bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Head to Head: The Role of Competition in Undergraduate Education
Authors: Van Nuland Sonya Elizabeth , Roach Victoria A , Wilson Timothy D , Belliveau Daniel J 
Published: June 2021

Opponents argue that academic competition increases student anxiety and divides their attention. Yet, little evidence concerning the application of academic game style competition exists. Could game‐like competition in the classroom be a viable and beneficial method of engaging students? This study aims to sample the effects of anonymous peer competition and performance using an e‐classroom response system (ERS). Students (n= 136) were recruited from an undergraduate anatomy course. Using a crossover design, students were exposed to two competitive treatments, a tournament with many competitive elements and a quiz with few competitive elements. Students were assessed using qualitative surveys, a baseline anatomy knowledge quiz and their course grades. Preliminary data indicates a positive student response toward the use of competitive ERS in education. Approximately 77% of students found the competitive tournament to be engaging. Additionally, 62% reported enjoying the incorporation of competitive elements into their undergraduate anatomy course. We hypothesize that academic competition among peers in an online tournament setting encourages increased familiarization with lecture material, resulting in improved exam performance. Additionally, we believe that knowledge of personal tournament rank will influence a student's scholarly motivation and study habits prior to examination.Grant Funding Source: Ontario Graduate Scholarship
Exploring the learning environment in a medical school anatomy course: does group emotional intelligence affect team performance?
Authors: Porter Samuel Grant , Holman Michelle , Lachman Nirusha , Pawlina Wojciech 
Published: June 2021

Emotional intelligence (EI), the ability to perceive and respond to emotions, has been shown to increase academic achievement and team performance. Studies to support this association exist largely in the business world, but its impact in medical education is relatively unexplored. The purpose of this study was to determine whether emotional intelligence correlates with individual or team academic performance in the anatomy course. This study hypothesizes that individuals or teams with higher emotional intelligence will score higher in the course and that team‐based learning will increase emotional intelligence scores. Medical students were asked to complete the Self‐report Emotions Intelligence Test (SSEIT) at the beginning and the end of the 7‐ week anatomy course. Average EI scores for each team were compared to final course grades as well as cumulative daily quiz grades. Individual EI scores were also compared to individual grades, and change in EI scores over the course was assessed. Preliminary analysis of initial EI scores vs. averaged quiz scores at the midpoint of the course does not appear to show significant correlations. Final results, to be analyzed at the end of the course, may hold stronger predictive value in determining association between EI and team performance. This research is supported by the Department of Anatomy at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.Grant Funding Source: Department of Anatomy, Mayo Clinic
Evaluating an Anatomy‐Specific Tool for Blooming Exam Questions
Authors: Thompson Andrew R. , O'Loughlin Valerie Dean 
Published: June 2021

Bloom's taxonomy is commonly used to assess the cognitive level of exam questions and other course assignments. Our previous research found that ‘Blooming’ pathology exam questions was difficult when using guidelines that were not discipline‐specific. Achieving consistency in scoring required that the observers independently rank and then discuss each exam question. Although this strategy is highly reliable, it is inefficient and may impose a limit on the number of questions that can be evaluated. In addition, the discussion based style of this approach makes it problematic for outside researchers to replicate the results.Building on research by Crowe et al. (2008), we developed a Blooming Anatomy Tool (BAT) that provides tailored guidelines for Blooming anatomy exam questions. To test the efficacy of the BAT, two groups of instructors Bloomed a series of anatomy exam questions, each receiving different scoring criteria. The first group was given a worksheet that broadly outlined Bloom's taxonomy, while the second group received the BAT. After comparing the Bloom levels assigned by individuals in each group to a key generated by the authors, we found that the BAT had a positive impact on accuracy and consistency in determining Bloom categories. We suggest that researchers utilizing Bloom's taxonomy for assessing course materials should consider seeking out or developing a discipline‐specific rubric.
Digital Atlas for Ultrasound‐Guided Regional Anesthesia Nerve Blocks of the Trunk
Authors: Stone Aaron , Johnson Marjorie , Ganapathy Su 
Published: June 2021

Ultrasound is a more recent tool anesthesiologists use to provide regional anesthesia. Ultrasound‐guided regional anesthesia has the following benefits: allows for the real time imaging of target nerves and surrounding structures, is used independently of surface landmarks, facilitates purposeful needle movements, improves the quality of sensory block, the onset time, the success rate compared to neurostimulation, and uses fewer needle attempts for nerve localization, which reduces the risk of nerve injury. The purpose of this project is to create a digital atlas of the sensory innervation of the trunk, to help trainees improve their sonoantomy interpretation. The atlas will include cadaver dissections, Visible Human Project images and surface anatomy to demonstrate the relationship between ultrasound images and the corresponding surface and internal anatomy. The blocks and their indications will be described in text and demonstrated visually with a narrated video. The atlas will include the following blocks: thoracic epidural, spinal, paravertebral, intercostal, ilioinguinal, transversus abdominis plane, transversalis fascia block, and the rectus sheath block. The atlas will be available online for trainees prior to practical training sessions in the lab. Future projects would test the efficacy of the atlas and look for ways to improve the teaching methods of ultrasound‐guided regional anesthesia.Grant Funding Source: N/A
Spatial ability and cognitive load demands during visual learning and testing: A transcranial Doppler ultrasound study.
Authors: Loftus Jay , Wilson Timothy D. 
Published: June 2021

Determining the efficacy of learning technologies is often based solely on learning outcomes or performance of students. Technologies that fail to aid students in these outcomes are often abandoned. The present study examines the relationship between the demands of cognitive processing and the underlying physiological response. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the affects of increased cognitive processing on learner cerebral blood flow. Utilizing learners of high (HSA) and low spatial ability (LSA), we hypothesize is that cognitive processing of visual information will be mitigated by spatial ability. Using transcranial Doppler ultrasonography to measure blood flow velocity, it is believed a negative correlation will exist between mean blood flow velocity and spatial ability. Similarly, a negative correlation between mean blood flow velocity and performance will exist. Overall, this suggests cognitive processing will be more efficient and effective in learners with higher spatial abilities.Grant Funding Source: None
Texas Tech System (TTS) for student peer teaching in anatomy: didactic small group sessions
Authors: Schneider Brandt L , Lee Vaughan H 
Published: June 2021

In a continuing effort to promote independent learning in first year medical students, the TTS for laboratory anatomy has been modified and expanded to include didactic sessions. Here we share the initial experience of modifying the TTS for peer teaching of didactic concepts in small groups. Two didactic sessions (heart development and head & neck clinical cases) were designed for groups of ten students to discuss the conceptual (comprehension and application) processes of assigned objectives. A pair of students was assigned an objective or case for each session and provided resources including: notes with integrated online videos, narrated PowerPoint presentations, and/or textbook tutorials. Five point quizzes were administered and the results for each didactic session were collected. The class average for the heart development quiz was 75.4 and for the H&N quiz was 88.0. Student perceptions were assessed on course surveys.Conclusions1. Conceptual details for the heart development session were overambitious and difficult for students at this level. 2. Timing relative to the course exam is critical for student appreciation. 3. Students prefer the case studies, recognizing a more direct correlation to exams. 4. Students perceive these activities detract from their preparation for exams. This project was funded by the Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, TTUHSC.
Understanding Human Cranial Nerves through a Patterned Based Comparative Approach
Authors: Bohn Jacqueline A , Morton David A , Nielsen Mark T 
Published: June 2021

Learning the cranial nerves is a rigorous challenge encountered by first year medical students. Not only must they learn and remember the names, numbers, modalities, pathways, and nuclei of the twelve cranial nerves, in addition they must understand the clinical significance and clinical implications of these complex cranial structures. Educational studies have demonstrated that incorporating patterns as a basis to learning enhances the learning process and improves retention of the learned material. Understanding simple patterns, especially if the patterns are anatomically based, can greatly reduce the learning curve associated with learning complex anatomical topics — like the cranial nerves. Using comparative and developmental anatomy, clear, simple patterns are established to illustrate that cranial nerves are similar to their simpler spinal nerve counterparts. Understanding these patterns takes the random memorization out of the learning process and introduces a logic that brings a deeper meaning to the organization and structure of the cranial nerves. With this logic the learning process becomes easier and more memorable. With improved learning comes improved application in a clinical setting, which should be the ultimate goal.Grant Funding Source: Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy
Using the antiphosphatase Paladin to understand the phosphoregulation of neural crest development
Authors: Roffers‐Agarwal Julaine , Hutt Karla J. , Gammill Laura S. 
Published: June 2021

The neural crest is a migratory embryonic cell population that arises in the dorsal neural tube and gives rise to diverse cell types including peripheral nerves, glia and melanocytes. While the network of transcription factors (TFs) responsible for neural crest development has been established, expression of these TFs does not guarantee that a dorsal neural tube cell will become a migratory neural crest cell. We propose that subsequent modulation of protein activity through phosphorylation also regulates the establishment of neural crest cell fate. Paladin, a novel protein containing two consensus phosphatase active site motifs, is expressed throughout neural crest development and influences the expression of a subset of neural crest TFs. Both gain and loss of Paladin function disrupt early neural crest migration. Mutational analysis reveals that critical catalytic cysteine residues are dispensable for Paladin function, revealing Paladin as an antiphosphatase. Together these data identify Paladin as a unique regulator of neural crest specification and migration. We are currently utilizing Paladin to identify new neural crest regulatory factors that are modulated by phosphorylation using both in vitro and in vivo assays, thus expanding our understanding of an underappreciated level of control within the neural crest developmental program. Funding: NIH F32DE019973; K22DE015309.Grant Funding Source: NIH
Sphingosine‐1‐phosphate signaling in inflammation and cancer
Authors: Spiegel Sarah 
Published: June 2021

The sphingolipid metabolite sphingosine‐1‐phosphate (S1P) and the kinases that produce it have emerged as critical regulators of numerous fundamental biological processes important for inflammation and cancer. Activation of sphingosine kinases (SphKs) by a variety of agonists increases intracellular S1P. S1P can be secreted out of cells and bind to and signal through five specific G protein‐coupled receptors, designated S1PR1–5. It is now well established that this “inside‐out” signaling by S1P is important for many human diseases. The roles of the S1PRs in cell and organismal physiology will be discussed in detail and particularly their roles in chronic intestinal inflammation and colitis‐associated cancer (CAC). Focus will be on activation of SphK1 and how the SphK1‐S1P‐S1PR1 axis is at the nexus between NF‐κB and Stat3 and connects chronic inflammation and CAC. The development of inhibitors of SphK1 and small molecules that target specific subtypes of S1P receptors will also be discussed. The effectiveness of the pro‐drug FTY720 (known as Fingolimod or Gilenya), approved for the treatment of multiple sclerosis, has become the gold standard for S1P‐centric drugs, and will be used to illustrate the therapeutic value of modulating SphK1 and S1P receptor functions which holds great therapeutic promise.Supported by NIH grants R37GM043880, R01CA61774, and U19 AI077435.
IMPROVEMENT OF P. CHRYSOGENUM BY UV MUTATION FOR OVERPRODUCTION OF CELLULASE AND LIGNINASE
Authors: Oladayo Musa Babalola , Magbagbeola O. Abiola , Albert Ebuehi O , Imaga O Ngozi , Miriam Ezikpe N 
Published: June 2021

The improvement of microbial strains for the overproduction of lignocellulolytic enzymes production by mutagenesis has attracted attention in the commercial fermentation industry. The present study was designed to modify a Penicillium chrysogenum strain, overproduce cellulase and ligninase, and see the relationship between exposure time and distance of delivering UV rays to fungal strains for the improvement of enzyme production.UV radiation source was placed above the surface of P. chrysogenum suspension spores. Radiation was delivered at 30W at various distances between 10cm ~ 50cm for 10 ~ 60mins intervals of 10min. Mutants obtained from the irradiation were selected and cultured in mineral salt media for enzyme assays. Reducing sugars released were determined as well as enzyme activity of the cellulase (FPase and CMCase) and ligninase (Laccase, MnP, LiP). Growths on plates were also monitored and studied.The FPase and CMCase activity of the mutant strains were two folds higher than that of the parent strains. Similar trend was observed with the LiP, MnP and Laccase where there was 5 fold, 15 fold, and 9.6 fold respectively.There was no significant difference in FPase activities (P>;0.05) for the different exposure time and distance from source of radiation, however, there was in the case of CMCase. There was no significant difference (P>;0.05) for Laccase and Manganese Peroxidase, however there was significant difference for Lignin peroxidase. The distance at which Ultraviolet Irradiation is delivered and the exposure time could significantly affect the mutation of fungi for production of lignocellulolytic enzymes.
Synthetic Biology and the Production from Brazilian Spider Silk Protein Masp2 in E.coli System
Authors: Michalczechen‐Lacerda Valquiria A. , Vianna Giovanni R. , Murad Andre M. , Rech Elibio , Kaplan David L. 
Published: June 2021

Spider silk fibers have high strength, toughness and extensibility. This biomaterial has numerous potential applications in medicine and broader materials‐related needs. With synthetic biology it is possible to construct and express genes encoding recombinant spider silk proteins. These proteins are characterized by their highly repetitive specific structural motifs. However, production of spider silk in Escherichia coli can be difficult because the DNA can be unstable resulting in deletions, and the repetitive sequences can lead to transcription and translation errors. Here we show spidroin protein silk (≥50 KDa) production of the major ampullate silk, Masp2, from the Brazilian spider (Parawixia bistriata) in E. coli. A silk monomer gene was designed and a 16mer plasmid constructed using a “head to tail” cloning strategy. BL21(DE03) with or without a plasmid with copies of glycyl‐tRNA and glycyl‐tRNA synthetase were induced with IPTG. Samples was analysed by SDS‐PAGE. Both bacteria produce the protein. In other studies similar protein sizes have been produced from N. clavipes, with the size directly associated with improved fiber properties. The amino acid sequence of Masp2 from P. bistriata shows differences in composition. Different spider silks may result in different types of materials, which will provide new types of protein‐based biomaterials.Support: University of Brasilia, CNPq, CAPES, Embrapa Genetics Resources and Biotechnology, the NIH P41 Resource Center (EB002520), Tufts University.
Widespread regulation of translation by elongation pausing in heat shock
Authors: Shalgi Reut , Lindquist Susan , Burge Christopher B 
Published: June 2021

Global repression of protein synthesis is a hallmark of the cellular stress response and has been attributed primarily to inhibition of translation initiation. Heat shocked cells globally inhibit protein synthesis, however the extent of translation initiation inhibition cannot explain the degree of translational repression observed.Exploring translational control during heat stress in mammalian cells using ribosome footprinting, we discovered that severe heat shock triggers elongation pausing of ribosomes after translating ~70 codons on the vast majority of mRNAs. The genome‐wide nature of the phenomenon, its location and the features of protein N‐termini suggested the involvement of ribosome‐associated chaperones.Reduced association of Hsp70 chaperones with ribosomes was seen following severe heat shock. Pre‐treatment with mild heat stress or overexpression of Hsp70 protected cells from the elongation pause induced by severe heat shock, while inhibition of Hsp70 activity triggered elongation pausing without heat stress. Finally, rewiring of the Hsp70‐translational machinery interactome during heat stress hinted at a mechanism that involves interactions with nascent peptides and the exit tunnel. Our findings suggest that regulation of translation elongation in general, and by chaperones in particular, represents a major component of the cellular stress response.
Comprehensive Mechanistic Analysis of the RNA‐Lariat Debranching Enzyme
Authors: Ransey Elizabeth Marie , Dey Sourav , Das Subha , Macbeth Mark 
Published: June 2021

RNA‐lariat Debranching Enzyme (Dbr1p) hydrolyzes the 2′‐5′ phosphodiester bond between the intronic, adenosine branch point and the 5′ end of the intron. Intron lariat debranching is essential for processing of snoRNAs and miRNAs and for efficient intron turnover. Interestingly, Dbr1p null mutants have been shown to be defective in Ty1 retrotransposition in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Additionally, siRNA knockdown of DBR1 in a eukaryotic cell line has inhibited HIV‐1 replication, making characterization and structure determination imperative to the rational design of a wide range of inhibitors.We present structural, mechanistic and comparative analyses of two Dbr1 proteins. While S. cerevisiae Dbr1p has been characterized biochemically, complete mechanistic understanding has been limited by the unavailability of physiologically relevant substrates, as well as the lack of a high‐resolution Dbr1p structure. Our comprehensive analysis has utilized in vitro cleavage assays with a variety of branched substrates, site‐directed mutagenesis, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP‐AES) and fluorescence anisotropy to characterize Dbr1p kinetics, and to identify a unique versatility in substrate recognition and a hetero‐dinuclear active site.Funding is provided by the CMU Center for Nucleic Acids Science and Technology, NSF GRFP #0750271 and the UNCF/Merck Graduate Fellowship.
Perillyl alcohol and rapamycin‐mediated inhibition of migration and invasion
Authors: Sundin Tabetha , Mollica Peter , Peffley Dennis , Hentosh Patricia 
Published: June 2021

The plant‐derived isoprenoid perillyl alcohol (POH) exerts anti‐cancer properties via effects on mTOR (mechanistic target of rapamycin) signaling in a similar but distinct process as does rapamycin, a well‐studied mTOR inhibitor. Previously, rapamycin was shown to inhibit both matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs)‐2 and ‐9 in a human umbilical vein endothelial cell line. MMPs are key indicators of both angiogenesis induction and tumor cell metastatic activity. We evaluated clinically relevant concentrations of POH and rapamycin for their respective abilities to limit cellular migration and invasion of a highly metastatic human prostate cancer line–DU145. In a wound healing assay, POH or rapamycin significantly prevented DU145 cells from migrating into the wound area during a 24 hr period. Further, both agents inhibited DU145 movement through an ECM layer in a cell invasion assay. Gelatin zymography revealed that POH and rapamycin reduced the activity of secreted MMP‐2 and ‐9 in a time‐dependent manner. Additionally, decreased intracellular MMP‐2 activity was observed after treatment with either agent. Pre‐treatment with the proteasome inhibitor MG‐132 rescued MMP‐2 activity indicating that POH and rapamycin provoke MMP‐2 degradation. Our results establish comparable anti‐invasive abilities of POH–which displays fewer side effects–and rapamycin that are associated with MMP‐2 and ‐9 down‐regulation.Funding provided by a Golden Key Research Grant.
High resolution de‐novo folding of hyperstable RNA tetraloops using molecular dynamics simulations
Authors: Chen Alan Austin , Garcia Angel E 
Published: June 2021

RNA's biochemical versatility arises from its ability to form tertiary structures, which are governed by the intrinsic flexibility of single‐stranded loops, weak stacking interactions, and non‐canonical hydrogen bonding patterns. However, in contrast to the numerous documented successes in protein folding, there has been no successful reports to‐date of Angstrom‐resolution folding of RNA from the unfolded state. This is caused by intrinsic errors in the force‐field parameters themselves, which have not been significantly improved in 20 years.We present preliminary results of an improved RNA force‐field which has been extensively calibrated against vapor‐pressure osmometry, ultrasonic absorption, NMR, and circular dichroism experiments on short oligonucleotides. Using replica‐exchange molecular dynamics, we are able to reversibly fold all three hyperstable tetraloop motifs (UUCG, GCAA, and CUUG) from the unfolded state. All of the unique non‐canonical interactions observed in high‐resolution structures are recapitulated by the folding simulations with an all‐atom RMSD of 1 to 3 Å. By accurately capturing the balance between the key driving forces for RNA tertiary folding, we anticipate that large‐scale RNA tertiary folding via molecular dynamics simulations will become feasible in the near future.