bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Development of a Targeted Diversifier Allowing Mutation of All Nucleotide Types In Vivo
Authors: Dueber John , Halperin Shakked , Schaffer David 
Published: June 2021

The capacity to diversify genetic codes advances our understanding and engineering of biological systems. A method to continuously diversify user‐defined regions of a genome without requiring the integration of nucleic acid libraries would enable forward genetic approaches in systems not amenable to high efficiency homology‐directed integration, rapid evolution of biotechnologically useful activity through accelerated and parallelized rounds of mutagenesis and selection, and cell lineage tracking. Here we developed EvolvR, the first system that can continuously diversify all nucleotides within a tunable window length at user‐defined loci. Our results demonstrate that EvolvR enables multiplexed and continuous diversification of user‐defined genomic loci that will be useful for a broad range of basic and biotechnological applications.Support or Funding InformationInnovative Genomics InstituteThis abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.
Prevalence of Anatomical Variants of the Circle of Willis
Authors: Crofton Andrew , Beetler Danielle , Wilkerson Anthony , Rosado Christopher , Parente Ryan , Sfalanga Christina , Tailor Dharmesh 
Published: June 2021

The Circle of Willis is an anastomotic structure that connects the anterior and posterior arterial networks that supply blood to the brain. It functions to maintain adequate blood supply to the brain in the event of obstruction due to injury or disease. Although it is well‐known that variants in the “textbook” structure of the Circle of Willis are common, previous studies characterizing the CoW have been limited by small sample sizes and, in some cases, reliance on cadaveric tissue in which preservation of delicate CoW structures is challenging. These shortfalls have made investigating the relationships between variants and neurological pathology difficult. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to characterize the CoW in a large sample of living subjects to determine the prevalence of CoW variants and to identify relationships between variants and pathology. After approval for this study was obtained from the AdventHealth IRB, computed tomography angiography (CTA) scans of 1,494 cases were assessed for CoW variants and all CoW vessels measured. Inclusion criteria included patients aged 18–89 that received CTA imaging through AdventHealth Radiology between 11/15/12 and 11/14/17. One examiner assessed all CTA images via imaging software (Impax) for variants. Six other investigators measured each of the CoW vessels on the selected cases. Patient demographic information was collected via AdventHealth's medical record system. Our results indicate that CoW variants were present in 47.99% of the subjects. Of the cases with variants, 8.93% possessed symmetrical bilateral variations and 39.05% possessed multiple variants. The most commonly occurring variant was a non‐dominant vertebral artery at 17.27%. Of the non‐diminutive variants, meaning there were additions to or subtractions from the standard CoW architecture, the most commonly occurring variant was fetal origin posterior cerebral artery at 12.38%. Our results suggest that anatomical variants found in the Circle of Willis occur in just over under half of the population. Future analyses will characterize vessel diameters for the cases under study and relationships of each of the variants to neurological pathology. This study demonstrates the need for further investigation into the nature of altered CoW circulation patterns, how CoW variants may relate to brain function and pathology, and whether diminutive variants can be altered by non‐invasive interventions.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.
Novel Communications of the Infraorbital Artery: A Quantitative Analysis
Authors: Winters Jacob 
Published: June 2021

Traditional descriptions of the infraorbital artery note a course inferior to the orbit that does not pass through the orbital floor before exiting at the infraorbital foramen. However, recent research suggests that the infraorbital artery may interact with structures within the orbit in some individuals. Given the various descriptions of courses and anastomoses of the infraorbital artery, a further understanding of the frequency of these variations was merited. This study aimed to quantify the prevalence of supply of the infraorbital artery to the lower orbit via the orbital floor. Cadaveric analysis (n = 36 orbits, 18 individuals) was used. Of 36 orbits, 83% exhibited infraorbital arterial supply to the orbit via the orbital floor. Of the 18 individuals, 72% demonstrated bilateral involvement. The results establish involvement of the infraorbital artery with the lower orbit in most individuals. These findings are clinically useful when considering the management of trauma in the lower orbit, as well as blepharoplasty and cosmetic fillers.Support or Funding InformationNo disclosures.Special thanks to our donors, without whose generosity this research would not have been possible.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.
Displaced Descending Colon and Dolichosigmoid with Uncommon Sigmoidal Artery Branching Pattern
Authors: Kandavalli Naveen Babu , Castellanos Bedia B 
Published: June 2021

Sigmoid colon is a part of large intestine and normally measures 15” in length that extends from the pelvic brim to the third piece of the sacrum where it becomes the rectum. Dolichosigmoid or redundant sigmoid colon is a term used for sigmoid colon longer than its normal size. The present case had a displaced descending colon and a redundant part of sigmoid colon. During a routine dissection class for medical students, an anatomical variation related to sigmoid colon in an 87‐year‐old male cadaver was found. The colon was carefully dissected and studied in detail the position, attachment of sigmoid mesocolon, examination of viscera in close proximity and the blood supply to each part of the large intestine. A meticulous review of the literature was conducted as well. An anomalous displacement of descending and sigmoid colons was found. The descending colon is normal in length, retroperitoneal and lying close to the mid‐line leaving out a space to its left that was occupied by loops of jejunum and ileum. The sigmoid colon is composed of redundant ascending and normal descending parts. The redundant part of the sigmoid colon is centrally placed as a loop ascending into the peritoneal cavity reaching the splenic flexure at the level of T11 approximately. The descending part of the sigmoid colon crosses the midline at L1 and runs close to the right midclavicular line continuing as rectum. The total length of sigmoid colon measures 23.2”. The blood supply to the redundant part of the sigmoid comes from a common trunk arising from inferior mesenteric that splits into left colic and two additional sigmoidal branches. The blood supply to the descending part of sigmoid is supplied by sigmoidal artery coming directly from inferior mesenteric artery. The branching pattern of sigmoidal arteries compared to previous cases in the literature makes this case very unique. Embryology of gut development is complex and often unpredictable, leading to variations in length and position. The growth and rotation of midgut is divided into four stages. An excess of growth of the caudal segment of gut tube in stage 3 can cause redundant sigmoid. This variation could increase the chances of sigmoid volvulus, constipation and may pose risk as the loops may coil around and form a knot leading to obstruction. A redundant loop of sigmoid colon may be asymptomatic or it might lead to urinary, digestive and vascular complications. The descending colon is normal in length but lies close to the midline which may compress the aorta when loaded with feces. Radiologists and surgeons must be well aware of these variations to establish a correct diagnosis and assert the appropriate management when performing colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy and abdominopelvic procedures.Support or Funding InformationDepartment of Anatomy Touro College of Osteopathic MedicineThis abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.
Variations in the formation of the of the trunks, Long Thoracic and Suprascapular nerves of the brachial plexus. Correlation of Those Variations with Possible Clinical and Surgical Implications
Authors: Veras Wilson R , Lopez Tarime , Diaz Jose 
Published: June 2021

The Brachial Plexus The brachial plexus is a major and complicated nerve network located in the posterior triangle of the neck that supplies the upper limb and some thoracic structures. From the posterior triangle, it extends into the axilla. The brachial plexus is formed by the anterior rami of C5, C6, C7, C8, and T1 nerves. These cervical and thoracic nerves constitute the roots of the brachial plexus. The union of C5 and C6 formed the superior trunk, the continuation of C7 root form the middle trunk, and the inferior trunk is formed by C8 and T1 roots. Variations of the brachial plexus network are common, knowledge of the variant anatomy is very important to do a safe surgical procedure in this area. The brachial plexus may be damaged during trauma in the neck, bone fractures at the shoulder region, in presence of a cervical rib, a tumor of the cervical region, in obstetric procedures. Unexplained physical signs could be explained for the presence of an anatomical variation of the brachial plexus. Due to the importance of the brachial plexus, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the presence of variations in the supraclavicular part of this network and some of its branches in adult human cadavers.Material and methodsBilateral dissection of the upper limbs of 17 embalmed cadavers, 12 males and 5 females at the anatomy laboratory of San Juan Bautista School of Medicine.ResultsIn the present study, we found five brachial plexuses prefixed in origin on the right side and one postfixed on the left side. On the right side, the long thoracic nerve was formed by C5, C6, and C7 in 3 cases, two were formed by C5, and C6. One by C5 and inferior trunk. Six by C6, and C7. One was formed by C6 and posterior division of the inferior trunk. One by C6 and Anterior division of the middle trunk. One by C5 and the inferior trunk. One arises from the upper trunk, and one was formed by C4 and C6. On the left side, the long thoracic nerve was formed by C5, C6, C7 in six specimens, one for C4, C6, C7, one by C4, C5; one was formed by C5, C6, and Lower trunk; one for C6, and inferior trunk; C6 and posterior division of upper trunk; one by C4, C6, and C7; one was formed by C5 and C7 and one was formed by branches of the Inferior trunk and the medial cord. it was not possible to determine the origin of the long thoracic nerve during the dissection in 3 cases. The Right Suprascapular arose from the upper trunk in eleven specimens. Five from posterior division of the upper trunk and one from C5. On the left side, the suprascapular nerve in seven specimens was found arising from the upper trunk, five from the posterior division of the upper trunk and two from C5.Support or Funding InformationSupport by the institutionThis abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.
This Week You Next Week Me: Rotational Peer‐to‐Peer Dissections and Presentations to Augment Undergraduate Laboratory Sessions
Authors: Parizi‐Robinson Mojgan , Moore Michael E. 
Published: June 2021

Human anatomy is a challenging subject for undergraduate students due to the volume of structures and associated complex terminology. The weekly anatomy lab component adds a level of complexity due to the time required to complete each cat dissection (24 students/lab). The prosection projects started in the fall of 2016 and have since continued. The anatomy class consists of 4 labs in the fall, followed by 5 labs in the spring semester. To help students engage with the course content, improve their level of understanding and improve the quality of the dissections Baylor University introduced a rotating peer‐to‐peer teaching activity. Each week a group of 4 students completed the required dissection (i.e., brachial plexus) prior to the scheduled lab. Subsequently during the scheduled lab session this group of 4 students became temporary lab assistants by helping the other 20 students with their own dissections. Additionally, the 4 students conducted a formal presentation to their classmates about their dissection and answered functional and structural questions under the guidance of Dr. Parizi‐Robinson. End of course surveys indicated that students enjoyed both the giving and receiving portion of this activity and enjoyed the level of engagement and increased level of understanding. Therefore, this rotational peer‐to‐peer teaching activity seems to be an effective active educational tool for students' and may be beneficial for other institutions to consider.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.
Anatomy in Medical Education: A Canadian Review
Authors: Rockarts Jasmine , Wainman Bruce , Shali Ari , Mohialdin Vian 
Published: June 2021

The anatomical sciences have always been regarded as an essential element of medical education. In Canada, the methodology and time dedicated to anatomy teaching are currently unknown. In an effort to create a comprehensive view of anatomical education in Canadian medical schools, surveys were sent out to course directors and discipline leaders. Participants were asked about gross anatomy, histology, and embryology. Data was collected on total course hours, total classroom hours, large and small group hours as well as laboratory hours for the 2016/17 year. There have been two major changes in the delivery of the anatomical sciences. First, most programs deliver anatomical sciences using an integrative approach. The shift towards integration is also prevalent in the United States of America. Secondly, contact time in the anatomical sciences are at historically low levels. Compared to data published from a similar survey published in 2018, Canada has 72%, 49% and 53% of the hours of gross anatomy, histology, and embryology respectively, compared to the USA. The reasons for the difference between Canadian and USA schools is not known. Possible reasons for the disparity include the steering effects of the CanMEDS framework in Canada and the USMLE (United States Medical Licensing Examinations) Step 1 examination. The CanMEDS framework identifies six core competencies that are meant to ensure that physicians have more of a comprehensive foundation as a medical expert but an understanding of the basic sciences, including anatomy, is not a core competency rather it is assumed to be part of all competencies to some degree. Given there is no explicit role identified for the anatomical, or any other, sciences this may have led to the general decrease in curricular focus. A focus for many medical schools in the USA is student success on the USMLE Step 1 which is focused on basic sciences, including anatomy. Student performance on the USMLE drives curriculum standards. Further investigation is required to determine if the lower amount of anatomical science education received by Canadian medical students affects student performance in clerkship, residency and beyond.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.
PEER‐DIRECTED SMALL GROUP LEARNING IN M1 GROSS ANATOMY: ENHANCING STUDENT LEARNING WHILE REDUCING REQUIRED CONTACT HOURS
Authors: Stanley Robert Lee , Harrell Kelly 
Published: June 2021

PURPOSEMany medical schools have adopted a shortened basic science curriculum in favor of a longer clinical curriculum. In an attempt to reduce required contact hours without compromising important high‐yield content, programs have developed and implemented specific learner‐centered teaching strategies We sought to utilize peer‐directed small‐group sessions to enhance student learning in anatomy within a condensed pre‐clinical curriculum . Sessions were designed to guide learners through specific cadaveric prosections.METHODSThree voluntary small‐group sessions were designed to correlate with spinal cord, facial nerve/orbit, and ischioanal fossa prosections in a Medical Gross Anatomy course for first‐year medical students. There was no penalty or reward for attending these sessions, and the prosections were made available to all students, regardless of participation. A short survey was administered after each session. This survey assessed students perceived comfort level with the content area before and after the small‐group session. Student performance on specific test questions related to sessions topics was analyzed and compared between those who attended the small group sessions, and those who did not to determine patterns of performance on the specific topics.RESULTSThere was an increase in the student perceived level of comfort with the material after each of the three small group sessions for both the 2017 and 2018 M1 classes. On a 1‐to‐5 Likert scale (1 lowest; 5 highest) of perceived comfort level with session content, averages before the three small group sessions were significantly increased for each small group session for both years. Analysis of changes in student performance regarding test performance resulted in a slight increase in performance on most questions for those who attended the small groups compared to those who did not. Word cloud analysis of the write‐in portion of the survey revealed several common themes that students thought the small group setting was a strength, and having the facilitator ask more questions of the participants, being a common area for improvement.CONCLUSIONThis work supports peer‐directed and small group learning as an effective avenue for student success in M1 Gross Anatomy. Further analysis of student performance and future studies will help determine whether this could be an effective teaching strategy utilized by other courses during the basic science years.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.
Written Communication Skills in Physical Therapy Students
Authors: Cline Christina , Samonds Karen , Bergan‐Roller Heather 
Published: June 2021

A functional doctor‐patient relationship is predicated upon successful communication. Medical professionals (doctors, dentists, physician assistants, nurses, physical therapists) often must convey complicated scientific information to their patients who come with varying degrees of background knowledge. It is critical for students studying these professions to learn and practice best approaches to communication. Medical communication training tends to focus on verbal skills needed for patient‐physician encounters and is the focus of most medical communications training research. More work needs to be done on understanding students' written communication skills to improve both training and practice.Here, we present a study that evaluates the written communication skills of physical therapy students enrolled in a gross human anatomy course. The study looked at the following research question: How do physical therapy students change how they communicate in writing with different audiences? Students were asked to write letters to patients, with varying levels of assumed medical knowledge. These letters summarized their analysis of the patient's symptoms as a part of case study assignments. The first patient was described as having a college education with medical background, the second patient was described as having an eighth‐grade education, and the final patient also had an eighth‐grade education. The final patient letters were compared to the previous letters through thematic analysis. Results from the qualitative coding of patient letters will present major themes present in the patient letters and if and how they change through the course of the three case studies. This work will add to our knowledge of how medical students can more effectively and efficiently learn and practice necessary communication skills that are vital for successful medical practice.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.
Slimed! Better understanding the role of aquaporin in the slime gland of hagfish
Authors: Lane Jim , Torenvliet Alyne , Edmunds Mary , Schimnowski Ava 
Published: June 2021

Hagfish are a species of small marine vertebrates that have experienced little evolutionary change for 300 million years due to their effective defense mechanism. This mechanism has the potential to be a component of many major medical advancements as well as airbag technology and textiles. When threatened, a hagfish will rapidly deploy a slime gland exudate that expands in a fraction of a second and clogs the gills of its predator, suffocating it. This is a two‐part process involving the unraveling of thread skeins and bursting of mucin vesicles. Our research focuses on the mucin vesicles and how the membrane protein Hagfish Aquaporin 4 (hfAQP4) controls the rupturing process. When a mucin vesicle comes in contact with seawater, Ca2+ions contained in the water open Ca2+ activated protein channels within the vesicle membrane and allow for a variety of seawater ions to enter the vesicle. This changes the osmotic balance within the vesicle to favor the influx of water molecules which flood the cell through the hfAQP4 channel. The vesicle becomes overfilled with water and ruptures, releasing the slime. We continued to explore the role of hfAQP4 in this process and found research done by Cutler, et. al that compared Aquaporin 4 (AQP4) of human, rat, chicken, xenofish, zebrafish, dogfish and hagfish. This research found that hfAQP4 differs more from human aquaporin 4 (hAQP4) than any of the other aquaporins studied. In order to better understand the function of hfAQP4 in the slime release process, we will identify similarities and differences between hAQP4 and hfAQP4. Also, using the hAPQ4 pdb, 3GD8, we can use the molecular modeling software, jmol, to highlight the variations compared to hfAQP4. Our research was narrowed down to hfAQP4 due to findings that confirmed the role of hfAQP4 in the slime deployment process. When mercuric chloride (HgCl2), an aquaporin inhibitor, is added to the water that the slime is being deployed into, the vesicles membranes do not rupture which proves the involvement of hfAQP4 in this process. The (HgCl2) is very successful in inhibiting AQP4 because of the location of the amino acid: Cysteine 178. In Aquaporin 1 (AQP1), Cysteine 189 is located at the constriction of the pore, and is not easily accessible to the HgCl2. In AQP4, however, the cysteine residue is located in cytoplasmic loop D at the location of Cysteine 178, and is much more accessible to the HgCl2. This causes AQP4 to be more rapidly inhibited by HgCl2 than AQP1. The Mahtomedi MSOE Center for BioMolecular Modeling MAPS Team used 3‐D modeling and printing technology to examine structure‐function relationships of hfAQP4. The visual model will be a valuable tool in developing our story.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.