free mice. However, the functional roles of gut microbiota in the proinflammatory effects of TCS are unknown; in addition, the specific gut bacteria involved are also unknown. In this study, we examined the metabolism of TCS in C57BL/6 mice and the role of the gut microbiota in TCS metabolism in the colon using LC/MS‐MS analysis. Our results show that in the small intestine of mice treated with TCS via the diet there were elevated levels of TCS‐glucuronide (TCS‐G) and TCS‐sulfate (TCS‐S) while in the colon there were elevated levels of free‐form TCS. However, when the mice were treated with antibiotics, to deplete gut microbiota, prior and during exposure to TCS, there were elevated levels of TCS‐G and TCS‐S in the colon instead of free‐form TCS. This suggests that gut microbiota are responsible for the deconjugation of TCS‐G and TCS‐S to free‐form TCS in the colon. Using in vitro fermentation, we were able to identify specific bacteria responsible for the deconjugation of TCS‐conjugates to free‐form TCS. In addition, we then exposed MC38 mouse colon cancer cells to TCS, TCS‐G, or TCS‐S at a dose mimicking their levels in the colon. Our results showed that TCS, not TCS‐G or TCS‐S, increased the expression of the proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines. In summary, our results suggest that the gut microbiota are responsible for the metabolism of TCS in the colon which contributes to the proinflammatory effects of TCS. Our results also suggest that TCS could exaggerate disease development via gut microbiota and suggests potential adverse effects of antimicrobials on gut health. Further studies are needed to characterize the impact of TCS on gut diseases.Support or Funding InformationThis research is supported by a new faculty start‐up funding from UMass‐Amherst (to G.Z.).This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.
Compensatory Evolution within Viral RNA Structure: The Potential Role of Stable Intermediates in RNA Structural Heterogeneity
Authors: Magalis Brittany Rife , Tolbert Blanton S , Salemi Marco , Kosakovsky Pond Sergei L 
Published: June 2021

Fast evolving viruses, such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), exist as a heterogeneous population of genotypic variants, each potentially with its own distinct RNA structural variant. Owing to the inherently compact nature of the viral genome, it is not unreasonable to believe that viruses such as HIV have adapted to take advantage of both sequence and structure heterogeneity, posing issues for RNA‐mediated drug targeting. Evolutionary analysis of compensatory mutations, using a variety of phylogenetic methods, is often used to evaluate RNA structure preservation and function. One such method is based on the identification of co‐varying sites along a single branch within the corresponding phylogeny of sequences. Despite the power of this method when applied to slower evolving organisms (e.g., vertebrate ribosomal RNA), viral genomic regions containing well‐characterized structure, such as the HIV 5’ untranslated region, consistently present very little evidence of co‐variation in the face of high sequence heterogeneity. We hypothesize that allowing for co‐variation to occur over multiple, neighboring branches would increase the robustness of this method in identifying biologically relevant RNA structures and that non‐covarying nucleotide substitutions that occur along the connecting internal branches act to stabilize structures within a population minority. We propose to integrate this approach into a Bayesian graphical network (BGN) framework for identification of larger (>2) networks of co‐evolving sites potentially acting to maintain the predominant RNA structure. Additional investigation using this method and experimental analyses are ongoing to uncover the role of the putative intermediate, minority structures in RNA structural heterogeneity, specifically within the host.Support or Funding InformationFunding: NIH‐NIGMS U01 GM110749This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.