bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Educational Avenues to Promote Fascia Dialog in Medical Curricula
Authors: Pratt Rebecca 
Published: June 2021

The concept of fascia belongs in medical training. It is important that all physicians be introduced to the continuum of connective tissue. Fascia serves as one of the body's fundamental “connectors”. Visualizing the amazing range of fascia at the gross level, from adipose to tendons, is a good first introduction for students in dissection or prosection. Teaching the role of dense connective tissue in compartmentalizing muscles and neurovascular bundles is a wonderful way to familiarize students with pattern recognition in gross anatomy. Without teaching fascia we might lose the opportunity to discuss planes and clefts for surgical access, muscle group actions and pathologies such as compartment syndrome. Fascia also serves as a means of providing students with a contextual environment for discussing the intricacies of signal transduction pathways and biochemical cycles. Without the extracellular matrix and the addition of cells to form fascia we lose the scaffolding for our physiological switchboard‐operators critical in the day to day monitoring of homeostasis. This presentation will refer to the courses taught at Michigan State University School of Osteopathic Medicine as examples of approaches to demonstrate the significance of fascia in medicine. As long as one of the physician's goals remains to help their patients return to a state of homeostasis and well‐being, fascia will have a place in medical curricula.Support or Funding InformationFunding support not applicable.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.
Molecular Targets Underlying the Anti‐inflammatory Effects of Thymoquinone in LPS activated BV‐2 Cells
Authors: Taka Equar , Mendonca Patricia , Mazzio Elizabeth A. , Reed Selina Darling , Reams Renee , Soliman Karam F. 
Published: June 2021

Excessive production of pro‐inflammatory cytokines in the brain have been implicated in several neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's diseases. Microglia is the primary immune cells of the brain, and when activated they release various pro‐inflammatory cytokines. Natural compounds such as thymoquinone (TQ) that have an anti‐inflammatory, anti‐oxidant, and anticancer activities may offer a promising strategy for inflammation‐mediated neurodegenerative disorders involving activated microglia cells. Our previous study showed that exposure to TQ in activated microglia reduces several cytokines/chemokines including IL‐6, MCP‐5, IP‐10, MCP‐1 and nitric oxide. The purpose of this study was to investigate the global molecular targets underlying the anti‐inflammatory effects of TQ. In this study, microglia BV‐2 cells were first stimulated for 1 hr. with 1μg/mL lipopolysaccharide (LPS); then incubated for 24 hr. in the presence or absence of 10 μM TQ. Genomic and proteomic approaches were used to identify target genes and proteins of TQ in activated microglia BV‐2 cells. Genomic results showed that TQ significantly decreases gene expression of miR‐155 by 3.9 folds, JAK2 by 2.2 folds, CCL5 by 13.2 folds, CCRL2 by 12 folds, and PTGS2 (COX2) by 3.3 folds in LPS‐stimulated BV‐2 cells. Proteomics results also showed that TQ significantly decreases protein expression of NOS by 10 folds and Tyrosine‐protein kinase (SYK) by 8 folds. Our results showed that TQ significantly decreased genes and proteins involved in activated microglia‐mediated inflammation. These results suggest that TQ could be an effective treatment for neuroinflammation that occurs in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's diseases.Support or Funding InformationThis study was supported by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities awards G12MD007582 and P20 MD 00738.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.
Student Approach to Learning in a Bachelor Level Cadaver Dissection Course
Authors: Fretham Stephanie 
Published: June 2021

The objective of this study was to determine how students' approach to learning changes through a semester‐long cadaver dissection course and if in‐class and online integrative drawing and concept‐mapping exercises can shift student approach to learning and diversity of study methods employed. Study participants were 67 fourth‐year bachelor students from two cohorts of a semester‐long anatomy course with lecture and cadaver dissection. At the beginning and end of the course students completed the revised two‐factor Study Process Questionnaire (Biggs, British Journal of Educational Psychology, 2001, 71, 133–149) to assess deep and surface motivation and strategies in their approach to learning. At the same time students responded to open‐ended questions regarding study methods. Course exercises included demonstrations of concept mapping, time in lecture for group work, and online forums where students posted diagrams responding to prompts asking students to integrate sympathetic and parasympathetic innervation, or the muscles, innervations, and secretions within the digestive system. Some individual students showed major shifts in their approach to learning however there was not a significant overall trend toward either deep or surface learning over the course and no influence of participation in the class exercises on approach to learning. There was a modest positive correlation between deep approach to learning at the end of the course and overall performance (r=0.30, p<0.05). In conclusion, the class exercises did not measurably alter student approach to learning, but open‐ended questions indicated that students enjoyed the integrative exercises and felt the skills they learned were applicable in other courses. This perceived value of the exercises could be more generally attributed to an increased awareness of the learning process.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.
Teaching and learning for long term retention
Authors: Easteal Ronald , Perry Carolyn 
Published: June 2021

Anatomy is generally considered by students to be a subject that is simply learned through assimilation of facts. Unfortunately, this type of strategy both ill‐equips students to form connections between material and ill‐prepares them for more complex learning that is necessary in medical curriculums. It has been shown previously (Regpalla & Easteal, 2013) that retrieval practice improves results in large gross anatomy classes and we are currently assessing the benefit of sleep consolidation in the hard wiring of anatomical information that would provide the basis for more complex learning when required. These results, and others, will be highlighted in a discussion describing teaching and learning techniques used in 2nd and 3rd year pre‐med courses in gross anatomy that have optimized up‐to‐date teaching and memory strategies. The presentation will involve the discussion of the following teaching techniques: cognitive load application, spiral syllabus, association (or congruency), constructive alignment, and the use of document cameras. In addition, descriptions of memory acquisition techniques will include: 1) study of lecture material within 3 hours of sleep, 2) sleep acquisition of ‘recent memory’, 3) once‐a‐week labs in both an anatomical dissection room and museum (+1200 specimens), and 4) the use of retrieval practice to enhance long term memory (which has been shown to be more than twice as effective as studying for long term memory: Karpicke & Roediger, 2008). Moving forward, the hope is that the discussion of these teaching and learning techniques, as currently used in gross anatomy courses, will provide educators with examples of how they can be implemented into course curriculum with the aim of improving student learning and long‐term retention.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.
Clinical Application of the Left Coronary Artery Variation: A Cadaveric Study
Authors: Klinkhachorn Penprapa S. , Kumar Anil , Moore Valerie A. , Ajmani Madan L. 
Published: June 2021

Coronary arteries play an important role in perfusion of the heart tissues. Variations or anomalies of coronary arteries may be asymptomatic, while some can be symptomatic and may even cause sudden death. Knowledge of coronary artery variations is important in diagnosing and treating cardiovascular diseases. The aim is to describe variations of the LCA and its branching patterns. A total of 78 human hearts were dissected, examined and measured. The external diameters at the starting points of these branches were measured using 0.01 mm sensitive digital calipers. The data is reported as mean ± standard deviation. The mean outer diameter of left coronary artery (LCA), left anterior descending (LAD) and circumflex artery (CA) was 4.34 ± 2.01 mm, 4.21 ± 0.28 mm, and 2.73 ± 0.6 mm respectively. Whereas the mean length of LCA, LAD and CA was 10.2 ± 3.5 mm, 83.4 ± 17.8 mm, and 44.6 ± 17.9 mm respectively. The main trunk of LCA bifurcated in 63 specimens (80.76%), trifurcated in 8 specimens (10.25%), quadrifurcated in 6 specimens (7.69%) and pentafurcated in 1 specimens (1.28%). Variation in the origin of coronary arteries and their branching pattern can pose difficulties in imaging by conventional catheters, thereby creating problems in diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. It is also an increasingly vital component in the management of congenital and acquired heart diseases. The short main LCA explains some failures of adequate coronary perfusion from aortic valve surgery, as the myocardial perfusion depends on the placement of one or more cannulas in the coronary arteries. Short LCA trunk is also considered as a risk factor in developing coronary atherosclerosis, which can lead to much more serious complications than those of the RCA. In conclusion, the high degree of variability of the LCA and its branching patterns has anatomical, pathophysiological diagnostic and therapeutic implications. Adequate knowledge of these variations is important for the interpretation of coronary angiography, stenting procedures and surgical myocardial revascularization.Support or Funding InformationSupported in parts by WVU Health Sciences Center and Oman Medical CollegeThis abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.
Maturational Change in Quiet Respiration Versus Respiration While Feeding In Infant Mammals
Authors: German Rebecca Z. , Gould Francois D.H. 
Published: June 2021

Respiratory rhythm and rate differ in quiet respiration as compared to respiration when infants are suckling and swallowing. How this difference changes in neonates up through the time of weaning is unknown. We tested the hypotheses that (1) rhythm and rate change with age as a function of increasing size but that (2) significant changes in the coordination of respiration with swallowing reflect an increased ability to protect the airway in advance of weaning. We obtained a sample of 9 infant pigs from two unrelated litters and measured quiet respiration, either while sleeping or anesthetized, from 3 to 24 days of age. In the same animals, we measured respiration while feeding from 7 to 24 days of age. Quiet respiration was recorded with a plesthymograph, either while animals were sleeping or lightly anesthetized. Respiration and feeding was recorded using simultaneous high speed videoflurography (XROMM) and plesthysmography. We found minor changes with age in quiet respiration. The within‐session, usually about 1 minute, variation in respiratory rate, decreased significantly with age. Variation in respiration during feeding did not change with age. However, the timing of the coordination between swallowing and respiration changed significantly as animals approached weaning age. The maturational differences in the two types of breathing may reflect different aspects of development. The reduction in variation in quiet respiration may be due to a maturing nervous system, whereas the changes in timing and coordination between swallowing and breathing may be necessary for airway protection as young mammals move to eating solid food.Support or Funding InformationThis work is supported by NIH HD088561 to RZG.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.
Possible protective effect of statins against renal ischemic‐reperfusion injury in diabetic rats: a biochemical and histochemical study
Authors: Hassan Sherif S. , Rizk Ayman , Ettarh Rajunor 
Published: June 2021

BackgroundAcute renal failure may complicate ischemic‐reperfusion injury (IRI) due to the production of reactive oxygen species. Atorvastatin (ATO) is well known for its antioxidant and antiinflammatory effects. It may be possible to protect against acute renal failure by preventing IRI.Aim of studyThe current study has been carried out to investigate the protective effect of ATO against renal IRI in diabetic rats.MethodsThe current study used 2 groups of rats, A and B, (18 rats each). Group A (non‐diabetic) was subdivided into: Group A1 (non‐diabetic sham), Group A2 (non‐diabetic IRI), Group A3 (non‐diabetic ATO‐treated + IRI). Group B (diabetic) was subdivided into: Group B1 (diabetic sham), Group B2 (diabetic IRI), and Group B3 (diabetic ATO‐treated + IRI). All rats were subjected to renal ischemia, bilaterally, for 45 minutes, followed by reperfusion for 24 hours. Rats in Groups A3 and B3 were injected with single doses of ATO (10 mg/kg), intraperitoneal, half hour before induction of renal ischemia. Serum kidney functions including blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine, and oxidative stress markers in renal tissue homogenate, including malondialdehyde (MDA), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione reductase (GR), were studied to measure renal IRI.ResultsGroups A2 and B2 revealed marked increase in BUN, creatinine, MDA, and iNOS and a decrease in SOD and GR. Corresponding results in Groups A3 and B3 suggested improvement in both, the kidney function tests and the oxidative stress markers. This improvement was more significant in Group A3 than Group B3. Study data were analyzed using SPSS and data were described as mean ± standard deviation (SD). Comparisons were performed using one‐way analysis of variance. Differences between mean values were assessed using a t test. A P<.05 was considered statistically significant.ConclusionATO can improve renal IRI, both, in non‐diabetic and diabetic rats, however, its protective effect was less in diabetic rats.Support or Funding InformationThis study was self‐funded.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.
Intrinsically Disordered Regions/Proteins Compensate For Genomic Economization In Mycobacterium Tuberculosis
Authors: Ehtesham Nasreen Zafar , Ahmad Javeed , Farhan Aisha , Khubaib Mohd , Kaur Simran , Pancsa Rita , Srinivasan Alagiri , Kumar Saroj , Babu Madan , Hasnain seyed Ehtesham 
Published: June 2021

Central to the emergence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb) as an extremely successful pathogen is its predilection to persist within the hostile host environment. In this context, the role of disordered proteins and linear motif rich intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) to perturb and hijack host cell networks for a productive infection holds special importance. M.tb has a relatively high percentage of IDPs in its proteome among prokaryotes, the significance of which is not known. Moreover, M.tb has evolved through reductive evolution, with the exception of PE‐PPE/PGRS protein family, which has been expanding in pathogenic mycobacteria. Here, we analyzed the M.tb proteome and its entire secretome. PE‐PGRS subfamily and the secretome were enriched in disorder and disordered binding sites, implying that structural disorder might be important for host‐pathogen interactions. We studied the PPE37 protein in more detail that carries an N‐terminal PPE domain capable of iron binding followed by two transmembrane domains and a disordered C‐terminal segment harboring number of eukaryotic linear motifs (ELMs). N‐terminal segment caused proliferation and differentiation of monocytic THP‐1 cells into CD11c, DC‐SIGN positive semi‐mature dendritic cells. The C‐terminal segment localizes to macrophage nucleus and induced caspase‐3 dependent apoptosis of host cells. We also studied the structural shift in PE35‐PPE68 and PE32‐PPE65 protein pairs of pathogenesis‐related RD1 and RD8 regions by analyzing their secondary structure through Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy. These disordered proteins displayed a remarkable structural shift from disorder to order while engaging in the formation of complexes. These proteins are immunogenic individually and enhance pro‐pathogen response; however, their corresponding complexes enhanced the responses manifold in immunized mice. These results support the role of IDPs in performing contrasting activities to modulate the host processes possibly through molecular mimicry and cross talk. The results from our study further reinforce structural dynamics as a strategy to subvert host defence and to compensate genomic content loss due to reductional evolution.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.
Metacaspases of the Fungus S. commune Are Activated by Calcium and Specific for Arginine
Authors: Leang Lakhena , Fox Kristin M. 
Published: June 2021

Metacaspases belong to a class of cysteine peptidase protein enzymes and are known to be involved in several programmed cell death (PCD) mechanisms in plants and lower eukaryotes. Similar to caspases, metacaspases contain a cysteine‐histidine catalytic dyad and can undergo autoprocessing for increased activity. However, these proteases cleave after arginine or lysine residues, while caspases are aspartate specific. Previous studies have shown that Ca2+ plays a critical role in metacaspase activity. The metacaspase structures of MCA2 (Trypanosoma brucei) and YCA1 (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) have been found to contain calcium‐binding site(s) necessary for complete enzyme activity. A subset of metacaspases possesses an N‐terminal prodomain containing a proline rich sequence. We have identified five metacaspase genes in this subset from the split‐gilled fungus Schizophyllum commune (ScMC1‐5). All genes for ScMC1‐5 have been cloned with and without the prodomain (Δpro) into a SUMO vector construct, expressed, purified and tested for enzymatic activity.The goal of this project was to characterize ScMC1‐5Δpro by determining substrate specificity, optimal Ca2+ concentrations, and optimal pH levels for each enzyme using a metacaspase fluorogenic activity assay. Results show that all ScMC1‐5Δpro showed arginine and lysine specificity, with higher efficiency for arginine. All enzymes performed best within a pH range of 7 and 8. Optimal calcium concentrations ranged from 5 mM to 50 mM Ca2+. Only ScMC1Δpro is completely inactive at 0 mM calcium. ScMC1&5Δpro have a much higher optimal concentration (50 mM), compared to ScMC2, 3 and 4Δpro, suggesting that calcium may have different binding affinities and play different roles in each enzyme. These data agree with current literature for other similarly characterized metacaspases. Increasing our understanding of metacaspase enzymes could provide vital information for the development of future anti‐fungal and antibacterial treatments.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.
Exploring Subunit Communication of Malate Dehydrogenase through Interface Point‐ Mutations
Authors: Schwabe Michael , Shania Sharon , Garcia Nina Marie , Graham Sasha , Bell Ellis 
Published: June 2021

Malate Dehydrogenase (MDH) catalyzes the oxidation/reduction of malate/oxaloacetate through coupling with NAD+/NADH conversion, a key area in cellular metabolism and has been shown to be regulated by citrate. MDH is a homo‐dimer and x‐ray structures show a flexible loop, which upon substrate or citrate binding induces a closed conformational in one subunit, while the other remains open. This implies an as of yet unknown means of communication between the two subunits to convey the open/closed loop response. Concurrent work in the Bell Lab has shown two mutations, S266A & L269A, located in the active site and interface regions display significant changes in kinetic parameters. To further probe these regions and assess individual residue contributions to subunit communication several additional point mutants (I88A, K261M/Q, S270A/C, T255E/V) located between the active site and the subunit interface have been constructed, expressed, purified and characterized. The I88A mutant protein has a 10,000 fold decrease in Vmax while that of the T255E mutant is decreased 1,000 fold. Km for NADH is significantly increased in the I88A mutant while that for T255E remains unchanged. This suggests that decreased affinity for NADH in the I88A mutant results from disruption of the subunit interface., I88 is thought to interact with L269 on the opposite chain, while T255 may be involved in oxaloacetate/malate/citrate binding at the active site. This data is consistent with predicted effects of interface and active site mutations and contributes to a detailed understanding of a predicted inter‐subunit relay system to induce asymmetric conformational changes and ligand binding in this homo‐dimeric enzyme.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.