bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Reductive Stress Promotes Heart Failure in Mouse and Human
Authors: Soorappan Rajasekaran Namakkal 
Published: June 2021

Cardiomyopathy and heart failure (HF) is a growing cause of human morbidity and mortality across the globe. Antioxidant‐based treatments to detoxify ROS have been largely unsuccessful to protect humans from various cardiovascular diseases. Although transcriptional activation of antioxidants appear to be beneficial, their chronic effects remain elusive. Here, we tested a hypothesis that the sustained activation of Nrf2/antioxidant signaling will promote reductive stress (RS) and lead to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Using novel transgenic mouse models expressing Nrf2 in the heart (α‐MHC‐Nrf2‐TG) and their non‐transgenic (NTg) littermates, we studied the chronic effects of a hyper‐reductive condition on cardiac structure and function (echocardiography – Vevo2100 Imager). Furthermore, myocardial redox potential for glutathione (GSH/GSSG), transcript (qPCR), and protein (immunoblotting) levels for Nrf2‐related antioxidants in the myocardium of NTg and TG mice (n=6–12/gp.) were performed at different ages. Results from this novel study demonstrated ~40% mortality in TG mice compared to NTg by 60 weeks of age (Kaplan‐Meier survival plots). An abnormally higher GSH redox ratio was maintained along with a significantly diminished ROS in TG vs. NTg mice (p<0.05) indicated a hyper‐reductive state. This was strongly associated with a significant increase in Nrf2 function (promoter activity) with augmented levels of antioxidant genes and proteins (p<0.05) in TG vs. NTg mice. Subsequent analyses revealed that progressive cardiac remodeling and impaired cardiac output in TG relative to NTg mice. Thus, diminution of the obligatory oxidative signaling with chronic activation of Nrf2‐antioxidants could shift the redox equilibrium to the “reductive” side and cause cardiac disease. Recent clinical observations revealed a sub‐set of heart failure (HF) patients exhibiting a hyper‐reductive (i.e. RS) condition, suggesting a role for RS in the development of HF. Ongoing studies are focused on understanding the molecular mechanisms for RS‐pathogenesis in the myocardium.Support or Funding InformationThis work is supported by an R01 grant from NIH/NHLBI (HL118067).This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.
Isocitrate dehydrogenase‐1 deficiency exacerbates growth defects and metabolic alteration in Caenorhabditiselegans induced by glucose 6‐phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency
Authors: Chiu Daniel Tsun‐Yee , Yang Hung‐Chi , Yu Hsiang , Liu You‐Cheng , Arnold Stern 
Published: June 2021

NADPH is a key reducing equivalent that maintains redox homeostasis and supports reductive biosynthesis. Lack of major NADPH producing enzymes predisposes cells to growth retardation and demise. Inactivation of the NADPH generating enzymes, glucose 6‐phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), the rate limiting enzyme of the pentose phosphate pathway, and isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) has been hypothesized to affect growth and development in the nematode, C. elegans. Toward this end, the G6PD/IDH1 double‐deficient C. elegans model was shown to display shrinkage of body size, growth retardation, slow locomotion and impaired molting. Global metabolomic analysis was employed to address whether or not metabolic pathways were altered by NADPH depletion by the G6PD/IDH1 double‐deficiency. Principal component analysis (PCA) points to a distinct metabolomic profile of G6PD/IDH1 doubledeficiency. Further metabolomic analysis revealed that NADPH‐dependent and glutamate‐dependent amino acid biosynthesis were significantly impaired. Consequently, the reduction in amino acids may affect protein synthesis, as indicated by the absence of NAS‐37 expression during the molting process. All in all, these findings support the notion that inactivation of G6PD and IDH1 causes growth retardation and molting defects, possibly mediated by impaired amino acid biosynthesis and metabolism in C. elegans.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.
Determining Impact of Learning Environment on Student Engagement, Bloom's Higher Order Skill Proficiency, and Exam Performance of First Year Medical Students
Authors: Hopper Mari K. , Kaiser Alexis K. 
Published: June 2021

The primary aim of this study was to determine if levels of student engagement, higher order skill proficiency, and knowledge acquisition demonstrated by medical students would differ when completing the same course in three diverse learning environments. Following IRB approval, 54 first year medical students registered at the same medical school, but attending class at three different campus centers were enrolled in the study. All participants were completing a Medical Physiology course that utilized the same learning objectives but incorporated diverse methodologies (percent of class devoted to active learning strategies), course format (6 week block versus 17 week semester), and student attendance rates. Students completed a validated survey of student engagement (SSE), a proctored online problem‐based assessment of higher order skill proficiency (Collegiate Learning Assessment (CLA+) (http://cae.org), and the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) Physiology subject exam. Results indicated levels of engagement were lower than expected when compared to published values for graduate students. Higher order skill proficiency assessed by CLA+ was significantly higher than values reported for college seniors nationally. Importantly, there were no significant differences between campus sites for any of the variables assessed. Surprisingly, assessed higher order skill proficiency (CLA+) offered no prediction of performance on NBME as there were no significant correlations between the SSE and CLA+, or between CLA+ and NBME scores. These data indicate that although first year medical students may not perceive themselves as highly engaged, they are adept in using higher order skills and excel in meeting course objectives regardless of learning environment.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.
Transparent Assessments: The Potential Benefits of Training Students in the How and Why of Evaluation
Authors: Hull Kerry , de Carvalho Oliveira Vanessa , Lawford Heather , Hood Suzanne , Malmquist Sarah , Jensen Murray 
Published: June 2021

The ideal assessment accurately measures student knowledge and skills without causing debilitating anxiety. This study investigates the impact of two interventions on student anxiety, perceptions, and performance: increased transparency in evaluative techniques prior to the assessment, and working with peers during the assessment.Evaluation anxiety can reflect discrepancies between self‐perceived assignment quality and the received mark, which may reflect instructors' use of tacit (i.e. knowing good work when I see it) as well as explicit knowledge (e.g. marking schemes). The impact of increased knowledge transfer from instructor to students was examined in an upper year Physiology seminar class using concept maps as summative evaluations. Students engaged in a training procedure involving rubric presentation (explicit knowledge transfer), small group evaluations of exemplar concept maps, and an instructor‐led discussion of the exemplars (tacit knowledge transfer). Students found the instructor‐led discussion the most helpful of the three steps. Students consistently ranked concept maps as better performance indicators than multiple choice exams, but results varied as to their anxiety‐provoking potential. Working in groups was only deemed useful if students already had a preliminary concept map to discuss. In comparison to students in previous classes who were not provided explicit training, students reported more positive perceptions towards concept mapping and generated higher quality maps.The second study involved a large, inquiry‐based, upper year Physiology course using homework, group quizzes, and individual multiple choice and short answer exams. Since these evaluative techniques are relatively straightforward, we focused on differences between individual and group assessments. Group quizzes invoked less anxiety than individual exams in all students, but the difference was greater in self‐reported B students than in self‐reported A students. Yet, B students considered these assessments poorer indicators of their knowledge than A students. Comments indicated that A students worry about “free‐loaders”, and B students often feel that quiz results reflect the smartest student's knowledge, not their own. Explicit instructor explanations of the formative advantages of group quizzes, such as self‐elucidation for stronger students and peer teaching for weaker students, might increase student buy‐in. These results highlight the importance of explicit instructor explanations of how and why instructors evaluate student work.Support or Funding InformationThis work was supported in part by the Senate Research Committee of Bishop's University.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.
Standardized Critical Thinking Scores Improve from Freshmen to Senior in an Exercise Science Program
Authors: Dicus Jeremy Raymond , Jensen Brock , Pierce Patty , Lynn Jeff 
Published: June 2021

Institutional variability in undergraduate exercise science education may be greater than biology or chemistry programs due to the minimal requirement of national standardized examinations for program accreditation. Yet, programmatic discipline skills and outcomes, such as critical thinking, may be very similar across these disciplines. Additionally, evidence suggests that academic educators and employers agree that critical thinking is an important skill needed in both college and the workplace. Moreover, there is agreement that critical thinking is often more highly regarded by employers than mastery of discipline‐specific content. However, conclusive evidence that critical thinking outcomes are being sufficiently met in higher education remains unclear. The lack of conclusive evidence is unacceptable when critical thinking outcomes are commonplace at the university, college, department, and programmatic levels. Further, limited evidence exists regarding the acquisition of adequate skills related to critical thinking in exercise science education.PURPOSEThe purpose of this investigation was to evaluate critical thinking in an exercise science program following an explicit critical thinking objective/outcome based intervention.METHODSCritical thinking scores were obtained using the Health Science Reasoning Test (HSRT), a valid and reliable standardized assessment, which is commonly used in undergraduate and graduate health science programs. Exercise science students (N= 121; 59% female) completed the HSRT as first semester freshmen and in their last didactic semester as seniors. Following pre‐testing, exercise science students completed a curriculum with a tiered critical thinking outcome. Descriptive statistics were calculated as MEAN±SD and a t‐test was performed to determine differences in critical thinking HSRT scores.RESULTSFreshmen exercise science HSRT percentile scores were 57.8±25 and improved to 74.2±18 by Senior year (P < 0.05). Similarly, the absolute HSRT critical thinking score was 2.5±3.4 higher following the completion of an exercise science program (P < 0.05). Categorical breakdowns of critical thinking skill scores revealed the greatest degree of observed improvement Freshmen to Senior was in inductive and deductive reasoning (mean difference = 0.93±1.5 and 0.92±2.0, respectively; P < 0.05).CONCLUSIONSStudents in an exercise science program at a 4‐year liberal arts university demonstrate a significant increase in critical thinking scores. Using a standardized critical thinking assessment tool may be valuable for standardization of program or university outcomes.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.
Collaborative Testing and Reflection Papers as Supplementary Assessment Tools in a Clinical Physiology Course
Authors: Anderson Lisa Carney 
Published: June 2021

Collaborative testing and reflection papers area are a novel way to supplement traditional assessments such as multiple‐choice exams. The course setting for implementing and studying these two supplementary assessments was Clinical Physiology I and II, a two‐course series in the Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology. Of the 30 students registered for the fall 2016 session of the course, 13 were undergraduates in physiology/biological sciences, 5 were graduate students in the biological sciences and 12 were doctor of Nursing practice (DNP) students in nursing anesthesia. Of the 30 students registered for the spring 2017 semester, 11 were undergraduates in physiology/biological sciences, 15 were graduate students in the biological sciences, 2 were post baccalaureate students, and 12 were DNP students. Students were assigned by the instructor to 1 of 5 groups in which students of different. disciplines were evenly divided among the groups.On the scheduled assessment day, students first completed a closed‐book, 40‐ question, multiple‐choice exam. After a short break, students gathered into their groups and re‐took a clean version of the same exam. Students discussed each question until they reached a consensus as to the correct answer. When all groups were finished, students were given an exam key and a reflective writing assignment. Students were instructed to pick three question that inspired a lot of discussion and to write a paragraph about the student thought process during the individual exam and the group exam. Reflection essays were due prior to the start of the next weekly class session.Group exam scores averaged about 7 points higher than individual exam scores and it was not unusual for the group exam score to be higher than any individual exam score within the group. Students reported the experience of the group exam was enjoyable and a helpful learning tool.Though writing about their thought process was difficult for the students, reflection papers were enlightening to both the students and the instructor. Student identified knowledge gaps, misconceptions, and logic errors. They also gained confidence in their critical thinking skills. The instructor learned which concepts continued to confound students and gained insight as to why certain multiple‐choice questions were poorly received. A major finding of this study is that assessments are powerful tools for teaching critical thinking.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.
Head Circumference (HC) as a Predictor of Maximum Cranial Width (MCW), Maximum Cranial Length (MCL) and Cranial Index (CI) in Nigerian Children (Less than 3 years old)
Authors: Musa Muhammad A. , Zagga Abdullahi D. 
Published: June 2021

Head circumference is one of the commonest and very important anthropometric parameters investigated in children during physical examinations in hospitals within our locality. The aims of this study were to determine the relationship between head circumference and cranial parameters (maximum cranial width [MCW], maximum cranial length [MCL], cranial index [CI]) of study participants as well as to use head circumference values to predict cranial parameters of study participants. A total of 153 children (80 Males and 73 Females) aged between 0 and 3 years were recruited for this study with mean ages of 20.85±9.05 months in males and 19.37±9.07 in females. The head circumference (cm), maximum cranial length (cm), maximum cranial width (cm) of the study participants were measured and cranial index (%) values calculated. Pearson's product‐moment correlation coefficients between variables were computed using Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet. The mean values for head circumference were 46.31±3.48cm in males and 46.52±2.91cm in females. The mean value for maximum cranial length was 14.67±1.13cm in males and 14.80±1.27cm in females while the maximum cranial width mean values were 11.46±0.91cm and 11.89±1.16cm in males and females respectively. The mean value for the cranial index in males was 78.14±3.26% and 80.29±3.02% in females and this difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). A moderate positive correlation was observed between HC and MCL (r = 0.521; p < 0.0001) in males, between HC and MCL (r = 0.591; p < 0.0001) in females respectively. A weak positive correlation was found between HC and MCW (r = 0.390; p < 0.0001) in males while a moderate positive correlation existed between HC and MCW (r = 0.546; p <0.0001) in females. Results of linear regression analysis indicated that HC significantly predicted MCW and MCL in both sexes (p < 0.05) while CI was not significantly predicted by HC (b = −0.20, p = 0.0523) in males and (b = 0.06, p = 0.6019) in females respectively. However, the slope of the regression lines (b) between head circumference (cm) and all the cranial parameters was positive in females and same in males except for cranial index (b = −0.20, p = 0.0523) and this was not statistically significant (p < 0.05). From this present study, there is a moderate positive linear relationship between HC and cranial parameters (MCW; MCL) with no statistically significant relationship between HC and CI in both sexes. HC significantly predicted the values for MCW and MCL in both males and females. Routine cranial evaluation such as ours as demonstrated in this study can be of clinical importance in assessing and monitoring cranial growth in childrenSupport or Funding InformationNilThis abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.
Ethyl Pyruvate Reduces Swine Barn Dust Exposure Induced Brain Microglial Cell Inflammatory Responses via Targeting HMGB1‐RAGE Signaling
Authors: Massey Nyzil , Puttachary Sreekanth , Mahadev‐Bhat Sanjana , Shrestha Denusha , Kanthasamy Anumantha G. , Charavaryamath Chandrashekhar 
Published: June 2021

Swine production in the US is a major agricultural economy with 550,000 jobs and $39 billion added to GDP. Large swine farms employ full time workers who are exposed to occupational contaminants including organic dust, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), peptidoglycan (PGN) and gases. Exposed workers mainly report bronchitis, asthma and loss of lung function. Majority of the studies have focused on the mechanisms of inflammation underlying the respiratory symptoms. But effect of barn exposure on other vital organs such as brain remain largely elusive. Brain microglial cells are like macrophages of other organs in their innate response and their activation is known to cause neuroinflammation. Therefore, we tested a hypothesis that swine barn dust extract (SBDE) activates microglial cells of the brain using an in vitro model.Settled dust from commercial swine operations was collected, buffer extract prepared and filter sterilized. Mouse (C57BL6) microglial cell line were treated with SBDE or LPS or PGN or medium and stained for the expression of Iba1 (microglial activation), gp91 phox (reactive oxygen species (ROS)), HMGB1 (high‐mobility group box‐1), RAGE (receptor for advanced glycation end products) and DAPI at 0, 6, 24 and 48 h post treatment. Microscopy and ELISA were used to measure morphological activation and cytokine quantification respectively. Along with SBDE or LPS or PGN, microglia were co‐treated with Ethyl Pyruvate (EP) or Mito‐Apocynin (Mito‐Apo) and HMGB1 translocation or 3‐NT (reactive nitrogen species (RNS) marker) expression were measured respectively.Microglia morphologically appeared reactive with an upregulation of Iba1 and gp91 phox by 24 hours post LPS or PGN or SBDE treatment. At 48 hours, SBDE treated microglia demonstrated nuclear to cytoplasmic translocation of HMGB1 and co‐localization with RAGE in the cytoplasm. EP treatment reduced nucleocytoplasmic translocation of HMGB1 and RAGE expression while Mito‐Apo treatment reduced the expression of 3‐NT. EP treatment reduced SBDE‐induced microglial cell activation (morphological), ROS, TNF‐α and IL‐6 concentrations.Our data indicate that, EP reduces SBDE induced microglial activation and inflammation via targeting HMGB1‐RAGE signaling.Support or Funding InformationIowa State University.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.
Fractones and basement membranes: matrix for patterning, growth and development
Authors: Lee Kiana D. , Douet Vanessa , Arikawa‐Hirasawa Eri , Davis Harry B. , Alarcon Vernadeth B. , Fronville Alexandra , Mercier Frederic 
Published: June 2021

More and more evidence supports the view that extracellular matrix (ECM) is essential for growth and patterning during development. However, the mechanisms underlying patterning and morphogenesis are unknown. In both adult and developing mammalians, we have characterized a new type of extracellular matrix structure that we have named fractones. Fractones are chemically similar to basement membranes but differ from the latter by their location. Fractones reside in the parenchyma of tissues and organs. They are are visualized as particles by light microscopy but often display a fractal ultrastructure. In contrast, basement membranes are located as sheaths at the connective tissue/parenchyma interface. We have shown that fractone‐associated heparan sulfates bind and activate growth factors to regulate stem cell proliferation in the neurogenic zone of the adult brain. Here, we used multiple fluorescence immunohistochemistry to visualize fractones, basement membranes and cell proliferation throughout mouse development, with a focus on brain structuration. Fractones preceded basement membranes and were associated with proliferating pluripotent stem cells in the inner cell mass of the blastocyst. During gastrulation, fractones were found in the three germinal tissues. During neurulation, fractones were visualized at the vicinity of proliferating neuroepithelial cells in the notoplate and in the ventricular zone. During corticalization, fractones gradually displaced through the neural tissue according to an in‐out gradient towards the basement membrane of superficial meninges. At this time, fractone distribution negatively correlated with neural cell proliferation. For white matter tract formation, axonal growth was accompanied by fractones along meningeal elongations that progressively patterned the forming brain. Then, brain fractones disappeared only to reappear soon after birth throughout the sub ventricular zone, a location that persisted into adulthood. Together, our results strongly suggest that fractones and basement membranes are essential for patterning and morphogenesis.Support or Funding InformationSupported by JSPS S09109This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.