bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Effects of Sex Differences and Diet on the Development of Non‐Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in SAMP8 Mice
Authors: Altenburg Haylee M. , Kamm Dakota R. , Schaller Megan L. , Harris Matthew P. , Witt Ken A. , Sandoval Karin E. , Wooten Joshua S. 
Published: June 2021

Non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become the leading form of chronic liver disease and has been associated with increased risk for non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and hepatocellular carcinoma. Western diets, high in both saturated fats and fructose, have been associated with hepatic lipotoxicity, however, little is known about sex‐related differences in the progression of NAFLD. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the effects of sex‐ and diet‐related differences on the development of NAFLD in a senescence‐accelerated mouse model. At 12 weeks of age, Senescence Accelerated Mouse‐Prone 8 (SAMP8) mice were divided by sex and randomly assigned to either a standard diet (SD; 10% kcal fat) or a Western diet (WD; 45% kcal fat and 24% kcal fructose) for 9 months. Hepatic tissue was analyzed for total lipid, triglyceride, and cholesterol levels. A two‐way (sex × diet) ANOVA was used to identify sex‐ and diet‐differences with statistical significance set at p<0.05. A diet effect was observed where the consumption of a WD resulted in elevated total lipid (9.25 ± 3.4% vs. 4.03 ± 1.0%), hepatic triglyceride (24.8 ± 13.9 μg/mg vs. 1.2 ± 0.9 μg/mg), and hepatic cholesterol (2.6 ± 1.7 μg/mg vs. 0.5 ± 0.1 μg/mg) when compared to SD. A sex effect was observed with male mice having higher total lipid (7.70 ± 0.4% vs. 5.98 ± 0.4%), hepatic triglyceride (16.1 ± 1.9 μg/mg vs. 10.9 ± 1.8 μg/mg), and hepatic cholesterol (2.0 ± 0.2 μg/mg vs. 1.2 ± 0.2 μg/mg) than the female mice. The interaction between sex and diet revealed no difference between male and female mice for SD, however, male mice displayed greater hepatic total lipid, triglyceride, and cholesterol levels than female mice fed the WD. In summary, consumption of a Western diet in male mice resulted in a greater progression of fatty liver disease than female mice in a senescence‐accelerated mouse model.Support or Funding InformationSupported by NIH R21NS090282‐01.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.
DNA methylation as a mediator of the association between stress and depression: A genome‐wide DNA methylation study
Authors: Su Shaoyong , Hao Guang , Youssef Nagy Adel , Stefanek Michael , Treiber Frank , Wang Xiaoling , Pollock Jennifer , Harshfield Gregory 
Published: June 2021

BackgroundStressful events can increase the risk of developing depression, but the underlying mechanism is unclear. The purpose of this study is to examine whether DNA methylation may mediate the association between stress exposure and depression.MethodsParticipants from the Georgia Stress and Heart (GSH) study were assessed for perceived stress and childhood adversity with the Perceived Stress Scale (PPS) and Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) questionnaire including the assessment of childhood abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction. Experienced stress was defined as PPS score≥22 (top tertile of PPS score) and ACEs≥3 in this study. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was used to assess depressive symptoms. Genome‐wide DNA methylation in peripheral leukocytes was analyzed using Illumina 450K Bead‐Chip.ResultsThere were 329 participants (mean age: 28±3 years) eligible for analysis in our study. After adjustment of age, sex, race, body mass index and smoking status, those who experienced both childhood and current stress had significantly higher BDI score compared to those with no stress exposure (17.3±11.3 vs. 4.5±5.2, P<0.001). A total of 5 CpG sites showed differential methylation levels in the stress group at the threshold of genome‐wide significance (false discovery rate, FDR<0.05). Out of these 5 CpG sites, one CpG site (cg16962045, the closest gene is GPR162) was associated with both stress and depression (P<0.001). Mediation analysis revealed that the relationship between stress and depression was partially mediated by cg16962045, in which 8.9% (95%CI: 7.0–12.2) of the correlation could be explained by the methylation of cg16962045 (P=0.039).ConclusionNovel findings of the present study identified that DNA methylation at the GPR162 gene could partially mediate the relationship between stress and depression, suggesting that epigenetic modifications play a role in the underlying mechanisms in response to chronic stress and contribute to the development of mental disorders.Support or Funding InformationThe present study was supported by NIH P01HL69999; R01HL125577This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.
Extreme Physiology ‐ The Ultimate Outdoor Classroom
Authors: Sweeney Terrence E. , Hamilton‐Fay Tara N. 
Published: June 2021

We have created Extreme Physiology, a 300‐level travel course in exercise and environmental physiology that takes advantage of stunning and diverse outdoor environments and a community learning paradigm to greatly facilitate student learning of complex physiological phenomenon. Ten students and two faculty members from The University of Scranton spend 25 days of their January intersession in Arizona. The course is based for 2 1/2 weeks in Tucson, split up by an intervening week at 7000 feet elevation in Flagstaff. It employs the course's students and its faculty as both subjects and investigators. Utilizing University of Arizona facilities and in collaboration with Arizona faculty, baseline human performance data, including maximal oxygen consumption, peak anaerobic performance, blood lactate, hematocrit, hemoglobin and resting ventilatory measurements are collected on all students and faculty, with followup measurements as the course progresses and the environment changes. Following the collection of baseline data, students and faculty engage in a three‐week exercise regimen of road and mountain biking, running, hiking and swimming. Exercise is performed in the breathtaking landscapes of Arizona previously unknown to the students, including two national parks, enabling exposure to a broad array of environmental milieus, providing challenging terrain, and increasing the novelty of the student experience. A community living arrangement that includes the students and their instructors enables introduction of nutritional concepts to the course, as students and faculty prepare meals together throughout the course. Continuous access to the course faculty further extends the learning environment, as students learn critical concepts in exercise and environmental physiology, present and discuss primary literature articles directed at course content, and collect, analyze and present their own human performance data.Support or Funding InformationSupported by The University of Scranton. The authors gratefully acknowledge their collaboration with Physiology and Nursing faculty of the University of ArizonaThis abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.
Ventilation‐perfusion ratio: A Mathematical Approach for Gas Exchange in the Lungs
Authors: Pizano Alejandro , Calvacci Paola , Giron Felipe , Cordovez Juan 
Published: June 2021

Chronic pulmonary diseases and respiratory infections remained as one of the most morbid and deadliest diseases in the world. Airway and environment play an important role in the etiology of these pathologies. The balance between oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange is the pillar of the respiratory system. The ventilation ‐ perfusion ratio (VPR) determines the efficiency of gas exchange in different areas of the lung. For a long time the lung was assumed to be divided in three regions that would have homogenous VPR. Recently it was established that the VPR changes in a more heterogeneous fashion. The aim of this project is to understand the gas exchange in each alveoli using a mathematical model that produce the VPR architecture based on airways architecture. The model assumed mass balance, the ideal gas law and diffusional forces. Parameters for the model were determined according to data obtained in the literature and their correspondent mathematical calculus. The model was implemented in MATLAB (The MathWorks®, Inc.)and the equations were solved to steady state. The model predicted gas concentrations and flows in different lung segments. We were able to model healthy an pathological situations. In addition, we also simulated environmental influence in the small airways. The mathematical model was helpful to understand the gas exchange dynamics. It could be used to predict the interaction between ventilation and perfusion under different conditions, giving the possibility to estimate the efficacy of medical intervention. It can also shed some light on how to prevent anddecrease the incidence of lung diseases.Support or Funding InformationDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Universidad de los Andes, Bogota, ColombiaThis abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.
Comparision of two new hemostatic dressings in controlling hemorrhage in a severe groin injury model in swine
Authors: Meng Zhiyun 
Published: June 2021

BackgroundHemorrhage is a leading cause of death from trauma. Polyacrylate Hemostatic Dressing (PHD) and Wrap Zeolite Hemostatic (WZH) are new hemostatic products touted to be effective in controlling severe extremity bleeding. This study compared the efficacy of two hemostatic dressings in a severe groin injury model in swine.MethodsTwelve swine received PHD and WZH for hemostasis. A reproducible femoral artery injury was created using a 6 mm aortic punch, and free bleeding was allowed for 5 seconds. The groin was packed with the randomized dressing followed by 2 minutes of manual compression. Hemostasis failure was defined as blood pooling outside the wound. Animals were monitored for 120 minutes. Endpoints were percent survival, survival time, blood loss and tissue histology.ResultsBaseline physiologic parameters were similar between groups. There were no differences in mortality was seen between groups. PHD resulted in less hemostasis failure (p < 0.05), decreased postcompression blood loss (p < 0.05). Histologic observations showed mild to moderate changes in treated vessels and muscles, WZH has caused more changes than PHD.ConclusionPHD performed significantly better than WZH in controlling hemorrhage from a severe groin injury in swine.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.
Adhesion of Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVEC) on PTFE Material Following Surface Modification by Low Temperature Plasma Treatment
Authors: VIG KOMAL , Swain Kendra , Mlambo Takura , Baker Paul , Tucker Bernabe , Thomas Vinoy , Vohra Yogesh K 
Published: June 2021

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the no. 1 killer in the world, and is responsible for >17.3 million deaths every year1. Bypass surgery is the most effective treatments for CVD and often use the autologous vein graft. More recently vascular grafts made of materials such as Dacron and ePTFE that mimic the native vessel wall2–3, have shown great potential in bypass surgery. However, their use in small diameter grafts (<6 mm) is limited due to intimal hyperplasia and thrombosis. The current study is aimed to modify the intimal graft surface with low temperature plasma (LTP) to increase the cell attachment/viability and proliferation. The scaffolds were treated with LTP using Harris Plasma Cleaner system with air as the feed gas for 30 sec at 45W (HI setting). X ray photoelectron spectroscopic analyses and contact angle wettability studies confirmed the introduction of oxygenated functionalities on the surface and enhanced hydrophilicity due to the improvement in oxygen content ~1 in the graft surface from LTP air plasma. LTP treated scaffolds were further modified with fibronectin and collagen by dipping method. Cell studies by microscopic and metabolic assays indicated that HUVEC cell viability increased in LTP treated scaffolds especially when treated with protein. Scaffolds treated with fibronectin or collagen had cells viable for a week compared to untreated samples. MTT results validated the improved number of metabolically active viable cells. Work is under progress to improve cell viability on these scaffolds and investigate gene expression profiles of the cultured cells on these scaffolds.Support or Funding InformationThis work is supported by the NSF EPSCoR RII‐Track‐1 Cooperative Agreement OIA‐1655280.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.
Evaluating Learning Strategies for Independent Lifelong Learning Approaches
Authors: Severson Arlen R 
Published: June 2021

Students in integrated basic science courses in which normal and abnormal human embryological development is taught were given the option of using different learning tools to achieve competency of the assigned developmental topics. The goal of this investigation was to use a student survey to assess the value of each learning tool for the student, and whether any of these learning tools were of value to them in developing potential life‐long learning approaches. The available learning tools for the students included: assigned textbook reading, Word document handout of material with directed learning objectives/questions, video presentation of significant material, in‐class powerpoint lecture, self‐assessment multiple‐choice quiz questions, and self‐assessment multiple‐choice vignette questions. All learning tools were available to the students. A brief student survey was developed to assess the value of each recommended learning tool using a value scale of 0–5, with 5 being the highest value. In addition, students were asked to describe briefly why they found a specific learning tool beneficial to their learning of the subject material. A second question asked if any of these learning tools helped them develop potential life‐long learning approaches, and if so, which of these learning tools was most beneficial. When assessing the value of each learning tool to the student's learning, the students valued the quiz and vignette questions highest because it directed their learning to the clinical relevance of the topic covered in the Word document handout and the lecture information given via the video recording or powerpoint presentation. The textbook was valued lowest, but it was assessed to be valuable as a resource for more detailed information. When assessing the various learning tools for developing lifelong learning approaches, the use of clinical quiz and vignette questions was valued twice that of handouts or lecture type presentations. Written comments indicated that the questions were valued highly because the clinical scenarios emphasize the need to understand basic developmental processes. Use of a textbook for life‐longing learning was rated very low; however, searching the internet for answers was given as an alternative. The survey strongly suggests that clinical cases focusing on the learning objectives for a topic greatly raise the desire to learn, and that the use of multiple‐choice quiz and vignette questions significantly strengthens learning of the important topics.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.
What do the Students Remember? A Retention Study among Irish Medical Students
Authors: Balta Joy Y. , Lone Mutahira , Jurjus Rosalyn A. 
Published: June 2021

Anatomy has for long been considered as the cornerstone of medical education [1]. Several research articles have reported a decrease in anatomical knowledge among medical students as they progress from their foundation years into the clinical years [2]. This decrease in knowledge has a significant impact on the students' performance hence influencing patient's safety. At George Washington University, a recent study quantified the loss of anatomical knowledge. As part of a multi‐centre study, this project was designed to assess the anatomical knowledge of the graduate entry medical students at University College Cork, Ireland. For this reasons, students were given the opportunity to take part in a multiple choice question based anatomy quiz at two different stages. The first quiz took place at the end of their first year after the delivery of all the anatomy component of the curriculum. The second quiz was taken halfway through their second year just before they started their clinical rotations. Ethical approval was granted by the Social Research Ethics Committee at University College Cork.Results clearly show that there is a statistically significant overall loss in anatomical knowledge (P<0.05). Our findings corroborate with those reported by studies conducted at George Washington University. When taking a closer look at questions related to specific anatomical regions, the results show an overall decrease in all body systems with a major loss of knowledge in the gastrointestinal and urogenital systems followed by reproductive region. These results show that students tend to forget certain regions more than others regardless of when they were delivered, as the gastrointestinal system was taught 6 months before the second quiz while the upper limb was taught 14 months before the second quiz. Overall, students tend to forget the thoracic/abdominal/pelvic structures more in comparison to the upper and lower limbs. One attributable reason could be the manner in which the upper and lower limbs are taught, using a bio‐mechanical and clinical correlations. In the future, a similar study will be conducted to investigate the knowledge of the direct entry into medicine students (High School level). Further research is required to narrow this gap and device new teaching methods that will lead to a better retention of anatomical knowledge.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.
Fear of Death and Performance in a Dental Gross Anatomy Course with Cadaveric Dissection
Authors: Klender Sara , Notebaert Andrew , Dehon Erin 
Published: June 2021

IntroductionIn the last few decades the necessity of cadaveric dissection in anatomy education has come into question. Some anatomists feel that dissection is essential and promotes students' understanding of death and dying issues. Others argue that cadaveric dissection may not be an appropriate way to introduce students to these sensitive issues. This is supported by literature establishing cadaveric dissection as a source of anxiety in anatomy students. Considering general anxiety has been shown to be associated with performance, anxiety caused by cadaveric dissection has the potential to impact exam scores in gross anatomy. What has yet to be studied is how cadaveric dissection influences students' fear of death and how fear of death is related to performance in gross anatomy.AimThis study aims to describe how dental students' fear of death changes with exposure to cadaveric dissection and investigate its relationship to performance in a gross anatomy course.MethodsWith IRB approval, students' fear of death will be surveyed using three subscales from the Multidimensional Fear of Death Scale (MFODS): Fear of the Dead, Fear of Being Destroyed, and Fear for the Body After Death. The survey will be given at the beginning of the semester and again before each exam to determine if there are changes in students' fear of death throughout the gross anatomy course. Students' fear of death scores will also be correlated to written and practical exam scores to determine if there is a relationship between fear of death and anatomy performance. In order to account for potential covariates, such as the students' prior experience with cadavers, time spent in lab outside of scheduled hours, and percentage of time spent actively dissecting the cadavers, these factors will be included in statistical analysis using multiple regression.ResultsData is currently being collected and analyzed.DiscussionResults of this study may reveal a link between fear of death and performance in gross anatomy. Understanding this relationship would allow instructors to implement interventions to modulate fear of death and improve performance in gross anatomy. Possible interventions may include a death education course, as they have been shown to significantly lower fear of death. Ultimately, this would allow for anatomy faculty members to further support their students both emotionally and academically.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.
An Open Education Physical Model for Teaching Female Pelvic Anatomy
Authors: Hass Katrina , Wainman Bruce 
Published: June 2021

The anatomy of the pelvic floor is very complex and often a challenge for students to learn. Traditionally, cadavers and plastic models have been utilized as anatomy teaching tools to help students identify structures and visualize the spatial relationships between these structures. However, these types of tools each come with their own shortcomings that limit the student learning experience. Cadavers are expensive and face many ethical and cultural difficulties. The fragility, lack of availability, and lack of uniformity of cadaveric specimens has made them difficult for large groups of students to learn from. Additionally, it is hard to see many pelvic structures because the layers are thin, adherent, and difficult to isolate. Pelvic plastic models on the other hand, often lack a way to show each individual layer without obscuring other structures and are generally far too robust compared to the real pelvis. A novel educational tool was developed in order to better teach female pelvic anatomy: a fabric pelvis dissection model. This model is a combination of a three‐dimensional (3D) printed bony pelvis attached to a wooden board and soft pelvic structures made of textile. The various fabric types and colours distinguish each structure's tissue type. Black stitchwork depict the muscle architecture while white paint depicts the tendinous fibers. Elastic loops, hooks, and button clips allow each structure to be removable, giving the student a unique way to “dissect” the female pelvis while handling the model. Kinesthetic manipulation helps to reduce the high cognitive load placed on the learner while allowing the user to view structures from different angles. This new fabric and 3D‐printed model offers a unique learning experience to the students that would otherwise be hard to obtain. To facilitate mass production of this learning object, the 3D print files and fabric patterns are offered as an open education resource.Support or Funding InformationSelf‐funded.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.