bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Health Science & Technology Academy: an example of successful outreach and state infrastructure (531.23)
Authors: Klinkhachorn Penprapa , Radow Mark 
Published: June 2021

HSTA is a WV program to increase health awareness, increase community engagement, and decrease health disparity. The goal of HSTA is to expose disadvantaged high school students to the STEM subjects to pursue a degree in health, science, and technology. The main programs offered are Fun with Science, Forensic Science, Biomedical Summer Institute, and Senior Preparation. Eligible students are African American (30%), low income (63%), females (67%), the first in their family to go to college (74%), and living in rural areas (83%). Anatomy is one of seven biomed groups offered, and the activities are fun, engaging, and interactive. The majority of the student survey responses were very positive. 94% of students learned a lot from their group inquiry and from visiting the gross lab. 75% agreed that HSTA was able to influence their decision to go to college and 84% to choose health careers. 82% are satisfied with the overall program. 97% of HSTA students go to college vs. 56% of all WV high school students. The gross lab tour was popular and the props used for heart and lungs helped to stimulate critical thinking skills. They learned the proper techniques to check vital signs and perform physical exams. Students had fun playing a Jeopardy game which was used as a tool to test what they learn that week. In conclusion, students participating in WVU HSTA Biomed Program learn a lot from hands‐on activities and competitive games in anatomy show and tell. This NIH‐funded infrastructure has been successful in providing opportunities for participating youths and in increasing the number of health science professionals in WV. Under supervision and guidance, these high school students can conduct activities to help increase awareness and better the overall health of their families and communities.Grant Funding Source: Supported in part by NIH‐NCCR # 10009490.28.1003654R.
An anatomical approach to teaching the clinical evaluation of musculoskeletal injuries to primary care providers (536.5)
Authors: Stamm Julie , Zumwalt Ann 
Published: June 2021

A solid understanding of anatomy is essential for successful clinical evaluation of musculoskeletal injuries. However, reinforcement of basic anatomical knowledge is often not part of continuing medical education (CME) for providers in the primary care setting, a group that is often first to evaluate musculoskeletal injuries. To address this gap, two lectures, one on the knee and the other on the shoulder, were presented to primary care physicians, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, and medical assistants at a university student health center for CME credit. In pre‐lecture surveys the clinicians indicated that, on average, they were not confident to somewhat confident in their ability to evaluate knee and shoulder pain. A key feature of the lectures was their organization following the clinical examination process, with emphasis on palpation and testing of the underlying anatomy and differential diagnosis of common injuries. In post‐lecture surveys the clinicians reported increased knowledge of anatomy, palpation, testing procedures, and specific injuries as well as increased confidence in their evaluation of knee and shoulder injuries. This project demonstrates that basic science presentations for primary care clinicians given within the familiar context of the clinical examination can contribute to increasing their clinical knowledge and confidence with common musculoskeletal assessments.Grant Funding Source: Supported by NIH NRSA Fellowship Award NINDS F31 NS081957
Wine and juice and oral cavity morphometric evaluation experimental study (54.1)
Authors: Costa Eduardo , Rodrigues Tiago , Cavalcanti Karen , Farinha Rodrigo , Cabrita Silvério 
Published: June 2021

The foods used for feeding, as well as the way they’re cooked and mixed in the meals, are elements of great importance to the health of populations.舲 The aim of this study is to evaluate the existence of morphological changes in the periodontal ligament after administration of red wine and an extract of Genipa americana.In this study were used 30 Wistar male rats with eight weeks at baseline, kept under physiological conditions of maintenance and handling, in accordance with the legislation in force. The Wistar male rats were distributed into three groups of 10. Group I was the control group continued for 8 weeks with no manipulation. The Group II was submitted to the administration of mature red wine, five times per week, for 8 weeks at a dose of 3.57 ml / kg each takes, and Group III was subjected to 8 weeks administration of an extract of G. americana. The extract was prepared by carrying out the juice of the fruit, the husk and seeds.All animals were sacrificed and necropsy was made at the end of the administration.舲 In group I the ratio between the hyalinization areas and the total ligament area (R1) was 0.017 ± 0.015 and the ratio of the Tooth‐hard tissue area and periodontal ligament area (R2) was 0.896 ± 0.497. In group II the value of R1 was 0.03 ± 0.01 and the R2 of 0.87 ± 0.49. In group III the value of R1 was 0.03 ± 0.03 varying from 0 to 0,129 and R 2 0.83 ± 0.3, ranging from 0.39 and 1.63.According to these results the administration of wine interferes with the tooth structure reflecting in the periodontal ligament and administration of genipapo doesn’t have a significant action on the dental structures studied.
Secondhand smoke exposure leads transition from physiological aging hypertrophy to pathological heart failure (540.5)
Authors: Wu Jia‐Ping , Huang Chih‐Yang 
Published: June 2021

The aim of this study was to examine secondhand smoke exposure in age‐related heart failure. The older rats were placed in exposure chamber, and exposure 10 cigarettes for 30 min, for 1 day. Left ventricular (LV) morphological assessed on histopathologic of LV sections were stained with hematoxylin‐eosin staining. Echocardiography assessed LV function. Related molecular mechanisms of LV hypertrophy signaling pathways by western blot. Results showed heart and LV weight, heart (LV)/body weight ratio, heart (LV)/tibia ratio were increased in the aging and aged SHS exposure. In aging heart, we observed LV muscle fiber rearrangement was disorder, interstitial space large and fibrosis. From echocardiography results, we found EF (%) and FS (%) were apparently decreases, LVID, LVPW and IVS at systolic and diastolic diameters were decreased in the aging and aged SHS exposure. In aged SHS exposure, we found myocytes numbers decreased, extracellular space (%), cell length (μm) and collagen occupied (%) were increased, in the aging rats cardiomyocytes width (μm) increased. Indeed, related molecular mechanisms trend to pathological LV hypertrophy (dilation) and heart failure.Grant Funding Source: Taiwan Department of Health Clinical Trial and Research Center of Excellence (DOH102‐TD‐B‐111‐004)
LHX2: a critical link in the FGF to SHH pathway? (541.2)
Authors: Watson Billy , Pira Charmaine , Oberg Kerby 
Published: June 2021

Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) and Sonic hedgehog (SHH) are morphogens known to be integrally involved in limb outgrowth/development. Published reports assert that for SHH to be expressed, FGFs have to be secreted from the apical ectodermal ridge (AER); however, not much is known about the molecular mechanisms underlying this regulation.SHH expression can be induced by the application of FGF‐soaked beads in the posterior region of the developing limb bud. DNA microarray analysis, following FGF bead application, revealed that LHX2 (LIM Homeobox 2) was upregulated >5‐fold. LHX2 encodes a transcription factor that is highly conserved across species, is expressed in the distal limb mesenchyme, and implicated in the integration of signaling inputs from the AER (FGFs), ZPA (SHH), and the dorsal ectoderm (WNT7a). Furthermore, LHX2/LHX9 double knockout mice show a marked reduction in SHH expression, confirming a role for LHX2 in regulating the signals that direct limb patterning and growth. Thus, we hypothesize that LHX2 is an intermediate in the FGF‐to‐SHH pathway.In order to test this hypothesis, we implanted FGF‐soaked heparin sulfate beads in embryonic chicken limb buds (Hamburger ‐ Hamilton stage 23), harvested the embryos, and assessed LHX2 expression in response to FGF induction via whole mount In situ hybridization (WMISH).Our results show that LHX2 is rapidly upregulated in response to FGF (<3 hrs). Its upregulation persisted through the experimental time course (24 hrs) and overlaps temporally with the upregulation of SHH in response to FGF.We therefore conclude that LHX2 is a downstream target of FGF and the early induction of LHX2 suggests that its regulation is direct. Further studies are underway to determine whether LHX2 can upregulate SHH and establish LHX2’s role as an intermediate in the FGF to SHH pathway.Grant Funding Source: Institutional
Exploration of the effects of Doublethumb on neural tube development (541.7)
Authors: Smither Allison , Petersen Juliette , Niswander Lee 
Published: June 2021

Neural tube defects (NTDs) occur in approximately 1 in every 1000 births. NTDs have both an environmental and genetic basis. A hypomorphic mutation of the PCP effector protein gene Inturned (Intudtm/dtm) was studied to determine its effects on ciliogenesis, cranial neural tube patterning, and cell proliferation in a mouse model. Heterozygous mice carrying the Intudtm allele were bred and mothers were sacked and dissected for embryos. Embryos (n=6) at embryonic day 10.5 were fixed, embedded in Optimum Cutting Temperature, and cryosectioned into 10 m slices. PCR was used to distinguish between Intu+/+ and Intudtm/dtm embryos. Immunofluorescence was performed then analyzed using confocal microscopy and FIJI analysis software. Ciliogenesis, Sonic Hedgehog expression, certain patterning markers and transcription factors required for embryonic and fetal development, and cell proliferation were all decreased in Intudtm/dtm. Cell differentiation was unaffected in Intudtm/dtm compared to Intu+/+. Thus, there are biological effects of the hypomorphic mutation of Inturned. Future work is needed to increase the number of biological and technical replicates, as well as to quantitate the expression of these and other markers at varying time points in embryonic development.Grant Funding Source: Supported by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the LSU‐HHMI program.
Neuroanatomy and immunohistochemistry of cardiac ventricles in rabbit (543.2)
Authors: Pauziene Neringa , Rysevaite Kristina , Saburkina Inga , Inokaitis Hermanas , Alaburda Paulius , Pauza Dainius 
Published: June 2021

Rabbit model is used in cardiac electrophysiology but neuroanatomy of the rabbit heart (RH) is poorly examined. We aimed to ascertain the architecture of intrinsic cardiac nerve plexus of the RH, and the neurochemical phenotypes of ventricular nerves (VNs) and nerve fibers (NFs) using histochemical acetylcholinesterase staining and immunofluorescent labeling for PGP 9.5, TH, ChAT, nNOS, and SP in 18 New Zealand white rabbits. Cardiac nerves (CNs) accessed ventricles of the RH by the left and middle dorsal and the right and left coronary subplexuses. In the rabbit ventricular walls, there were found TH, ChAT, nNOS and SP positive (+) NFs. In VNs, more than 65% of NFs were TH(+), while only 7% were cholinergic ones. On the average, 4% of nNOS(+) and SP(+) NFs were found in VNs. The TH(+) NFs also predominated in the interventricular septum, papillary muscles, and in perivascular nerves. The PGP9.5(+) NFs distributed within the myocardium occupied 4.2% in the left ventricle and 3.8% in the right one. The mean area of NFs in papillary muscle were 2.6% for TH(+), 2.4% for ChAT(+), 1.4% for SP(+) and 0.6% for nNOS(+). Endocardial nerves contained 15.8% TH(+), 6.3% SP(+), 4.2% ChAT(+), and 1.5% nNOS(+) NFs. In summary, the RH corresponds neuroanatomically to hearts of some rodents, but it’s noticeably distinct from the human one.Grant Funding Source: MIP‐031/2013 from the Research Council of Lithuania
Blood supply of anterior longitudinal ligament: an approach to understand diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (543.3)
Authors: Khammash Leena , Hanna George 
Published: June 2021

Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) or Forestier’s disease is a common entity among elderly and is characterized by ossification of the anterior longitudinal ligament (ALL) of the spine and various extraspinal ligaments.The pathogenesis of abnormal bone growth in DISH is not fully understood. In an attempt to figure out an anatomical explanation of the etiology of such a debilitating disease, the present study investigated the role of blood supply of the ALL.In cadavers of the anatomy lab in Libyan International Medical University, fine dissection of vessels supplying ALL was performed in the vicinity of azygos, hemiazygos veins and descending thoracic aorta; starting from the level T5 till T12 vertebrae. The current work elucidated that the blood vessels supplying ALL ran in ascending manner ranging from oblique to nearly vertical in direction.The present study demonstrated that poor blood supply reaching certain regions of the spine caused by antigravity‐directed blood vessels supplying ALL, may lead to ischemic changes caused by hypoperfusion and thereby ossification of ALL leading to DISH disease. The current results open a new era of investigation of the probable etiology of this disease.Grant Funding Source: Supported by the Libyan International Medical University
Anatomical basis for retrograde perfusion of the medial femoral condyle corticoperiosteal flap (543.5)
Authors: Hirtler Lena , Lübbers Anke , Bürger Heinz 
Published: June 2021

Introduction: The descending genicular vessels are widely used for free vascularized corticoperiosteal flaps of the medial condyle in cases with scaphoid nonunions. Due to the small diameter of the artery and the therefor demanding surgical procedure, this study aimed at the possibility of retrograde perfusion of the graft.Material and Methods: The descending genicular vessels (artery and veins) were extracted from 18 formalin‐fixed specimen of the anatomic institute. The samples were severed proximal at the level of the intermuscular septum and traced as far as possible towards the periosteum of the medial condyle of the femur. The veins were inspected macroscopically with help of a surgical microscope. Occurrence, distance and number of venous valves were documented.Results: The samples measured 5,1 ± 18 cm, each artery was accompanied by two veins in most cases (one vein in six specimen, three veins in one specimen, 32 veins in total). These veins had several intervenous connections. Of the 32 veins, 13 veins showed a venous valve, situated 1,6 ± 1,4 cm from the proximal end of the specimen. Of the 18 descending genicular vessels, there existed at least on vein in 14 samples without any venous valve.Conclusion: Provided previous intraoperative examination of the veins, retrograde perfusion of the free vascularized corticoperiosteal flap of the medial condyle and therefor arteriovenous anastomosis seems possible.
Various branching pattern of aortic arch in the Siberian roe deer (543.7)
Authors: Ahn Dongchoon , Sim Jeong‐Ha , Park Byung‐Yong , Kim In‐Shik 
Published: June 2021

This study examined the branching pattern of the aortic arch and its major branches in Siberian roe deer (Capreolus pygargus) and compared its branching patterns with those of other ruminants. Silicone casts were taken from 16 carcasses (male 7, female 9) with body weights ranging from 7.70~26.35 kg. Silicone casts of the vessels were made by a retrograde injection into the abdominal aorta. Only the brachiocephalic trunk (Bct) branched from the aortic arch in all carcasses. The left costocervical trunk (LCct) branched off as the first branch of Bct in 2 cases, but, in 9 of the 16 cases, the LCct and the left subclavian artery (LSb) were branched off first at the same level; rest 5 case had LCct from LSb. The right costocervical trunk (RCct) branched separately off before the right subclavian artery (RSb) was exhibited in 7 cases. The case that Bct trifurcated into the bicarotid artery (Bc), the RCct and the RSb was observed in 3 cases; however, Bct bifurcated in to Bc and RSb from which the RCct branched off as the first artery were showed in 5 cases. The right common carotid artery (RCc) branching at same site with RCct so that having no Bc was observed in only 1 case. In 4 cases the highest intercostal artery (Hi) formed the common trunk with the dorsal scapular artery (Ds). The combination in these different branching orders of costocervical trunk in both side and the formation of common trunk of Hi and Ds resulted in 12 types of the branching patterns in Siberian roe deer. These results suggest that the Siberian roe deer has a Bct with various branching patterns and its types are different with those of other ruminants.Grant Funding Source: Supported by NRF‐2013028138
Interaction of the kallikrein kinin system and vascular endothelial growth factor in left ventricle of mice exposed to intermittent hypoxia (544.1)
Authors: Visniauskas Bruna , Gomes Guiomar , Tufik Sergio , Chagas Jair 
Published: June 2021

Intermittent hypoxia (IH) is an experimental model of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). However, the occurrence of cardiac angiogenesis in IH and its related mechanism until now have not yet been clarified. In other models of tissue hypoxia, like ischemia/reperfusion, an interaction between VEGF and the KKS was demonstrated and related to the cardioprotective effects. Aiming to find out evidences for VEGF‐KKS interactions in male mice myocardium after IH, we have performed a RT‐PCR assay in the left ventricle. A significant mRNA level increase in VEGF and B2 bradykinin receptor and a decrease in angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) were observed after 2 weeks of IH when compared to normoxia group. In models of ischemia/reperfusion it has been suggested that VEGF interaction with B2 receptor agonist is an important step in angiogenesis induction. Our findings allow us to suppose that the increased myocardial expression of VEGF in IH by stimulating the expression of B2 receptor and reducing the expression of ACE could contribute to increase bradykinin, favouring neoangiogenesis in this tissue.Grant Funding Source: Supported by FAPESP (2012/02123‐0)
Oxidative stress reduces the expression of neuronal NOS in cardiac tissue and cell (545.3)
Authors: Kar Rekha , Ikeno Yuji , Masters Bettie , Roman Linda 
Published: June 2021

Obesity is a major global health concern and greatly increases the risk of developing insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Diabetic patients are also predisposed to various cardiovascular diseases; however, the underlying mechanism of the effects of diabetes on cardiomyocyte viability and thus, overall heart function remains to be established. Increased fatty acid oxidation during diabetes results in increased oxidative stress, which likely contributes to the adverse changes in the myocardium. Nitric oxide (NO) is involved in the regulation of cardiovascular homeostasis in experimental animal models and humans. Neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) knockout in mice resulted in increased oxidative stress in heart. In cardiac myocytes. nNOS was shown to coimmunoprecipitate with xanthine oxidoreductase, a critical enzyme for superoxide production, and to inhibit its production by the formation of peroxynitrite, all of which suggest a critical role of nNOS‐derived NO in regulating oxidative stress in heart. To investigate the effect of oxidative stress or fatty acids on nNOS expression in cardiomyocytes, we treated HL‐1 cardiomyocyte cells with hydrogen peroxide(H2O2) or palmitate. We show here for the first time that H2O2 or palmitate decreases the expression of nNOS in the cardiomyocytes, as assessed by immunoblot analysis. Furthermore, nNOS expression is also reduced in the heart lysates from thioredoxin 2 (TRX 2) knockout mice, which are prone to oxidative stress. The effect of such a decrease in nNOS expression by oxidative stress or saturated fatty acid treatment on cardiomyocyte viability, overall cardiac hypertrophy and cardiac function is under investigation.Grant Funding Source: Supported by NIH #HL07446 and #GM052419
Role of transient receptor potential vanilloid 2 in exercise tolerance and cardiac function (545.5)
Authors: Naticchioni Mindi , Smith Margaret , Apel Ryan , Jiang Min , Koch Sheryl , Rubinstein Jack 
Published: June 2021

Background: We have previously shown that abrogation of the semi‐selective calcium channel Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 2 (TRPV2) results in impaired cardiac contractility without any other observable phenotype. To expand on these findings, we investigated the effect of TRPV2 abrogation on exercise tolerance and corresponding changes in cardiac function.Methods: A group of 8‐12 week male WT and TRPV2‐/‐ mice were subjected to 4 weeks of daily treadmill exercise with weekly endurance training. A second group underwent 4 weeks of voluntary wheel running. Interruptions in treadmill exercise and voluntary running distances were assessed in addition to weekly echocardiographic imaging.Results: TRPV2 abrogation resulted in decreased tolerance to treadmill exercise (p<0.05 versus WT). Echocardiographic imaging showed that cardiac functional parameters improved in WT mice but not in TRPV2‐/‐ (treadmill) mice in response to exercise as measured by EF, SV, and CO (p<0.05 vs. baseline and in comparison to WT). Ongoing wheel experiments have preliminarily demonstrated a similar pattern.Conclusions: TRPV2 abrogation results in impaired cardiac function, exercise tolerance and cardiac response to exercise. Associated studies are underway to elucidate the underlying mechanisms involved.
The role of the extracellular matrix protein Perlecan in the arterial wall (546.10)
Authors: Nonaka Risa , Iesaki Takafumi , de Vega Susana , Yamada Yoshihiko , Arikawa‐Hirasawa Eri 
Published: June 2021

Perlecan (HSPG2; Perl) is expressed in all basement membranes and cartilage. Perl has been reported to have anti‐atherogenic activity; however, its role in the aortic wall is unknown. In this report, we analyzed the structure of the aortic wall in Perlecan deficient mice (HSPG2‐/‐‐Tg).Previously, we created the lethality rescued HSPG2‐/‐‐Tg mice model. Aorta samples were prepared from the thoracic aorta of HSPG2‐/‐‐Tg (Perl KO) and control HSPG+/+‐Tg mice. We analyzed the histology of these aortic tissues by Elastica Van Gieson (EVG) staining, immunohistochemistry (IHC), and electron microscope (EM). In IHC, we observed that perlecan is localized at the intersection between elastin and fibrillin‐1. EVG staining showed no difference in aorta histology between Perl KO and control mice, however, EM analysis showed that the elastic fibers in Perl KO mice were partially torn and thinner. In addition, we found that Perl KO mice had an aortic dissection with a frequency of about 15% in 10‐weeks mice. Real‐time PCR analysis showed no significant differences in the expression of genes for the major components of elastic fibers and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs).These results suggest that Perl is likely to contribute to the maintainance of elastic fibers strength against mechanical stress, such as blood flow, vasodilation, and contraction.